While it may be getting on for a year old now, we’ve still got a soft-spot for HTC’s Touch HD, so it’s nice to see the homebrew ROM community endevoring to bring the latest software to the smartphone. XDA Developers forum member Miri has put together a combination ROM of Windows Mobile 6.5 and the new TouchFLO 3D 2.6 build fresh from pre-production HTC Leo handsets, and you can see it demonstrated after the cut.
Video demo after the cut
We’ve a soft-spot for DIY netbook tablet PC conversions here at SlashGear, so it’s always nice to see a user turn their budget notebook into something a whole lot more interesting. EeeUser forum member Maine_Coon turned his ASUS Eee PC 900HA into a finger-friendly 8.9-inch slate, flipping the display around and adding a touchscreen layer on top.
The last we saw of custom finish experts Computer Choppers was their iPod shuffle 3G tweaks, turning Apple’s sober little PMP into a riot of anodized hues. Splashing out on a custom iPod is one thing; how about spending big money on platinum plating your 24-inch Apple iMac?
Touchscreen netbook mods aren’t new, but until the Heath Robinson spirit they channel ceases to entertain us, we’ll keep featuring them. Latest to get the finger-friendly fettling is HP’s Mini 1000, with owner timm.mccoy of the MyHPMini forums slapping in a 10.2-inch resistive touchscreen panel to turn his Atom-based netbook into a dinky tablet PC.
Video demo after the cut
We’ve seen some great hacks with the Wii controllers since the console first arrived, and things could get even easier if Todbot has his way. He’s launched the WiiChuck, a tiny plug-in board that slots into the plug of the Wii Nunchuck, and allows you to access all of the controller’s connections – its 2-axis joystick, two buttons and 3-axis ±2g accelerometer – without needing to cut any of the cables.
One of the regular complaints about the Sony PSP is its lack of dual analog sticks. Rather than berate Sony about it, however, one enterprising gamer over at AcidMods hacked together a workaround, connecting a DualShock 2 controller to his PSP.
Video demo after the cut
Can’t quite figure out why you’re friend shoots faster than you every time you’re playing Call of Duty or Halo? Well maybe it’s time you went to the next level, and added a quick modification to your favorite wireless Xbox 360 controller.
If we had an “utterly awesome” tag here on SlashGear, you can bet I’d be using it for this. Pocket Lucho has a history of making incredible miniature arcade cabinets, and his latest fully-operational model is a Neo Geo cabinet complete with illuminated marquee and false coin slot.
Video demos after the cut
Netbooks generally fall flat when it comes to high-definition video playback, with Intel’s GMA 950 graphics chipset struggling even with 720p clips. Broadcom’s BCM70012 video accelerator changes all that, though; a mini PCI-e card, it can handle up to 1080p video with minimal CPU strain on the host system. So far it’s tough finding a netbook with the Broadcom card as an option – HP offer it as an option for their Mini 110 XP – but that didn’t stop Terracode from upgrading their 8.9-inch Acer Aspire One with the HD accelerator.
Video demo after the cut
An acoustic instrument bristling with buttons and knobs is always off to a good start, but Patrick Sébastien Coulombe’s “la Guitare à crayon” goes a few steps further into strangeness. Taking the body of an acoustic guitar and then strapping a Wacom digitizer to the front, the unusual instrument translates sketched images into sound.
Video demo after the cut
JP
