On this page is all the info and links for the Daily GizWiz Netcasts covering the weeks of
June 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th!
THE LATEST WEEK IS AT THE TOP!!!
And don't forget the July issue of MAD Magazine is on sale.
In that issue look for my piece in the Fundalini Pages. It's called TIP OFF's YOU'RE ON CRUISE HEADED FOR DISASTER.
I'll give you a little preview. Here are two:
The Life Jackets are stenciled "Not for use as a flotation device".
The only activity scheduled is "bailing".
The Daily GizWiz, Week of June 25th!
Monday, June 25th Netcast 341
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Anytime, Any Place With the New Java Wand! The Java Wand is a portable, single serving, miniaturized French Press filter attached to a hand crafted, glass straw that brews and filters coffee, tea leaves, herbs, in the convenience of your mug. Simply add hot water to your medium coffee grinds, brew, and in seconds sip to the very last drop through your beautifully hand crafted Java Wand. The portable wand is packaged in an indestructible, light weight, carry case that contains a special compartment to transport your favorite coffee and teas. Finally a fool proof way to make a perfect cup because you can personalize your coffee anytime during the brewing process. Feel free to add more coffee if you want it stronger, water to make it lighter, cream, chocolate, cinnamon or your favorite liquors. Imagine... having an effortless way to brew a perfect cup of your favorite coffee on a airplane, airport, hotel, campground or not having to share the office pot of coffee. The Java Wand eliminates the expense and need for time consuming coffee makers and filters. I used the Java Wand to make both coffee and tea, even though this company makes a different wand for tea. It certainly is an easy way to make coffee inexpensively when travelling. And it's a way to save a lot of money if you make coffee in the office instead of buying it. I still prefer coffee from my Capresso Team Therm that grinds the beans right before it makes the coffee, by the Java Wand beats instant coffee hands down.And I'm not sure how this device prevents unpleasant teeth stains unless it because the straw bypasses the teeth. $19.95
Well Leo has done it again!Come up with a Turn The Tables Tuesday gadget that’s interesting. And this time it doesn’t cost a fortune!
It’s a scale that measures body fat by putting a tiny bit of current through your body. For that reason it’s not recommended for people with Pacemakers, although Leo said you don’t feel anything when using the scale.The model Leo bought can store info on up to four people. Here’s more info from the Tanita website:
SCALE plus BODY FAT MONITORS From Tanita, the Body Fat Experts Tanita was the first company to design and manufacture body fat monitoring scales for in-home use. The technology you get when you buy a home scale is based on the same advanced technology found in our professional body composition analyzers used by doctors, medical centers, professional athletic teams, fitness clubs and personal trainers. And we continue to focus on meeting your needs with more styles, models and more personalized features.Leo bought his on Amazon. I found this one on Amazon which remembers info for two people:
The Sansa Shaker features many ways to listen to and share songs. It has a built-in speaker to enjoy music without ear buds, to play your favorite music, and listen with your friends & family. Plus it comes with two headphone jacks and one sets of ear buds. You also have the ability to play and share SD cards loaded with your favorite songs. A 512 MB SanDisk SD Memory card is included. Changing songs on the Sansa Shaker is a snap - or rather, a shake, complete with fun sound effects. You can impress your friends by shaking the device to jump to the next song, or use the colorful controller bands for forward and backward changing as well to manipulate volume. The Sansa Shaker is available in a choice of colors, and comes equipped with a USB cable, lanyard, pre-loaded songs, and a colorful array of stickers so kids can customize their device. An AAA battery is included which allows up to about 15 hours of music life when using headphones. The cost is one of the best features, under $40.
Look in the Oven!It’s fast, It’s Bright, It’s Infrawave!
Yes, the Black & Decker Infrawave Speed Oven
The Infrawave Speed Oven can do the thinking for you. Just tell it what you’re cooking and it automatically sets the perfect combination of time and temperature! And you can choose from wide variety built-in menu items. Or touch the convert button for any recipe you want… and QUICK TOUCH PROFILING does the rest. You can even adjust temperature and time to satisfy every family member’s taste. Okay that copy was from Black & Decker. This is from The Giz Wiz:
There is definitely a learning curve with the Infrawave, but fortunately you don’t have to read an instruction book.There’s a CD that takes you through all the various step a chapter at a time. It cuts cooking time anywhere from 1/3 to a ½. It cooked quickly and well. One down side is the capacity which is not huge. It can easily toast four slices of bread, bake cakes, etc., but it won’t do a large family roast. Cost is about $120.
