I have CAT5 running all over my house (inside the walls), but it goes unused most of the time. So instead of using it for computery stuff once a year, I’ve decided to simply run stereo analog audio across it from room to room. The wiring is there, why not use it? A couple of audio baluns is all I need and I’m up and running.

Audio balun
$11.87 - Video Audio RS485 to UTP RJ45 Balun CCTV Camera System

I made my own WiFi signal booster today using a wok. I was over at my parent’s house (which is close to my house), and was messing around with my old NETGEAR WG111 - I was hoping that I could get onto my home network, but it wouldn’t even show up - so I grabbed a wok and some sticky tape, and five minutes later I was on the net. It’s kinda cool to visit your parents house and steal the neighbours WiFi connection - especially when you’re stealing from yourself

Great pics and more info on wok boosters here.

Cantenna
$6.00 - HEATHKIT MODEL HN-31 CANTENNA DUMMY LOAD MANUAL

I’ve just bought myself an ultra cheap Jabra BT135 headset to use with Call Of Duty 4 on my PS3. I’ve gotta say I’m surprised at how good it is. I’ve tried a few Bluetooth headsets before, and none of them have been as comfortable as the BT135. I wear glasses when I’m gaming, and some headsets sit really high over the arms of my glasses, but the BT135 is light enough that I sometimes forget I’m wearing it. I’ve also managed to get it hooked up to my PC so I can use it with Skype. Nice

Jabra BT135
$5.35 - NEW OEM JABRA EARHOOK FOR BT125, BT135, BT5010, BT8010

I’ve been a big fan of Wacom tablets for a long time, and have owned several models of the smaller entry level tablets in the last 10 years. Wacom are like the Porsche of tablets. I’m still using an old Wacom Graphire, but a friend of mine just bought a nice new Wacom Bamboo. And I’ve gotta say… I’m very tempted to get one too. The Bamboo does actually feel like you’re writing/drawing on paper - it features 512 levels of pressure sensitivity and is a complete joy to use. I’ve got no real reason to get a new tablet, but I think I still will. These things are so damn sexy they just make you want to pick up the pen and start drawing.

I spend nearly all my working day sitting in front of my PC (I work at home) - which gets a litle bit boring at times. So recently I’ve got into the habit of watching TV all day while I work. I’ve got a cheap TV card in my PC which allows me to watch TV in a tiny little window in the corner of my screen. I can still get my work done, and if anything really interesting comes on, I can simply hit record and watch later.

TV card
$124.51 - Quad-band Dual SIm Card PDA TV Cell phone 5.0MP CCD+2GB

With the Olympus VN-4100PC, you can record over 144 hours of uninterrupted audio on the VN-4100PC then transfer files to your PC with speed and ease by way of the direct PC Link. With one simple cable connection, files can be transferred to a computer and be organized, listened to, and even emailed to friends and family. The compact design makes it functional and portable - if you want a simple, no nonsense audio recorder - this is it.

Olympus VN-4100PC
$38.60 - Olympus VN-4100-PC VN-4100PC Voice Recorder 256 MB USB

As our internet connections get faster and faster, webcam manufacturers have been going crazy with higher resolutions and improved optics to take advantage of the larger bandwidth. This is where the new Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 really shines - it has a 2-megapixel image sensor, smooth-tracking autofocus, high-end Carl Zeiss optics, and HD video capabilities (with the capability of recording video at a whopping 960 by 720 pixels). This thing is almost as good as a real movie camera!

Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000
$74.99 - LOGITECH QUICKCAM PRO 9000 2 M CARL ZEISS USB (new)

I’ve been thinking about buying a ‘new’ laptop lately, and after having given up on the idea of getting a Mac PowerBook - I’m seriously considering an Alienware Area-51 laptop. For the first time in my life, I’m thinking about getting a used laptop instead of buying something new. Since I really need my laptop to be a ‘tool not a trophy’, I’m actually going to try and find one that’s a bit beaten up and scratched.

Alienware Area-51 laptop
$405.00 - Alienware Area 51-M 7700 17′ Laptop - No Reserve!

If you’ve got a computer with several case fans, then you’re probably sick of the noise they all make. You can now slow down your fans (which makes them much quieter) by simply installing a Zalman Fanmate2. The Fanmate2 is really easy to install - just plug it in between your fan and the motherboard - no soldering, no nerding around, nothing. It takes about 20 seconds to do, and using the included double side tape, you can position the Fanmate2 dial on the outside of your case - just turn it to increase or decrease the power to your fans.

Zalman Fanmate 2
$6.75 - Zalman FANMATE-2 Fan Speed Controller

I just bought myself a 4 pack of Sharpie permanent markers for labeling CDRs and DVDs. They rock. They also smell pretty crazy too…

Sharpie permanent markers
$0.99 - New Sharpie (Retractable) Permanent Markers 4 pack