Pump-Up Your iPad’s Volume with this Easy DIY Project
Even the maximum volume on the iPad can sometimes seem a little quiet, which has prompted many of us to perform thet tried-and-true ‘cup your hand over the speaker’ trick that gets us a little more sound –which works really well for a quick video clip but isn’t terribly practical or comfortable for more than a few seconds. Fortunately, coregeek has a DIY solution called the SoundScoop that should help you out at a cost ringing in around USD $0.99.
With a lot more than a dollar in your pocket and a little time spent with the Internet and you can find several solutions that range from using headphones or powered external speakers (not exactly handy or terribly portable, though the tiny iHome iHM79 Portable Multimedia Speakers that fit in the palm of your hand are a reasonable compromise) to apps that claim to help you out programmatically (with minimal success in my experience). Some manufactureres have addressed consumer complaints over the perceived volume problem by creating cases that have integrated speakers like those found in the iMainGo XP made by Portable Sound Labs.
The alternative, is to head to your local craft store to pick up a sheet of craft foam (maybe grab 2 or three so you have a few spares or a few color options for those who may like to coordinate). From there all you need is a hot glue gun, an x-acto knife or scissors and a writing utensil.
If you really want to get funky, consider how you might embellish your new SoundScoop using a touch more hot glue and a little glitter (okay, that might just be for me).
The only thing I don’t like about the SoundScoop is that once you glue it together it is entirely less portable because it no longer lays flat. I have plans to give this project a try without using hot glue, but instead using some kind of fastener (heck, a paperclip may even do it) that can be removed so I can more easily carry it with me.
