got a few Hard drives??? with a few different partitions on them?

check out these free for all apps to help you partition and resize existing partitions...

http://partedmagic.com/

http://partitionlogic.org.uk/

http://www.yogenstore.com/

Enjoy uninterrupted connection with no down time. YoGen will charge your mobile device with only a few minutes of pull/release time.

Basically, plug your phone in, pull the cord a few times and it charges your phone. Maybe Tedious but its good in emergency cases.

These items I picked after reading reviews and taking into consideration other opinions.
These items are the best in the fields with a moderate budget in mind.

Speakers - $7000
Front - 2 x B&W 683
Centre - B&W HTM62
Sub - B&W ASW610XP
Surround - 2 x B&W DS3
B&W website


Receiver - $6195
Integra DTR 9.9 ( high end onkyo)
Integra website


Disc Player -$1000
Oppo BDP - 83 blu-ray disc player
Oppo website


Considering the price of the items, a budget version setup might be to buy only the front two speakers and possibley a simpler ONKYO reciever and a basic blu-ray player. Getting only some of the speakers and buying the rest of the set later is a sure way to make sure you have a qaulity setup from the get go.

Mugen Power

http://www.mugenpowerbatteries.info




Recognised as the world leader in high-capacity rechargeable batteries, Mugen Power offers an extensive range of high-performance batteries for PDAs, smartphones, GPS receivers, UMPCs, notebooks and cameras.

Do It Yourself - EEE-PC media keyboard computer all in one thing...with a wireless mouse!

Its not the prettiest setup but this crafty russian has squeezed the guts of an EEE-PC 900 into the back of a multimedia keyboard. All very nice, although you cant get go far due to the VGA cable you need to connect to your monitor. Still, not a bad effort.

• http://eee-pc.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8494

Crutchfield Electronics and sales website.

The most useful tool i can see on this website is the "OUTFIT MY CAR" application they have. Which, once you enter you car, will outline all the components you need to upgrade, install and modify your car audio system.

Hit the link to 'OUTFIT YOUR CAR'

http://www.halemicro.com/



IF your into Ableton LIVE, Propellorhead REASON or similar midi controlled music app then having a peice of hardware to control it is key. NOW, this is the heart of the your new controller... with this you can BUILD your OWN.

IF you build a powered USB hub in your controller you can connect multiple units up to have any different array of digital or analogue inputs.

The website writeup is as follows :

The UMC32 is an OEM/DIY product that allows Electronic Musicians, Multimedia Artists and Experimenters the ability to create custom user interfaces to control any software application that supports the MIDI protocol. The UMC32 provides the essential core (micro controller, power supply, USB functionality) to allow the user to easily implement their choice of control elements (example: switches, pots and or faders). In short, the UMC32 will allow you to build your own USB-MIDI controller.

- Easy to implement with minimal effort and little or no electronics experience.
- 32 analog and/or digital inputs provides MIDI note or continuous controller data to your host application.
- Small printed circuit board (1.6” x 2.7”) allows creating portable end devices
- Simple to configure for MIDI note or controller data output via onboard DIP switches
- USB bus powered. A single USB cable handles power and data.
- Upgradeable firmware via Windows XP / Vista bootloader utility.
- True plug-and-play (USB-MIDI class compliant drivers are provided by the operating system)
- Compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.x(Leopard), Mac OS X 10.4.x(Tiger), Windows Vista / XP / 2000.
- Multiple UMC32's can be connected to a multiple powered USB hubs for up 4064 input channels.
- Use of multiple UMC's ensures that the response is the same with 1 channel as 4064.
- No programming is necessary
- Each UMC includes (1) 32” (~81cm) length of flat ribbon cable & (4) plug headers
- 90 Day limited warranty, 30 day money back guarantee (USA Only)
- Custom firmware available, please contact us for estimate.

UMC32 User Manual v1.38 (11/19/08)
(Adobe Acrobat reader is required to view)

UMC32 Bootloader Utility v1.00 (11/19/08)
This firmware update utility (Windows XP & Vista Only) will allow you to upgrade the firmware of your UMC32.

