• DIY

    Resistance is NOT Futile

    By Dave Prochnow Posted on 5.6.2009 2 Comments

    Have you ever needed a low-value resistor for a low-voltage battery-powered circuit? Say, something in the range of 10-100 ohms? Finding this value of resistor can be difficult, if not impossible. In cases like this, you might be better off making your own resistor.

    5.6.2009 at 12:55pm - Comment by rvantwisk

    I never had problems finding resistors in the range of 0.1-100Ohm, I am not sure where the author lifes, but any usually electronic shop should has these in stock. Ries

  • DIY

    The Fastest Boot in the West

    By Dave Prochnow Posted on 4.17.2009 7 Comments

    The countdown is on, my friends. The countdown to the fastest booting OS, that is. Forget those operating system sloths, Mac OS X and Windows (any flavor). The gauntlet was thrown down when the first mainstream commercial fast-boot OS appeared on a small solid-state drive (SSD) that had been pruned to operate on an ASUS eeePC. Granted, the fast seek times for data access with the SSD contributed to Xandros's (the eeePC OS) speedy boot time, but users became enamored with the quick, "less than one minute," access to their apps. Thus was born the race to the fastest boot time.

    4.16.2009 at 07:20am - Comment by rvantwisk

    I agree with 3DTOPO, OSX boots up plenty fast for me. More important I feel is that the OS need to have a very good standby feature. When I close the lod of my macBook, or put my iMac to sleep. it's is just there right away after I let the OSX wake up, I just open the lid and voila... everything is there on how I left it. Just like the papers on my desk, we talk about 2 seconds max and one sec to open the lid. On this analog, won't you hate it if your maid cleans out your desk completely blank and you need to pull out all your papers, pencils, desk lamp etc because your maid put your desk to 'sleep' (by cleaning and removing items...). Really, what is more important is that a OS has a good sleep/standby feature... Boot times don't matter. Ries

  • Gadgets

    Walkie-Talkie Weighs 2 1/2 Pounds

    By Posted on 4.1.2009 2 Comments

    Midget parts, including the two miniature tubes above, keep this new civilian walkie-talkie to a fourth the size of wartime military outfits. The "transceiver," with folding antenna, weighs only 11 ounces; a headphone and batteries, carried in a separate case, less than 2 lb. The set is made by Citizens Radio Corp., of Cleveland.

    4.2.2009 at 08:35am - Comment by rvantwisk

    What year was this??

  • Entertainment & Gaming

    Tape Records Mass-Produced

    By PopSci Staff Posted on 4.2.2009 6 Comments

    This multiple tape recorder removes the last obstacle to commercial recordings on magnetic tape -- the mass production of duplicate tapes. It makes eight duplicates at once at three times normal speed. It can also record two sound tracks on the same tape at the same time. Thus the machine can turn out eight hour-long recordings in 10 minutes, or 48 an hour.

    4.1.2009 at 11:12am - Comment by rvantwisk

    The music industry will be doomed and backrupt within 5 years I will tell ya!! Nobody will go to any of the classic concerts anymore. Ries

  • DIY

    Polish the AppleTV

    By Mike Haney Posted on 10.30.2008 7 Comments

    Like its more popular cousin the iPhone, the AppleTV is a beacon of simplicity in a category—set-top boxes that download and stream video from a computer or other device to your TV—crowded with wonky and complex options. Also like the iPhone, the AppleTV has its needless limitations: It plays video only in iTunes formats or from YouTube. No home movies or video (legally) downloaded from other sites are playable unless they’ve been specially converted.

    10.31.2008 at 08:56am - Comment by rvantwisk

    @Spacerat: I do believe that lot's of the content protection comes from the fact that apple get's pushed by media providers (Sony Entertainment, Warner, Music labels etc.. etc..) to distribute only DRM sort of media and doesn't allow copying. And Apple only get's the contract when the provide methods that dis-allows copying of protected media. I don't agree what happens at the apple store though... Ries

  • Technology

    So Near And Yet So Far

    By Posted on 8.6.2008 22 Comments

    In today's featured reader question, DiGMEH from Montreal wonders "Why not send someone again [to the Moon] now? Technology is better and they have more experience and money for it..." It's an interesting question. Is it a matter of priorities, of money, of something else? Submit your science and technology questions to fyi@popsci.com.

    8.6.2008 at 01:59pm - Comment by rvantwisk

    I would go straight to mars form any of the available space stations.. The moon is dead and there is really no reason for human to go there anymore. If you need a rock from it, then just send one or two robots. That will save you a lot of money and time. Ries

  • Gadgets

    Big Bang from a Little Box

    By Posted on 8.5.2008 1 Comments

    Building a traditional amplifier isn’t rocket science, but making a digital one that’s a fraction of the size and just as powerful is. Part of a wireless music-streaming system, the tiny Sonos Zone Player ZP120 is able to drive giant speakers like the B&W 803s [pictured] using the same kind of power supply found in satellites.

    8.5.2008 at 09:37am - Comment by rvantwisk

    I think these little things are great for the bedroom and kitchen. Bet when it comes to pure audio nothing beats a clean analog almost filter free* power amplifier concept with a solid non-switching power supply. But first and most of all you need a really good set of loudspeakers, Aplifier comes second. Then you will realize that MP3 is not as good as people currently think it is :) *: Filtering needs to be done at the extreme low and extreme high frequencies (10HZ vs 100Khz)

  • The Environment

    How Safe Is Tupperware?

    By Posted on 8.5.2008 4 Comments


    Dear EarthTalk: I've read that plastic bottles are not always safe to reuse over and over as harmful chemicals can leach out into the contents. I'm wondering if the same issues plague Tupperware and other similar plastic food storage containers. -- Sylvie, Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

    8.5.2008 at 09:34am - Comment by rvantwisk

    I think we shouldn't get worried to much about what's on the plastic, but more what's on top of the plastic. People tend to use that tupperware stuff for extended periods of time. During these periods tupperware tend to scratch. In these scratches you will have bacteria build up that is hard to get rid of. I tend to use glass whenever I can... Ries



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