Manuals

Science

Now You Can Download The Original Lunar Rover Manual

10:20AM November 18, 2011 | Andrew Liszewski

Before you apply to NASA, you might want to take some time to peruse the original Lunar Rover Operations Handbook. Even though it dates back to April 19, 1971, a working knowledge of Apollo equipment couldn’t hurt your chances. More »


Cameras

Nikon’s Curious Crusade Against Physical User Manuals

1:00AM August 23, 2011 | Kyle Wagner

OK Nikon, so you don’t include a dead tree usuer manual with new cameras anymore. That’s fine; they just sit at the bottom of a drawer until we eventually throw them out. But to also DRM against printing it out? What the hell. More »


Science

Space Poopin’

1:00PM July 22, 2011 | Mat Honan

As NASA completes its final shuttle mission, we thought it would be fun to look back at this training manual from the Apollo program. Ever wondered how an astronaut pooped in zero gravity? Here’s your answer. More »


Geek Out

If IKEA Made Manuals For Sci-Fi Movies

6:20PM May 10, 2011 | Kat Hannaford

Without ruining any plots (“ohmygod, the time machine WORKS!” I hear you cry), these imaginary Ikea manuals for some of the best sci-fi movies about are absolutely hilaridonkus. Who knew that’s how the tardis – sorry, tjardiis – works? More »


Geek Out

The Nazi Graphics Standards Manual Exists

12:53PM February 8, 2011 | Jason Chen

There’s such a thing as the Nazi Graphics Standards manual – it was first published in 1936 – and someone found a copy. [Kottke]


Mobile

Samsung Manual Offers Helpful Directions For Faking Calls

7:00AM January 20, 2011 | Kyle VanHemert

Do you ever fake mobile phone calls? I sure do! And apparently so do the people at Samsung. Their manual explains how to conjure up a fake call “when you want to get out of meetings or unwanted conversations”. More »


Gaming

Fix Your Broken Game Consoles With iFixit’s Extensive Manuals

11:20PM August 30, 2010 | Kyle VanHemert

The industrious folks at iFixit have published extensive manuals for 24 popular game consoles, detailing over 200 repairs and modifications with step-by-step guides and photographs. You knew there was a reason you were keeping that broken Game Gear around. More »


The Phone Manual, Back To Basics

6:25PM June 1, 2010 | Kat Hannaford

Now here’s a clever way to guide new customers through their purchase. Kind of like a children’s book, the new phone slots into the cut-out hole in a book, with the instructions illustrating just which buttons to press. More »


Cars

Top Secret SR-71 Blackbird Flying Manual Declassified

10:00PM May 7, 2010 | Jesus Diaz

So, you read Brian Shul’s description of the thrill to fly the SR-71 Blackbird in a real mission over Lybia, and now you want to try it yourself. Well, no problem! First, you need its top secret flying manual. More »


Gadgets

iFixit Expands Guides To More Than Just Macs

6:00AM April 23, 2010 | Joel Johnson

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You know iFixit from their Mac repair guides and parts. (They estimate they’re the second-largest supplier of Mac parts next to Apple.) Now they’re expanding to create repair guides and manuals for everything. More »