UMC32 Firmware v1.38 (11/19/08)
This is the latest Firmware available for UMC32. The bootloader utility will ask you for this file in order to update the firmware of your device.

http://www.ozmodchips.com/
I might be late running into this site but if your in OZ and you want to mod your XBOX or Wii, DS, PSP...etc. then this is the place you go to get your hardware. You can either have them mod a console and ship it to you or you can buy the parts and try your hand at bricking your console yourself.
Im very impressed myself with amount of info available on the site..   its very clear and concise without giving too much away as a retailer.  ( they do need to earn their bread now dont they)
Now, OzModChips is a Melbourne based business that imports and sells modchips directly to the consumer and in bulk to businesses or at least thats what they say.
if anything this is a good place to start.

DIY laptop battery? Cant be that hard can it?

http://forums.msiwind.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1245

The price may be something to consider but with that in mind here is someone that has taken the step and experimented with adding 6 more cells to a 3 cell battery pack for his MSI Wind.

no reason why it wouldnt / shouldnt work but there is one thing to consider when taking on a task like this.. Charging.

Read the comments in the forum thread for more detials.

Althought this is an MSI Wind, theres no reason why this job cant be ported to provide better battery life to other devices. Eg. led torches, vibrators, DVD players, mp3 players

EDIT : Unfortunately the forum topic that this topic links to has been either removed or archived. Sorry.

http://dealextreme.com/

Looking for DIY parts peices, gadgets, accessories electronic devices or replacement parts. this would be a good place to start. I first learnt of this site when i was looking for LED's to use as a replacement for a torch i was servicing.  I sourced batteries, LED's and controllers from here.

Hard Disk DJ?

a bunch of students got together and built this input device to control music. Similar to the CDDJ from pioneer or the many that are abundant in the DJ market.

Built from the platter of a Hard disk drive, I say its pretty nifty.

Link here to the article on the Hackaday.com website.

Interactive LED Panels + Kits

this is Something that I can definitely see myself getting into.
Once I hone my skills in woodworking and finally build that coffee table design, Ill be installing this to go with it.

What is it? responsive and interactive arrangement of LED's
the board senses movement and the emmits light where it notices the movement. In a coffee table, when you set your glass down on the interactive table, the table "sees" the motion, and induces a slight ripple starting in that location that can spread out to other areas as it dissipates. The overall effect is a bit like touching a pool of water, in that your local disturbance turns into an overall gentle rippling, and eventually settles down. It is decidedly not a disco floor-- there is no blinking, no programmed oscillations, or for that matter, any digital electronics at all-- the circuitry is completely analog for improved aesthetics and reduced eyestrain.

Built by the guys at EvilmadScientist.com and you can buy their kits, bits and peice from evilmadscience.com.

8 panel pre-built kit costs about $800
8 panel soldier your own kit costs $430

CompuLab introduced a tiny fanless PC using 4-6 Watts of power. The Linux-ready "Fit-PC Slim" measures 4.3 x 3.9 x 1.2 inches (110 x 100 x 30mm), but includes a 500MHz AMD Geode LX800, Ethernet, VGA output, WiFi, and a 2.5-inch hard drive option, says CompuLab.

(Click here for a larger view of the Fit-PC Slim)

CompuLab's CM-iGLX module (Click image for further information)

The Fit-PC Slim apparently includes much the same ingredients as CompuLab's earlier Fit-PC, introduced last year. The original Fit-PC used CompuLab's CM-iGLX computer-on-module (COM), which like the new Fit-PC Slim includes a 500MHz AMD Geode LX800 processor plus display, disk, USB, and networking controllers.

While the original Fit-PC measured 4.7 x 4.6 x 1.6 inches (119 x 117 x 41mm), the Fit-PC Slim is even smaller, at 4.3 x 3.9 x 1.2 (109 x 99 x 30mm) inches, says CompuLab. These dimensions make it tinier than the eBox-4300, once claimed to be the world's smallest system capable of running Linux or Windows XP when it was launched last December.


The Fit-PC Slim has an easily accessible hard drive bay

Despite being smaller than the original Fit-PC, the Fit-PC Slim optionally increases memory from 256MB to 512MB. The new version also adds an easily accessible bay for 2.5-inch hard drives (pictured above). The Fit-PC was available with a hard drive as well, but the drive was "deeply buried," by CompuLab's own admission.

