Hot Electronics How-Tos
How To: Use voice commands with Garmin 3790T portable GPS unit
In this clip, you'll learn how to issue voice commands to a Garmin 3790T portable GPS units. Not only are voice commands convenient, they're also safer than attempting to physically interact with your GPS while driving. For complete instructions, take a look.
How To: Mod a Flip UltraHD video camera for telephoto and wide-angle lenses
In this clip, you'll learn how to hack a Flip UltraHD camera to use a wide-angle lens. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started creating your own custom wide-angle UltraHD cams, take a look.
How To: Pick the right SD card for your phone or camera
SD cards are pretty simple in concept, but there are lots of different sizes, types, and speeds to choose from. Watch this video for tips on choosing the right SD memory card for your camera, computer, Wii, or other electronics.
HowTo: Print Clouds
While I'm waiting for artist Doug Aitken to figure out how to manufacture real clouds, this foam cloud printer will do just fine in the meantime. Demonstrated at Berlin's consumer electronics fair, IFA. Previously, MEGA 3D Printer To Create World's First Printed Building.
How To: Fix a jam in your printer
When your printer jams, it can destroy your productivity and even your professional life! If you want to be able to fix the problem quickly, watch this video. It will give you ideas for steps to take to repair the problem and get your document.
How To: Decide what stereo speakers are right for your room and sound system
If you already have a stereo or receiver and want to increase your sound by buying stereo speakers, picking the right ones can be confusing. This video offers tips for choosing what sort of stereo speakers are right for the room, sound system, and purpose you need them for.
How To: Use redsn0w 0.9.5 to jailbreak an iPod Touch running iOS 4
In this clip, you'll learn how to jailbreak an iOS 4 Apple iPod Touch with version .9.5 of the redsn0w jailbreaking tool. It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this hacker's how-to can present a complete overview of the process in just over four minutes. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, and to get started jailbreaking your own Apple mobile device, watch this video guide.
How To: Transfer Photos and Videos from iPod Touch 4th Generation With Dropbox
Installing the Software Download the PC/Mac client from Dropbox for your computer. When installing the software you will also be prompted to create an account. Please do so at this point. This account gives you free access to 2 gigabytes (gb) of cloud storage that can be accessed from any PC/Mac or Dropbox Enabled Device.
How To: Troubleshoot Common Problems with a CD Player
CD players are largely a thing of the past, but their audio quality is still top-notch. If your old CD player is broken, watch this video for ideas on ways to troubleshoot common CD player problems and repair them.
How To: Restart a frozen iPod Nano (5th Gen) with the Menu & Center buttons
One problem that happens quite frequently with most Apple iPod products is freezing. Nobody likes a frozen screen, because you can't do anything! Well, if you have an iPod Nano (5th Generation), then this video will show you how to reset and restart it by pressing and holding the Menu and Center buttons. If you this doesn't work, you can try restoring the software via iTunes. If that doesn't fix the frozen iPod, then you'll need to contact Apple or a repair technician.
How To: Restart a frozen iPod Touch with the Home & Sleep/Wake buttons
Have you noticed some issues with your Apple iPod Touch, like performance issues (speed) or errors (frozen screens)? The first thing you always want to try to resolve these types of issues (especially freezing) is a simple little reset feature on the iPod Touch, available by pressing and holding the Home and Sleep/Wake buttons. If you this doesn't work, you can try restoring the software via iTunes. If that doesn't fix the frozen iPod, then you'll need to contact Apple or a repair technician.
How To: Restart a frozen iPod Classic or iPod Video with the Menu & Center buttons
If you still have one of the older iPods, like the iPod Classic or the iPod Video, then you might have some problems with them freezing up occasionally. If that does happen, this video will show you the quick steps to restarting your Apple iPod by pressing and holding the menu and center buttons. If you this doesn't work, you can try restoring the software via iTunes. If that doesn't fix the frozen iPod, then you'll need to contact Apple or a repair technician.