This amazing for it’s time. The TI 1000 remote/wireless Caller ID brought freedom and flexibility to your Caller ID service. The TI 1000 was a two piece gizmo. There was a main unit that plugged into the wall jack. Then the phone plugged into the back of the main unit. The base Unit stored 60 name and numbers in memory and displays them on two lines along with time and date of each call. It also had indicators for new call, repeat call, out of area, private number, long distance, battery low and AM/PM calls. The small wireless remote that came with the set could be placed in any room, even if there was no telephone jack available. It displayed the name and number of the calling party in any location, and alerted you that your phone was ringing. BUT if it was a call you wanted to take you needed to go inside and pick up the phone. This was caller ID only, not a phone. Soon after this was introduced, caller ID in phones started coming along and that spelled a quick end to the TI 1000.
Need Help?... Thanks to GOOGLE, you can now search this site, my other site (thegizwiz) or the entire web for more info and suggestions of retailers. Most the time all you need to do, is type the name of the product into the search line. This is in response to people asking for help in finding products I show on the air, or talk about on the radio. It will be a time saver for us all. If all else fails, my e-mail is dick@gizwizbiz.com. Click here to e-mail me.
THE DAILY GIZWIZ, Week of June 18th.
Monday, June 18th
Okay, so the Flying Alarm Clock is a little too jangling for you?
Then you might like The Wind Chime Alarm Clock. It combines punctuality with the sound of metal pipes clinking against each other. Well they are tiny, but they are metal pipes! The Wind Chime Alarm Clock features 12-hour and 24-hour clocks, the date, a stopwatch function, and two different alarm modes. You can wake up to the sound of electronic beeping or to the gentle sounds of wind chimes. You can also set the wind chimes to chime continuously, although this will drain the batteries fairly quickly. And most likely drain your senses after too long!Also had Date and Stopwatch function. $19.95. http://www.vat19.com/dvds/wind-chime-alarm-clock.cfm Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw336
Turn The Table Tuesday, June 19th
Leo comes up with another sensible gadget.And they’re solar!
It’s the Driveway Solar Lights
Placed along a driveway or garden pathway, these Driveway Solar Lights are nighttime beacons to help you find your way. Powered by solar memory circuitry for 18 hours of run time on a full charge (even when the skies are overcast), they provide reliable outdoor lighting all night. Housed in rust-free cast aluminum Six super-bright LEDs provide brilliant illumination Completely cordless lighting — no wiring needed for installation Also mounts vertically on a wall for extra light anywhere. A set of two -- $59.50
Inka Pen.Never be without a pen again! The Inka Pen clips to your keychain so you always know where it is. And because it has a pressurized ink cartridge, this pen can write in just about any weather, any position, even underwater. (Think of the old Space Pen Technology.) The case is stainless steel and fiber carbon so it’s sturdy, and waterproof. There’s even a built in PDA stylus. $20.
Thursday, June 21th. DGW Netcast 339 Stop! Look! Then Look Again! And Again! If you listen to the Daily GizWiz you know I LOVE trains! If you love trains, have I got a gadget for you! It's a scaled down model of a real train coupler designed as a trailer hitch. People will stop, look and look and look and look. It was the brainchild of an employee at Rail Driver.They built amazing train simulators which we also talked about on this edition of the DGW. But back to the trailer hitch. This cast aluminum hitch cover is a great addition to any rail enthusiast's vehicle. The coupler is a rusty dark brown and with the included adapter fits either an 1¼" or 2" receiver. Coupler Dimensions are: 7.5" x 4.0" x 2.0" (19cm x 10cm x 5cm) and it weighs a hefty 2.3 lbs (1.0 kg). And the company does have a warning that comes with each coupler. And this is it: WARNING: Please do not attempt to couple your vehicle to any actual rolling stock. P.I. Engineering, Inc. will not be held responsible for the results of any such attempt. This is a decorative hitch only, and is not made for any load-bearing capacity.$39.95. With their RailDriver you can drive the Orient Express, a Metroliner, trains all over the country. Just take a peek at the controller and you can see how you’ll feel like an engineer in no time at all! www.raildriver.com(Take a peek at the raildriver, then click on products to see the Train Coupler Trailer Hitch. Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw339
Friday, June 22ndNetcast 340
Let the Phone Fun Begin!