An entirely new option on the Fit-PC Slim is a WiFi adapter. Because the adapter supports access point mode, it not only provides wireless networking, but can also let the Fit-PC Slim be used as a wireless router, the company says.

The Fit-PC was described as using 3-5 Watts of power, whereas the Fit-PC Slim is said to use 4-6 Watts. CompuLab does not say if the WiFi circuitry is responsible for the growth in power budget, but if so, the device can always be ordered without it.

Other Fit-PC Slim capabilities include a single Ethernet port with RJ45 connector, three USB ports, VGA output, and audio I/O. The computer also has a serial port, with a non-standard cable that requires an adapter cable.

An external power supply accepts AC line voltages from 110VAC to 220VAC, providing the Fit-PC Slim with a nominal 12VDC input. CompuLab adds that the device tolerates power that varies from 9VDC to 15VDC, making it suitable for connection to car batteries or solar panels.

Features and specifications listed by CompuLab for the Fit-PC Slim include:

• Processor -- 500MHz AMD Geode LX800
  
• Memory -- 256MB or 512MB of soldered-on RAM
  
• Display -- VGA output
  
• Storage -- Accepts 2.5-inch hard drive internally; factory offers pre-installed 60GB version
  
• Networking:
  • LAN -- 10/100 Ethernet with RJ45 connector
    
  • WLAN -- 802.11b/g (optional)
• Other I/O:
  • 3 x USB 2.0 (2 front-panel, 1 rear)
    
  • 1 x serial (with proprietary connector)
• Operating temperature -- 0 to 45 deg. C
  
• Dimensions -- 4.3 x 3.9 x 1.2 inches (110 x 100 x 30mm)
  
• Weight -- 13 ounces (380g)

According to CompuLab, the Fit-PC Slim is available in a bare-bones 256MB configuration without WiFi for $220, or a 512MB version with WiFi but no hard drive for $245. Versions that include 60MB hard drives, 512MB of RAM, and either Linux or Windows XP Home, cost $295 and $335, respectively.

The second-gen TouchSmart IQ500s just arrived in July, but HP isn't sitting still -- say hello to the new TouchSmart IQ800 series. Both the new TouchSmart IQ804 and IQ816 feature a 25.5-inch 1920 x 1200 touchscreen with various TouchSmart-specific apps, a TV tuner with remote, integrated webcam, Bluetooth, HP Pocket Media drive bay, and an ambient light to illuminate your keyboard, but the IQ804 confusingly has a higher-clocked 2.16GHz T5850 Core 2 Duo on a 667MHz bus with 2MB of cache while the IQ816 has a 2.10GHz T8100 Core 2 Duo on a 800MHz bus with a 3MB cache -- we'd bet the IQ816 benchmarks faster, regardless of the slightly slower chip. On top of that, the IQ816 also bundles in a Blu-ray drive / dual-layer burner and upgrades the IQ804's GeForce 9300M GS graphics to a GeForce 9600M GS chip. Expect to see the IQ804 on September 21 for $1,899, while you'll have to fork over $2,099 for the IQ816 when it hits on October 12

Casio Exilim EX-FH20 - review

a 9.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 20x optical zoom lens and a remarkable burst mode that enables up to 40 7.1-megapixel images to be recorded in burst of anywhere between 1 and 40fps. Better still, it can capture high-speed movies at up 1,000fps, and there's also an anti-shake feature, high-speed night scene setting for those "after dark" moments and a standard movie mode that records at 720p (30fps).

nice Very nice...

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/chdk

A wiki dedicated to the CHDK firmware add-on for Canon's Digic II & Digic III cameras!

CHDK is a firmware enhancement that operates on a number of Canon Cameras. CHDK gets loaded into your camera's memory upon bootup (either manually or automatically). It provides additional functionality beyond that currently provided by the native camera firmware.

www.slingmedia.com/go/slingbox-prohd

The Slingbox PRO-HD, you can watch and control multiple devices – including your standard- or high-definition DVR, digital cable, satellite receiver, or DVD player – from anywhere in the world on your computer or mobile phone. And your high definition programming streams in HD quality for an amazing picture. With the Slingbox PRO-HD you can watch your favorite HD shows and sporting events from anywhere.

