[Hack a Day] 3 New Entries: PS360 controller

PS360 controller


ps360_ds3_1

[Ben Heck] posted his PS360 controller. This is the case of an Xbox360 controller with the guts of the Dual Shock 3 from the PS3. They Dpad is from a ps2. We guess that if you can build them any way you want, you might as well make it exactly how you want it. Wasn’t there a time when everyone laughed at the bulky Xbox controllers? Yes, we know, they’re smaller now but that comic pops into mind anyway.

      

Harmonic keyboard controller


harmonic

[aris] is continuing work on his harmonic table keyboard midi controller. Instead of the traditional linear keyboard layout, keys are laid out in a hexagonal pattern. This is the same idea as the C-Thru AXiS, which you can find a video demo of here. Along the left edge is a row of buttons to transpose the layout up or down. Switches for octave up and down along with a generic slider are also included. The final controller will include a 16×2 LCD character display. The core of the controller is MIDIBox, and he’s using the SDK to write the custom C code. Embedded below is the first test with just four buttons wired.

      

Sixaxis in OSX and Vista


sixaxis

Here are a couple small programs to help you make the most of your Playstation 3 Sixaxis controllers. [netkas] heard that quite a few people were having trouble using the Sixaxis controller in Windows Vista. He solved it for himself and uploaded an exe for you to use. He then did essentially the same thing for OSX. This should make your PC gaming feel at least a little more familiar.

[photo: Kominyetska]

      

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[Lifehacker] 7 New Entries: This Week's Top Downloads [Download Roundup]

This Week's Top Downloads [Download Roundup]


Scoop Syncs Google Reader to Your Desktop [Featured Download]


Adobe Air: Sure you can export your RSS feeds from Google Reader and import the feed file into desktop RSS reader for offline browsing. Scoop takes offline browsing a step further by allowing you to not only read your feeds but have them remain synced to your Google Reader account. Removing and tagging items in Scoop modifies the feeds in your Reader account as well. The interface is easy to use and includes most of the commonly used keyboard shortcuts from Google Reader. On the downside images are not currently downloaded for offline browsing, so if you've synced and now no longer have internet access you're out of luck until you're jacked back in. Scoop can be used independently of Google Reader, with manually added feeds, but it's Google integration is where it shines. For an alternate method of accessing your Google Reader feeds offline, check out Google Gears and RSS Bandit. Scoop is freeware, cross platform, and requires Adobe Air to run.


Sharpen Your Chess Game [Gaming]


Whether you'd like to increase your mental health or just relax after a stressful holiday visit, there aren't many games more classic than chess. Over at tips and tricks blog MakeUseOf, they have rounded up a variety of ways you can both play and sharpen your chess game. The screenshot above is from FlashChessIII, a beautifully rendered flash-based and free for download chess game. If you're concerned that all the playing in the world won't make you any better, they have a variety of resources listed for helping you not just play but increase your grasp of the game. My favorite was Chess Problems, a site which generates "puzzles" based on chess board setups ranging from simple to extremely complicated. After some practice at Chess Problems you won't find yourself often staring down a chess board without a clue what your next move will be. If you're absolutely brand new to the game, make sure to check out a beginner's guide to getting good at chess.


Make Your Own Bath Bombs [Weekend Project]

Bath bombs, for the unfamiliar, are chalky feeling balls about the size of a small orange that you throw into a bath tub. They don't explode but they do react with the water fizzing and spinning, filling the water with fragrance and moisturizers. Bath bombs are a project ripe for DIYing, they often run $6 or higher at stores. SoapyHollow, a contributor at the DIYer blog Instructables has a top rated guide on how to create your own bath bombs. The ingredients are all cheap and readily available in most locales: corn starch, essential oil, vegetable oil, and so on. The most difficult component to find casually browsing your local market is the citric acid, ask if they have "sour salt" the common name for powdered citric acid. If you're looking for a side project to go with your bath bombs, make a matching scented candle or set up a bathroom spa on the cheap.


WindizUpdate Lets You Update Windows Through Firefox [Updates]

Update: Our apologies, support for Windizupdate has been discontinued. For a current non-Microsoft Update way to keep your Windows install up to date check out AutoPatcher. Windows only: If you're not particularly fond of the official Windows Update system provided through Internet Explorer, whether your reason being a distaste for the Windows Genuine Advantage software or the insistence that the next upgrade of Internet Explorer really is a mission critical system update, there is an alternative way to update your system. WindizUpdate is a Firefox plugin which mimics the official Windows Update application. The key advantage of using WindizUpdate is that you have complete control over what gets installed and what doesn't. The system never forces you to install an update you don't want and will skip updates that aren't necessary for your system.

The downloader has error correction and auto resume should you lose your connection to the servers while updating. In my test run of WindizUpdate on a laptop running Windows XP Professional that hadn't been updated for several months the only issue that came up was the latency between the releases on the official Microsoft server and the WindizUpdate server. If you can tolerate some lag time between the official release of a patch and the push to the WindizUpdate servers then the deal is sealed. For other methods of securing Windows updates without updating using Internet Explorer and Windows Update, check out AutoPatcher to download update bundles and learn how to slipstream updates into your Windows install with nLite.WindizUpdate is a free Firefox plugin, Windows only.


Pronounce Names Correctly [How To]

We've all been there. You look at a list of names for a meeting or at a new business card and you have absolutely no idea there was a last name with that many vowels. HowToSayThatName.com is a web site devoted to cataloging both first and last names, spoken by native speakers. No idea how to pronounce last names like "Nyguyen" or "Dokht"? Look the name up and play the embedded audio file to hear it. While a mispronounced name here and there is unavoidable, saying someone's name correctly when they are accustomed to it being butchered goes a long way whether in a boardroom or at a barbecue. For other name related tricks, check out how to find out a name you've forgotten and how to remember names in the first place.


Hand-Me-Downs is a Marketplace for Kid Gear [Parenting]

Hand-Me-Downs is a web-based service reminiscent of Craiglist where parents can list used items for babies and children. Users are given the option to sell, give away, or donate their things. If you're looking for things you can select the metropolitan area you're in or nearest and browse a variety of categories like: baby gear, girls and boys clothing, accessories for moms and dads, toys, media, furniture, health and safety accessories, and so on. In addition to returning results for Hand-Me-Downs listings, the site also aggregates Craigslist, eBay, Kijii, and Oodle listings to ensure you find that Spaceman Spiff Rocket Bed you've been looking for.


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