The Fun Phone Effects gizmo let you add 25 different sound effects to your phone conversations. It was battery powered and was plugged directly into the phone jack on the wall. Then your handset was plugged into a jack at the back of Fun Phone Effects machine. And then let the laughter begin. Or the confusion at the other end of the phone as the person listening tried to figure out where all those weird sound effects were coming from. There was a doorbell, a baby crying, rooster, fanfare, burp, etc., etc..A fun gadget for kids, this didn’t really take off. There’s no sign of it on the web today. Actually I kind of wish there was a version that worked with Skype. Then I can add sound effects when I record the Daily GizWiz with Leo!
The Fun Phone Effect device is about the same of a paperback book.
Monday,June 11th,Netcast 331
Just in time for watering the garden!
This is pretty neat. I just got one and I’ve been watering the garden (weeds) almost everyday. It’s from Hydro Industries, manufacturers of the award winning ReelSmart hose reel. They have introduced a variety of new models as part of the new No-Crank collection. The No-Crank hose reels are all based on the Hydro-Pro system. The system ls built on a water-piston engine that utilizes the water pressure in the garden hose to turn the reel and automatically rewind the hose at a push of a lever. This hands-free rewinding eliminates the tedious and often difficult manual cranking associated with other hose reels. The hose reels in the new No-Crank collection are available as stationary, swivel or cart models to accommodate the individual needs of each homeowner.The No-Crank line is packed with convenient features like hose cleaner, storage compartments and spray nozzle holders making them ideal for any household. A watering system that automatically rewinds and conceals your hose to keep your landscape looking clean. The Water-powered rewinding requires no batteries, electricity or spring. The material is Polyresin crate, a small amount of assembly is required. Price is $75 at Target.
Turn The Table Tuesday, Tuesday, June 12th,Netcast 332
Okay, if you’re into backing up your files, in a big way, Leo has something for you!
(Since I’m not familiar with the unit, this is from their website. But it does seem pretty neat.) Data Robotics introduces Drobo, the first fully automated storage robot designed to ensure that data is always protected, storage capacity is unlimited and it is exceptionally easy to expand. Drobo limits the amount of human interaction required and includes some of the most advanced automated features available, including self-monitoring, self-healing and an easy-to-understand visual status and alert panel. With the introduction of Drobo, Data Robotics frees consumers and small businesses from the time-consuming chore of storage management, enabling them to focus more of their time on personal or professional interests. "Drobonomics": Pay as you grow. Start with only the capacity you need now and buy new drives as you need more storage, taking full advantage of disk drive pricing curves. Adding drives to Drobo is as simple as adding ink to a printer. No downtime, no configuration management. The Drobo storage robot is priced at $499 MSRP and is available for immediate purchase from drobostore.com and any of the following authorized direct resellers: NewEgg, MacConnection, MacMall, MacZone, PC Connection, PC Mall, TigerDirect and Zones. Drobo is also available through several local Authorized Resellers.
This heavyweight notebook is a lightweight in the weight department! (Huh? – Trust me, it’s light in weight. 2.4 pounds!)
Toshiba Portégé R500 This ultra portable notebook PC is the world’s first standard notebook with indoor/outdoor trans-reflective screen; It can easily be used in virtually any type of lighting condition. I used it out in the sunshine, I had no trouble at all seeing the screen clearly. You actually turn the screen light off and the reflected sunlight makes it look like it’s lit. And the backlighting on the screen, when it’s on, is LED. Both those features save battery power. Toshiba says it also has the world's longest battery life on a 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen computer. And it’s thin!!! One of the world’s thinnest!Price starts at $1999.99. It was released the first week of June, so it may be a hard to find right away.
Why carry one photo, when you can carry up to 56 digital photos. And yes it still and operates perfectly as your travel alarm. Keep images of loved ones and friends near while you’re on the road. Here’s a list of the features: clock features time, alarm, date, 12/24 setting and temperature, while the digital photos are shown clearly on the 1.4" LCD. Has a two-button interface so you can set up a slide show or choose a single photo to display. Snooze bar activates the bright amber backlight. Requires 1 AAA battery (not included) for the clock. The photo function uses a set of included rechargeable batteries. You recharge them via the included USB cable, the same way you download your photos to the clock. $75
Long before there were Bright Feet Slippers, there were Nite Walkers, other wise known as Wacky Slippers with Headlights.
Lumatec was selling them in 1992. It used regular flashlight bulbs and two AA is each slipper. You clicked the heels to turn them on. They were a mild hit, and I showed them on several TV shows.
