Sentry Safe QE5541
Fireproof Water-Resistant Safe with USB Backup Drive
Link: Sentry
On New Year's Eve, Dick previews the Sentry Fire-Safe (Model QE5541) is designed to protect your modern-day digital data. It is fire-proof and water-resistant, has a CD/DVD organiser which stores up to 72 optical discs, and also stores your conventional A4 size papers, box files etc. What's more, it can store a 2.5" hard drive with USB connectivity (with USB port and cable) so that you can backup your data into the safe. It has already won a CES 2008 Best of Innovations Award. With this safe, you would not need to go through what Francis Ford Coppola did with his laptop and backup drive.
Laportes in a Bedouin Tent
Tonight, the Laportes will be spending the night in a bedouin tent in Egypt. Read about Leo's Egyptian trip in his blog, and see some of his pics in his Photos section.
magicJack
Geoff says he knows he's in trouble when he has something from Dick's Gadget Warehouse, such as the BIC Antenna (Episode 440), or has been using gadgets well before Dick and Leo start reviewing them on DGW, such as the Meraki Mini (Episode 432), and the Eee PC (Episode 447).
Geoff recommends the magicJack for Leo for use in Egypt.
Second Longest DGW
Dick and Leo have been giving us pretty long DGWs recently. This episode is the second longest episode (Episode 291 The Smart Cab remaining the longest), followed by Episode 466 The Checkmate Appetite Intake Controller in 3rd place, and Episode 465 The Electron-Echo Piano in 4th place.
For more statistics on DGW, go to Ludwik Trammer's GizWizSearch Statistics Page.
Listen to Episode 471
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Laportes in a Bedouin Tent
Tonight, the Laportes will be spending the night in a bedouin tent in Egypt. Read about Leo's Egyptian trip in his blog, and see some of his pics in his Photos section.
magicJack
Geoff recommends the magicJack for Leo for use in Egypt.
Second Longest DGW
Dick and Leo have been giving us pretty long DGWs recently. This episode is the second longest episode (Episode 291 The Smart Cab remaining the longest), followed by Episode 466 The Checkmate Appetite Intake Controller in 3rd place, and Episode 465 The Electron-Echo Piano in 4th place.
For more statistics on DGW, go to Ludwik Trammer's GizWizSearch Statistics Page.
Listen to Episode 471
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Brookstone Parking Meter Keychain
Voice Recording Timer Keychain
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
Dick was surprised that this product was not more successful. From Brookstone, this Parking Meter Keychain had a timer for your parking time limit (15 minutes to 4 hours). What's more, it can record your voice (such as the location of your parking space).
Podlinez
Mark Brodeur has been reminded by Episode 463, where Dick talked about having a podcast on the phone, of a service called Podlinez. Each podcast has its own number, although it only plays the latest episode. The number for DGW is +1 (415) 376-7224. Actually another listener also wrote in about Podlinez back in Episode 197.
Listen to Episode 470
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Dymo DiscPainter
CD/DVD Printer
Link: Dymo
The Dymo DiscPainter prints directly on to inkjet-printable CDs/DVDs. It's about 6" x 10" in size and comes with its own software - "Discus" (PC and Mac compatible). You can use the clip art provided or your own images. Just drop the optical disc in, and the DiscPainter will print (at a maxmum quality of 1200 dpi) on to the disc, from the hub to the edge, using Dymo's RadialPrint Technology.
GizWiz Deals
Steve from Colorado, who has listened to DGW for over a year, has decided to dedicate a section of his forum to deals you can get on DGW gadgets.
Listen to Episode 469
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
GizWiz Deals
Steve from Colorado, who has listened to DGW for over a year, has decided to dedicate a section of his forum to deals you can get on DGW gadgets.
Listen to Episode 469
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Lionel Train Railroad Crossing Coin Bank
Coin Bank
Link: Amazon
The Lionel Railroad Crossing Coin Bank is a 4 feet tall coin bank. Put in a coin and flashing lights and whistle sounds will come on (for 30 seconds). You can choose to have (1) the lights on but no sound, or (2) both lights and sound, or (3) neither lights nor sound.
To see it in action, see Dick's video on MySpace.
Boxing Day
Leo offers 2 theories of how 26th December came to be called Boxing Day. Learn also when the Kwanzaa (or Kwaanza) is.
Christmas Gifts for Dick
Nobody knew what to get for Dick for Christmas when he was young, being the unusual kid that he was, and everyone asked Dick's mother what to do. In the end, she just told Dick to buy presents for himself.
Samsung Earphones Quality
Jim Nelson bought the Samsung Yepp P2 MP3 Player (Episode 458) and agrees that the earbuds make the sound quality very good. He used to think the sound quality of the Christmas Jingle bad, but having heard it on the Samsung earphones, he thinks the sound quality is incredibly bad!
Talking Photo Album
Dick has received emails about the Talking Photo Album (Episode 463), or rather Leo's question whether you can make your own captions.
The Happy Hour
Dick has just done a new show, the Happy Hour on Fox Business - Regis and Kelly meets Cheers.
