21 posts tagged “dan lueders”
PLANon Printstik PS910
Portable Printer
Link: PLANon
The PLANon Printstik PS910 is a portable handheld printer which works with Windows and Blackberry phones. It's 1" x 10.75" x 1.5" in size, 1.5 lb in weight, and prints black and white on to custom thermal paper (20 pages in one paper cartridge). As with most thermal paper, it only prints up to the end of the document, so that a single print job does not necessarily use up a full page. Connection can be via USB or Bluetooth. Print resolution is up to 200 x 400 dpi, print speed is 3 pages per minute. It uses a rechargeable battery, a full charge of which can print 30 pages.
It comes with an AC charger, one roll of paper cartridge, and an installation CD. For $50 more, you can get the PS950 which includes a car adapter, a USB cord and an executive hardshell case for the cables and chargers, although the car adapter can be bought separately as an accessory for $30. The refill paper cartridges are currently sold in packs of 3 for $25 (i.e. 60 pages, about 42 cents per page), or packs of 9 for $60 (about 33 cents per page).
Back to Square One
As the Chatroom noted while this episode was being recorded, Dick has previously covered another PLANon product, the DocuPen portable scanner, the very first gadget covered in DGW, Episode 1.
A New Sponsor ...
... for DGW, GoToMeeting, which Andy Marken used to show Dick a demonstration of Cyberlink's MediaShow 4 (Episode 583). Listeners can try it for free for 30 days, at www.gotomeeting.com/gizwiz. According to Dick's Digital Day Counter (Episode 611), it's been 195 days since the last cheque. However long ago it was, It's been too long.
DownThemAll !
DGW marathon listener JR Rodriguez IV (see Episode 600) wants to thank Ludwik Trammer especially, for helping him download all 577 past episodes of DGW by setting up a special webpage for JR with all the right download links. JR then used the Mozilla Firefox extension DownThemAll ! to download all the links on that page.
Any listeners who need to catch up with past episodes and want more convenient access to the download links can use the same webpage, at www.gizwizsearch.int.pl/list2.php, which automatically adds new episodes to the list.
Listen to Episode 613
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Back to Square One
As the Chatroom noted while this episode was being recorded, Dick has previously covered another PLANon product, the DocuPen portable scanner, the very first gadget covered in DGW, Episode 1.
A New Sponsor ...
... for DGW, GoToMeeting, which Andy Marken used to show Dick a demonstration of Cyberlink's MediaShow 4 (Episode 583). Listeners can try it for free for 30 days, at www.gotomeeting.com/gizwiz. According to Dick's Digital Day Counter (Episode 611), it's been 195 days since the last cheque. However long ago it was, It's been too long.
DownThemAll !
DGW marathon listener JR Rodriguez IV (see Episode 600) wants to thank Ludwik Trammer especially, for helping him download all 577 past episodes of DGW by setting up a special webpage for JR with all the right download links. JR then used the Mozilla Firefox extension DownThemAll ! to download all the links on that page.
Any listeners who need to catch up with past episodes and want more convenient access to the download links can use the same webpage, at www.gizwizsearch.int.pl/list2.php, which automatically adds new episodes to the list.
Listen to Episode 613
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Eye Fi Explore
Wireless SD Card with Geotagging
Link: Eye-Fi
The makers of the Eye-Fi Wirelss SD Card (Episode 441) have updated their product. Apart from bumping up the capacity to 2GB (with the same wireless connectivity and uploading capability), the new Eye-Fi Explore adds geotagging to your photos by noting the locations of the wifi hotspots or networks which have been mapped by Skyhook Wireless using its Wifi Positioning System that currently covers 70% of the population in North America, the top 50 metropolitan areas in Europe (and 70% of the population in the UK, France and Germany) and is seeking to expand its coverage into Asia. Skyhook is the same company used by the iPhone Edge (which does not have built-in GPS) for its location-awareness feature.
In addition to the Skyhook geotagging service, it also comes with one year's free Wayport Hotspot access, which has over 10,000 hotspots in the US, renewable for $19 a year.
Its webshare feature now includes many popular photo sharing and printing sites, social networking sites and blogging sites, such as Flickr, SmugMug, Picassa, PhotoBucket, FaceBook, Vox, TypePad and even Wal-Mart.
