Google is constantly adding new ways to do things quicker on its devices. Everything from multi-screen capabilities to lock-screen widgets has been added to the new updates of the Android OS, making its devices very powerful and efficient. Something that Android hasn't paid much attention to, though, is the ability to access applications easily from places other than the home screen. So, XDA Developers member Cyansmoker decided to take matters into his own hands creating an application that a...
Wouldn't it be awesome if your glasses could detect when it's bright outside and automatically darken? Well, the technology has been around for a while, but it'll set you back a few hundred bucks.
If you've ever wished you could keep tabs on the fish in your aquarium, Justin of Antipasto Hardware Blog has just the mod for you! He created this DIY "shark detector" that sends out a tweet whenever Bruce the shark breaches a perimeter that he set up in the tank.
If you've found your speakers to be lacking in the visuals department, this is just the mod for you. Using 3" PVC, you can turn your speakers into light-up glow rods that pulse to the beat of your music. You'll need some electrical skills and experience soldering to get this one together, but otherwise it's not all that complicated. The main components you are going to need are speaker drivers, PVC pipes, LEDs, and the necessary cabling for those devices. The device works best with higher vol...
Aside from being completely adorable, Fijibot is a completely autonomous robot that automatically seeks out light sources to charge his solar-powered battery. He's built from a 1.5 liter Fiji water bottle, packed with an Arduino Uno, 6 volt solar panel, and an Arduino Proto Shield. His other parts are all off-the-shelf gear you could grab at RadioShack, while the wheels are from a discarded RC car. Fijibot isn't a particularly useful robot, but it's still fun to watch him navigate from light ...
'Nightshift', the night mission in Battlefield 3, gives you a sniper rifle that allows you to unlock the 'Army of Darkness' achievement. You will need to shoot all four of the lights out without missing any shots. This Achievement Hunter video should help you out.
Kipkay demonstrates how to extract the laser from a DVD burner and mount it in a small flashlight to create a handheld laser burner that can light matches and burst balloons, all in this how-to video. All you need is a 16x DVD burner, a laser housing, and a flashlight. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to modify a flashlight into a relatively strong laser.
If you're tired of replacing the batteries on your remote control and you would rather have the TV remote charge by itself, grab a few solar cells, rechargable batteries, and a few extra odds and ends. With this mod to your remote, you can let light charge your remote and never buy another battery for it again!
Somebody over at Crytek likes rave parties, because Crysis 2 has a hilarious elevator rave easter egg. This video will show you how to activate it in the 'Dead Man Walking' mission, and treat yourself to some hard trance, dancing soldier, and pretty lights.
The Bruno Mars single "Grenade" is taking him to a whole 'nother level of stardom, especially in light of his amazing performance at the Grammy's. This video will show you how to play a cover of the song on acoustic guitar and woo yourself some people.
The Nintendo DS Lite is the best portable gaming system ever, and you want to make sure yours works forever. If you find that your unit won't charge or turn on and plugging it in makes the charge light flash, watch this video for a guide to taking the DS Lite apart and jumping the fuses with a conductive pen like a CircuitWriter so it will power on once again.
One task to which DSLRs are particularly well suited is nighttime shooting. Fast, wide-aperture lenses make the most out of available light. In this video tutorial from renowned DSLR cinematographer Philip Bloom and the staff of Vimeo, we receive some tips on how to film at night using, for example, a Canon 7D, T2i (550D) or 5D Mark II.
Wanna make some lighting in your very own home? You can with this cool how-to video. Basically what you'll be creating is called a Kelvin's Thunderstorm, or, a water drop electrostatic generator. Check out the video to see what supplies you'll need to make this experiement work.
Almost everything we saw in the new movie "Tron: Legacy" made our jaws drop to the floor. From the amazing light cycles which carved beams of light wherever they drove to the awesome dueling between the "programs" and user Sam, there was much coolness to be seen.
Phosphors are great for lighting up areas where fire will not burn, and also for keeping humans alive in very small quantities. Quenching phosphors allows you to use them for all sorts of cool projects, and this video will show you how to make an IR detection device with quenched phosphors and also how to measure temperature with thermally quenched phosphors.
This is an easy and fun project that will add a little light to any night time celebration. Take a few LEDs in any color you want, some basic electronics gear and a hot glue gun. This will be more vibrant than any glowstick you can find in the store, and will last much longer
Spark it up and learn how to light a fire with steel wool and a ferro rod. This is another method of fire starting which is simple, easy and effective. With your ferrocerium rod, some dry brush, leaves and a gentle breath you'll be on your way to heat, warmth and survival.
Rip it up with this classic, blues rock lick, taught to you here by Robert Renman. This wicked riff, reminiscent of Gary Moore's playing style, uses lots of hammer-ons and pull-offs, which let's you play over 4 strings REALLY fast. Once you nail this, you'll officially be allowed to light your guitar on fire. Learn and shred now!
If you are the proud owner of a Dodge Neon with a check engine light on and it's showing error code P0141 on your scanner, you probably need to replace the rear oxygen sensor. This video will show you how to do that as easily as possible.
Starting a fire is one of the most important things you can do in a survival situation, but doing so is seldom as easy as you'd like. This video will teach you all sorts of ways to light fires, including making firestarters out of cotton balls and petroleum jelly, using natural tinder, and using the old spinning stick and string method.
The crankshaft position sensor on a car can cause the check engine light to come on a lot if it's not working, and they do wear out and need to be replaced eventually. This video will show you where to find the sensor on a Nissan Altima 2.5.
