31 posts tagged “california”
P3 International Desk Clock Video Camera
Senz Umbrellas
Aerodynamic Umbrellas
Link: Senz Umbrellas
It comes in 3 models: Mini, Original and XL (withstanding gales of up to 40, 70 and 70 mph respectively, in ascending sizes). Watch the demo of the Senz in the hurricane machine test:
From NYC to New England, from California to Rhode Island
As listeners of past episodes know, Leo was born in New York City (Episodes 64 and 342). After his family moved to New England, where Leo grew up, they had a house built in 1806, which Mama Laporte restored to its original condition, and filled it with period furniture and antiques. In 1971, they moved to California. Then in 1991, Leo's parents moved to Rhode Island, found another house also built in 1806, and again turned it into a period home. They have since sold that house, and now live in a modern house in Cranston.
The Next Giz Wiz Visit
Dick will be visiting the TWiT Cottage at Petaluma later this year, for Episode 900.
Blue Green Yoshi (who last wrote in Episode 674) writes in to recommend the autobiography of Bob Barker, host of "The Price Is Right", compere of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants for many years, and an animal rights campaigner. "Priceless Memories" is available on audible.com, written by Bob Barker and Digby Diehl, and narrated by Bob Barker himself. If you haven't got an account yet, sign up at audible.com/gizwiz.
Dick at SquareSpace
Dick's new webiste with SquareSpace is now ready. All new DGW gadgets are now posted on gizwiz.biz (or gizwizbiz.squarespace.com), while gizwizbiz.com will remain as an archive site.
Listen to Episode 821
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RΦDE Microphones' Stereo VideoMic
On-Camera Microphone for Camcorders
Link: rodemic
If you already have a good quality XLR connection microphone, Leo recommends the Beachtek DXA-2S Audio Adapter.
Car Battery Maintainer
John Slanina from California, better known as jammerb on the TWiT Army and the chatroom, recommends the Solar-Powered Battery Saver Plus, from 4lots.com. Ideal for people who use their cars only rarely, this 1 Watt 12V car battery maintainer which you can put above the dashboard uses solar engery to trickle-charge your car battery to keep it from going flat.
Listen to Episode 792
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Pinnacle TV for Mac HD Mini Stick
HDTV Tuner and Video Recorder
Link: Pinnacle Systems
It supports ATSC (over the air digital TV signal) HDTV and ClearQAM (unencrypted cable TV signal) up to 1080i. It comes with a remote control and a telescopic antenna (with a magnetic base). The bundled software is Elgato's EyeTV Lite for viewing and recording TV, which also supports the Electronic Programme Guide for scheduled recording. However, EyeTV Lite records in MPEG-2, and contains no options for exporting to other formats. You can upgrade from the Lite version to the full EyeTV 3 version for $50 to get more functions including exporting to your iPod, iPhone, Apple TV or to other formats. See the comparison of the features of the two versions.
Mac users might want to check out the Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus (covered on a previous TTTT in Episode 582) which has a hardware encoder (especially if you use it as a video converter), or the 2009 version of the EyeTV Hybrid (without the hardware encoding). Both are bundled with the full version of EyeTV 3 software.
The Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick can also be used on Windows, using the bundled PC software Pinnacle TVCenter Pro and Pinnacle VideoSpin.
Skype Issue Resolved
Dick and Leo were having problems with the quality of the Skype connection while recording yesterday's episode. Dick resolved it by switching to his HP computer from the old Atari and stopping his internet-connected blender which was madly downloading movies using bit torrent. Rebooting his router also helped.
Feeling At Home
When Dick travels, he uses his Slingbox (Episode 11) to watch his local channel, including his Channel 7. It makes him feel at home.
A Love Letter
Tom Stidham asks Leo not to sing the jingles, which is painful. On the subject of jingles, Tom thinks that the Wednesday Jingle can be replaced at any time. It is actually pulling down the quality of the show, as if that were possible. Other than that, excellent.