The Spork Makes it to the Big Screen
Neil Chitel reports that the Spork has made it to Hollywood, in the latest Disney Pixar film Wall-E. Leo suspects the Toothpick Bird will appear in the sequel.
TWiT Cottage Slogan
The slogan around the TWiT Cottage is "Feeling down, feeling depressed? Get the hell out of my sight." No State or Federal Labour Law applies in the Duchy of TWiTdom. The future looks grim for Dane and Colleen.
Listen to Episode 608
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Toilet Tunes
Bathroom Accessory
Link: Taylor Gifts ToiletTunes
Toilet Tunes consists of 2 parts, a motion sensor which you stick to the underside of the lavatory lid (waterproof and washable), and a music player. Keep the lid down at all times. When the lid is lifted, the motion sensor will send a wireless signal to the music player which will start playing music or nature sounds of your choice (jazz, modern, Latin guitar, rain, ocean waves, mountain stream). An idea of screenwriter Lewis Green, the intended purpose is to alert others that the toilet is being occupied. A unique toilet privacy solution.
Or you can lock the bathroom door.
New Thursday Theme
The new Thursday Theme by Dan Lueders gets aired today.
GizWizBiz Ice Cube
The GizWizBiz Ice Cube is not available for sale, but comes free if you order 2 or 3 GizWizBiz Caps.
The Ancient Sounds of Tetris
19-year-old Samuel Lewis seldom gets nostalgic over Warehouse Friday gadgets, but he was born in the year the Nintendo Game Boy (Episode 595) came out, and had one of them when he was old enough to play it. He now plays a Nintendo DS, but still has the tune of Tetris in his head.
Listen to Episode 604
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Or you can lock the bathroom door.
New Thursday Theme
The new Thursday Theme by Dan Lueders gets aired today.
GizWizBiz Ice Cube
The GizWizBiz Ice Cube is not available for sale, but comes free if you order 2 or 3 GizWizBiz Caps.
The Ancient Sounds of Tetris
19-year-old Samuel Lewis seldom gets nostalgic over Warehouse Friday gadgets, but he was born in the year the Nintendo Game Boy (Episode 595) came out, and had one of them when he was old enough to play it. He now plays a Nintendo DS, but still has the tune of Tetris in his head.
Listen to Episode 604
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Pinnacle Video Transfer
Video Recorder/Digitisation Device
Link: Pinnacle
Note that the quality selections for good, better and best for different storage devices (e.g. iPod, PSP and USB hard/flash drive) are different, up to 720 x 480 (NTSC) or 720 x 576 (PAL/SECAM) 1.5Mbps video and 192 kbps stereo audio.
The Neuros OSD (Episode 546) has more capabilities (including playback and video out), but is more expensive.
Jogging to DGW
Tim Harbst has been listening since Episode 33, and he jogs to DGW during lunch-time. He has spent quite a bit of money buying up gadgets, including a Sansa MP3 player, a Sanyo camcorder, a Capresso coffee-maker (Episode 113), a SmartShopper (Episode 424), a GizWizBiz Cap and a set of Match Game Cards for his children last Christmas. And if Dick will read out his letter, he will fall over in shock during his run.
Coming Up: Thursday Theme
Watch out for tomorrow's episode, when Leo will play the new Thursday Theme by Dan Lueders.
WTHII June '08
Leo still can't figure out the WTHII gadget for June 2008, which Dick will reveal next week. The photo of this gadget was a contribution by a listener, presumably after Dick's open invitation in Episode 553.
Special Offer on GizWizBiz Caps
Remember the special offer expires on 7 July 2008. Check out Dick's site for details.
Philips SpotOn
Motion Sensing Portable LED Light
Operating on 3 AA batteries, the SpotOn from Philips is a free-standing (no installation required) LED light with a motion sensor which turns itself on when motion is detected. Particularly useful for lighting up cupboards and closets when the doors are opened.
GizWizLive
Dick and Leo thank Kim and Robin from Wild Planet for turning up for GizWizLive in their elf costumes (a feat they repeated in New York when visiting the Mad Office), and giving them a 600th anniversary cake and a TWiTLive Spork Clock to Leo. For details of GizWizLive, see the blog post for Episode 596. DGW listeners who could not watch GizWizLive, including Jeff Coddle, have asked Dick if the video will one day be available. Leo has the video but at present does not have a channel for distributing the video. One day it will come.
