News: 10 of the Finest Cell Phone Mods

Oh, LifeHacker, we love you. You've brought us so many handy HowTo's: Hack Wireless Internet, Bypass Blocked Websites, Convert a Laptop Into a Projector, Watch TV & Movies on the Web For Free, 10 Must-Know Google Privacy Settings, and more.

And now, another great one: LifeHacker's 10 best DIY tips for cell phone mods and accessories.

1. Tether Your Cellphone for Free.

"It's not like you're going to host a web site using your cell phone connection, right? Why not use it, then, as a kind of go-to, last-resort connection for a laptop or netbook." (Original Palm Pre post)

2. Create a Remote Car Starter with a $10 Phone.

"You can totally blow your friends and neighbors' minds by starting your car from your iPhone—all for the low price of $500!" (Original post)

3. Use Your Touchscreen with Gloves or a Stylus.

"With a little DIY ingenuity, you can make gloves that work with your touchscreen, or if a stylus is more your style, a DIY touchscreen stylus should do nicely." (Original posts: Gloves, Stylus)

4. Make Free, Custom Ringtones.

"Free and exceedingly direct webapp Make Own Ringtone can do the trick for most phones. If that gets you nowhere, Gina's tutorial on making ringtones manually from MP3s also gets the job done. iPhone toters have a legit GarageBand/iTunes route or the iRinger app, and Android users can flip any song into ringtones with Ringdroid..." (Original posts: Make Own Ringtone, iRinger)

5. Make Your Own Stand or Dock.

"Over the past several years, alotofdockshavebeeniPhone-centric, but most could be modified for whatever phone you've got, and we've even highlighted nine stands and docks for your non-iPhone if you want to steer clear of that one altogether."

6. Create Your Own Anti-Interference Gear.

"A Red Bull or other energy drink can be quickly converted into a interference shield to block off local electronics. If your issue involves gear near your phone while it's charging, try fitting a metal bead onto your power cable to kill the buzz." (Original posts: Red Bull shield, cable buzz)

7. Restore Your Scratched Up Phone.

"If you've got an iPhone, a little patience and some sandpaper can go a long way; if your phone's got a metal finish, like the iPod, a $4 can of Brasso will do wonders." (Original sandpaper post)

8. Make a DIY Screen Protector.

"Howcast shows you that protecting your screen requires just a ruler, a permanent marker, clear packing tape, scissors, a bowl of water, dish soap, and a credit card..." (Original post)

9. DIY Car Mount for Directions or Filming.

"With a very cheap windshield holder fix, Tim Cox could finally document his drive to work in suitable cinéma vérité style, with a small hole cut just the size of his iPhone's camera lens..." (Original post)

10. De-Brand a Cellphone.

"If you don't feel you owe the carriers and manufacturers a whole mess of free advertising, too, or you just want to leave casual lookers guessing, one Instructables user shows how you can use tape and a sugar cube to remove logos..." (Original post)