Make: Online: iPod Archives

iPod Archive: iPod

June 27, 2009

iPod birthday cake

Looking for the perfect birthday cake for an Applephile? You couldn't go too far wrong with a cake like this cake from April Julian. No screen polishing needed here.

June 23, 2009

Wood & brass iPod Mini

Instead of letting it fall by the tech wayside, Josh D recased his old iPod in lovely wood & brass -

My finished wood ipod mini. This has been such a fun project for me. It's handmade (with special thanks to my 8yr old dremel) from Australian red cedar, Camphor Laurel for the clickwheel, brass plates, brass screws and the guts from the first ipod i ever had.

[…]

I wanted to not use any glue at all with the wooden shell, and fortunately i was able to secure it all together just using the brass screws. Especially because I'd like to be able to replace the ipod's battery in the future, and possibly add a higher capacity flash hard drive.

The wooden clickwheel is simply stuck down on the sensor with very thin double sided tape.

More pics in the Flickr photoset.[via Boing Boing Gadgets]

May 28, 2009

Audio breakout cable for iPod/iPhone

Jesse Rutherford writes:

Have you ever wanted to plug in a professional studio mic to your ipod touch/iphone? There may be a commercial solution, but I couldn't find one. Even if there is one, I figured I could build one cheaper than a ready-made one. You could also use this for a line-in (my original reason for the project), but the source really needs to be taken down to mic level from line level for good sound quality.
The hardest part was finding the 3.5 mm 4 conductor plug (found it at Jameco). The soldering to the plug was a bit tricky too. I needed a cable with at least 4 conductors inside, and I wanted to build this for next-to-nothing, so I used some CAT5 ethernet cable I had. CAT5 has 8 conductors, so if you know of any other common cable with at least 4, you can use that.

Audio breakout cable for iPod/iPhone

May 22, 2009

iPod sequencers make their own music

With so many older iPods gathering dust it's nice to see some of the very capable hardware being put to good use -

Widget and Hans stayed up til 2am hacking up some iPod sequencers at NYC Resistor. We are using pdPod on iPodLinux. You can hack your own iPods too, as part of the re-ware project, we are trying to make it easy: http://re-ware.org

This project was on hand for last night's Handmade Music event, busting mad mario beats throughout the night - good stuff. [via NYCResistor]

May 13, 2009

How-To: Use SlingPlayer iPhone app over 3G

Folks looking for a little tube time with the new SlingPlayer iPhone app whilst bounding about outside of their Wi-Fi comfort zone can breathe easy again. Sebastien over at iPhone Download Blog has posted a short tutorial explaining how to get the SlingPlayer app to run over 3G and Edge networks. It's assumed you've already purchased all relevant products and services and don't mind taking the extra steps necessary for true ownership.

Use a SlingPlayer over 3G

May 11, 2009

Introducing the iPendant

Flickr member Mandiberg shows off a product sure to top holiday wish lists this year -

If you take a bunch of those ubiquitous iPod headphones you have sitting around from all of your broken iPods, and your ex-GF's broken iPod, etc, and weave them together, you can make something really quite nice. Gold plate the shuffle for a broach, and its really nice. Especially b/c it actually plays music. Working on a little pre-amp splitter so all 12 speakers will work at full volume. Props to Clara Jo for assistance.

Take a closer look over at the elegant iPendant on Flickr.

May 7, 2009

How-To: Make a solar iPod/iPhone charger

Building on the original MintyBoost USB charger kit, this Instructables how-to will walk you through the steps of adding a Lithium Polymer battery pack and small solar cell. The extra capacity and added convenience of solar make this modification a must have for off-grid mobility.

MightyMintyBoost [via Gizmodo]

May 1, 2009

GPS on iPod nano

Using a GPS reference board and an Atmel ATMEGA324 microcontroller, engineer Bengamin Kokes has created a prototype GPS peripheral for his iPod nano. To display coordinates, the device uses Advanced iPod Remote commands to send a 4-color image to the iPod screen, a technique Kokes picked up after seeing it implemented in an Alpine car stereo.

iPod GPS [via Hack a Day]

Remote viewing on the cheap with an iPod touch

Not quite the Stargate Project, but then again, you're not going to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process. This quick introduction to setting up and monitoring a webcam on an iPhone or iPod Touch shows just how easy it is. Though some of the components in this tutorial are platform-specific, you could easily swap them out with ready alternatives.

How to View your Webcam on your iTouch or iPhone

April 30, 2009

John Park's earbud owl

Check out this sweet little earbud owl our very own John Park made, using the Epilog Zing laser cutter he's been playing around with, and an "owl wrap" cord manager file from Thingiverse. He was probably going to post it here eventually, but I beat him to it [cue: childish taunting sounds].

