Geek of the Week: Ryan Johns aka the iBoy Boy

GeekSugar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 16:00:12 PST

Unlike most of our Geeks of the Week, Ryan Johns isn't a celebrity - yet - but he recently caught my attention after he turned his Gameboy into an iPod - or rather, cleverly fit his iPod into his Gameboy and figured out a way to make it all function. Ryan is sophomore in college, studying architecture and math in New York City. "I like to make things," Ryan told us. "I like new projects and new problems."

For Ryan Johns' Guide to Turning Your Gameboy into an iPod, and some pretty chic pictues of Johns himself (we love his hair!), just

Even someone with a pretty basic understanding of electricity (such as myself) can figure this stuff out. I must warn you though: this is a very time consuming project. Likely a little bit less time consuming with this information...but still. Just about every single part has to be modified in some way to make space for an iPod. Every single part. Seriously. There is a huge amount of filing, and gluing, and cutting...mostly with tiny parts. I guess there are a few shortcuts to be made, but for the most part, if you want it to look good...you need to have a lot of free time.

Click here for John's guide to turning your Gameboy into an iPod

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"I do lots of random little things: I made and sold clothes for a while in my hometown...I made a "Calculus hat" once which showed the rotation of a parabola about the z-axis with motors and LED's. I made a periscope which connected to my arm which was motorized to enable me to see in different directions while only looking forward. Basically, I get the ideas for my projects by thinking of things that are kind of cool (but for the most part completely useless)...then I spend a really long time working on them, and when I'm finished I say 'wow, that is done, and it works...great...' then I start on something else." Here's to many more projects, Ryan!