Upcoming New Sponsors
After Leo's recent visit to Audible's headquarters at Newark (during which Leo recorded an audible children's book "Little Golden Riding Hood"), Audible is going to return on DGW as a sponsor next month. So will Visa. As Leo explains, donations from the audience are applied towards TWiT overheads while only sponsorship money is shared among the TWiT hosts.
DGW Disclaimer
Thanks to Dan Lueders's recent prolific output, DGW will have a Thursday Theme, and a Disclaimer (which Leo plays at the end of today's show). The musical portion for the Disclaimer is a reprise of part of Dan Lueders's earlier Gravy Jingle Submission which was lost and found, and finally played in Episodes 313 and 314.
Confounding a Jury
Kevin Selle from Dallas, Texas (previous letters in Episodes 428, 551) was called upon for jury service and went prepared with his iPod loaded with DGWs. While the jury panel were waiting, he learned about the Plantronics Discovery 925 in Episode 597. When he got to the UroClub, Episode 598, he started convulsing in laughter and tears in the company of his potential fellow jurymen. Leo warns us about the dangers of listening to DGW, with a little help from Dan Lueders.
To learn about the most severe side-effect of DGW so far, see Episode 188.
Listen to Episode 601
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
GizWizLive
Dick and Leo thank Kim and Robin from Wild Planet for turning up for GizWizLive in their elf costumes (a feat they repeated in New York when visiting the Mad Office), and giving them a 600th anniversary cake and a TWiTLive Spork Clock to Leo. For details of GizWizLive, see the blog post for Episode 596. DGW listeners who could not watch GizWizLive, including Jeff Coddle, have asked Dick if the video will one day be available. Leo has the video but at present does not have a channel for distributing the video. One day it will come.
Upcoming New Sponsors
After Leo's recent visit to Audible's headquarters at Newark (during which Leo recorded an audible children's book "Little Golden Riding Hood"), Audible is going to return on DGW as a sponsor next month. So will Visa. As Leo explains, donations from the audience are applied towards TWiT overheads while only sponsorship money is shared among the TWiT hosts.
DGW Disclaimer
Thanks to Dan Lueders's recent prolific output, DGW will have a Thursday Theme, and a Disclaimer (which Leo plays at the end of today's show). The musical portion for the Disclaimer is a reprise of part of Dan Lueders's earlier Gravy Jingle Submission which was lost and found, and finally played in Episodes 313 and 314.
Confounding a Jury
Kevin Selle from Dallas, Texas (previous letters in Episodes 428, 551) was called upon for jury service and went prepared with his iPod loaded with DGWs. While the jury panel were waiting, he learned about the Plantronics Discovery 925 in Episode 597. When he got to the UroClub, Episode 598, he started convulsing in laughter and tears in the company of his potential fellow jurymen. Leo warns us about the dangers of listening to DGW, with a little help from Dan Lueders.
To learn about the most severe side-effect of DGW so far, see Episode 188.
Listen to Episode 601
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
CastGrabber
Podcast Downloader
Link: CastGrabber
The CastGrabber is an ethernet-enabled dock which downloads your favourite podcasts straight on to your USB MP3 Player, without connecting the player directly to a PC, after some initial configuration - although the CastGrabber itself still needs to be connected to your PC.
Connect the CastGrabber to AC power and to a router (using the AC adapter and ethernet cable provided). The CastGrabber will check for its latest updated software after which it will display a solid green LED light. Connect your MP3 Player to the back of the dock using the USB cable that comes with your music player. An introductory CastGrabber Podcast is downloaded to the player, whose "song title" is your registration key. On your computer, go to the CastGrabber website to register your player using the registration key and to open your own account/profile.
To download podcast for iPods, just subscribe to podcasts on iTunes, and sync your iPod with iTunes. In future, as soon as you connect the iPod to the CastGrabber, your podcasts will be downloaded directly to the iPod.
For other MP3 Players, you can subscribe to podcasts on the CastGrabber website.
If you want the CastGrabber to sync your MP3 Player (including iPods) with your music library on the PC, you need to download extra software (PC only) from their website. Automatic synchronisation will take place once the music player is connected to the CastGrabber.
After synchronisation, you can disconnect the MP3 Player by pressing the "Eject" button on the CastGrabber. When connected, the MP3 Player will also be charged through the CastGrabber.
The CastGrabber does not work with Macs, the iPod Touch, the iPhone, Mac-formatted iPods, or the Sony PSP.
