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Archives: September 2007

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September 30, 2007

Don't update your iPhone... yet.

If you've previously unlocked your iPhone, or you are considering doing it in the future, you should probably hold off updating your phone for the moment. Apple's recent 1.1.1 firmware update has been bricking hacked phones, and though there's a method for downgrading back to 1.0.2, the telephony portion of the device will remain broken (well.. until someone resolves this, hopefully soon).

Hackintosh has this quick summary:

1) If you have unlocked your phone at all, regardless of whether it's to use another sim / carrier or even just for fun and you're still using the AT&T sim, DO NOT UPDATE to 1.1.1 unless you want to render your phone useless. It will not work afterwards as things stand at the moment.

2) If you haven't unlocked your phone and you haven't jailbroken it and want to update to 1.1.1, you will not be able to jailbreak it afterwards as things stand. Until someone does Jailbreak 1.1.1, this will not change.

3) If you are still using Firmware 1.0.2, you can still synch with iTunes. If iTunes suggests you update your iPhone, just say no. In Preferences, you can turn off the setting to look for updates automatically so iTunes won't even bother asking.

4) Your 1.0.2 Phone will not just brick itself. Apple can't beam an auto bricker to your phone....You have to help them by trying to update to 1.1.1 after you've hacked it. Apple warned you, there's countless tales of woe on these forums that should serve as a warning....JUST DON"T DO IT!!!

5) If you haven't hacked your phone in anyway whatsoever and you want a cute Starbucks logo to appear everytime you're near one (as well as the other updates) then you should be fine, as long as you're aware of point 2.

As I mentioned, if you've already performed the update, you can restore the previous os firmware. None of the phone features will work, but at least you'll have your applications and WiFi connectivity back. Methods for restoring the phone's original baseband firmware, as well as an unlock method for the new firware are in the works, so my recommendation would be to just hold tight with the 1.0.2 firmware until the kinks are worked out.

Downgrade from 1.1.1 to 1.0.2 - Link
Want to update to FW 1.1.1? READ THIS FIRST! - Link

Best of CRAFT

Here are some of my favorite posts from the CRAFT blog this week:

CRAFT's Harajuku Punk Shirt Project on HP's Community Wiki - Link.

HOW TO - Make a Pitcher Plant Terranium - Link.

Craft Biz Q+A: Susie Ghahremani of boygirlparty- Link.

Cardboard Box Lamps - Link.

DIY Recycled Paper Curtain - Link.

End of the weekend - Are you making a walkotron?

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Did you get a chance to learn how to make your own walkman mellotron this weekend? Make sure to check it out and subscribe to get all of them downloaded automatically!

Watch the video - Link
Read the pdf - Link
Subscribe in iTunes - Link

Paraglider made from storage bags

By way of the awesome AfriGadget site comes this Wired story about a paraglider builder/flier from South Africa:

Cyril is the only black South African currently registered with the sport's ruling body. And it all started with a glider he made from plastic bags, purloined rope and baling wire, a glider that flew -- sort of -- though it both amazed and horrified the professional paragliders who saw it.

Freedom Flight: Kid's Homemade Paraglider Leads to Fame - Link

September 29, 2007

Desktop "Strandbeest" walker

The work of Dutch physicist-turned-artist Theo Jansen has inspired many, including us here at MAKE. His amazing "Strandbeest" (beach animals), giant wind-driven walking sculptures, are staggeringly cool. A number of miniature machine and robot builders have tried to incorporate some of Jensen's ideas into their own work. Here, a Japanese maker has built a tabletop walking machine that uses a leg configuration similar to the Strandbeest.

Strandbeest-Desktop (Theo Jansen´s mechanism) - Link

Related:

Interview with Theo Jansen... - Link
The Walking Building - Link

Robot Jockey, the sport that never was

Before BigDog and LittleDog, Boston Dynamics Director Martin Buehler was messing around with single-leg motility, here via the Robot Jockey, a sort of semi-self-balancing pogo stick under a motorcycle frame. On Buehler's website, you can see the evolution, from these monoped prototypes up to the four-legged critters we see bouncing around in BD test videos today. With the rider in full motorcycle regalia and the Van Halen soundtrack, this looks like some sort of misguided extreme sport that never quite got off the ground... er so speak.

