News, reviews and articles about products that help you make and fix things.
Gadgeteer reader Gary Henderson sent in a great tip for anyone who wants to increase the volume on their tablet without spending money on portable speakers or other accessories. All you need is a simple paper, plastic or Styrofoam cup and a pair of scissors or a knife. Cut a slot in the cup and […]
DIY Tip: Jack up your tablet’s volume with a Styrofoam cup Read More
If you live in an apartment where you can’t make permanent changes or in a 60-year-old house with 4″-thick plaster-and-lathe walls that make finding the wall studs impossible like I do, you may have thought a wall organizer unit and desk like the one in the photo was impossible for you. Usually this type of
Build an organized home office without permanently modifying the room Read More
I’ve always heard great things about the Dremel line of tools. They are known for their good build quality, and can be used for cutting, grinding, sanding, shaping, and etching various materials. I recently had the opportunity to review the Dremel 4200 High-Performance Rotary Tool with EZ Change, so let’s take a look at what is
Dremel 4200 Rotary Tool review Read More
Like many hobbyists, I rely on a good soldering iron. I’ve been soldering since the 3rd grade, and I’ve had quite a few soldering irons over the years. I’m currently using a Weller soldering station that I’ve had over 20 years (still going strong), so when I had a chance to try a new Weller
Weller SP25NUS LED-lit Soldering Iron review Read More
Remembering all the interest in Julie’s recent Gadget Diary about the Qi inductive wireless charger, I know some of you will be interested in reading an article I recently found on the Huffington Post site. They have an article about modifying a nightstand to turn it into a Qi inductive wireless charging station. Basically, a
Hack your nightstand into a Qi inductive wireless charging station Read More
Since the demise of the Heathkit, I’ve lived with an emptiness in my gadget life. However hope springs eternal, so when I heard about the Calculator kit from SpikenzieLabs, I was prepared to do whatever it took to review it. Thank goodness I was selected and could now feed my kit-building addiction. Hopefully my excitement
SpikenzieLabs Calculator Kit review Read More
I have no idea what I would make if I had a 3D printer at my disposal, but I just know I want to play with one… The new Portabee 3D printer is an attractive option because it’s reasonably priced at $480 unassembled (don’t worry, there’s no soldering involved and only takes a couple of afternoons
Portabee – 3D printing gets cheaper and more portable Read More
Just as the title says, you can add a pendant lighting fixture wherever you need one without having to pay an electrician to run wiring to that location. The Battery Powered LED Pendant Light from Solutions installs with the included bolts. The shade cover and the ceiling cover are both stainless steel with your choice
Add light wherever you need it with this battery-powered LED ceiling fixture Read More
Earphones are great because they are so portable. But the vast majority of them do not fit right or fall out easily. Eargear is a silicone based polymer that can be molded around your favorite earphones to create a custom fit. Similar to the professionally created ear monitors that your favorite musicians use, Eargear is
Eargear – Customize your favorite earphones for a perfect fit Read More
Last year I reviewed the Logitech Alert 750i Master System and continue to use it to this day to monitor both the interior and exterior of our home. One of my main Cons of the system was that its main control software was Windows-only. With Boot Camp running Windows to set it up and the
Logitech Alert Commander now available for OSX Read More
While the Google Play Store is evolving slowly, one of the biggest pains is the way that it displays all the apps installed on a device in a set of pages. If you have a look above, I’ve got eleven pages of apps installed on my Thinkpad Tablet. Reviewing my apps means clicking on the
We all love power tools, but let’s be realistic: Unless your tools are part of your job or you’re a serious handyperson, most power tools are overkill. Yes, I’ve been guilty of using a $400 cordless uber-drill to tighten a cabinet hinge. But what’s this odd-ball, palm-sized thing? A Gyro? Isn’t that meat eaten inside
Black and Decker 4v MAX Gyro Screwdriver review Read More
So, got a new iPhone 5 but can’t find a charging dock? Bluetooth keyboards aren’t your style? Well, do you have an Apple iPad keyboard dock? All you’ll need is the Apple’s $29 Lightning to 30-pin Adapter.
Using an old Apple iPad keyboard dock with your iPhone 5 Read More
The DIY Pen is a unique kit from Fraser Ross art & design studio who is based in Glasgow Scotland. The kit combines plywood, rubber heat shrink tubing and ballpoint pen components. The plywood sheet holds the individual parts that create the skeleton of the pen. It also doubles as a fixture for the last step which requires a
Make Your own Pen With a Hair Dryer and Plywood Read More
One of the biggest pains with using drills and power screwdrivers is having to change bits all the time, however Worx has come up with a neat solution. The Worx SD Power screwdriver is powered by a 4V Li-Ion battery and comes with a handy LED work light. It’s big selling point is the six
Worx SD Power Screwdriver – I am the Law Read More
For a majority of us (especially those who regularly visit the Gadgeteer), the number of power-hungry tech-devices we must plug in is ever growing. Keeping those devices charged up while keeping the cable clutter down is a never-ending effort. To assist tech-toy junkies accomplish just that, NewerTechnology has released the Power2U AC/USB wall outlet, which replaces
NewerTech Power2U AC/USB Outlet Review Read More
I am extremely skeptical of the “as seen on TV” items you find in the stores these days. But I was in need of something to help me carry and install many very heavy and awkward sheets of glass. The professionals use specially designed, relatively expensive suction cups to lift glass panels and stone slabs.
Handle on Demand (HoD) Review Read More
The Solder : Time II™ watch kit from Spikenzie Labs is a build-it-yourself watch kit that features a 7 X 20 dot matrix red LED display with a programmable Arduino microcontroller. To me, quite simply, it’s a fun afternoon DIY kit with red lights. What could be better? According to Spikenzie Labs, The Solder :
Spikenzie Labs Solder: Time II Review Read More
We all probably have lock-sets on our entry doors, and I’ll surmise that most of those aren’t alarmed. As a matter of fact, I’ve never thought it was necessary to have an alarmed door knob/lever. However, Schlage is trying to change my opinion with their FE51 series of Keyed Entry with Alarm lock-sets. Will my
Schlage Keyed Entry Lock With Built-in Alarm Review Read More
