Tag Archives: Hacks + Mods

Frank Ippolito Builds Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite Refrigerator

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If you want the best props and costumes possible, you better get some help from a movie effects artist like Frank Ippolito, who recently built a refrigerator that looks exactly like Han Solo frozen in carbonite. It’s even got that cool red glowing effect behind the carbonite.

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Jabba the Hutt would love it since it’s loaded with food and drinks, and he loves to show off his trophies too. But if you accidentally leave it open overnight, does Han thaw and get rescued? I have no idea. I just know that I would love to have this thing in my kitchen. He recently showed off the build to Tested editor Norman Chan:

You can check out some pics of the build on The RPF. If you want a smaller version of this fridge, be sure to check out ThinkGeek, who sells a ready made one, and it’s on sale for just $99.99. It’s not nearly as big or awesome as Frank’s, but it’s still pretty cool.

[via Laughing Squid]

Xbox One S Laptop: Xbook One S

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While many of you are still waiting for your Xbox One S, someone has already turned his Xbox One S into a laptop. That didn’t take long at all. Expert modder Ed Zarick calls his build the Xbook One S. He managed to cram the entire console into a laptop case that also features a 19-inch 720p display. Pretty sweet.

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Technically, this Xbook One S isn’t officially a laptop because it doesn’t have an internal battery, but it is close enough. It is portable, though it still requires a constant power connection. Microsoft’s slimmer and lighter Xbox One is at least a bit more portable now, making it easier than ever to take the console around with you wherever you go. It’s also much smaller than Ed’s previous Xbox One laptop builds, and is compatible with both 110V and 220V power for international use.

There’s a built in 4K HDMI out in the case too. If you want one for yourself, you’ll have to pay $1,495 for the 500GB model, or $1545 for the 1TB. That said, if you’re just dying to get your hands on one, Ed is giving away the one in the video to one lucky winner. Simply retweet the contest by Sunday 8/14 for your chance to win!

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[via Ubergizmo]

Remote-control Warthog Gets NERF Machine Gun

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A real A-10 Warthog fighter plane is equipped with a Gatling-type 30mm cannon that can fire off 4,200 rounds per minute. This mini, remote-controlled version of the Warthog fires NERF balls instead. YouTuber ajw61185 put a stripped down NERF Rival Zeus blaster into the nose of an old FreeWing A-10, and the result is pretty awesome.

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You can check out the video which shows the R/C Warthog firing off 12 NERF balls in less than half a second. You’ll have to watch closely, because it happens that fast. It fires the yellow spheres at around 0:19, 1:02, and 1:16.

Now if someone can just make a couple of these planes big enough to hold 4,200 rounds of NERF ammo, we can watch a proper dogfight.

[via The Verge]

This Working Bionic Hand Is Made from a Keurig Coffee Maker

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It turns out that Keurig coffee maker on your kitchen counter can be used for so much more than just making you a hot cup of joe. Just ask Evan Booth, who created Hedberg, a real working bionic hand made almost entirely out of the parts of a disassembled Keurig 2.0 K350 Coffee Maker.

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It took Evan about 200 hours to build it. Those 200 hours have been condensed into a 5-minute time-lapse that shows us all of the work he did. It isn’t the prettiest bionic hand we’ve ever seen, but it works.

It makes you wonder what other cool things you could build from a simple coffee maker. BRB. I have to go take mine apart.

[Anthony DeRosa via Laughing Squid]

The Backyard Scientist Makes a Flaming Sword

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Kevin Kohler aka “The Backyard Scientist” does all kinds of cool and questionable stuff in his backyard. Well, now he has made a cool, or should I say hot, flaming sword.

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Kohler filmed himself building a sword that’s literally on fire. Basically, he cast a toy foam sword in aluminum, drilled holes in it, polished it up, then went the extra mile and connected it to a propane tank, because you can never have enough propane.

