Friday, March 4, 2011

10 Most Bizarre iPad Mods


Some people's motto is, "If it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it." Those are the people who would take a beautiful new iPad and put it in situations Steve Jobs probably never imagined. Here are 10 of the most bizarre ipad mods to date.

1. iPad Sprocket Pocket. This, for some reason, is no longer for sale at the apps store, but if you want to turn your iPad into a wearable device for bike riding that is a rather complex turn signal, you can still get the instructions for doing the mod yourself. It lets drivers know if you're stopping, turning, or going straight, as well as if they're just a little too close on your tail.

2.The lying down iPad stand. There's really no other way to describe this frame. It's similar to those activity gyms that babies bat at while lying on their backs, only it holds an iPad, making your dreams of working while lying flat on your back a reality.

3. The car dash mounted iPad. These started showing up within weeks of the iPad launch. Earlier models permanently affixed your iPad to your dash, but newer versions let you remove it easily.

4. The vintage Mac mod. Stuck in 1984? Well, one brave soul took his iPad back in time with him, using an empty Macintosh Classic shell to hold his new baby. It fits great except for the "home" button being covered.

5. The manual typewriter iPad mod. It may be the only way to type slower than using a touch screen. A man by the name of Jack Zylkin has created a mod kit that hooks your iPad up to an old typewriter, to constantly remind you why you have an iPad in the first place.

6. The iPad "guitar." A DJ named Franz Keller claims to be the first to mash up his iPad with a Plexiglass frame and various deejaying devices to create a guitar shaped iPad synthesizer. It's not going to win any aesthetic awards, but it's pretty cool, and others are busy trying to make their own iPad-tars.

7. The motorcycle mount. For those who have either a high tolerance for worry, or a bank balance that lets them buy lots of iPads, strapping an iPad to a motorcycle is one way to add an extra shot of adrenaline to the ride. Because if there's one thing you need on a motorcycle, it's distractions.

8. The arcade game. A custom cardboard box, a joystick, and arcade game buttons, and voila: you've turned your iPad into an 80s arcade game. An Arduino board inside the console makes the joystick and buttons functional.

9. The dolphin whisperer. Researchers for SpeakDolphin.com have determined that the iPad is the best interface screen for communicating with dolphins. The processing power and touch sensitivity made this specially-waterproofed iPad the perfect tool for learning how dolphins communicate.

10. The Etch-a-Sketch. OK, it's not really a iPad mod, but it's a cool case that makes your $500 ipad look like a $10 kid's toy. Licensed from Ohio Art, makers of the real Etch-a-Sketch, this nifty case has rubber feet and a retractable kickstand. OK, the knobs don't do anything, and if your 6-year-old nephew gets hold of it, your iPad is toast, but it's pretty cool nonetheless.








If you like this article feel free to share it with others via twitter, digg, reddit or stumbleupon. I blog to try and find the best iPad cases on the market so come and take a look at ipadcasereview.org - feel free to join me there for a chat.


No comments:

Post a Comment