Martin Buehler - Link

Related:

Insanely cool, creepy "LittleDog" robot - Link
Robotic pack mule - Link

SensorBib upright bass augmentation

Spencer Russell created a "sleeve" for his upright bass to house electronic sensors which detect his position relative to the instrument. The sensors use an Arduino board to communicate with a computer running PD (PureData) to translate the sensor information into sound. He used Blender and QCad to make a 3D model of his bass in order to create a pattern for his fabric sleeve. He'll be at October's Dorkbot NYC if you want to see this in person. Link.

Walkotron - PDF Cast

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The walkotron is a simple project that you can make to create your own musical instrument. Gather your walkmans, some switches, wire and a speaker and you've got a basic melloman made out of walkmans. If you're feeling ambitious, download the code and fire up an arduino to make a sequencer! - PDF Link

Note: That's a photo of Eric playing the walkotron at Handmade Music Night!

Download the code - Link
Watch the video - Link
Subscribe - Link

New in the MAKE store - the MAKE bomb defuser

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Small enough to fit on your key chain, the MAKE Bomb Defuser is the perfect companion for mobile fixing, hacking. saving the world and MacGyvering. This is a limited offering with custom "MAKE: bomb defuser" laser etched with care using a 35w laser. It's a Leatherman Squirt E4 (electronic version) and come with a lifetime warranty.

Features

Electrical Wire Cutters (spring loaded)
20, 18, 16, 14, and 12 gauge wire strippers
Straight Knife
Tweezers
Extra-Small Screwdriver
Small Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
Wood/Metal File
Bottle Opener
Lanyard Attachment
Length: 2.25 in. / 5.5 cm closed
Weight: 1.8 ounces / 52 grams

The MAKE bomb defuser, get one while you can - Link.

Automate using your Mac on untrusted networks

When you're on an untrusted or unencrypted network, everything from what you browse to the email and IM messages you send can potentially be snooped by a third party. Sure, some sites use https and you can use ssh to connect to a remote server, but what if you want to jack in and enjoy the relative comfort of knowing _all_ of your applications are communicating over a secure channel?

For that, you need a secure proxy. By setting up a SOCKS proxy, you can have your applications route all of their network communications through a secure connection to a network you trust. Gina at Lifehacker put together a quick guide for setting this up, and once configured in OS X's System Preferences, most of the default apps like Safari will just start using your proxy and you're good to go.

A lot of your favorite applications--ie. Firefox and Adium--need to be manually configured to use the proxy, however, as they don't pull this information automatically from the system preferences. This is straightforward to do, but it means that every time you cruise over to the local coffee shop, you need to set up your proxy configuration in multiple places.

Albert Lee came up with a nice solution to this problem. An application profile manager called rooSwitch and some quick Actionscript is all you need to make a couple of command line scripts that will set up or tear down your proxy, as well as switching all of your application preferences.

If you save this script with a .command extension, then you can run it by double-clicking on the icon in the Finder like a regular application. When it runs, it will change the location, switch your profile, and start up the SSH tunnel. Enter your password and off you go!

I should mention that his script also introduced me to a useful mac command line utiliy called scselect. By typing scselect [locationname], you can switch your Mac's location straight from the command line.

Safer Surfing on Untrusted Networks (Mac Edition) - Link
How to configure an SSH SOCKS proxy @Lifehacker - Link
rooSwitch - Link

September 28, 2007

Atari Punk Console - weekend electronics project

The Atari Punk Console is a simple electronic music circuit that you can easily put together in a weekend. The original concept was created by Forrest M. Mims III, writer of Getting Started in Electronics. At it's simplest it's just a 556 dual timer IC, a couple potentiometers, and a few capacitors and resistors. Hack together a slick enclosure, though, and you've got a beautiful little gizmo that pumps out sick square wave goodness.

GetLoFi has a few good links to schematics, sample audio, and enclosure ideas. Forrest himself even checked in and commented that you can use things like photoresistors or other sensors in place of the potentiometers to have the audio output controlled by the device's environment.

What are you waiting for? Go make an APC and send me a link to your project.