Podcast Statistics
According to Dick, 17,000 podcasts come out each week, but if you don't want one done by Leo, there is a choice of about 3. Leo's mum doesn't listen to any of Leo's netcasts, although Mrs Laporte Senior has watched one of his todcasts.
Leo's Brain Tonic
Leo has been drinking his brain tonic, which may account for lack of clarity in recent episodes. Dick has a slogan for the stuff, "The dumber you are, the better we taste."
Another Thursday Theme
Dick thinks that Dan Lueders has done a Thursday theme for DGW, although it's been misplaced at the moment (which seems to happen more often than not with Dan's emails). On the other hand, it may be the "Disclaimer" theme which Dan talked about during GizWizLive.
PalmPilot Professional
At Dick's invitation in Episode 590, Steve Miller, a gadget hound himself and regular correspondent (Episodes 279, 376, 459, 499), writes in to tell Dick that he still has his PalmPilot Professional, and when he got it out of his own Gadget Warehouse, put in new batteries, it still worked.
GizWizLive
Dick says, "I'll be there," for GizWizLive, and Episode 600, filmed during GizWizLive, should be available as a video download, if Leo keeps his word.
Listen to Episode 599
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
To download podcast for iPods, just subscribe to podcasts on iTunes, and sync your iPod with iTunes. In future, as soon as you connect the iPod to the CastGrabber, your podcasts will be downloaded directly to the iPod.
For other MP3 Players, you can subscribe to podcasts on the CastGrabber website.
If you want the CastGrabber to sync your MP3 Player (including iPods) with your music library on the PC, you need to download extra software (PC only) from their website. Automatic synchronisation will take place once the music player is connected to the CastGrabber.
After synchronisation, you can disconnect the MP3 Player by pressing the "Eject" button on the CastGrabber. When connected, the MP3 Player will also be charged through the CastGrabber.
The CastGrabber does not work with Macs, the iPod Touch, the iPhone, Mac-formatted iPods, or the Sony PSP.
Podcast Statistics
According to Dick, 17,000 podcasts come out each week, but if you don't want one done by Leo, there is a choice of about 3. Leo's mum doesn't listen to any of Leo's netcasts, although Mrs Laporte Senior has watched one of his todcasts.
Leo's Brain Tonic
Leo has been drinking his brain tonic, which may account for lack of clarity in recent episodes. Dick has a slogan for the stuff, "The dumber you are, the better we taste."
Another Thursday Theme
Dick thinks that Dan Lueders has done a Thursday theme for DGW, although it's been misplaced at the moment (which seems to happen more often than not with Dan's emails). On the other hand, it may be the "Disclaimer" theme which Dan talked about during GizWizLive.
PalmPilot Professional
At Dick's invitation in Episode 590, Steve Miller, a gadget hound himself and regular correspondent (Episodes 279, 376, 459, 499), writes in to tell Dick that he still has his PalmPilot Professional, and when he got it out of his own Gadget Warehouse, put in new batteries, it still worked.
GizWizLive
Dick says, "I'll be there," for GizWizLive, and Episode 600, filmed during GizWizLive, should be available as a video download, if Leo keeps his word.
Listen to Episode 599
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless Headset
Wireless Headset
Link: Logitech
Dick introduced the Logitech ClearChat Pro USB Headset in Episode 401. This new headset from Logitech works wirelessly, using 2.4 GHz frequency. Just plug the USB wirelss dongle into the computer (both Windows and Mac supported) and it will automatically connect with the headset. Audio controls are on the ClearChat PC Wireless Headset itself, including a mute button (with a red LED indicator at the microphone end when muted).
In case you want to use the wireless headset further away from the computer than its advertised 33 feet range, you can also connect the transmitter stand to the computer using a USB cable, with the USB dongle plugged into the stand, which extends the range a little further.
GizWizLive
Dick says "I'll be there!" for GizWizLive. He was indeed, and stayed at the Metro Hotel for his sojourn in Petaluma. By the time this episode is aired, GizWizLive has come and gone. Kim from Wild Planet, dressed in a special red and green elf outfit, introduced some of Wild Planet's Christmas offerings, and presented Leo with an analogue clock with copies of Leo's visage on the clock face, and spork hands. Dick showed his GizWizBiz Cap and GizWizBiz USB Smart Button(which Leo couldn't get to work on his Mac initially. He also brought with him a few of his gadgets that he travelled with, such as the Callpod Chargepod (Episode 368), a memory card wallet, Xantrex Pocket Powerpack, Bose Headphones (Episode 294), the Belkin Mini Surge Protector (Episode 534) and the Plane Clean Air Filter (Episode 586).
