Mod enables popcorn kernel and big crumb pickup
Second mod is a long pvc extension pipe

I love this vacuum except it WILL NOT PICKUP POPCORN KERNELS off hard floors! It just shoves them around. I noticed that there are two notches under the powerhead that have a little more clearance, but not enough for a kernel. With a few minutes of filing they will fit!

Step 1: Make a 'Corn Hole'

File one notch with a rat-tail file a little at a time to make a 'corn hole'. Keep turning the powerhead over and testing with a popcorn kernel until it will fit through the corn hole. Only file one notch so you don't lose too much suction, though there doesn't seem to be a difference in suction after the mod. Use a sharpie to put a black mark above the corn hole so that you can aim for the kernels.

I ended up hot melt gluing a small piece of clear plastic packaging to close the un-altered notch (see last picture) so that suction won't be lost. Two small notches should have close to the same suction loss as the corn hole.

An easier way to close the small notch would be to tape a small piece of plastic packaging over the hole with packaging tape.

Step 2: Extension

The second mod is a 1" schedule 20 (lighter) or 40 (heavier) pvc pipe extension, I use it to clean cobwebs. A 10' section is a few dollars at the hardware store, cut it to the desired length.