Anything and Everything that is cool, hot, fresh and classic.
If you liked the San Francisco toothpick tour, then check out this hand cranked machine made entirely out of wood and glue (no nails or screws).
The video takes you step by step through each one of the functions, and it’s impressive to think that you can build something like this with a lot of time and determination.
[Via: The Automata]
Elephants Dream is another great short from the Blender Foundation (the guys behind Big Buck Bunny) about two strange characters exploring a capricious and seemingly infinite machine. The elder, Proog, acts as a tour-guide and protector, happily showing off the sights and dangers of the machine to his initially curious but increasingly skeptical protégé Emo. As their journey unfolds we discover signs that the machine is not all Proog thinks it is, and his guiding takes on a more desperate aspect”.
The kit car is a strange breed.
Caught somewhere between garage project and production machine, it’s often a budget way for someone to purchase the wheels of their dreams without breaking the bank.
As with all things though, kit cars cover the spectrum from spot-on supplements to torn-down beaters, and everything in between.
To get a glimpse of the available options, check out Motive’s coverage of the kit cars at the Carlisle auto show.
With everything from a Monte Carlo-based NASCAR replica and an almost production car from the Cobra clone masters to tricked out dune buggies and 57 Chevy-ized Camaros, it’s a taste of both the tasteful and the tasteless.
[Motive - Motive List: The Good, Bad and Ugly of Today's Kit Cars]
Chicago’s Stern Pinball is the last manufacturer of pinball machines in the world.
Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, an ADD age and the move towards electronic entertainment now means that just 10,000 of the machines are produced annually, and most head towards the game rooms and basements of private homes, rather than the arcades and bowling alleys of yore.
Can pinball survive much longer?
For the sake of children and childhoods everywhere, I can only hope that the answer is yes.
[New York Times - For a Pinball Survivor, the Game Isn’t Over]
[Via: Gizmodo]
When one Mac modder found himself in possession of a well-worn PowerBook that was having some screen problems, he decided to breathe new life into it by turning it into a Mac desktop. (MacTop?)
The trackpad now thinks the lid is closed thanks to a well placed magnet (so that it runs in external monitor mode) and the original laptop battery acts as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), so it’s now quite the machine.
Future plans may include an overclocking now that extra space is available for a bigger heatsink, but as it is, the creator seems rather happy with his creation.
When a laptop ages, it’s easy to ponder a replacement for the outdated machine.
However, with some new software, outside the box thinking, or hardcore hacking, an old laptop can also take on a new life as a server, a photo frame, a backup, and more.
If you’re interested, Lifehacker’s got the guide to turn your old machine into a new toy, so check out the list to see what you can do with yours.
[Lifehacker - Give An Old Laptop New Life with Cheap (Or Free) Projects]
NOTCOT recently got a chance to tour Oakley’s rolling O Lab; a research lab that travels the country inside of a trailer, showing off what their shades can do.
The machines that they use are impressive, and the results speak for themselves, so it’s definitely worth a look.
Might be time to pick up a new pair…
On Saturday, I had the chance to go and see Formula D’s “The Finals” at Irwindale Speedway (yes, I did get stuck on Interstate 5 on the way down from San Francisco due to that massive accident), and I must say, if you’re at all a fan of the four wheeled machine, make sure you check out one of Formula Drift’s events at a track near you.
If you’re not familiar with the sport, think of drifting as two automotive ballerinas battling it out in a boxing match. It’s gracefully controlled mayhem, and in my opinion, it’s easily the best form of four-wheeled entertainment on the planet.
Continue reading ‘…It’s Tuner Tuesday: Formula Drift?’
Google and Specialized have teamed up to create Innovate or Die, a Pedal-Powered Machine Contest that challenges you to create “an unheard-of, unprecedented pedal-powered machine, build it, and film it.
The only requirement is that the energy generated by the invention has human pedal-power as the original source.
The idea is to bring attention to innovation for the environment, and to show what can be done with a little manpower.
The best bike design earns the creator $5,000, and the top five finalists get a free bike.
Pedal Power!
Rube Goldberg machines are usually pretty interesting, but Rube Goldberg machines that use fire and pyrotechnics are guaranteed to entertain one way or another.
[Via: Neatorama]