Priced somewhere near abouts $300 US, I still havent seen one of these offered in any way to the australian market. Not forgetting that its NTSC.

Ok ive already built my dream PC a few times so instead today Im going to try something a little different. Im going to build my dream car PC.

Have to remember this isnt something I cooked up to play 1080p content on a 60inch screen. This is to bring the versatility and the functionality of a PC into the CAR - it needs to have all the features if not more than say the leading in car entertainment unit and be the same price if not cheaper than For example the Pioneer AVIC HD3 retailing at $3000.

Hardware Built totally built yourself - total without delivery : $1328.91

• Case : $79 :VoomPC-2 Enclosure for Car PC Applications
• M/Board : $369.97 : VIA EPIA Mini ITX SN1800 1.8ghz CPU
• RAM : $80 : 2 x SILICON POWER 2GB PC-6400 DDR2-800MHz 240-pin DDR2 RAM
• PSU : $69.95 : M1-ATX, Automotive DC-DC Car PC Power Supply
• HDD : $279 : Samsung 500GB HM500LI 2.5" SATA HDD - 5400rpm
  
• CD Adapter : $10 : Slim Cd-ROM to 2.5" IDE Adapter
• Slim CD/DVD : $66 : LiteOn DS-8A1P DVD-RW Internal Slim Drive - Black
• LCD : $299 : 705TSV – 7" USB Touch Screen LCD Monitor
• GPS : $75.99 : GlobalSat BU-353 WaterProof USB GPS Receiver

Hardware prebuilt - total without delivery : $1588.99

• PC : $789 : XENARC CP-FL9D Pentium M-Class Fanless Car PC
• RAM : $80 : 2 x SILICON POWER 2GB PC-6400 DDR2-800MHz 240-pin DDR2 RAM
• Slim CD/DVD : $66 : LiteOn DS-8A1P DVD-RW Internal Slim Drive - Black
• HDD : $279 : Samsung 500GB HM500LI 2.5" SATA HDD - 5400rpm
• LCD : $299 : 705TSV – 7" USB Touch Screen LCD Monitor
• GPS : $75.99 : GlobalSat BU-353 WaterProof USB GPS Receiver

Garmin Nuvifone

an iphone alternative. because there are other options, this being only one of them. Samsung i900 is another and so is the awesome HTC Touch Diamond also not forgetting Sony's XPERIA X1
There is also the HTC Touch PRO which is much like the Touch Diamond but has a slide out keyboard and a microSD memory slot.

www.garmin.com/uk

Also, unlike the Iphone, who fails in this area, this device will give you turn by turn directions with voice prompts.

For a good idea of two possible devices which could be a better alternative to iphone goto gsmarena.com where you will find a comparison between Samsung i900 and the HTC Touch Diamond

NIVEUS Media Center : hardware for your living room.
One of the better completely built systems that for viewing your content in your living rooms or anywhere else within network distance.

http://www.niveusmedia.com

Within a typical setup you can have

• a media server with blue ray support
• 200 disc carousel changer ( only CD and DVD support) and you can daisy chain them so if you have 1000 discs your covered.
• a storage server with the option of 2 or 4 terabyte.
  
• media extenders
  
• and to top it off is the remote control which is a PC based application.
  

The nice thing about the remote is that you can load it onto say a touchscreen palmtop device running XP (or vista) and that then becomes your nice large fully functional multi zone interface, connecting you via wifi, you can control every aspect of your content sending it to any particular zone that you have setup. Full control of everything everywhere.
You could have multiples of these hand held devices which can also act as media viewing/listening devices.

Note : a point to make also is that it will also control your already running microsoft media center PC and any Microsoft media centre extenders out there. so you can integrate it into your already existing setup.

Typically if you wanted an all in one device that was setup and running perfectly and you had the money to burn then this would be it. You COULD build it yourself at a fraction of the price but then hey you'd be building it yourself and it would prolly break!

There are other systems that will do pretty much similar tasks such as the SONOS, although I dont think the they are as versatile or as scalable as the Niveus.