10 Amazing Hacks that Harness the Awesome Power of USB
Posted 02/08/10 at 06:30:00 PM by Alex Castle
After our USB 3.0 coverage last week, we figured it would be a good time to turn our attention back to USB 2.0 (aka High Speed), and one of the classic nerd hobbies: USB hacking. Because of its highly-accessible wiring, USB can be easily modified for all sorts of purposes, even by neophyte hardware hackers. In the past, we've shown you how to perform some simple hacks, but now we want to highlight some of our favorite hacks created by members of the DIY community.
Some are of questionable utility, some of them are downright dangerous, but all of them are good, old-fashioned fun. Read on for our collection of 10 amazing USB hacks!
Solar powered USB charger
Sure, you've seen handheld USB chargers before, built into altoids tins or otherwise, but have you seen a USB charger that's solar powered? We didn't think so.
With this hack you can be sure that you'll always be able to slowly charge your gadgets. As long as you're using your gadgets outside. And it's sunny.
USB air conditioner
This USB hack takes the traditional USB casefan mod, and takes it to new extremes by turning it into a full fledged air conditioning unit for your room. The hack involves installing a casefan into the top of a coffee tin, punching holes in the bottom, and suspending a pile of ice in the middle. The casefan (modified to run on USB power, of course) then sucks air in through the holes in the bottom and through the ice, cooling it in the process. The cold air is then expelled from the top of the can, cooling down your room.
USB minifridge
Miniature USB refrigerators have for years been a staple of office "white elephant" parties, and other occasions to give your friends bad presents. There's no better way to gradually chill a single can of Fresca and possibly overload your power supply at the same time.
Now, thanks to Ross V, you can build your own USB refrigerator, out of nothing more than a peltier refrigeration device, a box and a USB cable.
Turn your USB wi-fi dongle into a satellite dish
Submitted by mario_ramalho on Wed, 08/04/2010 - 1:16pm
Well, I thought I was having an original idea when i made my own, but i guess not. This is actually a cool idea, and I have to admit, it actually works. My USB wireless adapter Is currently plugged into a USB 1.0 port (yeah, it's old, but if it ain't broke...), and the signal reception from the router was low at best. I used an old metal lamp shade, and affixed the USB wireless adapter in the middle. I now have full signal strength, and a bit more speed. I also used a 1 ft USB extension to link the USB stick to its dongle, so i wouldn't damage anything. Link for the picture below (sorry for the bad pic quality)
http://a.imageshack.us/img829/1294/28913120170882296318358.jpg
Submitted by PhoneyVirus on Wed, 02/10/2010 - 8:45pm
This Will be Remembered MP3Mymp3 Rec my Ass MaxPC AD WARE!!! 30 hours you "Anthrax" Shit you Set me back, this is only for the one that put it on the disc!!!
The hell with MaxPC and there Magizines if they keep this shitup, ontop of it all the Applications that come with the Mag's are the same as Last Years, leaving me with noting to do. What 3 or 4 how-tos ant going to cut it I'm losing my mine and the .Rigistry tweaks and Windows Tips and Tricks they give can be found on the web like noting Read Inside & Out Book if you want to know about your OS, for registry tweaks and help head over to http://www.sevenforums.com/ Plus Will leaving now I don't know Whats going to happen. O but the Way NO ONE cares about your stupid ass network ISP's cuting your bandwith give it a Rest and the Iphone shit.
4 Years I been with you guys and I must say some how-tos can be good but when your repeating the same thing over and over again it gets Me Mad Only one magizine got the the face Ripped! off but yeah start doing better.
Submitted by KyleG on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:54am
All of these videos are opening a new page to bablin5.com/?p=44
And my AVG full edition is picking up a JS/downloader.agent virus.
You are warned. Don't click on the videos, they do now play and they open a new page to a virus.
What the heck Maximumpc? Spreading viruses now?
Other comments below report the same thing.
Submitted by dsring on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 8:45am
Greetings,
I'd love to know if anyone has plans for a home made usb powered dog bell.... in other words - when you're training your dog to peepee outside, your make him/her ring a bell with her nose. That calls your attention to the need and well... you let the dog out. The thing is... my dog thinks I can hear as well as she can... and she just dings it a little bit. I'd love to use the output from the apple usb wall charger to power something that would make a louder noise when she touches the bell with her nose. Any ideas?
Submitted by K0BALT on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:42am
.......... USB 'devices' for Her.....
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i7 920@4.4GHz,Heatkiller 3.0, (2X)GTX295 Quad-SLI, EVGA X58 3X SLI, 6GB DDR3 OCZ Gold
Submitted by Pball1224 on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:25am
SNL beat you to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lskbO1k9VO0
Submitted by snapple00 on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 8:23pm
Script kiddies
Submitted by Pball1224 on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 7:40pm
Out of 10, I thought I'd find a few interesting ones. They all look like something I'd throw in the garbage.
Submitted by Hutif on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 7:32pm
The laser purifier is cool and everything, but the instructions seem to say to just stick regular laser pointers in there. Which means it's USB powered, in the sense that it needs batteries.
Yes, you probably won't need to replace batteries in a laser pointer any time soon, I'm just complaining about the concept.
Virus Detected
Submitted by Blaze589 on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 7:32pm
The babblin5.com links (all on the first page) according to Avast! on-access scanner has a trojan. The youtube links are fine.
Submitted by Havok on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 6:27pm
A USB Wifi Dongle-dish!?! I have gotta try this one out!
CLICK.
Submitted by shadowstar on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 6:15pm
all of these are great ideas but how do you make your own usb speakers or connectors for front face plates
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