IF you have a Saturn S-Series and it's thrown a P0340 or P0341 error code at your on the scanner after the check engine light has come on, you might be wondering how your cam position sensor can be off if you don't actually have one in your car. Watch this video to learn exactly what this code means to your car and some thoughts on how you might fix it. Three words: spark plug wires.
Even if you're a pro at doing makeup for school and for special events, doing makeup for photos is a whole other ballpark. Whether you're taking photographs with flash or with soft studio lighting, how the camera lens sees your face is very different from how the naked eye sees your face.
Triboluminescence is the quality that makes a substance emit light when you crush, smash, hit, or otherwise break it's molecular bonds. If you want some triboluminescent (smash-glow) crystals, watch this video to learn how to make some out of a battery, glowpaint, and fire.
Did you know that electroluminescent (EL) wire is considered by some to be the currency of Burning Man? If you're thinking of going and want to stock up before (smart) watch this video featuring EL whiz Jeri Ellsworth (smarter) teaching you how to make DIY EL wire.
Electroluminescent devices need electricity to light up, clearly, so if you're working on an EL project building a proper power supply is crucial. In this video you'll learn how to make a DIY power supply for your EL projects that is safe, effective, and cheap.
EL wire is known as the Currency of Burning Man, and it's potential to create beautiful light in all sorts of settings is amazing. If you're tired of buying it and want to stock up on some DIY EL wire (which is more in the spirit of Burning Man anyway right?) watch this video to learn how to twist enamel and bare wire together to make your EL wire.
In this tutorial, we learn how to draw Yoda the Jedi master from Star Wars. You will first need to draw the basic body of Yoda, don't forget those long ears. After this, add in the small eyes and the rest of the facial features. Next, you will add in the details for the clothing and draw in the light saber he is holding in his hands. Now for the fun part! Use different colors with white mixed in to make it look like the light saber is glowing. Then, color in Yoda and his clothing to finish of...
Going for a Predator outfit for Halloween or as a cameo in your film, you want to try to get as close to the real thing as possible. In this video you will learn how to perfectly align LED lights to create the targeting lights that the predator uses for its canon with a quick tutorial!
In this tutorial, we learn how to create a masquerade ball mask with makeup. First, draw the outline of the mask around your eyes. After you do this, paint on light blue eyeshadow in circles around your eyes. Then, take a dark blue color and apply it on the outer edge of the light blue and inside the outline that you created. Apply glitter to the dark blue portion of the eyes, then draw on black around the outline of the mask, smudging it onto the outer edges of the face. After this, apply ey...
In this video tutorial, we learn how to create a music visualization effect with Knoll Light Factor within Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide. Create a ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to apply Beyonce's "I am...Yours" inspired makeup. First, take a light pink shadow and apply it all over the eyelids. Then, take a light brown shadow and brush it on the crease of the eye, then blend outward to the outer edge of the eye, after this, use black eyeliner on the top and bottom of the eyes, creating a winged effect on the outer edge of the eye. Apply thicker eyeliner on the top of the eye, then apply false lashes to the top of the eye and mascara to ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to splatter blood & make a muzzle flash in film. First, you will need to grab a starter pistol for anywhere on the internet. Then, take a shot of your shooting the gun and someone else pretending like they are taking the bullet. Then, load this clip into the software you use and place a light coming from the end of the gun to make it look realistic. When you are finished fixing the lighting with this, you can edit and then you will have a finished product! Save ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to choose which driving mode to use in the 2010 Prius. The Prius offers four drive modes: normal, eco, power, and ev mode. To activate the mode, press the appropriate button the center console and the light will appear in the center console. Now, you can press it again to deactivate it if you no longer want it on. The Prius has a driving range of 1/2 mile and can operate at 25 mph using light throttle. If the battery needs charging or the speed exceeds 25 mph th...
Is it your life goal to direct and produce a science fiction saga so tremendous and fantastic that people will be saying, "George Lucas who?" after they witness it? Then you need to begin your journey to geek stardom by learning the basics.
Film Noir, or black film, is a type of film that can easily be attributed to classics such as the Humphery Boggart films of old (Maltese Falcon, King of the Underworld, ect.). If you're looking on how to create the effect yourself without a big budget, check out this video! John Hess gives you some basic tips to creating the effect with lighting and more!
In this video, we learn how to create an engraved text effect in Photoshop. First, start a new document in Photoshop and make it as large as you want it. Now, select the foreground color as a dark gray. Next, grab the rectangle tool and draw a shaped layer, making the color whatever you want it to be. Now, go to "layer", then "layer style", and "gradient overlay". Go to the gradient bar and mix light and dark grays or black to make a metal or chrome look as you prefer. After this, write in yo...
In this video, we learn how to play The Smiths "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". The intro starts with D minor, then F major 7, then G. This is a very simple intro that you will play over twice, then move onto the first verse. This starts with A minor 7, then G, then A minor 7, G, F, C, and G. You will play this over four times after you play the intro to the song. To play the second verse, it's exactly the same as the first chorus, so continue to play this. Once you get into the chorus...
This fantastic, in-depth video dives into the gray card in probably every imaginable way that you could think using the Nikon D3 . Going over various different lighting it can be used for, custom white balance for preset manual, gray source point for white balance correction, accurate exposure in spot metering mode, and adjusting the camera's LCD display brightness, on top of a ton of information!