Laser cut earbud owl

Quick n' dirty no-sew iPhone cozy

The holster for my iPhone broke recently and I've been reduced to carrying the phone around in my pocket. I sort of like this as a change, especially not having to worry about the case getting in the way of the keyboard area or the camera lens. But the phone is getting dinged up inside the garbage scow that is my pocket.

So I could use one of Lenore's no-sew (can't sew) iPhone cozies. With little more than some iron-on adhesive tape, some lightweight fabric, and a few minutes, you can fashion yourself a sleeve that'll at least protect your phone from car keys, little Leathermen, loose change, and the other indignities of an over-crowded pocket.

Super quick no-sew iPhone cozy

April 21, 2009

Make: Repairs - iPhone front panel glass

Make: Repairs is a new, periodic column we're launching today, written by Kyle Wiens and the fine folks at iFixit.com. As you probably know, iFixit is the go-to source for Apple-related do-it-yourself repair info and parts and for gadget first-look teardowns. Kyle, Luke, and company are in a unique position to know what the common complaints and sticky-points are in DIY personal tech repair. In Make: Repairs, they'll provide answers to some of these more commonly-requested or gnarlier repair questions. When we asked them to come up with an idea for the first installment, they thought the iPhone front panel replacement was a natural. They say it's their most-purchased part and it's a slightly finicky repair.

So, without further ado, let's replace some iPhone glass.

Replacing the iPhone front panel glass
By Kyle Wiens and the iFixit crew

Imagine this scenario: You're late for a meeting. Making matters worse, you discover that your bike tires are extremely low. As you're hastily pumping away on the tires, The Boss buzzes your iPhone 3G. He usually doesn't call your personal number, but this time, it is personal -- his butt's on the line, since you're bringing the presentation to the meeting. You're juggling too many things in your head, including the virtual beating you're going to get for being late, all the while not realizing that the sweat on your hands is sliming your phone. In a split-second, it happens: your iPhone squirts out of your well-oiled mitt and begins an up close and personal conversation with Mr. Concrete. The result? A cracked iPhone 3G screen! (not to mention an even-more furious boss when you finally get to work). While we can't help you get a new job, we can show you how to fix your cracked iPhone 3G screen.

The first thing to know is what part you actually need to replace. On the original iPhone, the glass, touchscreen digitizer, and LCD display were all inseparably glued together. Fortunately, Apple changed this design and the iPhone 3G front panel glass is not glued to the LCD behind it. This is great news, because most of the time when you break the glass, the LCD itself is fine. The front panel is available for sale separately and is a bit cheaper than the LCD itself (see parts and tools listed below).

Opening the iPhone 3G is definitely simpler than the first-gen phone. The original required a wide array of tools (including a dental pick) to remove the back panel. Apple's designers decided to be nicer with the 3G, but weird tools like suction cups (see how it's used below) are still needed to make the opening procedure easier. Removing two Phillips screws and a small pull with the suction cup will open the 3G. Don't pull too hard, however, as several cables still hold the two sides in place.

Disconnecting the display assembly from the rest of the 3G is as easy as 1-2-3 -- literally. Apple was nice enough to number the black ribbon cables "1," "2,″ and "3," allowing for a no-brainer disconnecting procedure. However, people attempting this at home should be careful to not break any connectors while removing them.

There are six screws that prevent the display from being separated from the front panel. The screws are very small and have #00 Phillips heads. An injudicious flick of the wrist will misplace them forever, so take care to keep them in a safe place. Scotch tape is your friend. We like to tape each set of screws down to a sheet of paper and write down where they came from.

Read full story

April 19, 2009

Re:Collect, magic RFID bracelet of remembering

Rahul, a sudent from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London, sent us info on a project that a group of MA design studies students are doing, called Re:Collect. It's an RFID bracelet that keeps track of common items you might carry (phone, keys, iPod, etc) and flashes, beeps, and vibrates when these items are out of range (i.e. when you leave them behind). Above, a student shows a mock-up of the product and its packaging. It's not clear from the email where this is in the development process, in terms of it becoming a real product, when, or how much it would cost. Maybe Rahul will chime in with Comments and let us know.

Re:Collect

March 23, 2009

Credit card iPhone stand

Here's a simple, flat stand for your iPhone, Touch, or other mobile media device, made from a cut-up office store bonus card.

DIY compact iPhone stand

More:

March 16, 2009

The Eye-Pod Victrola

The folks at Steam Gear Lab made this wacky fully-functional Eye-Pod using a 1st gen Nano.