But zoom 14 years later (the Daily Giz Wiz 73) and we have Bright Feet Slippers. These were much more useful. They use LED’s, not flashlight bulbs, they go on automatically when you step into them, and then shut off automatically about 30 seconds after you step out of them. That way you have time to get settled back in bed. At this writing (June 10th), they are on sale for $29.95, about a $10 saving over their regular price.
Here’s an Electronic Device to Turn a Roll of Paper Towels!
iTouchless has made a host of “touchless” products. I think there self opening trash bin is a clever and useful design.But I don’t feel the same about the World's first and only automatic sensor perforated paper towel dispenser. iTouchless says it works on all home paper towel brands, standard full and new half size sheets. I tried the sensor-activated control and it does operate without having to touch roll of paper towels. But it just seems like a long way to go to get a paper towel. Yes, the Towel-Matic can dispense one sheet, two sheets, or the new half page sheet but before it can do that you have to set a lever to tell it what you want. Just you wave your hand and the Towel-Matic’s built-in optical scanner automatically identifies the perforations on the towel and stops right at the perforated line. I noticed that when you first push the button to get a towel the towel roll goes backwards for a second. I learned that that's so the optical scanner can check for the perforations. It's powered by 4 D size batteries (not included) or optional AC adaptor. Right now it’s on special for $60. The normal price is set at $80.
Leo goes from a $800 printer to a $1,000 Ionizer Plus.
That’s what you get for complaining about his choice of a $7.00 Toothpick Bird!
I’m not familiar with product, so I picked up info from their website:
The Ionizer Plus is the most advanced combination water ionizer and water filter you can buy. This extraordinary unit -- which attaches right to your kitchen faucet -- filters tap water to remove contaminants, chlorine, and chemicals. The water is treated with ultraviolet to disinfect germs, bacteria and viruses. Then the water is ionized by an electric current, creating alkaline water, which provides a host of important health benefits, as well as acidic water for external use. The Ionizer Plus is manufactured by Akai Electric Co, in Japan, where much of the population drinks ionized water. In the United States, more than 1,000 health practitioners - mostly MDs - recommend ionized water to their patients for conditions ranging from digestive problems to cancer. There are now more than 28,000 Ionizer Plus users in the United States alone.
At ThinkGeek they're always looking for new ways to haul your lazy butt out of bed. Normal alarm clocks wake you up with loud noises to jar you awake, but we've become accustomed to the snooze-bar… Now, it's become muscular instinct to flail your hands roughly in the direction of the noise, and smack! Nine more minutes of blissful unconsciousness. No more.The Flying Alarm Clock wakes you up with a loud shrieking alarm coupled with a little propeller-driven key that leaps off your nightstand. To turn off the horrible racket, you have to get out of bed and retrieve the key. The propeller flies the key high into the air and it lands anywhere it wants! The ONLY WAY to stop the racket is to get out of bed and retrieve the key. By the time you've done so, you're awake enough at least to go make a pot of coffee. I tested this clock at 2 AM and it worked fine, but I forgot to slide the alarm switch to off. The next night at 2 AM off it went! The propeller landed who knows where and the noise was driving me – and the neighbor’s nuts. I finally had to take the batteries out after removing a Philips head screw! This clock will get you up! $39.95.
Yes, it’s Pig E Bank. From Vat 19, yes Vat 19 even though I keep saying Vat 69 on the Netcast! From the Vat 19 (not 69) website:
Clickity-clank, clickity-clank, my money goes into my piggy bank. The Pig E Bank talking piggy bank is soooo cool for two reasons: 1. It keeps track of how much money is inside so you don't have to break it open just to find out that you don't have enough to buy the new Jessica Simpson album (shucks). 2. It talks when you put money into it. We're in love. Chrome (Hmm… I think it’s more Chrome like plastic! – Dick De) Requires 3 AA batteries (included) Ages 3+ Yes, it talks to you. LCD coin counter. 8" long x 6" high (approx)$22.95.You supply the money that goes inside!
Let’s go back to CES, January 5, 2003. Ideao Technologies announces the availability of its new 128MB wireless MP3 headset player the WF-200. The WF-200 was an MP3 player built right into a neckband audio headset. The WF-200 came with 64MB or 128MB of flash memory built in. So it was totally wireless and I must say the sound was/is excellent. The software bundled with the player let users download and arrange the order of the songs easily by drag/drop and point/click. But just a little over 4 years ago, check out these prices! The WF-200 with 64MB and 128MB capacity were available for retail at $119.99 and $159.99, respectively. Yes, those prices were high and the technology took off last a rocket shortly after.
