Virtual Hackintosh

like so many people who desire to own a MacBook, but can't afford one at the moment, i decided to attempt a Hackintosh virtual machine with Mac OS via VirtualBox on my HP Pavilion G6 (AMD) laptop.  so i did some research to find out what it takes to do the install.  i figured it would be a lot less complicated and cheaper, because i would be running it as a virtual machine.  this means not having to deal with buying parts, and putting together another physical machine.  i found many web sites that dealt with the subject, and followed along hoping it was as simple as they made it sound.

Christmas LEDs in my room!

please note this entry is NOT intended as a set of instructions to be mimic by anyone else. it is NOT advertised as a D.I.Y. (do it yourself) project. if you decide to mimic this project, and the end result is you becoming homeless cause your house burnt down, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE!!!! the intention of this entry is simply to share my experience of this project. nothing more.

LED technology has penetrated into the Christmas landscape with many vendors providing LED alternatives to the typical Christmas lights we are used to. LED lights have their advantages that can't be ignored. besides the fact they are energy efficient, the bulbs last much longer, and they can take more abuse than typical bulbs.

this year i decided to look into LED Christmas lights, not for decorating my tree (i didn't get one this year, but then i never bother to get one), to illuminate my room with. you see many years ago (actually just last year) i noticed a porch with these white LED Christmas light hanging above and providing a very soothing ambient lighting. i thought to myself that this could look pretty neat in my room. so this past monday i stopped by at a Target store which was having 50% off clearance sale on all Christmas related items. i bought the only white LED icicle lights they had available and a set of plastic clips to attach them to the wall. the brand i bought was a Philips LED White Dome Icicle lights. contains 70 bulbs per set. total wattage input per set is 4.8W at 0.04A.


when i came home to set them up i loved the result. the light emanating from the LEDs gave my room an eerie but cool ambiance. even better when i realized that they were dimmable with a sliding dimming switch.


then i decided to get another set to hang them on the other side on my room to balance the light out. i had visited a different Target store in the hopes of obtaining and purchasing one more box. when i got to Target, it took a while to locate another set. at first i thought it was too late, cause i didn't see any along with the other Christmas lights. then i found three boxes in another isle and decided to get all three. by this time the clearance sale was up to 75%. with the regular price of $14.99 the whole set cost my less than $13. at first all i needed was just one, so driving home i was thinking of what to do with other two. then it dawned on me - why not use them in my floor standing lamp. all i would need is the right attachment to convert the incandescent socket into a 120V outlet. so i stopped the Home Depot and got an incandescent socket extension and a small converter.


the idea was simple; remove the 40 watt bulb from my lamp, replace it with the incandescent socket extension, insert the 120V socket converter, and attach the LED lights to the lamp via the socket. check out the video below to see how everything came together.



so my little project worked out better than i expected. and the total wattage = 14.4W (19.2W if you count the set on the wall). the light output isn't as luminous as a typical incandescent or compact florescence bulb, but i wasn't trying for that kind of output. all i wanted was enough light to give my room a cool and calming ambiance. even though i used all three LED Christmas light sets, i may decide later to pull one set out and hang it up on the opposite end of my room as i originally planned. until then i'll enjoy this for now.

video info:

this video was shot using an XBOX Live Vision webcam
and software app Crazy Mirror v2.2

music info:

Song:
"Chrono Trigger" (track 01)
Album:
Chrono Trigger: The Brink of Time
(album and song copyrights are properties of Square-Enix)



peace,
@riel

DIY, Nike+ sensor, shrink tube

the following is a do-it-yourself project using a Nike+ sensor and a heat shrink tube. because heat is involved, which could potential damaged the sensor, or worse burn you house down, and you plan to attempt this, please

PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

i am not responsible of your project's outcome. also despite the appearance of this project being performed on a computer desk, the project was actually performed on a hard, dry, non-flammable work surface.
you have been warned.

ok, now that's out of the way, i'm not sure if this has been done before, but i swear i came up with this on my own. at the very least i couldn't find anything like this on the interweb.

my best friend billy gave me a great Christmas gift to keep me running and motivated - the NIKE+ sensor kit and wrist remote. some of the coolest gadgets i have ever gotten. here is my problem - my running kicks aren't Nike+ compatible, and i'm not gonna dish out another $100 for a pair that is.

now i know there are solutions to this. iLounge.com has a few entries for little pouches you slip the sensor into then attach to you kicks. these pouches are priced pretty reasonably at $12+/-, but i came up with a solution that only cost me $1.50 at the Home Depot and has a very low profile look to it. the solution - shrink tube!

for this project you'll need the following:
1. 3/4" x 4" heat shrink tubing
2. a heat gun
3. a pair of scissors
4. the Nike+ sensor


step 1, insert the sensor into the shrink tube with the label side facing down on a hard, dry, non-flammable surface such as a hobby workbench, NOT a computer desk pictured here.


make sure the sensor is centered within the tube.


step 2: this next step PROCEED WITH CAUTION! apply heat from a heat gun. before some of you tech geeks call me out, i know - pictured here is a hair dryer. hair dryers do not produce enough heat to shrink these kinds of tubes effectively. just pretend its a heat gun as a visual aid.


anyway apply heat on all side except the bottom (this is important). make sure to apply the heat around the areas surrounding the sensor, not directly on the sensor. if you don't have a heat gun, you could use a cigarette lighter. in either case BE CAREFUL when applying the heat, or face damaging the sensor, or becoming homeless.

when you are complete you should see the shrink tube take the shape and contour of the sensor. the top side should have a plateau, and the bottom side should be as flat as possible.


step 3: now insert the shrink-tubed sensor between the laces of your running kicks with the contour side up. in this orientation the laces hug the sensor securely.


you may use your scissors to trim down a little of the excessive tubing on both ends. not too much or you'll loose its effectiveness. if your sneaks happen to have a center loop for the lace, tuck the bottom end of the tubing under the center loop for a more secure fit.


and there you have it. a Nike+ retro fitted sneaker for only a $1.50. looks pretty sharp and minimalistic too. enjoy your run.


peace,
@riel