Learn the Basics of Electronics Hacking with SparkFun's Online Curriculum [DIY]

Learn the Basics of Electronics Hacking with SparkFun's Online Curriculum [DIY]:

Getting started with open source electronics hacking is a daunting task, but the parts supplier SparkFun hopes to make things a bit easier with a simple curriculum to help you learn the basics of Arduino, LilyPad, XBee, and more. More »

Make Your Own Infused Vodka In Days Instead of Weeks with This Quick-Infuse Method [Food Hacks]

Make Your Own Infused Vodka In Days Instead of Weeks with This Quick-Infuse Method [Food Hacks]:

Making infused vodka isn't exactly difficult, it just requires patience. Patience to let your vodka sit somewhere for days, weeks, even months with your herbs, zest, or fruit in it in order to extract every drop of flavor you can get before straining and serving. If you're more of the instant gratification type, America's Test Kitchen has a method for you that will take a fraction of the time and—hopefully—the same results. More »

Dropbox adds automatic photo uploads for Windows and Mac, up to 3GB just for using it

Dropbox adds automatic photo uploads for Windows and Mac, up to 3GB just for using it:

Dropbox isn't short of aficionados, but it's undoubtedly lost some of its gleam since Google drove the cloud war into a frenzy. In response, Dropbox's devs have been at the squat rack pumping up their multimedia credentials, recently adding auto photo and video uploads to their Android app and now extending that feature to any camera, tablet, smartphone or SD card via the Mac or Windows utility -- an add-on that was previously beta-only. Access the web interface and you'll see your stills arranged in a handy new Photos page, which displays them as large thumbnails bunched together by month. There's a blunter enticement too: your first auto upload will secure 500MB in extra storage, with subsequent efforts also rewarded up to 3GB. Perhaps that cardboard isn't looking so soggy after all.

Dropbox adds automatic photo uploads for Windows and Mac, up to 3GB just for using it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sculptor makes life-sized statue of St George from cardboard boxes

Sculptor makes life-sized statue of St George from cardboard boxes:

It's a towering legend held in high esteem by Englishmen. Now, British artist Chris Gilmour has recreated St George slaying the dragon in a 3m (10ft) statue – made entirely from cardboard and glue.

Iconic: The Triumph Of Good And Evil is based on an earlier work that was a metre shorter (Picture: Rex)

The artist made the work, called The Triumph Of Good And Evil, from boxes he found in the streets that shopkeepers had left out for recycling in the streets of Italy, where he now lives.
Italy-based British artist Chris Gilmour (Picture: Rex)

‘The coloured bits are mainly from cigarette cartons – the  saddle of St George has “Lucky Strike” written across it, for instance,’ he said.



‘The piece took two months to make entirely in cardboard and is based on a study of classical statues, typically made in bronze.’



The Stockport-born sculptor had used similar methods to create a 2m (6.5ft) artwork of the same scene before settling on the current design, which is to be shown at the Christopher Henry Gallery in New York next month.
‘The work is a consideration of the idea of polarising, or simplifying the concept of right and wrong and the idea that ‘evil’ can be defeated by heroic combat,’ he added.

A dentist's chair (Picture: Rex)



A typewriter recreated (Picture: Rex)


He has also used cardboard and a scalpel to create life-size replicas of everyday objects, such as a motorbike, typewriter and  dentist’s chair, and one of his hallmark is an attention to detail.
A cardboard Harley Davidson (Picture: Rex)

A bicycle sculpture was carved complete with chains and spokes, while a work based on James Bond’s famous Aston Martin DB5 featured revolving blades, machine guns and an ejector seat.

'Men in Black' caught on film ?

'Men in Black' caught on film ?: A UFO investigation team has claimed to have filmed 'Men in Black' on a hotel's security camera. The footage appeared online a few days ago and has ap...

LG's IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon

LG's IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon:

While LCD monitors with in-plane switching technology were once decidedly settled at the high end, LG apparently thinks its time for everyone to have one and is launching its mainstream IPS4 line. Executive VP JJ Lee says the aim is for IPS monitors to become "ubiquitous in every room", bringing better color reproduction, picture quality and wide viewing angles with them. So far we know they're slotting in just below the 3D-capable models shown off at CES, but there's nothing mentioned in the press release (included after the break along with another pic) about prices, sizes, specs or model numbers. If you're in the market however, expect to find out more soon since they will roll out to Asia first in May, followed by Europe and North America in "the coming weeks".
Continue reading LG's IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon

LG's IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First image of Sony NEX-F3 leaked, outs 16.1 MP sensor

First image of Sony NEX-F3 leaked, outs 16.1 MP sensor:

Leave it to photography buffs to leak product shots that are decidedly unblurry, if poorly framed. Dpreview forum goer Bibogue outed a sneak peek at the Sony NEX-F3, a mirrorless shooter that seems to be poised to replace the NEX-C3. The leaked picture appears to reveal a 16.1 megapixel sensor, a built in flash and a 180-degree tilting screen, and Bibogue says the unit sports a new peaking level feature to help fine-tune manually focused shots. The new unit seems to retain its predecessor's proprietary accessory connector as well, so prospective buyers should choose their peripherals wisely.

[Thanks, Sjoer]

First image of Sony NEX-F3 leaked, outs 16.1 MP sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Glass floor in bathroom has illuminated view of 15-level elevator shaft

Glass floor in bathroom has illuminated view of 15-level elevator shaft:
The glass floor in the bathroom of this house in Mexico looks down an unused 15-floor elevator shaft.

Pent-house PPDG by Hernandez Silva

Cops can be sued for arresting people who record them in public - new law in Connecticut

Cops can be sued for arresting people who record them in public - new law in Connecticut:
"The Connecticut state senate approved a bill Thursday that would allow citizens to sue police officers who arrest them for recording in public, apparently the first of its kind in the nation."

Organics Can't Match Conventional Farm Yields

Organics Can't Match Conventional Farm Yields:
scibri writes "A comprehensive analysis published in Nature (abstract) suggests that organic farming could supply needs in some circumstances. But yields are lower than in conventional farming, so producing the bulk of the globe's diet will still require chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The meta-analysis reviewed 66 studies comparing the yields of 34 different crop species in organic and conventional farming systems. The researchers included only studies that assessed the total land area used, allowing them to compare crop yields per unit area. Many previous studies that have showed large yields for organic farming ignore the size of the area planted — which is often bigger than in conventional farming. Crop yields from organic farming are as much as 34% lower than those from comparable conventional farming practices, though in some cases, notably with strawberries and soybeans, the gap is as small as 3%."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.