Books for Do-It-Yourself Repair Geeks

Scott Mueller: Upgrading and Repairing Laptops (2nd Edition), 2005

"Scott Mueller goes where no computer book author has gone before right past all the warranty stickers, the hidden screws, and the fear factor to produce a real owner's manual that every laptop owner should have on his desk. This book shows the upgrades users can perform, the ones that are better left to the manufacturer, and how to use add-on peripherals to make the most of a laptop. The CD contains one-of-a-kind video showing just what's inside a portable PC."


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Mike Outmesguine: Wi-Fi Toys - 15 Cool Wireless Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment, 2004

From the Publisher: "This ultra-cool volume invites readers to tap into your inner geek and build seventeen ultra-cool wireless devices including a solar powered access point, a wireless picture frame that dynamically changes its own photos, and even a wireless car-to-car audio and video system * With a few simple tools, some off-the-shelf parts, and this book, readers will be creating wireless devices they never thought were possible-toys that certainly can't be found at the local computer store."


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Isidor Buchmann: Batteries in a Portable World - A Handbook on Rechargeable Batteries for Non-Engineers, 2001

Batteries in a Portable World fills a definite need for practical information about rechargeable batteries. Quite often, performance specifications for batteries and chargers are based on ideal conditions. Manufacturers carry out battery tests on brand new equipment and in a protected environment, removed from the stress of daily use. In Batteries in a Portable World, Mr. Buchmann observes the battery in everyday life in the hands of the common user. By reading Batteries in a Portable World, you will acquire a better understanding of the strengths and limitations of the battery. You will learn how to prolong battery life; become familiar with recommended maintenance methods and discover ways to restore a weak battery, if such a method is available for that battery type. Knowing how to take care of your batteries prolongs service life, improves reliability of portable equipment and saves money. Best of all, well-performing batteries need replacement less often, reducing the environmental concern of battery disposal.


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Joe Grand, Ryan Russell, Kevin Mitnick (Editor): Hardware Hacking: Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty, 2004

"Grand, president and CEO of a product design and development firm, shows how to modify personal computer and electronics equipment at the hardware level. He describes essential tools for hardware hacking and reviews electrical engineering basics, then gives instructions, illustrated with b&w photos, for modifying the CueCat, building a custom Terabyte FireWire hard drive, taking apart the Mac, hacking Atari and PlayStation 2 systems, and upgrading memory on palm devices. Final chapters overview operating systems and introduce basic concepts of coding."


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Ben Heckendorn: Hacking Video Game Consoles, 2005

"Loved that Atari when you were a kid? So did Ben Heckendorn so much, in fact, that he successfully resurrected it as a slim, go-anywhere portable. When Playstation and Nintendo aficionados got jealous, he created miniaturized, fully functioning, battery-powered versions of those too. Now it's your turn. Every secret is here complete instructions, materials lists, tool tips, even advice on finding parts. Just wait 'til they see this at the high school reunion."


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John Rizzo, Scott Knaster: Mac Toys - 12 Cool Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment, 2004

"How many cool things can you do with your Mac? Well, add 12 more to that list. If you're one of the millions of Mac owners who like to tinker with their machines and do what their PC brethren can only dream about, this is the book for you. Mac gurus John Rizzo and Scott Knaster will open your eyes to a dozen cool new tricks you can do with your Mac. Create a Harry Potter style picture frame that puts on a continuous slide show; teach your house to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and water the lawn by itself; edit and record live TV while you watch; and more."


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Chieh Cheng, Auri Rahimzadeh: Hacking Digital Cameras, 2005

Hacking Digital Cameras is the only DIY book for digital photographers on the market. It focuses on customizing camera functionality, increasing flexibility, and adding the convenience to help you produce cool photographs. With this book, you will have fun capturing the images you never thought possible. Whatever your level of photographic experience, you will find that Hacking Digital Cameras is easy to read and quick to understand. With step-by-step instructions, which save you time and money, you will learn to safely modify your camera bodies, lenses, and accessories to achieve desired results.


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Kathie Kingsley-Hughes: Hacking GPS, 2005

"This is the "user manual" that didn't come with any of the 30 million GPS receivers currently in use, showing readers how to modify, tweak, and hack their GPS to take it to new levels! Crazy-cool modifications include exploiting secret keycodes, revealing hidden features, building power cords and cables, hacking the battery and antenna, protecting a GPS from impact and falls, making a screen protector, and solar-powering a GPS Potential power users will take the function and performance of their GPS to a whole new level by hacking into the firmware and hacking into a PC connection with a GPS Fear not! Any potentially dangerous mod (to the device) is clearly labeled, with precautions listed that should be taken Game time! Readers can check out GPS games, check into hacking geocaching, and even use a GPS as a metal detector."


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Morris Rosenthal: Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts: Troubleshooting PC Hardware, 2003

"A unique visual approach to troubleshooting PC hardware problems. Morris Rosenthal creates a visual expert system for diagnosing component failure and identifying conflicts. The seventeen diagnostic flowcharts at the core of this book are intended for the intermediate to advanced hobbyist, or the beginning technician. Following a structured approach to troubleshooting hardware reduces the false diagnoses and parts wastage typical of the "swap 'till you drop" school of thought. Flowcharts include: Power Supply Failure, Video Failure, Video Performance, Motherboard, CPU, RAM Failure, Motherboard, CPU, RAM Performance, IDE Drive Failure, Hard Drive Boot and Performance, CD or DVD Playback, CD or DVD Recording Problem, Modem Failure, Modem Performance, Sound Failure, Sound and Game Controller Performance, Network Failure, Peripheral Failure, SCSI Failure and Conflict Resolution."


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