• Entertainment & Gaming

    Balls and Bullets For Bucks

    By Posted on 4.14.2008 4 Comments

    We're happy to bring you the first installment of our newest regular blog column, "Playing Around" with Steve Morgenstern. Since his days as founding editor of Atari Age, one of the first videogame magazines (covering the hallowed Atari 2600), Steve has served as reviewer, industry pundit and even a game developer. In his new column he'll focus on the latest developments in the art and science of electronic amusement, ranging from game design innovations to intriguing new technologies to lifestyle and culture in the interactive age. Without further ado, here's Steve. [Eds.] It's illegal to wager on online games, right? Don't bet on it! Our nation's lawmakers, ever vigilant against sins they're not personally committing, passed the Safe Port Act in 2006. The bill combines maritime-security enhancements, the creation of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and, in a spectacular nonsequitur, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, effectively banning games of chance by making it illegal to transfer money to an Internet casino. Games of skill, though, weren't affected.

    4.22.2008 at 12:27pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    We should be able to gamble Popsci money with other people, its safe. (somewhat) Plus, if someone gets all your money, who cares make some more it doesnt effect ur real life

  • DIY

    The Instant Hot Tub

    By Posted on 4.18.2008 22 Comments

    Self-heating soup sounds like something from the future: Push a button on the can, and three minutes later the contents are piping hot. But its widely available today, along with self-heating coffee and hot chocolate. In Japan, I even found self-heating sake. Pretty high-tech! Or not. In fact, these products use a chemical reaction known since at least 4000 B.C.—the mixing of quicklime and water. When you roast limestone at about 1,650�F, it converts to quicklime, a powder used to disinfect corpses in war zones. Mix quicklime with water, and it grabs and binds the water molecules, releasing lots of energy in the form of heat. (The material left over, known as hydrated or slaked lime, is the basis of lime mortar, popular in the Roman empire and still used today.) Soup is OK, but I decided to use the technology to make a self-heating hot tub.

    4.22.2008 at 12:24pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    Thats not dangerous at all... Unless there is a leak, then he's screwed. What would you rather take, electricity heating your water, or chemicles that burn you when leaking....

  • Entertainment & Gaming

    Laser Tag

    By Posted on 2.5.2008 2 Comments

    Article Rating:
    2.12.2008 at 10:42pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    That was amazing. It would be cool to do that to your neighbor's house just as you came home! That projector and laser proably cost a TON of $$$. Yet, it would be cool to do that... It may be worth it.

  • DIY

    This Call’s for You

    By Posted on 2.12.2008 1 Comments

    Fresh on the heels of update 3.80, Sony has released System Update 3.90 for the PSP. While this update does feature expanded support for PlayStation Network titles, the big news is the inclusion of Skype. Skype will be newly lodged under the Network menu. Older PSP owners shouldnt flock to this update, however. The Skype portion is only available/visible/useable on PSP-2000 systems. Yet another reason to keep a vintage PSP steadfastly fixed on the ever-hackable system software version 1.50.

    2.12.2008 at 10:34pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    Watch out though, if you hack that software for the old PsP, your warranty, if you have one, will most likely become invalid!!!

  • Entertainment & Gaming

    Grandma and Open-Sourcing

    By Posted on 2.8.2008 4 Comments

    There's an interesting essay on CNET about the trend of more and more people migrating to Linux, and why they've basically got the wrong idea. The piece is a response to an article on Linux.com, in which the author describes how he "cobbled together a computer" for his Mom out of cast-offs, then switched her over from Windows to Ubuntu Linux.

    2.11.2008 at 11:56pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    I think that one of the main reasons that Linux has less users, is that Microsoft has dominated the market. Mac and Pc both are big in computer names. Plus, I know many people who a) don't know what Linux is or b) that they do not think that you can switch your opperating system. And, sadly enough, it does not support video games. =(

  • Gadgets

    Built-In Accident Recorder

    By Posted on 2.7.2008 3 Comments

    Thankfully this DVR-equipped rearview mirror isn't meant to let you watch a few scenes of your favorite shows while crawling in traffic. The Car Camera Recorder Pro turns on automatically when you start your car, and shuts down when you stop the engine. It attaches to any existing rearview mirror, and plugs into a standard car lighter.

    Article Rating:
    2.11.2008 at 11:51pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    They should hook those cameras onto Nascar cars, imagine seeing the crash from the hood,back, and inside of the car. That would be a show.

  • DIY

    Handheld Sunbeam

    By Posted on 2.5.2008 15 Comments

    Ralf Ottow was standing in front of his bathroom mirror one morning when he noticed that his forehead was sunburned. He hadnt been out tanning—his homemade flashlight had fried his skin.

    2.11.2008 at 11:27pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    That flashlight from u know where is amazing. Yet, it's downsides: it is as dangerous as holding a torch and has a HUGE amount of batteries. Watchout though, you may get yelled at from anyone with an aircraft. They are kind of finiky with those type of things. Though it may be heavy, this gets a thumbs up from a guy with his mouth open wide.

  • DIY

    A Rechargeable, Pocket-Sized 5V Power Supply

    By Posted on 3.4.2008 1 Comments

    Sure power supply projects aren't that sexy; but they are, generally speaking, the foundation for every electronics project. The voltage output for this project is 5VDC, and a practical output that can be applied to a wide variety of digital components.

    2.11.2008 at 11:17pm - Comment by alphabravo964

    Sure, the charger is nice and has a fine output of five volts DC, but it is $47 for crying out loud. I think that this is a great tool, but someone may want to find a more cost efficent way.



Download Our iPhone App

Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone with full articles, images and offline viewing



Follow Us On Twitter

Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed



Become a Fan On Facebook

Share links with friends, comment on stories and more


December 2009: Best of What's New

In our December issue, Popular Science names the 100 best innovations of the year: bombproof wallpaper, self-parking cars, the fastest helicopter, and 97 more. Plus inventor profiles and videos.

Check out the best of what's new here.

Popular Science Photo Pool


Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!
tags_sprite.png
POP_embeddedForm_cover_May09.jpg