Listen to Episode 468
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
To see it in action, see Dick's video on MySpace.
Boxing Day
Leo offers 2 theories of how 26th December came to be called Boxing Day. Learn also when the Kwanzaa (or Kwaanza) is.
Christmas Gifts for Dick
Nobody knew what to get for Dick for Christmas when he was young, being the unusual kid that he was, and everyone asked Dick's mother what to do. In the end, she just told Dick to buy presents for himself.
Samsung Earphones Quality
Jim Nelson bought the Samsung Yepp P2 MP3 Player (Episode 458) and agrees that the earbuds make the sound quality very good. He used to think the sound quality of the Christmas Jingle bad, but having heard it on the Samsung earphones, he thinks the sound quality is incredibly bad!
Talking Photo Album
Dick has received emails about the Talking Photo Album (Episode 463), or rather Leo's question whether you can make your own captions.
The Happy Hour
Dick has just done a new show, the Happy Hour on Fox Business - Regis and Kelly meets Cheers.
Listen to Episode 468
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
RoamEO
Pet Gadget: GPS Pet Tracking Device
Link: RoamEO
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
Leo's Christmas Day recommendation is a collar for your pet - with GPS. The RoamEO shows the location of your pet on the simple colour LCD screen on a hand-held device. It works within a radius of a mile. You can also set up your own GPS "Fence" for your pet, a perimeter outside which an alarm on the collar will sound, with which you can train your pet to come back once the alarm goes off.
Newspaper Brick-Maker
Adam Mason writes to Leo to tell him that he need not worry about the stacks of newspaper accumulating in his house (before Leo gets his Amazon Kindle, which he will review in the next TTTT). The Newspaper Brick-Maker from Taylor Gifts compacts slightly dampened newspaper stacks into logs for your fireplace.
GizWiz Holiday Greetings
Watch Dick's holiday greetings on YouTube.
Listen to Episode 467
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Newspaper Brick-Maker
GizWiz Holiday Greetings
Watch Dick's holiday greetings on YouTube.
Listen to Episode 467
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Checkmate Appetite Intake Controller
Dieting Gadget
Link: CheckMate Diet
The Checkmate Appetite intake Controller is essentially a timer which buzzes in 30 seconds (or 60 seconds, if you choose) intervals. The idea is to get you to eat more slowly and chew your food properly (30 seconds chewing time) to give the body enough time to "register" feeling full. Made by Buzztronics, who made the GizWizBiz USB Smart Button.
Gifts Heard Only on DGW
The podcaster of Media Junkyard writes in to say, play the Festive Jingle all year around. He and his brother do gift "themes" every year, and this year, it's gadgets heard only on DGW.
Christmas for Dick and Leo
Hear how Dick and Leo are going to celebrate this Christmas. Learn about the conflicting traditions in Leo's family, and all about the Algonquin, Dorothy Parker, Parker House, and the Parker House rolls.
Listen to Episode 466
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
The podcaster of Media Junkyard writes in to say, play the Festive Jingle all year around. He and his brother do gift "themes" every year, and this year, it's gadgets heard only on DGW.
Christmas for Dick and Leo
Hear how Dick and Leo are going to celebrate this Christmas. Learn about the conflicting traditions in Leo's family, and all about the Algonquin, Dorothy Parker, Parker House, and the Parker House rolls.
Listen to Episode 466
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Electron Echo Mini Piano
Musical Instrument
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
One of these Electron Echo Mini Piano is still available, on eBay, but this time you know absolutely what you are getting, with detailed photographs (even of the songs contained in the songbook) and dimensions (5 x 9.5 x 0.9 cm). The songbook is a Christmas package, with music and words for classics such as Jingle Bells, We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. Might make a nice Christmas present!
It may also surprise you to learn that this instrument is still listed online in quite a few people's studio equipment or musical "influences".
Intelligent First Aid Kit
A blind listener Danny Noonan writes in about the Talking First Aid Kit (Episode 454) which Leo at first thought was a little gimmicky. Danny thinks it would be a great product for blind people if the manufacturer would add tactile indicators for each individual injury kit.
Ustream & Stickam
Dicka and Leo have fun playing with ustream & stickam while recording the shows.
Listen to Episode 465
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 14 December 2007. Actual date of release: 21 December 2007.]
ClearOne Chat 50 USB Speakerphone
Speakerphone for Multiple Devices
Link: ClearOne
The ClearOne Chat 50 Speakerphone is a mobile speakerphone that enables full duplex conversations for different devices, including desktop and laptop computers, cellphones and conventional telephones. It comes with a USB cable, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable (the latter two cables for connections via headphone jacks). It can be powered by USB or AC (bundled with AC adapters and international plugs).
Apart from full duplex capability, the Chat 50 also employs noise cancellation and echo cancellation technologies to improve the sound quality. Its software works with Windows and Mac, and can remember optimised settings for different devices, but it works without installing any software. Dimensions are 3.8" x 4.1" x 1.8", weighing just over half a pound. Comes in a travel case.
