mod

DIY site Make.com wrote about how one reader ripped an old DVD player apart and fitted the optical drive lens onto a camera phone for some awesome macro shots. We couldn't resist trying it out with an old CD reader that we have.

While we did get some pretty impressive closeup shots with the puny lens and our Nokia E71, here are a few things we noted. … Read more

The idea of a digital music kiosk, where customers can walk up, press a few buttons on a screen, and download music to some sort of portable storage medium (disc, phone, flash card), has been around for a few years now. Starbucks ended a two-year experiment with in-store CD burners back in 2006, and U.K. music retailer HMV began offering free downloads to USB drives from in-store kiosks in 2007.

Even if the trend hasn't exactly taken off, companies continue to try them out. Earlier this week, Seattle-based start-up MOD Systems entered the fray, announcing that it had … Read more

Tired of not having enough power points in your vehicle to keep your phone charged, your GPS on, and your DVD/monitor combo playing? Change all that by adding additional 12-volt power outlets to your car.

In Episode 24 of the Digital City, we discuss light-up MacBook mods, the pirated Wolverine film, how to repair your Guitar Hero drum kit, and the cool packaging for Nintendo's new DSi.

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Not too long ago, we told you about modder Eddie Zarick, who turned his MacBook logo into a psychedelic LCD display.

The modification video, which as of this writing has 394,703 views on YouTube, now has a complementary online tutorial with detailed instructions available for do-it-yourself modders.

You'll need to be quite a handy person to complete the tutorial, knowing soldering and being able to dismantle a computer and a LCD. Also, you will lose one USB port in addition to losing the warranty.

If the tutorial is too tricky for you, you can still bid for Eddie'… Read more

In what could possibly be the coolest MacBook cover ever, Flickr user LubeckerJung put a picture of Snow White holding the Apple logo. For those not familiar with this fairy tale, Snow White bites into a poisoned apple and falls into a coma, awakened only by some prince later on. The one thing that would make this mod even better was if she was standing on the right, so the bite would be on the correct side.

We don't have the details for this bit of art--whether it is a vinyl sticker or painted on. And it looks like … Read more

You know what's cool? Modding your computer case. What's cooler than cool? Modding your computer case to look like R2-D2. Yeah, that's right. A real life-size R2-D2.

Frenk Janse, the creator of this mod, used a trash can that was on its way to the recycle bin, plus pictures off the Internet and a bit of know-how and creativity to work this little guy out.

And it doesn't just sit there, either. This droid includes fans and a Webcam, and even beeps and buzzes out of speakers Janse attached to the legs.

The best part? The … Read more

How's this for customization?

Computer modder Eddie Zarick has tricked out the Apple logo on the back of a MacBook with a fully functional secondary LCD display that can be used to make the Mac all glowy and psychedelic and stuff. You can, for example, use the lit-up logo to showcase cool images or video or run the iTunes Visualizer.

Watch the video below to see the striking effects, and if that isn't enough for you, you can bid for the 13-inch used computer on eBay, where, as of this writing Sunday night, 14 bids had been placed, … Read more

It used to be that remote controls let you turn the TV on and off, and change channels and volume. These days, many of them are monstrosities with too many buttons, many of which you would never use. Here's a mod that will make your remote control simple again--to say the least.

Instead of having all the buttons exposed, a cunningly cut piece of paper will expose only the essential buttons and cover those you don't use. This could come in extremely handy if you have a member of the family who gets confused easily--hide those he or … Read more