11 DIY iPhone projects for the crafty geek
With a little tinkering, you can do more with your iPhone than the Average Joe
Do your iPhone videos of your kids' soccer games look like they were taken during an earthquake? Need a macro lens to get a super close-up picture of the dew on that blade of grass? Want to learn how to make an iPhone stand using only Legos? Here are some easy DIY iPhone projects that will teach you to do all these things and more. Added bonus: most of them are free.
DIY iPhone Camera Stand
DIY iphone 5 Case, Kickstand and Custom Garman Car Mount
DIY iPhone Stabilizer Rig
DIY Teleprompter for iPhone Camera & DSLR
DIY iPhone Amp
DIY iPhone Ringtones
DIY iPhone Stylus
DIY Lego iPhone/iPod Touch Stand
DIY iPhone Macro Lens
Even Cheaper and Easier DIY iPhone Macro Lens
DIY Homemade iPhone Tripod Mount
[Mash-up gold: Marty McFly meets The Doctor and Making coding look cool]
DIY iPhone Camera Stand
The problem: An aspiring chef wants to show an overhead view
The solution: A camera stand made from a vanity mirror and a 3M damage-free picture-hanging strips
Cost: Around $20 for an inexpensive vanity mirror and the picture hanging strips.
DIY iphone 5 Case, Kickstand and Custom Garman Car Mount
The problem: You're tired of unsightly suction cup circles on your window from using a iPhone 5 windshield GPS mount, but a friction car mount doesn't yet exist for the iPhone 5
The solution: A friction car mount made from an old Garmin GPS system and the Platninum Series Kickstand Case and Holster for the iPhone 5. Just bolt the Garmin attachment to the back of the holster and go!
Cost: $39.99 for the Platinum Series Kickstand Case and Holster from Best Buy
DIY iPhone Stabilizer Rig
The problem: Your iPhone home videos come out looking like footage from the Blair Witch Project
The solution: A stabalizer rig made out of lightweight pipes, T-joints and elbow joints. Throw in some LED lights, bike handles and an iPhone casing and you're all set
Cost: Around $80, but the model this was based on, without the lights, cost under $5
DIY Teleprompter for iPhone Camera & DSLR
The problem:You're making a DIY YouTube video and you don't want to make an embarassing statement such as “I've now been in 57 states I think one left to go,” like one American politician did when not using a teleprompter
The solution: A teleprompter and camera combination made using a picture frame, some wood pieces, an black t-shirt and some ingenuity
Cost:$35
DIY iPhone Amp
The problem: Your iPhone speakers are just too quiet to really disturb your neighbors
The solution: An amp made from an old iPhone box, electrical tape, an LM386 op amp and and old speaker from and unused television (or whatever you have on hand)
Cost:Under $6, since most of the components are already lying around the house
DIY iPhone Ringtones
The problem: You can't find the perfect version of "Africa" by Toto to be your ringtone
The solution: A custom iPhone ringtone made using files, not protected under DRM, of course, already in your iTunes library
Cost: Free
DIY iPhone Stylus
The problem: You are just fed up with smudging your pristine touchscreen with greasy fingerprints after eating your morning Veggie & Monterey Jack Artisan Breakfast Sandwich from Starbucks
The solution:A stylus made out of a pen or pencil, tinfoil and some tape
Cost: Free using materials already in the house
DIY Lego iPhone/iPod Touch Stand
The problem: You have misplaced your iPhone stand, you need to watch last night's episode of The Office now, and all you have hanging around are some of your kids' Legos
The solution: Deconstruct your kids' Lego tower/house/truck/space rocket to find the perfect six Legos you need to build an impromptu iPhone stand
Cost: Free, plus some potential whining from your kids
DIY iPhone Macro Lens
Credit: CBS
The problem: You want to take a super close-up picture of the perfect foam peaks in your double shot soy latte
The solution: This video shows how to make a macro lens using parts from a disposible camera, an old USB flash drive and some Krazy Glue
Cost: Under $10
Even Cheaper and Easier DIY iPhone Macro Lens
The problem: An aspiring videographer wants to take a close-up video of a key chewed by his hampster
The solution: A macro lens made by putting a single drop of water on the camera lens
Cost: Free
DIY Homemade iPhone Tripod Mount
The problem: You are too psyched to hold your iPhone steady enough to get a picture of LeVar Burton at the latest Star Trek Convention
The solution: A homemade iPhone tripod mount made using some wingnuts, some flat washers, an angle piece, industrial strength velcro and an iPhone cover
Cost: Around $15 if you need to buy the case
