26 |MAMAMAXIMXIMXIMXIMUUUUMMPPPCC|NOV 08 |www.maximumpc.com
T
he art of papercraft —assembling 3D models with paper— is like origami
for geeks. It’s a lot of fun cutting and folding paper mock-ups of robots and
videogame characters from blueprints found online, but it’s much more
rewarding to craft a model of your own design. It’s easier than you think!
Download Google SketchUp (http://sketchup.google.com), a free and simple-to-
use 3D modeling program. Follow the tutorials on the website to design an elemen-
tary 3D object or download samples from Google’s 3D warehouse (http://sketchup.
google.com/3dwarehouse). Save your Sketchup model, and use the program to
export it to Google Earth 4 format (.KMZ extension).
Download and install the trial version of Pepakura (http://tamasoft .co.jp/
pepakura-en) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will
automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and
folding your model!
Keep in mind that if your
Sketchup model is too
complicated, the
papercraft design will
be extremely complex.
Don’t go overboard!Design Your Own Papercraft
Y
ou have a laptop and a desktop sitting on your desk.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could move seamlessly between
the two, using your desktop PC’s keyboard and mouse for
both? It doesn’t take a clunky KVM switch to do that. The free
Synergy app (http://synergy2.sourceforge.net) lets you share not
only input devices between two or more machines (even those
with different OSes) but also a clipboard, all by harnessing the
power of the network.
First, decide which computer’s mouse and keyboard you want
to use. Download and install Synergy on that PC. That machine
will be the server, and the others will be clients. (In our example,
we’ll assume you have two machines; the server will be a machine
named Desktop, and the client will be a machine named Lap-
top.) In the Synergy app, click the radio button for the “Share thiscomputer’s keyboard and mouse option” and click Confi gure. Add
each computer you want to connect to the top window—to keep
things simple, you should confi gure Synergy with each computer’s
network name as the screen name. Next, you need to set up the rules
for cursor movement. If the secondary PC’s screen is to the right of
the primary PC’s monitor, set a rule that says “0 to 100% of the right
of Desktop goes to 0 to 100% of Laptop.” You’ll also need to set the
inverse rule (0 to 100% of the left of Laptop goes to 0 to 100% of
Desktop), or your cursor won’t be able to move in the other direction.
Now install and launch the Synergy app on your laptop.
Select the “Use another computer’s shared keyboard and mouse”
and enter the hostname for your desktop PC. Press Test and you
should be connected!T
here’s nothing worse than the nag-
ging feeling that you forgot to close
the front door—or that you left the
garage door up, or the lights on, or the
water running.... Eaton’s Home Heart-
beat System (www.homeheartbeat.com)
can provide peace of mind by letting
you remotely monitor aspects of your
home with the use of strategically placed
sensors. When something’s awry, you’re
sent an email or text message. The $
Starter Pack includes a wireless base sta-
tion, an open/closed sensor, and a Home
Key for programming the system.Make Sure You
Closed the Front
Door
Use a Single Keyboard and Mouse with Multiple Computers
tion, an open/closed sensor, and a Home tion, an open/closed sensor, and a Home
Key for programming the system. Key for programming the system.pepakura-en) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will ) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will ) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will
automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and
folding your model!) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will ) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will ) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will ) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will
automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and
folding your model! folding your model!
Keep in mind that if your Keep in mind that if your
Sketchup model is too Sketchup model is too
complicated, the complicated, the complicated, the
papercraft design will papercraft design will papercraft design will
be extremely complex. be extremely complex. be extremely complex.
Don’t go overboard!Don’t go overboard!Don’t go overboard!sent an email or text message. The $
Starter Pack includes a wireless base sta-
tion, an open/closed sensor, and a Home
Key for programming the system.tion, an open/closed sensor, and a Home
Key for programming the system.) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will ) and import the .KMZ fi le. Press the Unfold button, and Pepakura will
automatically generate a papercraft design. Print out the sheet to start cutting and
folding your model!
Keep in mind that if your
Sketchup model is too35 AMAZING
THINGS