1Gig CueCat

You've seen them before. People taking thumb drives and putting them in different housings. There's the highlighter, the lighter, the pink eraser, and many, many [http://www.instructables.com/id/Foam-apple-keychain-flash-drive.../ more]. (My apologies to those that didn't get linked.)

Well, I've wanted to do one for a long time, but couldn't come up with a good case. I looked around my office, and found nothing worthy. Then I started to think about the basement. My tote filled with useless computer parts that the geek in me won't let go of. Then it hit me.

I HAVE AN OLD CUECAT! And the 1 Gig CueCat was born.

Step 1: Gather your parts

First step in any project, gather your parts.

I also used some of the following things that are not pictured:

-- Leatherman--you'll see him later
-- hot glue gun
-- modeling glue
-- various small screwdrivers

Comments

[samuraiclinton]

I heard that the CueCat was a flop on the market, but it does make a good aesthetically themed shell for DIY projects.

Such notoriety of the original product provoking privacy issues with barcodes on a visual gimmick from years ago.  upcycling can be done on instructables.com

[PikminRed]

The way you have 'pink eraser' (in the title) divided into two links-- remove the first link. Fungus Amungus was before the other dude.

[mrmath]

I didn't give credit in any particular order.  I just wanted to make sure I pointed out that there are other instructables about things you can do with your flash drive.

[mettaurlover]

try making the cap look like a mouse! funny:D

[Kana]

Wow that's so cute~! But I have no idea where to find CueCats except for Ebay; and I can't buy online >.<

[jongscx]

you can use those visa gift-cards from walmart/convenience stores on e-bay purchases I believe... and you buy those with cash...

[Kana]

Oh really? Wow. Thanks I might do that!

[joe57005]

i have one of those! there's a simple hack out there to change it into a regular barcode reader. it originally outputted an encrypted string of characters (keyboard strokes, to be precise) containing a unique serial number and the scanned barcode. i broke it a long time ago, and haven't had the time to fix it.

[mrmath]

I did that with it a long time ago as well. I think we all did. I even envisioned writing some simple cash register software that could be used with the CueCat. Then I read the license on the thing, and using it for anyting other than it's intended purpose was not allowed, so I scrapped the idea. Probably wouldn't have been able to do it anyway.

[joe57005]

well, the company that made it, is now defunct, so no worries there. as for the hack itself, it's just a single pin removed from one of the chips. (on the rev. e version i have, at least.)

[KD7WHQ]

I hacked a cuecat, and declawed it as well.. No unique serial numbers, and straight numeric output.

Tweaked the sensitivity as well.

There is a UPC Database where you can scan items in, and add it if it isn't already there..

[spiffytessa]

Wow, that's a really cool project! Been looking for a way to make my USB more interesting. Can't find any of those cute CueCats anywhere but for like $20 on Ebay. :(

[Gage987]

i did read the wiki for cuecat and it sounds pretty cool to bad i missed the cuecat era but the wiki said to keep them because the were gonna bring them back

[mrmath]

I don't think it will make a come back, honestly. It was a stupid idea in the first place, and even more so now. Why do I need a device that will take me to a website when I can just type in the website name? Or, why not just start embedding qrcodes in ads, and let people use their webcams and/or cellphones for it?

[Gage987]

but it'd let you be lazy-er

[dombeef]

Did you name the Cue Cat ? I mean, You could name it Fluffy or something like max

[Gage987]

id name it bassy because the clef |:>)

[mrmath]

:) Nope. But if I was going to name it, I'm such a Star Trek geek that I would name it Q.

[Vautikos]

Do you still have the link to the website where you got the USB from? =P Awesome hack by the way, your link got me interested in finding an old CueCat to use for making a digital catalog of my movie library...

[mrmath]

The offer is over, I'm sure. I don't remember exactly where it was on their site, but it was M&T.

I follow two free sites. http://www.freestuffcrazy.com/ and http://absurdlycool.com/. It came from one of them.

[musicalbee2003]

Ok old people, what's a CueCat?

[mrmath]

I linked to the Wikipedia article in the intro.

[mrmath]

Besides, the technology is only 8 years old. That doesn't qualify for "old people" status. Does it?

[musicalbee2003]

Weeelllllll....It's all relative, isn't it? 8 years is a long time in my life and the timeline of computer technology. Apologies for missing the link! I shall check it out.

[reedz]

Why is there a Bass Clef on his rear end?

[DanAdamKOF]

It's the logo. Man, that's nostalgic. mrmath, if you still have the guts, there's a trivial hack to turn a CueCat into a generic barcode reader :)

[mrmath]

I first read that as meaning if I have the guts to do something, not if I have the guts of the cat. No, they were toast. I had done that hack once, a long time ago, when I got it. My wife told me that it was the height of geekiness to do this. I thanked her.