Following on the “small hacks that require a very steady hand” theme, today I’ve modified my Nokia 6300i phone to be charged from the USB data cable (so that you only need 1 cable for everything, not 2). This allows me to find phone power with much greater ease as usbmini cables are easy to come by. I’d put up an instructable for this as well but — well — my camera IS my phone and I can’t have it take picture of itself when it’s taken apart, obviously!
A comment led me to thinking. On one hand, I have arguably increased the value of both my phone and computer, practically because they have extra feature and economically because they are now unique (and therefore very scarce) items. However, I’ve been berated and in one occasion mocked for decreasing their resale value. Why is this? Because I’ve voided the warranty? But I never use warranties; if something breaks I’ll fix it myself. And if anybody buys either of these items from me, I will gladly put my honor as a technician that the parts I added or modified will not be the first or even second to break.
If anybody other than this guy has an explanation, please, please share it.
I’m not talking about that two-finger-and-click thing that modern Macbooks have. I’m actually talking about how to wire a right mouse button in! This requires very few parts, does not make you disassemble a mouse, doesn’t tie up a USB port and on the Macbook Pro you can even do it without taking the computer apart! (In my explanation I do anyway to show how to do it on other macbooks, and because I had to clean up one of the fans anyway). The same method can be used to add a third mouse button using the same procedure, which should make Linux users happy; I’m also showing how to do it with almost no parts — if I was in the US I’d have adapted a microswitch, but can’t get any over here. I will redo this with a nice microswitch as soon as I can buy one.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Adding_a_right_mouse_button_to_a_Macbook/ Here’s the instructable! Be sure to read all the notes in the pictures.
Dear Americans: I’m very happy that your long national nightmare is over. I’m looking forward to passing by on that side of the atlantic soon.
Dear Canadians: Are you feeling a bit more relaxed now? I know I am.
if there was a global database for all CCD cameras, BUT it was uneditable and available to absolutely everyone to peruse/copy without charge, would you be more in favor or more against camera surveillance?
I think that most people who are against surveillance are mostly against either its abuse (from the bottom), or their own inability to prevent abuse (from the top). Why haven’t we put that sort of camera on police helmets already?
Enough test posts, I guess I should introduce myself…
My given name is Matteo but you can call me Teo, Karim, Kay, Matti, Ildiesel(if you gotta ask you can’t know), Ufo, and a few other things.
As of the time of this writing I am 28 years and 2 hours old.
I’m from Italy.
I make robots for a living. Other stuff too, but mostly robots. I’m a computer engineer by training. Surprisingly enough, I’m not single and don’t live in a basement; I’m taken and live either in a cave next to a villa, or in a houseboat.
My hobbies are sailing, philosophy, theology and the occasional bit of mad science. And game development despite my efforts to break the cycle of addiction.
I may take over the world by the time I’m fifty if one of my cousins doesn’t beat me to it.