popular mechanics 2010 - 02

P O P U L A R M E C H A N I C S . C O M | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 $3.99 n FFn @ot@  v  t [...]... even if you correspond by e-mail Send e-mail to popularmechanics@hearst.com All letters are subje to editing for length, style and format Subscribe Please go to subscribe.popularmechanics.com POPUL ARMECHANICS.COM AUTOMOTIVE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY HOME HOW-TO CENTRAL VIDEO Digital Hollywood VISUAL EFFECTS As technology continues to blur the line between computer-generated and live-shot movies, PM is there... way you listen to music e gist: It’s a free and legal music-streaming service that plays virtually any song you can think of, on demand and so 30 F EBRUA RY 2010 | POPUL ARMECHANICS.COM quickly that you’d swear it was stored on your computer’s hard drive It even has a mobile app for on-the-go listening e six-million-songand-growing catalog is awe-inspiring (We did manage to stump it with a few of our more... dealing with pocket-based gadgets is phone’s solution: a microproje or that’s offered as a snap-on accessory, allowing you to shave off the extra mass when it’s not needed speakers never have enough juice is padded USB-powered lapdesk is the first one that has both a built-in cooling fan and built-in (and surprisingly powerful) speakers 7-inch display is as easy as sending an e-mail—the Wi-Fi-conne ed frame... handyman who volunteered to rebuild a storm-damaged school, or a tech-savvy citizen who rigged up a Wi-Fi network for the local library POPULAR MECHANICS is currently accepting nominations for our 2010 Hometown Hero Awards If you know someone who fits the bill, he or she could be honored in the magazine For more details and to submit your nomination, visit popularmechanics.com/ hometownhero CORRECTION:... full Dyson Although the Nickel-Cd battery pack took 21 hours to charge, it sucked just four fills of its 503-ml tank A 3.5-hour charge on its 22.2-volt lithium-ion battery sucked and dumped 341 ml’s worth of gunk an impressive 52 times Use of a standard Makita power-tool battery and charger ensured long life (59 loads) and a quick charge (just 15 minutes) Makita e Makita’s long-lasting battery and imperviousness... reallocating o available power to do boost the speed of the remaining a ive cores 2 Regen ReVerb Solar iPod Speaker ($2230) is 3-foot-tall iPod speaker dock features built-in solar panels that power its 60-watt speakers—even when it’s indoors Just be patient; 32 F EBRUA RY 2010 | POPUL ARMECHANICS.COM 4 Garmin ecoRoute HD ($150) Pulling info from a car’s diagnostic port usually involves plugging in a scan tool... Battery-Powered MIG Welding Package ($1800) It’s portable and battery-operated In fa , the entire wire-feeding welder rig weighs just over 50 pounds, including batteries, and comes packed in a luggable suitcase Sure, the size of your job is limited by the life of its lead-acid batteries, but that’s more than enough juice for 90 percent of a homeowner’s welding needs POPUL ARMECHANICS.COM | F EBRUA RY 2010. .. as fast as we could twist off the 650-milliliter container Makita, by a mile To test the tools’ stamina, we measured charge time and total chamber loads per charge U P G R A D E E-Booking It Hitting the Hardwood P M Installing a nail-down floor is equal parts whacking and dragging—when you’re not whacking the pneumatic nailer with a hammer, you’re dragging its 11-pound off-kilter mass to the next spot So at... hammer, you’re dragging its 11-pound off-kilter mass to the next spot So at only 9 pounds, the Hitachi NT50AF 2-inch Flooring Nailer ($450) lightens the load by a welcome margin, allowing you to focus exclusively on firing off its 150 rounds of 2-inch, 16-gauge cleats—because laying in ½-inch to ¾-inch solid hardwood should be, if anything, all about the whacking File this one under “so good, it should... concrete is all it takes to ruin most chain-saw chains Not so with the Stihl MS 230 C-BE Duro Chain Saw ($330) Because carbide tips are braised into each cutter, the chain is tough enough to handle short run-ins with paved surfaces is durability also makes it suitable for the sort of dirty jobs—such as cutting pressure-treated timber and clearing frozen storm-damaged wood—that would stop lesser chains . Beilinson Managing Editor Michael S. Cain S U B S C R I P T I O N S subscribe.popularmechanics.com EDITORIAL BOARD OF ADVISERS POPULAR MECHANICS is grateful to these scientists, innovators and leaders,. 708/352-4094 Klassmark, 52 W. Burlington Ave., La Grange, IL 60525 E-Mail popularmechanics@hearst.com. Mail Popular Mechanics, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019-5899. Fax 646-280-1081. Please. change of address and subscription orders, log on to service.popularmechanics.com, or write to Customer Service Department, Popular Mechanics, P.O. Box 7186, Red Oak, IA 51591 . Back Issues Write