How to Mod a Tapwave Zodiac

Place the 5/8-inch rubber O-ring over the Tapwave Zodiac's analog controller to make sure it covers it and the edges align. Adding the O-ring creates a grip surface over the plastic controller when playing video games.

Remove the O-ring. Brush plastic glue on one side of the O-ring. Press it onto the analog controller so the edges are aligned. Allow it to dry overnight before using.

Cut the Zodiac hot-sync cable 6 inches away from its USB adapter with a wire stripper to modify it into a car charger. Cut off the USB adapter completely. Remove the white plastic to expose the red and black wires. Red is the negative voltage, while the black is the positive voltage.

Remove the wire mesh cover to expose the four other wires in the cable. These are for the hot-sync and need to be left alone. Bend the wires over 1/8-inch and cover them with a 1/2-inch piece of electrical tape.

Cut off the Palm adapter on the Palm car charger using the wire stripper. Strip off 3 inches of insulation to expose the wires. Remove 1/2-inch of the insulation plastic on the red and black wires.

Join the black wire from the Zodiac's hot-sync cable to the black wire of the car adapter. Twist the wires together at least two times. Join together the red wires from both cables. Twist them together at least two times.

Wrap each connection with a 1-inch piece of electrical tape. Then, wrap the entire section with 4 inches of electrical tape to completely secure.

Update the Palm software on your Tapwave Zodiac to modify it. Download programs, such as VMailHelper, Town Compass DataViewer and BlazerDA, from websites, such as Palm Software and Moby Ware that sell software for PDAs that use the Palm operating system.

Install a Wi-Fi SD card onto your Zodiac to connect the hand-held to wireless Internet. The download is available from Tapwave, and they offer an upgrade to the Zodiac's email application.