The Authorised Dick and Leo Not Singing Album
Dick and Leo think they should release an album of them not singing. Get the authorised version. Don't accept substitutes.
Coming Soon: The Amazon Kindle 2
Leo was hoping he could review the Amazon Kindle 2 for today. It is arriving soon, and he should be able to cover it next week.
Listen to Episode 777
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Travelon Luggage Scale with Tape Measure
Travel Accessory
Link: Travelon Bags
Thanksgiving Eve
Dick is going to make his pineapple upside down cake again. For his recipe, take a look at the classic cookbook Joy Of Cooking and just double up the amount of butter and brown sugar for the topping.
A Tale From the Tunnel
Dick has an old tale to tell about a trailer truck which was too high for the Holland Tunnel and got stuck. A little boy had a brilliant solution. Don't saw off the top. Just let the tyres out!
Air Tickets form 1983
Recently unearthed from Dick's Gadget Warehouse are air tickets from 1983, from New York to Miami, and to Oakland.
That Blinking Idiot
While recording the show, Leo notices a blinking light behind Dick (near the top right corner of the screen), and Dick can't work out what it was. But the chatroom works it out. It's the flashing cursor of Leo's mouse on his Skype video screen.
Stromberg Carlson TV Sets
Dick and Leo find out that Stromberg Carlson, apart from the Candlestick telephone that jammerb gave Leo (Episode 696), used to make radio and television sets as well. Leo also uncovers an advertisement from 1950 on TV History.
Apocalyptic Waste
Software developer Michael O'Connor (Lepton in the Chatroom and the TWiT Army), who has followed Leo since the days of "The Site" (see Episode 187), plays Fallout 3 on the PS3 and finds, among the apocalyptic waste and wreckage in Washington DC, a spork (Episode 182), which he uses on his rocket launcher - which can do serious damage. Michael has recently developed an iPhone app called AirMote which has found its way to the iTunes App Store.
Listen to Episode 708
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CartStopper
Shopping Cart Safety
Link: CartStopper
Leo thinks the CartStopper might be another Purseguard (Episode 406). That's not going to please Shopping Mom Dyanne who designed the device!
CES 2009 Preview
Dick was at the CES 2009 Preview last week. CES has to hold a preview in order to announce the CES awards in January.
Busy Bee
Busy Bee Ludwik Trammer is at work again. He has some ideas for Dick's site, and is going to show Dick on Go To Meeting. By the way, Giz Wiz Search now has a new .com URL: www.gizwizsearch.com.
The Joy of Gadgets
The Kodak Disc Camera (Episode 690) brings back fond memories of a strong and vibrant company for Brent [Cascamenti] from Rochester, New York, who has been working for Kodak as an electrical engineer for 27 years. Brent has been a faithful listener since Episode 1, and thanks Dick and Leo for bringing him the joy of gadgets.
Skunk Works
Brent uses the word "Skunk Works" in his letter, which Leo explains to Dick, with a little help from Wikipedia, first used by Lockheed Martin in 1938. The name has its origin in Al Capp's comic strip L'il Abner.
Dick's Thanksgiving
No small talk for Dick's party at Thanksgiving, where his pineapple upside down cake is de rigueur (in addition to the gravy of course). For more on Dick's Thanksgiving celebrations, go back to Episode 199. Whenever Dick misses his Thanksgiving fare, he can go to "Good Enough To Eat", all year round. This is also the restaurant Dick took Leo for a huge breakfast when Leo was in New York (listen to the beginning of Episode 334).
Ready for TTTT
Leo had numerous ideas for last week's TTTT (see Episode 697), but only after the recording had ended. This time, he's ready.
