DIY Smartphone Video Chat Hanger [DIY]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5606603/diy-smartphone-video-chat-hanger

With the slow introduction of video chat on smartphones, you may be looking for a way to save yourself some arm strain while chatting. Apple blog TUAW has created a cheap but useful hanger that mounts your phone on your computer monitor.

Whether you're using your smartphone as a webcam for your PC, running FaceTime on your iPhone 4, or anticipating Skype's upcoming Android app for your Evo's front-facing camera, this little hack makes video chat a bit more versatile. Now, instead of being tied to your computer, you can pick up your phone and turn it around, move to a new room, or even carry on your conversation as you leave the house.

TUAW's mod merely consists of some cardboard, duct tape, and the top of a wire hanger. It certainly isn't the prettiest hack around, but they certainly did their homework on it. Each nook and cranny in it has a purpose, whether it's allowing tethered devices, charging yoru phone, or accomodating external speakers. With a bit of ingenuity you could probably fashion something that isn't so ugly, too—and if you're really clever, you could even find a way to do it without covering up a giant portion of your monitor. Hit the link to check it out, and let us know what ideas you might incorporate to a smarphone video chat mount in the comments.

Low rent FaceTime: Create your own FaceHanger

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The Sprint Anycom Receiver Wirelessly Connects Any Bluetooth Device to an iPod Speaker Dock [Stuff We Like]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5606701/the-sprint-anycom-stereo-receiver-makes-your-ipod-speakers-wireless

Whether you've moved on from your iDevice to something else, or you just want to be able to change the tunes from far away, this super cheap Bluetooth receiver will dramatically increase the usefulness of your iPod speakers.

We're not partial to unitaskers here at Lifehacker, and the slew of popular iPod speaker docks are no exception. While they're mighty convenient for your iDevice with a dock connector, they're less so for your other media players and smartphones, especially if they don't have an auxiliary jack. The Sprint Anycom FIPO Bluetooth Stereo Receiver, apart from having a ridiculously long name, is a $20 adapter that plugs into your iPod speakers and makes them wirelessly compatible with any bluetooth-enabled audio player.

That means your iPhone, 2nd or 3rd generation iPod touch, Android phone, BlackBerry, and even Laptop can pair with it and play music into the speakers. Sure, the audio quality may not be audiophile-approved, but it's not like it's a $1000 stereo—it's an iPod speaker dock, and $20 for wireless, anything-compatibile music playing is hard to turn down. Hit the link to check it out.

Update: Just after we posted this, Amazon changed the status of the item to "currently unavailable". If you search around, though, you can probably find it available on other sites.

Sprint Anycom FIPO Bluetooth v2.0 Stereo Receiver w/Dock Connector for iPod Speakers [via Unplggd]

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Online-ConVert Converts Audio, Video, Images, and More [Conversion]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5607031/online+convert-converts-audio-video-images-and-more

If you're looking for a one-stop web-based tool for converting media from one format to another Online-ConVert supports dozens of conversions including obscure formats often overlooked by other web-based converters.

Converting WAV to MP3 or PNG to JPG is old hat for just about every web-based converter out there. Where Online-ConVert really shines is the inclusion of lesser used formats. The video converter, for example, even supports conversion to video formated for playback on the Nintendo DS—if you didn't know you could play video on your DS make sure to check out how to hack your DS for backups and supercharge it with homebrew software to see all the other cool things it can do.

In addition to supporting a huge range of format conversions Online-ConVert has a bunch of little features that make it a pleasure to use—despite it's initially clunky looking interface. Online-ConVert supports both file upload and URLs—we had no problem using YouTube URLs to create videos to dump onto our Nintendo DS, for example. Each conversion also generates a QR code that you can scan with your cell phone to download the file. Let's say you're at a computer and you don't have an appropriate sync cable or syncing software for your phone. You can convert the file and scan the QR code to initiate the download right to your phone.

Visit the link below to try out the converter or sound off in the comments with your favorite conversion tools.

Online-ConVert [via Download Squad]

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IdiomDictionary Defines That Phrase so You Don't Have to Ask Your Friends [Dictionary]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5607483/idiomdictionary-find-out-what-that-phrase-means-so-you-dont-have-to-ask-your-friends

Almost like a less offensive Urban Dictionary, IdiomDictionary is for those phrases that everyone seems to understand except you—instead of getting them to explain it, you can look it up in their giant database of over 5,000 idioms.

IdiomDictionary is pretty simple to use; you just type a phrase in the search box and it will explain to you the idiom's meaning. It does have quite a few, including a large number that I had never even heard of before. You can browse by letter, if you'd like to just learn a bunch of new idioms you can rattle off, but the search is its most useful function.

Unfortunately, it doesn't go the other way—if you're looking for a clever way to say something, you can't look up an idiom for that idea. I can't search "relax", for example, and come up with "hang loose". You can only search for idioms themselves. It's kind of a bummer (that would be such a useful feature), but it's still incredibly handy for those situations when you hear a phrase you just aren't familiar with. Hit the link to check it out.

Update: Reader BishopBlaze cleverly points out that to do a reverse idiom search, you can just do a site-specific search on Google. For example, if you're looking for an idiom for "relax", just search site:idiomdictionary.com relax on Google to find a few.

IdiomDictionary [via Download Squad]

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Scan or Photograph Checks for Deposit at These Banks [Banks]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5608013/scan-or-photograph-checks-for-deposit-at-these-banks

Depositing checks probably feels like the last stand of paper for savvy online bankers. Switch to one of the banks accepting check deposits via scanner, iPhone, or Android, and you'll never have to wait in ATM or teller lines again.

Image via USAA @ HOME.

The who's who among banks with remote check deposits comes through the very clever Paperless Office Wiki. Banks both local and national in scope are charted for their scanner, iPhone, and Android availability, given a rating, and listed with their eligibility and other requirements. You'll definitely want to check a bit of the fine print, as certain banks require a higher level of account sign-up to get the remote deposit offering, but it's a great place to start looking if you're stuck with regular trips to the bank, or find even quick-scanning ATM deposits kind of a drag.

Know of another bank with a great remote check deposit? Point it out in the comments, but don't be afraid to throw it in the Paperless Office Wiki, either.

Remote Check Deposit [Paperless Office Wiki via The Consumerist]

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