Daily DIY

Web site Podlinez assigns a phone number to any podcast, meaning that you can listen to the latest episode of your favorite podcast any time you want; you just need to dial your podcast’s number.

The numbers aren’t toll free, so you’ll want to keep an eye on the length of the podcasts you listen to with Podlinez, but I love the idea that you don’t have to download anything to listen to the podcast. The service already has phone numbers for several popular podcasts, such as This American Life, The Economist, and Boing Boing. If your favorite podcast doesn’t already have a number, just enter the feed URL and get one. Be sure to check out the keyboard shortcuts for fast-forwarding and rewinding. — Adam Pash

Some time ago my girlfriend asked me if I would make her one of those telephone microphones like the kind that all of those hipster bands have. So, I of course told her I would. Much time passed… and then I made this.



This is designed to work with the old-style handsets with the carbon mics inside (see picture). It probably won’t work with most newer handsets.



I’m sure twelve year olds in 1994 used to call this a "purple polk-a-dot box." I apologize for my |33t h@><0r ignorance.


By: randofo

Make free international phone calls sans Skype with Futurephone, a company that’s just got to be bleeding money.

The service doesn’t run ads or ask for personal information. They simply provide an access number based in Iowa - so domestic long distance charges apply - that you call with any old phone and then dial your international number through. Call 712-858-8883 to give it a try. I haven’t been able to test it myself, but the New York Times’ tech writer David Pogue says it’s totally legit. Cool! You got a friend overseas? Give Futurephone a try and let us know how it goes. (Warning, though: calling international cell phones doesn’t yet work.) — Gina Trapani

GrandCentral is a brilliant new web app that lets you consolidate all of your phone numbers into one number, meaning someone can call you on your GrandCentral phone number and all of your phones (cell phone, work phone, home phone) will ring. And then it gets interesting.

If you don’t want every one of your phones ringing each time someone calls your free GrandCentral number, you can set rules by friends, family, work, and others, defining where the calls should be directed. When a user leaves a message, you can listen to it online or directly on your phone. The remaining set of features on GrandCentral are a little mind-blowing, in that “I’d never thought of that, but how am I now living without it?” sort of way.

When you pick up a call that’s been forwarded with GrandCentral, you can choose to answer it, send it to voicemail (which will be done automatically if you don’t answer), or send it to voicemail and listen in on the message as it’s being left in real time (just like you’re listening to someone leave a message on an answering machine). You can interrupt a “ListenIn” message at any time and join the conversation by pressing star (*).

If you’re on a call and you decide that you want to record your conversation, just hit 4 at any time. You can also record personalized greetings based on contact groups and upload your own MP3s to be played in place of your ring.

All of this can be done with GrandCentral’s free account, though there are a few limitations to the free account (none of which severely hinders the service). As you can tell, after spending the morning playing around with it, I’m pretty impressed with this service. The only problem I’ve had with GrandCentral so far is that making calls from the online interface (which, similar to Jajah, connects to your phone, then the phone of the person you’re calling); it seems like a simple part of the functionality, but who knows - maybe I’m doing something wrong (I’m not).

I’m not ready to tell all of my contacts to start calling my GrandCentral number just yet, but I may in time. If you give it a try, let us know what you think about it in the comments. Thanks Nick! — Adam Pash

Clever web site PhoneSpell takes the numbers of any phone number and suggests words they spell for easier memorization.

For example, 836-8725 spells “tent-sale”, “vent-salt” and “tent-pals.” Not every number combination will give you a memorable word or phrase, but many will. PhoneSpell says they don’t record your phone number, but to be safe, leave off the area code. Great for kids or anyone with a bad memory for numbers and no cell phone quick dial. — Gina Trapani

Want to talk to people through your computer but are sick of using those cheap headsets out there? Do you want that unique, styled, classic look in a USB phone? The standard Singapore-slung mic/line input knockoffs are so unsexy. Look no futher, this how-to guide will show you how to make a Western Electric 2600 headset telephone work with your computer using USB.


By: noelix

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I’m sure all the blog/news addicts out there have already read this, but skype is now offering free calls within the US and Canada to Landlines & Cellphones! You can even use the conference features to have a 5-way call! This offer only lasts until the end of 2006 so DOWNLOAD NOW!

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Via instructables comes a DIY for a Portable Skype Phone:
“how to make a portable skype phone from an old cordless phone.
You need an old cordless phone. (one that you dont care about.. because you might break it) try and get one that has an “intercom” because they are much easier..
IMPORTANT- […]

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Via make comes a great HOWTO for a DIY Telephone FM Transmitter:
“This project is taken from www.electronics-lab.com.
With some modification, I create my own version of FM Telephone bug complete with stripboard layout.
Theortically, the frequency range is from 88MHz to 94MHz but you may experiment with the coil structure to tune it”
-Link