Listen to Episode 701
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Belkin GoStudio
Portable Podcasting Kit
Link: Belkin
It comes with built-in stereo speakers for playback, and for recording, it has 2 built-in omnidirectional microphones. Alternatively, you can use the 2 combo microphone jacks (XLR and ¼") to plug in external mics. There is also a 3.5mm stereo line input. The main panel has controls for level and gain, as well as a limiter and low cut filter. It even has a tripod mount for hands-free operation.
The GoStudio records directly to the iPod at 16-bit, 44.1kHz, CD-quality.
It was announced by Belkin back on 10 July, before the announcement of the new generation of iPod nano which has recording capability built into it.
Acoordingly to Leo, a comparable device like the Zoom H2 Handy Stereo Recorder, would cost more. The H2 does allow you to choose different recording quality levels and file formats. But before anyone rushes out to buy the GoStudio, they should heed Dick's warning that all the bandwidth on the internet for podcasting has already been exhausted by Leo.
It's Rocktober
It's a 2-Letters Day. Listener Randy Calla reminds Dick and Leo that in California, most rock radio stations are obligated to call this month Rocktober.
71-year-old Bob Polante from Clearwater, Florida enjoys the antics of Dick and Leo on his Zune. He still works at a photolab as a canvas creator, for Reedy Photoprocess Corporation. His colleagues call him "The Giz", a title he earned long before anyone Dick started using it. Expect to hear from Dick's lawyers.
Listen to Episode 684
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Solio Magnesium Edition
Portable Solar Charger
Link: Solio
Finally, you get a Solio wooden pencil, to prop up the solar cells to get the optimum angle for receiving sunlight. There's a review of the gadget at reuk.co.uk, from which the 2 photos above are taken.
TWiS
TWiT should be This Week in Thrift instead, or TWiS, This Week in Scrooge. The lengths Leo would go to in order not to pay his dues.
Match Game Cards
Walt Hoffman, of Glendora, California, thanks Dick for his set of Match Game Cards. As a child, Walt used to watch the filming of Match Game.
Spirit and Opportunity
No doubt inspired by Match Game, Walt grew up to work as an engineer at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), NASA, at Pasadena, on the operations team for the Mars Exploration Rover Programme. Dick and Leo have talked about gadgets' own time scale, the gadget years (Episodes 120, 420). Walt points out that NASA's 2 Rovers (called Spirit and Opportunity - which could be Dick's and Leo's middle names) have outlived their life expectancies. Originally thought to last for 90 sols (a sol is the local cycle of light and darkness on a planet, which for Mars is 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds), both rovers have lasted more than 1,650 sols.
Walt offers to give Dick and Leo, if they're ever in Southern California, a nickel tour. Bring a nickel please. No Visa.
Follow the Phoenix
Leo points out that you can follow the Phoenix Rover on Mars, on Twitter. Dick points out that you can follow him at twitter.com/thegizwiz, and at TWiT Army (also the gizwiz) - but the TWiT Laconica service is down at the moment after Leo's server problems over the weekend. Alfred E Neuman (alfredeneuman) is on both services as well.
Listen to Episode 663
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BlueAnt Supertooth 3
Bluetooth Hands-Free
Link: BlueAnt
Switching Roles
Leo suggests that one day Dick shoud be the host and Leo should be the Giz Wiz, then Dick would know how hard Leo works.
They've already done that, for this year's April Fools Day, in Episode 537 (Spear Hats). Obviously Dick didn't feel that way at all.
Shoes and Frogs
Listen to Episode 662
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Mr Microphone
Wireless Microphone
The report on Engadget was of a hack by kipkay who took the device apart and put in a high end mic into the gut. The main photo of above of Mr Microphone is taken from the video kipkay made of the hack.
DGW Commercials
Paul Newell from Yucaipa, California, in response to the letters of complaint in Episode 641, writes in to support commercials on DGW.
Cheesy Recipes
Talk of commercials reminds Dick of the awful recipes in the Kraft commercials, voiced-over by Ed Herlihy, and Leo drifts into the lyrics of MacArthur Park.
Listen to Episode 650
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