Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks (April 25th, 2004)
Submitted by Taran on Thu, 05/20/2004 - 14:24
Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks
I received this book about 36 hours ago, and it inspired me to get around to writing a review on Hardware Hacking: Having Fun While Voiding Your Warranty
- as well as to read the book non-stop. It also inspired me to head to
Radio Shack, where I finally got another pocket Digital Multimeter (the
last one died a back pocket death).
The projects I found most interesting were the laptop battery
extender, the video periscope for a car , the PC water cooling system
and the wearable computer. But that's not all that's in the book, and
the other projects are interesting as well - though the 'Building an
Aquarium inside a Macintosh' is something I've seen before.
Other projects within the book are:
- How to hack 802.11b Antennas
- How to hack a Furby and other talking toys
- How to build a Digital Video Recorder
- How to hack a Building-Size display
- How to build a Cubicle Intrusion Detecion System
- How to build an iInternet Toaster
- How to build a Home Arcade Machine
- How to build a Remote Object Tracker
- How to make RC cars play Laser Tag
- How to build an Internet Coffee Maker
Unlike Hardware Hacking: Having Fun While Voiding Your Warranty,
there's not as much information for the less experienced hardware
person - yet the explanations are easy to follow. I wouldn't say that
this is a 'beginner's book on hardware hacking as much as the previous
book. It also didn't require as much information as the previous book
for background for the projects.
But I can say that the projects in this book appealed to me more,
and that someone who purchased this book should have no problems with
the projects themselves. Some knowledge is needed to do the projects -
yet no knowledge is really assumed by the author.
This book, as it says on the back cover, ...will serve as a jumping off point for new and clever hacks.
Indeed, it's this book that has me looking at the 6"x8" solar panel and
cell I have for adding some interesting hardware features to this PC.
Not to mention the full size (2'x4') panels and corresponding batteries
I have downstairs.
If the previous book is a starting book, this book - Hardware
Hacking Projects for Geeks - takes it to another level for the aspiring
tinker.
Imagination is the limitation. :)
Other reviews on the web
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