Sunday, March 6, 2011
Creative Ways To Reuse Your Old Computer
10:43 AM
One of the hassles of buying a new computer is dispensing with the old one. Many trash companies can't take them, so the parts need to be hauled to the dump or local recycling center. More often than not, they take up valuable storage space until they're dealt with. Some people choose to reuse the parts in creative ways, however, turning clunky computer towers into a variety of useful items.
Computer Mailbox
One option is to turn that old tower into a mailbox. Of course, the inside needs to be gutted and all the holes should be sealed so it's weatherproof. The drive bank -- where disks and CD-ROMs once went -- should be cut larger, so it's big enough to accommodate most mail and small packages. Install a hinged front door, you can make your own or purchase one at a hardware store, and paint the house number and family name on the side in the font of your choice. Once the mailbox is installed on the curb, anyone delivering the mail is sure to remember the house.
Barbecue Grill
Old metal towers can make perfect small area barbecue pits. After removing the guts, shore up the larger holes with some strips of metal. The removable side panel can be used as a cooking tray or cut apart to make a tight-fitting grill. Make sure to sand down any paint and remove any plastic accessories that are attached to the case. Once the case is in a safe place it can be filled with coals and used to make picnic burgers and skewers.
Start an Herb Garden
Towers that have a removable side wall can be turned into easily transportable herb gardens. Once again, the insides need to be removed, but all plastic and decoration can be left on. Seal the large holes with caulk or other waterproof material and line the inside with thick plastic. Multiple layers of thick garbage bag plastic will work. Turn the tower on its side and fill it with potting soil and your favorite herb seeds.
Trade it in for credit toward another computer
HP has a trade-in program and they will give you a free quote for your old computer online. After sending in your old computer, you have 30 days to buy a new HP or Compaq unit. After you fax in your proof of purchase, you get a check from HP. IBM has a similar trade-in program.
Donate it to a local or national charity
Places like the National Cristina Foundation are well-known for their acceptance of old computers that no one else wants. You can also find computer donation centers in your area.
Use it as a file or print server
This is the option we chose. Simply tuck it away in a small hutch with doors to hide it away and run the proper cables to network this computer with one or more other computers in the room. You can even get a special adapter to view the contents of your "old" computer from -- if you don't want to use the old computer's monitor (to save space). This option enables you to create your own home network, linking one or more computers with a printer and Internet service so you can easily share files, play games, and print documents between machines.
Listen to tunes from it
Your old computer can be used to download and store mp3's and other music files that usually take up a lot of hard drive space on your personal computer. Keep the speakers attached, and you have a "computer jukebox" that can be accessed in your home office that becomes part of your home entertainment system. You can also use it to burn CDs for saving your favorite tunes, or tune into online radio stations to listen to sports programs or your favorite music channels.
Watch TV from it
Simply install a TV tuner card and you can record TV shows onto your old hard drive. If you have (or buy) a newer monitor with TV viewing capabilities, then you have a brand new Digital Video TV/PC. Or purchase a scan converter which changes your computer's VGA monitor signal to a regular TV signal so you can watch TV from your old monitor.
Create a "live" weather station
If you're in need of a new hobby, you could become a weather geek. Simply purchase some software weather programs and sensors, then keep the computer on at all times to track and monitor the current weather conditions. Offer your data to local TV stations or as a complimentary service available to visitors of your web site.
Store digital photos on it
Dedicate your old system to storing, retouching, and printing pictures from your digital camera.
Create a work station in the kitchen or dining room
Place your old computer in a room near the kitchen, and install cooking and recipe programs on it. This makes it easy to to access recipes while you're cooking, as well as a cinch to create and print shopping lists. You could also hook this computer up to the Internet, making it easy for family members to a access their e-mail and browse the Web from this convenient location. To conserve space, purchase a flat screen monitor and hide the computer box in a cabinet.
Designate the living room as the family workstation
Purchase a wireless keyboard and mouse, and use your large TV screen as a computer monitor. Store the hard drive in a bookshelf or behind a piece of furniture.
Turn it into a work station for visitors
Travelers like to check their e-mail and browse the Internet to find interesting things in your area. If you set up your old computer in the guest bedroom, your guests will be able to do a little work, have a little fun, and kill some time should they ever be left in the house alone for awhile (when you're working, for example).
Set it up solely as a data center
Consider setting up your old computer in the garage, basement, or bedroom and using it solely as a place to jot notes, write letters, or update lists. Every computer doesn't need to have Internet and print capabilities. Instead, save your work to a floppy disk to transfer it to your main PC later.