Steam Gear Lab has broken the chains of small electronics obsolescence. Behold! The Eye-Pod Victrola!

From MAKE magazine:

Check out MAKE, Volume 17: The Lost Knowledge issue!

Buy your copy in the Maker Shed
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Access the Digital Edition (if you're already a subscriber)

In Volume 17, MAKE goes really old school with the Lost Knowledge issue, featuring projects and articles covering the steampunk scene -- makers creating their own alternative Victorian world through modified computers, phones, cars, costumes, and other fantastic creations. Projects include an elegant Wimshurst Influence Machine (an electrostatic generator built entirely from Home Depot parts), a Florence Siphon coffee brewer, and a teacup-powered Stirling engine. This special section also covers watchmaking, letterpress printing, the early multimedia art of William Blake, and other wondrous and lost (or fading) pre-20th-century technologies.

March 6, 2009

"Kids" played on iPhone/iTouch

Phil Clandillon sends this music video of The Mentalists playing Kids, originally by MGMT.

The Mentalists are an all female act based here in London. They've done this unusual cover of MGMT's "Kids" played entirely on their iPhones and iPod Touches, using apps from the application store.

What kinds of great music can you play on your iPhone, iTouch or Android phone? What other interactive applications work great on smart phones? Have you made a holder for your phone so its easier to play? Add your thoughts to the conversation in the comments, and please contribute your photos and videos to the MAKE Flickr pool.

February 27, 2009

iPhone/iTouch as classroom tool

Joyce is a teacher and librarian. She recently got an iPhone, and has fallen in love.

Consider the portability of texts, the potential for blogging or taking notes and pictures in the field, the use of GPS for science and geography, the possibilities for organizing learning, the options for the music classroom, the opportunities to collaborate with other learners in geography-agnostics ways.

Thanks Chris

How is your school using the great gadgets that all the kids seem to have such a thirst for? What phone applications are great for education? What are the institutional barriers to using powerful new technology to help kids learn? Post your ideas in the comments, and include your photos and video in the MAKE Flickr pool.

February 23, 2009

New library teaches Arduino to speak iPod

From the MAKE Flickr pool

Another useful piece of software from Flickr friend recotana - this time it 's a handy Arduino library for controlling iPod via appropriate connector. Looks to be quite an easy method for adding audio to a project considering the near omnipresence of iPods these days. The documentation is written in Japanese, but you can likely get your bearings by reading the example project included with the library.

February 17, 2009

Early (giant) iPod prototype?

From the MAKE Flickr pool

Greg posted this sleek and stylish shot of the "Giant iPod Prototype" apparently on display at Panic software headquarters -

This is a giant ipod prototype they have in the front display case. Apparently, it was big so that no one would know they were working on a mobile music device. The size was disguise.

Keep in mind this one's also been posted to the the !Faux (Things that are FAKE) pool ;)

February 11, 2009

Flashback: Mod Your Rod

Straight out of the 2005 archives, the Mod Your Rod special section in MAKE Volume 03 has got to be one of my favorites of all time. The section opener folds out to reveal the cool illustration above (by the super-talented Nik Schultz).

James Bond depended on Q to trick out his cars. But with MAKE's guide to car hacking, you'll learn how to turn your ride into a fully loaded, grease-eating, MP3-blasting, wi-fi transmitting monster machine.

The five projects in this section:

HACKABLE PLATFORM ON WHEELS: Damien Stolarz teaches you how to install a computer and a relay box for throwing switches to control almost every component in your car, from the power windows to the engine, even when you're not in it. (Plus, read how Matt Turner installed a Mac mini in his VW to make the Macswagen.)

UBER TESTER: Dave Mathews walks you through making your own 9V-powered, handheld, 4-in-1 car wiring diagnostic system.

STOMPBOX MOBILE HOTSPOT: Tor Amundson offers up step-by-steps on turning your car into a wi-fi hotspot and then takes it further to use GPS and webcam input to map your location online and auto-generate a photo travelog.

MAKING BIODIESEL: Rob Elam shares the best way to learn how to make your own backyard biodiesel, starting with a one-liter batch.

HARDWIRED IPOD: Cut the static by connecting your iPod to your stereo's aux jack. Damien Stolarz shows you how.

Granted, technology has naturally progressed over the past 4 years, so some of the tech used in these projects may be outdated, but you should be able to easily figure out what current components to use in place of the older hardware. How would you re-MAKE any of these projects today, 4 years after this issue was released? Let us know!

If you don't have this classic back issue, you can pick one up at the Maker Shed. Volume 03 also features everyone's favorite projects: the VCR cat feeder, the Night Lighter 36 spud gun, the Haunted House Controller, and more.

In the Maker Shed: