Hot Talk Barbeque Spatula
Talking Spatula
Link: jarusa.com
From about 10 years ago, the Hot Talk was hot for about 2 seasons. It was a talking barbeque spatula, with a few recorded comments that got played while you flipped that steak.
Preparations for China
Right now, Leo is in China, probably wearing Scott-E-Vest Lightweight Travel Pants or Travel Shorts, and carrying the Tom Bihn Tri-Star stuffed with Packing Cubes.
When Leo gets back from China, he might talk about the Tri-Star and Scottevest pants on TTTT.
WTHII
The gadget featured in the last What The Heck Is It? game is the Lite Bite, made by Nite-Ize, whose other gadget, a fibre optic flashlight, was also a WTHII mystery back in December 2006.
It's Time for 4th July Fireworks Again
Jan Reesman is a loyal listener. She last wrote in Episode 382 about the Great Gildersleeve. She has a blog called dogsandcats101. Leo remembers her well because Jan used to call his radio show about her blog, whose old name had the word "bitches" in it and she had to be edited out. Her favourite story from Dick is the way Dick watches the 4th July fireworks on the Hudson River, which he explains again. The only difference this year is Dick's old analogue portable TV won't work.
Listen to Episode 865
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Weather Direct WD-3103
iTalk Clock
Palm Pre
Digital Coin Counting Money Jar
The Missing Button
Tie-Tack/Button Replacement
Link: Softlife Products Company on eBay
When Dick first learnt about the Missing Button, he thought the vendor was going to make millions of dollars from it. It was a tie tack in the form of a button, which could be handy if one should lose a shirt button - no sewing necesary. Dick was told that the product design was originally from France, but now he can't find "The Missing Button" on the web. The picture above is Dick's own photo of what he still has in the Gadget Warehouse.
Ronco's Buttoneer
Another button kit, says Mark Sukoenig in the chatroom, was Ronco's Buttoneer, another old solution. See stuffwelove.co.uk.
All About Socks and Laundry
Dick always buys his socks in bulk, so that they always match. Jerry Lewis used to wear a pair of socks only once. Mark Goodson had his favourite laundry shop in New York. When they moved the operations to California, he would have his laundry couriered to New York for cleaning.
Independent Living
Henry Laporte attended an Independent Living class at 8th Grade. He got detention for not doing the stuff he was supposed to be learning: how to boil water, fry an egg, sew a button.
Winning Lottery Numbers
In Episode 844 (again), in the Letters section, Dick told listeners never to delete a Daily Giz Wiz show, as they give away money, and even lottery numbers: 21, 6, 3, 4, 1. Chad Forsmaier can confirm this to be true. These were the winning numbers for an Indiana lottery on June 23, 2007. It was the Midday Lucky 5. Try LottoStrategies.com's Match Finder.
Californian Casual Time
Dick found out, while working in California, that Californians are pretty laid back when it comes to time. That's why Leo is always late for his recording session. Instead of calling it Pacific Daylight Time, he should call it Californian Casual Time.
Listen to Episode 860
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Aqua Alert
Water-Activated Safety Band
Link: Amazon
The Aqua Alert is made by First Alert (who made the Tundra fire extinguisher, see Episode 321), a wrist band to be worn by a child which will sound an alarm over 100dB if it gets the slightest bit wet. Dick does give the caveat that if your child got immersed in water, you would not be able to hear the alarm, so that parental guidance is definitely required. Dick thinks that it might be more useful to leave it in his backyard to get a warning of rain.
Aqua Alert 2 is supposed to be coming, which will send an alarm to a wireless receiver within 300 feet.
Abby Laporte is back from France and doing an internship at the TWiT Cottage. Apart from occasionally doing the Abby Road show and managing the board, she receives additional bookkeeping and catering training, in the form of getting paid by Leo and getting lunch from him. Watch Leo give Abby some fatherly advice, in Abby Road 1.
And On The 8th Day, Verizon Said ...
... "Let there be a dial tone." Dick's telephone hell (see Episode 853) finally ended. With the help of Lil from the TWiT Army (DrMom), Dick managed to get the contact number of the CEO of Verizon. While talking with a Verizon executive, Dick received an email from Ooma (see Episode 779) informing him that XO would be releasing Dick's telephone number in 24 hours. It turned out that when trying out Ooma, Dick transferred his telephone number to Ooma which used XO Communications as a provider. When Dick terminated his service with Ooma, his number became an unused number, and got lost along the way. Dick was not slammed after all, and it was just a bad mix-up. The sacrifice Dick has to make in the name of gadget review!
The Question to the Answer, "Sis Boom Bah"
John Struse from Wayne, New Jersey solves the answer "Sis Boom Bah" from the Carnac the Magnificent segment in Episode 844. The question was, "Describe the sound made when a sheep explodes." You can watch the clip at johnnycarson.com.
Listen to Episode 859
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SmartSwipe
Security for Online Shopping
Link: smartswipe.ca
According to NetSecure, although traditional SSL encrypts the data in transit from the web browser on your computer to the secure server of the e-commerce site, hackers may still be able to access the information while it's on your computer or its memory before the data is encrypted. SmartSwipe uses a technology called Dynamic SSL, which interacts with traditional SSL. It encrypts the data at the SmartSwipe hardware itself and initiates the SSL key negotiation from SmartSwipe (and not from the personal computer), so that the encryption is extended further back to the earlier point in time where the information is read from the credit card. SmartSwipe works with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JBC, but only on Windows XP and Vista and on Internet Explorer. Those who are interested in the security side of the technology may want to read up on NetSecure's documentation on Dynamic SSL to see if their claims are made out. Dell is now selling SmartSwipe as an accessory.
Squirrel iPhone Credit Card Swiper
Rumour has it that Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is going to make an iPhone hardware and software solution, codename Squirrel, for accepting credit card payment on a card swiper connected to the iPhone. Here's the TechCrunch article.
The March of Technology
Dick is much amused by a frankfurter stand in New York with a red Neon sign flashing "Open". Wouldn't people know, muses Dick.
Waterproof Housing for the Nokia
Alessandro Abate is taking his Canon EOS 50D and a 300mm lens on an Alaska cruise to celebrate with his wife their 25th wedding anniversary. He wonders if Leo can recommend a waterproof housing for his cherished camera while kayaking. If he doesn't need to take photo while kayaking, Leo suggests a waterproof cinch bag, but if he wants to shoot through the protective cover, it's going to cost him.
Warnings from Sandrino
If Leo is going to name his autobiography "Just One More Podcast" (see Episode 812), Sandrino's wife, who is an attorney, is ready to collect their share of the royalties. Also, his daughter has just been accepted into the San Francisco Institute of Art and they may pay a visit to the TWiT Cottage while in the neighbourhood. Leo will be ready with his TWiT Mat.
Listen to Episode 858
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Polar F6
Heart Rate Monitor Watch
Link: Polar
Polar from Finland
Polar Electro Oy is from Finland and has worked for many years with the Finnish Cross-Country Skiing Team. Here's the press release.
Second Rate Snacks
Dick and Leo have often referred to Totino Pizza Rolls, and even fantasised about getting a sponsorship from Totino. Ted Kekatos has written in about pizza rolls vs pizza bites, and lots more. On the website Second Rate Snacks, you can find a lot of snacks "taste-off", where famous snack labels are pitched against less well-known brands, such as Totino Pizza Rolls v Mr P's Pizza Bites, Cola Challenge, Cheez-It v Cheese Nips etc.
SysAdmin Appreciation Day
Leo remembers the name of today's letter-writer, but forgets that Ted Kekatos is the founder of the annual SysAdmin Appreciation Day, the last Friday of every July. This year it's on 31 July.
A Totino Wrap-Up
If you've missed out on earlier episodes and wonder what all the fuss is about Totino pizza rolls on the Daily Giz Wiz, it all started in Episode 253, when Leo received a letter from Eric, a reliability engineer from General Mills, who said he would love to get the company to sponsor the show. That's when the jocular begging for sponsorship began, which continued for a number of shows. Back in those days, it was difficult enough to persuade ad agencies to consider podcasts for advertising, but the cause was certainly not helped by Dick and Leo's constant references to the product as "Tostino" pizza rolls and Leo's complaint that one couldn't even find "Tostino" on Google (Episode 263). By the time their mistake was pointed out to them by listeners (in Episodes 269, 271), it was too late, as confirmed by Eric in Episode 284, and all the begging had been in vain.
But Dick and Leo could pat each other's virtual backs for not getting the sponsorship deal, as General Mills had to recall some of its Totino products due to E. coli contamination in 2007 (Episode 443).
Listen to Episode 857
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Contigo
Beverage-ware
Link: gocontigo.com
As is Leo's wont, he was dismissive at first of the simple technology but as soon as he learns that the beverage pours smoothly, Leo orders a Contigo stainless steel coffee mug from Amazon. Here's a demo of the Hydration Bottles, all BPA free.
TWiT Policy on Free Gifts
Dick wants to know If TWiT has a policy on show hosts accepting free gifts. It's 10% of whatever Leo pays him. "That's a thin mint, a tic tac," Dick queries. That doesn't work, so Leo decides that as long as it's free, Dick has Leo's permission.
There is none. But you can go to MakeMeMad, and order stuff from Dick to help him pay for the Gadget Warehouse at Sofia Brothers.
From Generous Fans
Leo has talked about his TWiT mats a number of times now. After the recording of this episode, Leo shows off the non-slip rubber TWiT Mat given to him by a TWiT fan, and an embroidered mat from another fan.
Listen to Episode 856
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