Then he used his fiery sword to slice a watermelon. It get’s pretty hot in his hand though so he can’t use it for very long, but luckily it doesn’t take long to slice things. And cooling it off is as simple as dipping it in the swimming pool.

[via Laughing Squid]

Use This iPhone Case for Perfect Pokéball Throws

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Time to up your Pokémon catching skills. This DIY iPhone case is simple and brilliant. It will help even the suckiest poke ball throwers catch a Pokémon while playing Pokémon GO.

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It was designed by Jon Cleaver and the idea is that it helps you make consistent Pokéball throws in the mobile game. Every throw will be dead straight, ensuring that you catch them all.

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If you have access to a 3D printer and own an iPhone 6, the plans are free to download. Now you can be the best Pokémon trainer ever. Well, you and everyone else who has this iPhone case.

Of course now that this exists, I’m sure Niantic will change things up somehow, making it useless.

[via Gizmodo via Nerd Approved]

Giant Fire-Breathing Vortex Cannon: I Fell into a Burnin’ Ring of Fire

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Everything is always better with fire! That includes air cannons. Bigger is always better too. It’s not just a Texas thing. It’s a fact. That’s why Kevin Kohler, aka “The Backyard Scientist,” took one of those vortex air cannon toys and not just made it bigger, he added pyrotechnics.

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He built a vortex air cannon ten times larger than normal out of a trash can. Once he got that working, he added propane to the mix, and used it to blast rings of the flammable gas towards an open flame. This creates awesome flying rings of fire.

Yeah, that’s all it does and that’s okay, because rings of fire are cool! I mean hot! On a safety note, you should never have a torch burning right next to a propane tank. Or do anything shown in this video, for that matter.

[via Gizmodo]

BMW Lets Drivers Control Real Cars Video Game Style

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How’s this for a fun idea? BMW USA apparently outfitted a BMW M6 and M6 GTLM with live cameras and R/C technology so they could be driven by remote control in the style of a first-person racing game.

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It’s a cool idea, but there may be some trickery going on here though. How many professional racecar drivers can just pick up R/C controllers and drive cars expertly? It’s hard enough to do when you’ve got experience.

Anyway, whether they actually did this or not, it is a pretty awesome idea. I know I would love to play a video game with real cars. At least until I crash mine and the game ends after like 5 seconds.

[via Geekologie]

This 200 Horsepower Jetpack Will Replace Your Golf Cart

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So you’re on the golf course, hitting the ball into the hole, then getting into your golf cart to travel to the next one. Or worse yet, you’re walking with a cart. Either way, it can take a while to get to the next hole. What you need is a jetpack like this one to shave some time from the game.

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After tooling around in his golf cart hovercraft a couple of years back, pro golfer Bubba Watson has reteamed with Oakley to test drive what is likely the world’s first flying golf cart. The flying pack is powered by a 200 horsepower engine that drives two ducted fans. It has a top speed of 50 mph in the air. This will make your golf game not take all day, and gives flyers an overview of the course from the air too.

Add a little platform and maybe you could swing from in the air and create a whole new golf game. Sadly, I doubt they will be releasing a commercial version of this.

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[via Techeblog]

How to Train Your Dragon to Breath Fire

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You don’t get the name “PyroGirl” because you like to bake cookies and cakes. Spoiler alert: It’s because she likes fire! That’s why PyroGirl recently released a video tutorial where she demonstrates how to create a mini flamethrower out of a Toothless action figure.

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How awesome is that? This girl knows how to train her dragon to spit fire. She converted Toothless into a mini flamethrower using IV tubing and pressurized lighter gas. It is a simple method. You will need IV tubing, hot glue or super glue, a drill, thin wire, a Q-tip, denatured alcohol, lighter gas refill canister, a lighter or matches, and a toy dragon.

You probably have the toy already. Hers blows flames between 1.5 to 2 feet long. It is pretty awesome. Because fire!

[via Laughing Squid]