With a stunning Russian-made vacuum tube as its centerpiece, the Ice Cube Clock Kit from the Maker Shed looks like a fun project for the holiday season. There are only 25 in stock, but the folks at the shed do aim on getting some more in, so if you miss out it is not the end of the world.
Cool glowing blue tube with 8 digits, PM dot and alarm on/off indicator
Adjustable brightness
Alarm with volume adjust
Precision watch crystal keeps time with under 20ppm (0.0002%) error (less than 2 seconds a day)
Clear acrylic enclosure protects clock from you and you from clock
Battery backup will let the clock keep the time for up to 2 weeks without power
Selectable 12h or 24h display
Displays day and date on button press
10 minute snooze
Integrated boost converter so it can run off of standard DC wall adapters, works in any country regardless of mains power
Great for desk or night table use, the clock measures 4.9″ x 2.9″ x 1.3″ (12.5cm x 7.4cm x 3.3cm)
Completely open source hardware and software, ready to be hacked and modded!
Remotes are surprisingly easy things to lose, which is why the project you see before you makes sense, it is big, heavy and sure to squash a few toes over its lifetime; but that remote isn’t going anywhere.
If only this were practical for car keys and cell phones.
I’ve used a digital camera to “scan” documents in the past, it works and it’s fast, the advantage to using a scanner over a camera is that it provides uniform sizing, and it can prepare your scan to various formats on the fly – but it is one of those devices that for most people only gets used on occasion and therefore isn’t truly necessary, which is what makes this sub-$20 alternative very attractive. (more…)
Ben Heck might have underwhelmed with his last controller mod, but this one is very cool. It lacks the usual finish of a Heck project because it is more of an experimentation. It looks unwieldy, but having had an injury that left me without the use of my hand for almost a year 15 years ago, I can tell you that it would have offered welcome distraction – and if you use anything like this for long enough you are bound to get a knack for it..
Considering the popularity of gaming among soldiers, this would likely go down very well in military hospitals. –Thanks Will
If you have trouble waking up in the morning and getting up is more important than your hearing, then I definitely recommend following this guy’s lead. [Oh Gizmo!]