Use it as a "live" web cam or security camera
Buy a web camera and use your old computer to beam live pictures out on the Internet. You could also use it as a security camera (to see inside your house while you're at work, for example).
Turn it into a firewall or router
Your old computer can serve as a firewall or router. All you need is a working motherboard, two network cards, and a floppy drive. No CD-ROM or hard drive are required.
Create a mobile computer
If you're out and about more than you're at home, then you might consider using a 12-to-120 volt inverter to power your old computer in your RV, van, or boat.
Use it as an experimental PC
For the wannabe computer geek, use your old computer as a learning tool to try new things on. You can practice doing things to your old computer that you'd be too scared to try on your new computer -- like reformatting a hard drive, reinstalling an operating system, installing memory or a new hard drive. You might even want to experiment by installing a whole new operating system, like Linux.
Have you recently upgraded to a newer model computer? Wondering what to do with your "old" computer? When we bought a super-powered new Dell computer, the question was what to do with our old HP Pavilion. It still worked fine, and still had quite a bit of space to store programs and run basic tasks, it was just too slow and bogged down for his day-to-day work.
Extensive research revealed the following great ideas for anyone who's wondering what to do with an "older" computer. After all, if it's 3 years old (or older), then you'll barely get more than $50.00 if you choose to sell it at a yard sale or on eBay. So selling it is not an exciting option. There are some other interesting options, however.
20 High Definition iPad Wallpapers For A Great Experience
10:23 AM
Latest iPad wallpapers. A great place to download FREE iPad wallpapers. .... but I never before experienced it myself before I saw the Apple iPad. .... 20 High Quality Premium-Like Free WordPress Themes. It's a Must Have game for the iPad if you are a fan of other great physics puzzlers like Angry ... Free iPad HD Games : Big Mountain Snowboarding Lite HD. As a reminder, here is a couple sites (“20 High Definition iPad Wallpapers For A Great Experience” and “88 Magnificient iPad Wallpapers“. Write your own review Be the first one to review Great Wallpapers HD for iPad 1.0 and share your experience with the CNET community.
IPAD WOODEN WALLPAPER
CLASH OF THE TITANS 2
IPAD MARBLES
CONCRETE APPLE LOGO
CIRCLE FACES
LEOPARD
IPAD
RETRO FUTURISTIC WALLPAPER 3
APPLE WALLPAPERS
PEACE
COLORS APPLE LOGO
SILKY WATERFALL
PURPLE STRIPES
THE CHESHIRE CAT
DRY LAND
FATHER AND SON
WHERE JELLYBEANS ARE BORN
CURVY
GECKO
GREENS
How To Transparent Your Desktop Screen
10:07 AM
You can't make your desktop wallpaper transparent, but you can make an image that makes it look like your whole computer screen is transparent and you can see whatever is behind it. This is easier to do if your computer is a laptop, though to get the right effect, you then have to leave the laptop in the same location all the time. It's a better long-term trick if you make this type of background for a desktop computer, and especially effective if one or more objects can be seen next to the computer screen and also extend behind it, such as a cord, a poster on the wall or an item on your desk.
First, you will need these things :
- Digital camera
- Tripod (optional)
- Image-editing software
1. Take a photo of your computer. If your computer is a laptop, take a picture of the laptop with the screen open. The computer should be positioned in a location where you most frequently use it. If you have a tripod, set it up to take both this photo and the one in the step below, without moving the camera in between shots.
2. Remove the computer monitor or close the laptop and take another photo of the exact same location. This photo should show the area behind where the monitor or screen was when you took the first photo. The camera should be in the exact same spot as it was when you took the first photo for best results.
3. Open both photos in your image-editing software.
4. Make a copy of the second photo, the photo that shows what is behind the computer monitor.
5. Select the first photo, the one that shows the computer screen. Name the existing layer "Screen Photo" by editing the default name in the Layer Properties palette. You may have to promote the background to a layer, depending on the software you are using, to rename the layer. Then paste the copy of the second photo in as a new layer. Name the new layer "Behind Screen."
6. Select the Behind Screen layer and lower the layer's opacity to approximately 50 percent. Do this in the Layer palette. You should be able to see the photo with the computer screen through the other layer, but the Behind Screen photo should still be visible as well.
7. Drag the Behind Screen layer so that items that are shown in both photos line up exactly. If you did a good job taking the photos, the two images should line up without the need to resize one of them. If not, scale one of the images or retake the photos, whichever is easier for you.
