I got back to my roots a bit this week and had a bit of fun with my Xbox 360. Mainly I was out to replace the white case, which really stuck out amongst my otherwise black and silver dominated electronics array.

I didn't actually take a picture of the finished product, but Matt Brett did. Mine looks just like this:

I was talking to friend about modding stuff the other day when I mentioned I was going to do the xbox thing and I started to realize that I end up modding nearly everything I own! At least when it comes to electronics. Here's a quick list off the top of my head:

- Toshiba TV ISF Calibrated and removed the reflective screen

- Dell computer gutted and converted to HTPC

- Replaced the first EPROM on my first DVD player to make it region free

- Mod chipped PSX

- Japense Gamecube modded for US games

- Dell 24" monitor, removed the stand and added an articulating arm

- Carver ZR1600 Amp modified extensively by empirical audio

- Modwright Preamp modded with bybee filters and tube dampeners

- Squeezebox modded by Bolder Cable Company including new power supply

- Xbox 360 case modded and I may have messed with the firmware a bit. :)

- Acura RSX stereo replaced and sub added

- And of course I customize the hell out of my smartphones, but that probably doesn't count.

Some stuff I own that's ripe for modding but I haven't gotten to it: ps2, ipod, woud love to put a turbo in my car as well.

I guess it's just part of my personality. It's like I assume nothing comes the way I really want it from the factory, I have to add something to it. But I usually don't do it for just for the sake of modding, it always has a purpose.

technorati tags:modding, lifehacks, xbox360

I'm spending some time working through walkthroughs on some new technologies and thought I'd share a technique I use quite often in these situations.

See, these walkthroughs are a step-by-step sort of thing (click File->New, click this, click that) so I really like to be able to see the instructions and the development environment at the same time. But the problem is that I'm working on a laptop with limited screen realestate, so I really can't tile the windows or the virtual pc becomes too small to work with. I used to end up alt-tabbing between the instructions and the virtual pc constantly, until I discovered GhostIt. This brilliant (and really old) utility will set a window partially transparent and pass through all the mouse clicks. So I can have the walkthrough instructions overlay the virtual pc! I think it's awesome. Then I just have a keyboard shortcut to bring the ghosted window back into focus if I need to scroll.

Some people might just say "Why don't you just print out the instructions!?" Well, I just have this thing about paper - I don't like it. I see no reason why I should have to print something that I'm only going to use once. I honestly don't even own a printer. Dual monitors is also a good solution to this problem, and I have that at home, but don't always have that option when I'm on the go.

Here's a screenshot of it in action.

technorati tags:ghostit, walkthrough, lifehacks

Came into work to see this today. Nice. That's Guitar Hero 2 down on the end.

Also, I'm trying out a new camera today, as my fujifilm z2 is having issues and has been sent in for repair. Say hello to the Canon Powershot SD800 in all its image satbilization glory!