Atari Punk Console schematics - Link
Forrest Mims - Link, Books

Robotic flowers respond to SMS and web input

Matt Gardiner's recent incarnation of his "Oribotics" (robotic origami flowers) project adds a networked component that allows visitors to send SMS messages to the cyborg buds from their cellphones as well as input control messages through a web-based interface. Says Matt, "At the moment we are working with compact computers (about the size of a greeting card), Micro Linear Actuators, designing flowers from water bombs, and using some of the strongest sticky tape in the world... If all that sounds a little odd, then you'd better read the blog." The flowers go on display October 9th at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Check it out if you happen to be down under.

Gardiner's "Oribotics" site -Link

Make a mellotron out of walkmans - Weekend Projects Podcast

This week Eric Beug joins me this week to make a musical instrument out of walkmans. The mellotron is an instrument that uses taped audio through a keyboard interface. Finding inspiration in Mike Walters' Melloman, we hacked together a simple circuit to trigger loops of tape to make a super simple sampler. We had originally thought to use getlofi's parallel port sequencer, but ended up going with the arduino instead. I'll have the pdf, including the program that goes on the arduino, available for download Saturday. - Subscribe Link

We got the walkmans for two bucks apiece on the west end of Canal Street in New York City and there were still a lot left there.! If you need an arduino, we sell them now in the Make: Store - Link

Robothon 2007 results

Robothon 2007 is over. The results from the fifteen different competitions, from 12 lb combat robots to micro-mouse to mini-sumo, are now posted on the Robothon site. Multi-category winners included Team Xbot, Pete Miles, and Cathy Sexton.

Robothon 2007 Results - Link

MAKE NYC & Handmade music night! JAM PACKED!!

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The first ever MAKE NYC meeting was amazing - Ryan and Matt did a great job with the 555 timer session, the slides are here. We then all headed up to ETSY for the Create Digital Music, ETSY & MAKE Handmade music night - WOW! What a turn out, thank you everyone! Here are the first batch of photos, enjoy! Link.

MicroDrones with hand motion control

Video of cool of German-made four-prop micro-drones with such features as hand-motion control, GSM networked communications (swarms!), GPS mapping, mounted cameras, and more.

MicoDrone - Link

Wi-Fi antenna extender hack

You know that someone is going to cry fraud any time there's a how-to on extending wi-fi range. And this one is no exception (read the Comments). I don't know why people doing these projects don't show before and after readings on a signal strength meter to prove their claims. I'm not a radio engineer or a ham, so I can't really judge without trying this out for myself on a spare antenna. I'd be interested to know what MAKE readers think who have experience in this area.

WIFI Antenna Hack! - Link

Related:

Other wif-fi antenna coverage on MAKE: Blog - Link

September 27, 2007

Packet Garden

Packet Garden is a network visualization tool that maps your network traffic into a 3D representation, sprouting little plants on a globe whenever a connection is made.

To do this, Packet Garden takes note of all the servers you visit, their geographical location and the kinds of data you access. Uploads make hills and downloads valleys, their location determined by numbers taken from internet address itself. The size of each hill or valley is based on how much data is sent or received. Plants are also grown for each protocol detected by the software; if you visit a website, an 'HTTP plant' is grown. If you share some files via eMule, a 'Peer to Peer plant' is grown, and so on.

Packet Garden is GNU licenced and written in Python, so you can give it a try on supported Linux, Windows, and Mac machines. It doesn't run on Intel macs, unfortunately. As far as I can tell, Soya3D (the 3D library it uses) is the culprit and has not been compiled under this architecture. Anyone want to take a stab at porting this? I'm not familiar with the package, but it might be as simple as installing all Soya's required libraries and running a python make script.

Packet Garden. Grow a world from network traffic - Link
Soya3D - Link

Jacob's Ladder project

Here's a brief piece on creating a high-voltage Jacob's Ladder from a neon sign transformer, some insulators, and wire electrodes. Just in time for Halloween.

Oh, and this is high-voltage, so don't mess with it if you don't know what you're doing.

Make a Jacob's Ladder - [via] Link

Clock tells time as a conversation

The "It's about time" clock turns time into a conversation rather than just hours, minutes, and seconds. Maybe version 2.0 will sync to your calendar software and tell you how late you are.

[via] Link

September 2007 Home | Next >