How To: Get game roms on your iPhone or iPod Touch using Winscp
By downloading and installing Winscp on your jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch, you can access game roms which will let you play old Game Boy or Nintendo games on your new Apple device! This tutorial shows you precisely how to set up Winscp to turn your next-gen device into an old school gaming system.
How To: Hack your iPod to change the screen background or wallpaper
Want to change your iPod background to something cool? This video shows you how to hack a click-wheel model to reset your iPod and gain access to the system center so you have the option to set a variety of different backgrounds and wallpapers for your iPod.
How To: Run Mac OS X on an AppleTV with an external hard drive
You can get OS X running on your AppleTV without having to open up your system - all you need is an external hard drive. This tutorial shows you how to create a hard drive on your partition and create a file modification to allow OS X to boot on an Apple TV.
How To: Hack your AppleTV with a USB stick to run Boxee
This useful step by step tutorial shows you how to download the ATV USB creator, which will allow you to create a patch stick for your AppleTV. Once you load this usb stick onto your Apple TV, you'll be able to run Boxee and get streaming Internet content directly to your Apple TV.
How To: Remove the hard drive from your AppleTV to recover files
If you want to import data or recover files from your AppleTV back to iTunes on your computer, this shows you how. First you are shown how to gently take apart your Apple TV to access the hard drive, then hook it up to a Macintosh, and you can access your files and data structure from there!
How To: Set up your AppleTV with a standard definition TV
You don't need a high definition television to take advantage of AppleTV! This tutorial shows you how to set up your Apple TV to function with a standard definition television set. You'll need an HDMI to DVI cable anda VGA to DVI adapter, and use the yellow composite video cords. Then adjust your settings, and you're ready to start watching your new Apple TV!
How To: Run Boxee on an AppleTV Using a Patch Stick
By loading Boxee onto your AppleTV, you can use it to watch content from Hulu, Comedy Central, CBS and other streaming TV websites. You can also play Internet radio, listen to your mp3s and view your photo library without ever having to go near iTunes. All you need is a patch stick with the right program installed, run it, and then update the Boxee software from the Apple TV system.
How To: Install Boxee and XBMC on your AppleTV
Boxee will let you stream TV networks on the Internet for free, and AppleTV allows for a whole new level of TV functionality, but can sometimes be restrictive. After making a bootable USB stick, you can launch the Apple TV with your stick to load Xbox Media Center and Boxee on your Apple TV.
How To: Mod or hack your new AppleTV to increase hard drive space and run SSH and Xvid
Patrick Norton and Dave Randolph show you several ways to hack or mod your new AppleTV to increase functionality. Namely, you can increase the hard drive space, set up an RSS feed, and get your Apple TV running SSH and Xvid.
How To: Watch iPod Videos on Your TV Using an RCA Cable
Have a great movie stored on your iPod, and you really want to watch it on your TV? This tutorial shows you how! All you need is an RCA cable. Plug the red cable into the video slot and the yellow and white cables into the audio slots, and you'll be able to watch anything off your iPod on a televison set!
How To: Jailbreak your iPod Touch 2G untethered with TyTool
TyTool is a software program you can use on an iPod Touch 2G using the TyTool program. This tutorial shows you how to download the program and run it so you can jailbreak your Apple device untethered (meaning you won't have to turn it off and on again).
How To: Jailbreak your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch using the Spirit software
This tutorial will work for iPhone, iPod Touch or even the iPad to jailbreak your Apple device by going to spiritjb.com, downloading the program and running it on your PC or Mac computer. Once you've downloaded it, all you need to do is run the program while your device is connected to the computer.
How To: Jailbreak your iPod Touch 2G or iPhone 3G with redsn0w
Jailbreaking your iPhone or iPod Touch will allow you to download and run apps from stores other than the Apple store. This tutorial will show you how to use the redsn0w program to jailbreak either your iPod Touch 2G or iPhone 3G.
How To: Jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch using QuickFreedom and Custom Firmware
QuickFreedom is a software program you can use to jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch using Windows XP (service pack 2). This tutorial shows you how to get the programs and use them to jailbreak your Apple device by installing Custom 2.2.1 firmware.