The Animal Rescue Site
John Cleig from Sunset Beach, North Carolina is also an animal lover, and would like listeners of DGW to help with providing food for needy animals by simply clicking on the big button on the site: The Animal Rescue Site.
Casablanca
Bill Gaines took the Mad crew to Casablanca one year. Dick wondered if he could buy souvenirs on the trip.
DGW Break
Leo explains on his blog [Caution: Man Working] that the coming Christmas holidays and his recent busy schedule have impacted on some of the podcasts on the TWiT network. In particular, he's decided to withhold the DGW shows which have already been recorded and originally intended to be released this week (Episodes 462 to 465). They will be released from next Tuesday to Friday instead. Dick also explains this on his Dec '07 page.
Listen to Episode 464
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 13 December 2007. Actual date of release: 20 December 2007.]
Apart from full duplex capability, the Chat 50 also employs noise cancellation and echo cancellation technologies to improve the sound quality. Its software works with Windows and Mac, and can remember optimised settings for different devices, but it works without installing any software. Dimensions are 3.8" x 4.1" x 1.8", weighing just over half a pound. Comes in a travel case.
The Animal Rescue Site
John Cleig from Sunset Beach, North Carolina is also an animal lover, and would like listeners of DGW to help with providing food for needy animals by simply clicking on the big button on the site: The Animal Rescue Site.
Casablanca
Bill Gaines took the Mad crew to Casablanca one year. Dick wondered if he could buy souvenirs on the trip.
DGW Break
Leo explains on his blog [Caution: Man Working] that the coming Christmas holidays and his recent busy schedule have impacted on some of the podcasts on the TWiT network. In particular, he's decided to withhold the DGW shows which have already been recorded and originally intended to be released this week (Episodes 462 to 465). They will be released from next Tuesday to Friday instead. Dick also explains this on his Dec '07 page.
Listen to Episode 464
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 13 December 2007. Actual date of release: 20 December 2007.]
Talking Photo Album
Photo Album with Audio Commentary
Link: VAT19
From VAT19, this photo album holds a total of 24 4" x 6" photos and you can record a 10-second message, description or commentary for each page which can be played by pressing the "Play" button. If you make a mistake, you can re-record the message. The audio is saved on to solid-state memory so that you wouldn't lose the recordings even if the battery ran out.
Match Game Cards
Paul Storck, senior producer of the Tyra Banks Show, writes in to thank Dick for the Match Game Cards. He and his wife have been obsessed with Match Game, so much so that they dressed up as Richard Dawson and Brett Somers for Halloween. At the time of recording, Dick still had 26 sets of Match Game Questions left.
Spork Gift
Dick thinks they should be selling DGW-engraved sporks, and throw in the toothpick bird for good measure.
Listen to Episode 463
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 12 December 2007. Actual date of release: 19 December 2007.]
Match Game Cards
Paul Storck, senior producer of the Tyra Banks Show, writes in to thank Dick for the Match Game Cards. He and his wife have been obsessed with Match Game, so much so that they dressed up as Richard Dawson and Brett Somers for Halloween. At the time of recording, Dick still had 26 sets of Match Game Questions left.
Spork Gift
Dick thinks they should be selling DGW-engraved sporks, and throw in the toothpick bird for good measure.
Listen to Episode 463
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 12 December 2007. Actual date of release: 19 December 2007.]
MP4 Watch Video
PMP Watch
Link: MP3 Watch World
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
A 7-in-1 watch - the MP4 Watch Video is a timepiece, plays video, displays photos, plays music (mp3 and wma), voice recorder, eBook Reader, and an optional FM Radio. 1GB storage, headphones included. Available in black, white, blue and orange. Exact specs are not available from the website; nor does it say where to get the optional accessories. The pictures of the watch look different too, even on the same page. It could be the one shown here, or it could be this one - 1.5" OLED screen, 128 x 128 pixels.
UV Disinfector, again
Leo looks for a letter and asks Dick if he's talked about the Keyboard Disinfecting UV Ray Gun, which Leo did in Episode 432 - the Pocket UV Disinfector from Market Gypsy. But this time at least Leo remembers to give credit to the letter-writer (from a PR company).
WTHII November '07
It's the Drinn. A cellphone charging holder that keeps a cellphone or PDA in place when it's plugged into a power outlet for charging. Available from, among others, Spoon Sisters.
"Drinn" was designed in Holland and is a Dutch onomatopoeia for the sound of a telephone when it rings.
UV Disinfector, again
Leo looks for a letter and asks Dick if he's talked about the Keyboard Disinfecting UV Ray Gun, which Leo did in Episode 432 - the Pocket UV Disinfector from Market Gypsy. But this time at least Leo remembers to give credit to the letter-writer (from a PR company).
It's the Drinn. A cellphone charging holder that keeps a cellphone or PDA in place when it's plugged into a power outlet for charging. Available from, among others, Spoon Sisters.
Listen to Episode 462
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 11 December 2007. Actual date of release: 18 December 2007.]
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
[This episode was originally recorded for release for 11 December 2007. Actual date of release: 18 December 2007.]