8. Select the Screen Photo layer. Using the rectangle selection tool, select the area just inside the screen's bevel, so that your marquee goes around the exact edge of the actual computer screen.
9. Select the Behind Screen layer, making sure to keep the selection in place. Set this layer's opacity back to 100 percent. Then select "Copy" from the "Edit" menu.
10. Open a new image and select "Paste." Or you may be able to select "Paste as New Image" from the "Edit" menu. The image you've pasted should be the area behind your computer screen, and nothing else.
11. Save the image as a JPG. Discard all changes made to the other images.
12. Alter your system settings to make the image you saved in step 11 your desktop wallpaper. Now when anyone looks at your computer, it will look as if the screen is transparent.
You may say it's impossible but everything is possible with creativity. Here are detailed instructions on how to do it. Transparent desktop screens mean the desktop of your laptop screen gives an impression of being transparent such that you can see all.
The Best Wallpapers For Your iPad
9:44 AM
To further customize this gadget, I decided to collect the best wallpapers for your iPad. iPad Wallpapers. Related posts. Best Wallpaper for your iPad. I have put together 15 amazing wallpapers to make your iPad beautiful! You don't want to have an iPad with. The Best Wallpapers & Backgrounds. iOS iPad. Customize your iPad's home screen with CoolPapers Pro! . First it was iPod and iPhone now enjoy using iPad, a very interesting and useful invention. Like PCs, iPad also have feature of wallpapers so today i have collected best available wallpapers for your iPad. Mostly of them are in 1024 x 1024 resolution and in JPEG format. I have provided all original links so you can download them in actual resolution from their original websites.
1. Abstract iPad Wallpaper
2. Think green iPad Wallpaper
3. Apple logo vertigo iPad Wallpaper
4.Two Penguins Wallpaper
5. Slow Turtle iPad Wallpaper
6. Hut by the dock iPad Wallpaper
7. Abstract iPad Wallpaper
8. Monster in a bottle iPad Wallpaper
9. Abstract iPad Wallpaper
10. Tribal Lines iPad Wallpaper
11. Serpentine road iPad Wallpaper
12. Car Wallpaper by Hamsterfly
13. Endeavour and Earth
The iPad is the latest gadget presented to us by Apple. With several features included, it allows its user to browse through the web, email, photos and video in one touch. To further customize this gadget, I decided to collect the best wallpapers for your iPad. In this post of iPad Wallpapers, we decided to get into the holiday ... and round up some of the best wallpapers to go with this festive season for. ... thanks for adding my Xmas Space Theme Wallpaper to your beautiful list. Below we have included some amazing, beautiful and best HD wallpapers for iPad. We hope some of them will make their to your iPad screen as your favorite. You can turn your iPad whichever way you want but the background will keep its position. Here's a small illustration of what your wallpaper.
Most Wanted iPad Cases 2011
9:30 AM
Choose The Best iPad Case. How To Choose The Best iPad Case The iPad Case is the latest Apple iPad accessory. The case is made from vinyl-like PVC plastic and has a microfiber interior. If there's one thing about To let your iPad live the woods style, Gresso, a manufacturer of mobile luxury phones, has designed a unique case made of 200 year old classic African.If you go iPad Case shopping you will NOT find anything close to this.
Etch A Sketch iPad Case
Is your iPad a toy? You betcha! Make it even more fun with a clever case that makes it look like the Etch A Sketch you used as a child. Oh, yeah, it also protects your iPad from scratches and dings.
iMaxi
If you were wondering which is the latest and coolest iPad case, you don't need to look too far. There have been several designers already trying to create cases which exemplify the term geek-chic. The Apple iPad has inspired designers to create the iMaxi, which is a cool quilted cotton sleeve. Designer Hiphandmaids conceived the idea of an iMaxi based on personal hygiene napkins. If you have an iPad, and would like to protect it from motherboard leaks and other “accidents” you could go and get yourself this iMaxi. It just makes me think what people might think when you open your iPad. That you had been keeping your iPad in your sanitary pad? I am sure not many people would want to touch your gadgets or even you for that matter! If you do not mind a few giggles and a few disgusted looks, you could go ahead and get yourself the iMaxi.