How To: Jailbreak Your iPhone or iPod Touch with redsn0w Using a Windows or Mac
This quick tutorial shows you how to jailbreak your iPhone or iPod touch using the redsn0w program. You're shown where to go to download it, the install process, and how to run it to jailbreak your Apple device on either a Windows or Mac-based computer.
How To: Jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch using the blackra1n software
This tutorial shows you how to jailbreak your Apple touch device using blackra1n downloaded onto your computer. Make sure your iPhone or iPod touch is using version 3.1.2 of the operating software, then sync the device with your computer and run the blackra1n program. Now you can put apps from any publisher on your device, not just from the Apple store!
HowTo: Make Your Own Custom Fit Earbud Headphones
Earbuds have always been a problem for me. Maybe I have abnormally shaped ears, but when I go running, my iPod Shuffle earbuds are a chronic distraction, always popping out. With the iPod Shuffle, you're bound by the Apple brand earbuds, as the controls are on the headphones rather than the device itself. Damn you, Apple.
How To: Back up your hard drive using Time Machine
In order to back up your hard drive using Time Machine, you will need to plug in your hard drive. When the computer recognizes your hard drive, it will ask you how you want to back up. If it doesn't prompt you with a pop-up, you can click on the clock on your screen.
How To: Fix a frozen iPod
In this video, we learn how to fix a frozen iPod. This is for when you are getting a "do not disconnect" message from your iPod while using iTunes or any other program with your iPod. To do this, you need to hold down the top of the wheel and the middle of the wheel simultaneously. Do this for several seconds, then the Apple logo will show up on the screen. Now the device will release your computer from being in a frozen state. Quickly remove the USB cord from your computer when the Apple log...
How To: Install a Flash player on your iPhone or iPod Touch to watch videos
Play Flash on an Apple device? It's possible! You'll need a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch, and then go through the Cydia app store to get the Flash player available at d.imobile.cinema.com. This video shows you how to get and load the app so you can start watching videos from anywhere on the web!
How To: Troubleshoot refilled printer inkjet cartridges that won't print
If you've gone through the process of refilling your ink cartridges and your printer still isn't printing, don't get your hair in a bunch, watch this video! This video will give you some tips on how to get that old print cartridge working again for your Brother MFC-240C. This video uses rubbing alcohol and soft cloth.
How To: Make a mini bike light
Sometimes knife handles break or just become old and a new handle would be nice. This video is going to show us how to replace a old handle with a new one. For this project you will need:
How To: Clean dried ink off print head nozzles on printer ink cartridges
If you're using refills or refurbished cartridges, then you know that one of the biggest problems that await you is your print heads getting clogged with dried ink, among other nightmares. This video will show you a couple of methods to cleaning your print head and getting it back into a functional state.
How To: Troubleshoot ink cartridge problems on the Brother MFC-240C
Replacing ink cartridges can be a pain, but a bigger pain is when they don't work correctly. Even after you put them in, some Brothers will still show that there is no ink, or that you're still low on ink. In this video you'll learn some of the various troubleshooting steps that you can take to discerning the problem and correcting it.
How To: Use graduated neutral density glass filters with digital and film SLR cameras
In this amazingly in-depth tutorial video they go into great detail on all of the methods of using GND glass filters, along with it's general purpose is and what it can do for you! For those not in the know, GND filters are glass lens attachments that come in graduated varying tints of grays and colors!
How To: Process and finalize RAW files in Nikon's Capture NX2
In these great, in depth videos, you'll learn how to process and finalize your RAW files in Nikon's picture capture program: Capture NX2. Over 40 minutes worth of material ranging from how to set up the process all the way down to the actually finalization. Definitely worth a watch for any camera nut!
How To: Use your viewfinder cover to avoid "spray light" with the Nikon D3
If you've ever been taking pictures and have suddenly noticed an odd white line in your pictures, it's called "Spray Light" and it happens when light enters into the viewfinder while the picture is developing. This video teaches you why it's important to use the viewfinder cover or curtain to avoid this serious problem!
How To: Use gray cards to find white balance, exposures & more on a digital SLR camera
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!