Book Case
The BookBook has already been released for the MacBook, but now it's making its way to the iPad to make sure that it stays safe as well. The BookBook converts your modern looking gadgets into antique books. It's the perfect case for the gadget lover that still loves the smell and look of antique books. Plus, it might work as a theft deterrent since it looks like nothing more than a simple hardcover book. The cover zips up to keep the iPad inside, plus there are plenty of things inside of the book to make sure that your iPad doesn't shift around. Thanks to the hardcover case, this also doubles as a handy little stand. The case may be mildly bulky, but at least it does double duty. Plus you'll probably very rarely come across anyone with a case quite like this one. There are two different color options for the case, both of which are pictured above.
iPad Waterproof Case
The iPad being the newest obsession for many, it will sure need all of the random accessories that the rest of the Apple products have received. Those of you that like to be around a whole lot of water might want to consider picking up this case. It'll make sure you have full use of your iPad, but it will also make sure that it stays completely dry. The case even has an incredibly attractive strap that can be used to make the iPad hang from your neck. I'm sure you'll pick up even potential partners if you hang this around your neck while you're wearing a bathing suit at your local pool.
Steampunk iPad
Weighing in at just under 14 pounds and reinforced with solid brass, it's the industrial strength iPad.
RibCage iPad case
This alien looking case from Switch Easy, offers the iPad owner the chance to keep their precious device in tip top condition, rather than leaving it lying around or putting it down onto surfaces where it is likely to get scratched. The case is made from a faux leather type material with increased protection for the screen; however, the downside is that you have to keep taking the iPad out of the case to use it!
With new cases being announced seemingly every day, this list is certainly not conclusive. Since the iPad is such a new product, many of these cases do not yet have pricing information and are only available for pre-order.
Swarovski iPad Case
DSstyles is responsible for the creation of the iPad Swarovski case, an entire new series crystallized product from DS. Crystals. The crystallized iPad case adds more than 6000 Swarovski crystals to your latest gadget. This is the eighth product series from DS. Crystals. DS. Crystals is creating new iPad cases after their remarkable success for their Swarovski iPhone case series. The new iPad case series is characterized by its extreme large crystallized surface and shiny crystals effects. The production time for the new iPad case is 6 times more than the iPhone case as it carries more than 6000 Swarovski crystals. The use of different size crystals becomes more challenging as the surface of the iPad is much larger.
Retro TV iPad Case
A love for innovative designs and the employing of old and outdated home appliances, are the factors inspiring Jonas Damon's great design. The TV iPad case. The case is made with wood. However, no single thing used for making this wooden case was purchased. Rather, the materials to build it were found lying around in the nooks and crannies of his apartment. The style of the case resembles that of an old-school cathode-ray television which adds a charming retro touch to the whole thing. The overall look of the case is completed with his use of the screensaver depicting an 50's grainy television snow. It's a truly brilliant tribute to the TV days of yesteryear.
Bacon iPad case
Bacon and Apple products go together like peas and carrots. Or lamb and tuna fish. They're both the perfect byproducts of their respective categories. Pimp your iPad with pork with the custom made Bacon iPad case. It might not be actual bacon, but its realistic design is enough to make you wish you had a side of eggs to go with your balanced breakfast of pork and tablet. Created by Etsy merchant Antjes, for about $60 you can have your very own Bacon iPad Case. The perfect greasy side dish to match the high fiber intake of your Apple tablet.
iArm
Are you the life of the company, as well as the resident joker? Well, if you happen to own an iPad or tablet device, then you might be interested to check out what the iArm could do for you. Potentially being one of the more interesting Apple accessories out there, this forearm mount will “empower” you with an additional arm. Capable of attaching to iPads, tablet PCs, eReaders, cell phones, and others, the iArm tips the scales at a mere 4.5 lbs. and is fully adjustable, The iArm itself will let you tote your favorite device with you, where the optional “multi-mount” allows you to secure up to three more items simultaneously.
The only problem is that the iArm is a fake product, depicted on a Prank Pack, on a prank gift box that are used to fool a gift recipient into thinking they just got the stupidest gift ever – until they open the prank box and see their real gift.
Wooden iPad Case
Want to protect your fresh iPad in an eco-friendly way? No doubt, an iPad wooden case is the obvious choice such as the Vers iPad case.
Domo Kun iPad Case
Fancy something a little different to protect your iPad with? Then check out this fun Domo Kun Case. This little critter is sure to keep your iPad snug with its 2 layers of cozy felt. All features such as his pearly whites and his beady eyes are machine sewn. The inside is lined with brown felt and there are no visible seams, so your i-gadget will glide in nicely.
We have been rather excited about the iPad, Apple's latest device. Although it has a name that we certainly would not have chosen, it does have a lot of potential. With Wi-Fi models shipping in about a month, and great cases being announced left and right, we have decided to roundup our ten favorite iPad cases.