Dick also showed us the Extend-A-Fork, which he briefly referred to back in Episode 10 (where you can see a picture of the gadget, and a programme from the Beach Blanket Babylon show.
As planned, Dick and Leo also recorded Episode 600 during GizWizLive, but thanks to Leo who had to fiddle with his laptop, the connection was lost and the streaming was disrupted, and by the time the live streaming was restored, they had finished the recording of Episode 600.
The consolation is, Leo has now promised that Episode 600 will be available as a video download. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Dick and Leo also invited questions from the audience on Oovoo and Skype. One of those who appeared on Skype was Dan Lueders, who has now written the Monday theme, the no-theme Wednesday theme and the Spork TV Commercial (in addition to his Gravy Jingle submission). Dan has apparently done a "DGW Disclaimer" Theme, which will be aired when Leo gets round to reading his emails.
The World's Ugliest Dog
Every year, the Sonoma Marin Fair at Petaluma has "The World's Ugliest Dog" Contest. This year, the contest took place on Friday 20 June, while Dick was in Petaluma. The winner this time was "Gus", a one-eyed, three-legged Chinese Crested dog. Read the BBC report. For last year's winner, see Episode 348.
What to Do For Episode 600
Will Cool from Portland, Oregon (previous letters in Episodes 226 and 436) is back with a suggestion. Instead of Dick and Leo giving away prizes, he's going to buy a GizWizBiz Cap from Dick. It's the least he can do.
From now till Episode 600, if you buy a GizWizBiz Cap, you'll get an autographed copy of Mad. If you buy two, you will get a GizWizBiz LED Ice Cube on top of everything else, which Dick showed off during GizWizLive. It's an "ice cube" that glows green in your drink.
A New Sponsor?
A message brought to you by CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Mark Pelletier of Futures In Biotech and Jamie Davis of Medicast warn you against DVT, Deep Vein Thrombosis. Handy advice for our listeners who love doing DGW Marathons. For more information, visit the CDC website. Is that a new sponsor?
Listen to Episode 596
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
GizWizLive
Dick says "I'll be there!" for GizWizLive. He was indeed, and stayed at the Metro Hotel for his sojourn in Petaluma. By the time this episode is aired, GizWizLive has come and gone. Kim from Wild Planet, dressed in a special red and green elf outfit, introduced some of Wild Planet's Christmas offerings, and presented Leo with an analogue clock with copies of Leo's visage on the clock face, and spork hands. Dick showed his GizWizBiz Cap and GizWizBiz USB Smart Button(which Leo couldn't get to work on his Mac initially. He also brought with him a few of his gadgets that he travelled with, such as the Callpod Chargepod (Episode 368), a memory card wallet, Xantrex Pocket Powerpack, Bose Headphones (Episode 294), the Belkin Mini Surge Protector (Episode 534) and the Plane Clean Air Filter (Episode 586).
Dick also showed us the Extend-A-Fork, which he briefly referred to back in Episode 10 (where you can see a picture of the gadget, and a programme from the Beach Blanket Babylon show.
As planned, Dick and Leo also recorded Episode 600 during GizWizLive, but thanks to Leo who had to fiddle with his laptop, the connection was lost and the streaming was disrupted, and by the time the live streaming was restored, they had finished the recording of Episode 600.
The consolation is, Leo has now promised that Episode 600 will be available as a video download. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Dick and Leo also invited questions from the audience on Oovoo and Skype. One of those who appeared on Skype was Dan Lueders, who has now written the Monday theme, the no-theme Wednesday theme and the Spork TV Commercial (in addition to his Gravy Jingle submission). Dan has apparently done a "DGW Disclaimer" Theme, which will be aired when Leo gets round to reading his emails.
The World's Ugliest Dog
Every year, the Sonoma Marin Fair at Petaluma has "The World's Ugliest Dog" Contest. This year, the contest took place on Friday 20 June, while Dick was in Petaluma. The winner this time was "Gus", a one-eyed, three-legged Chinese Crested dog. Read the BBC report. For last year's winner, see Episode 348.
What to Do For Episode 600
Will Cool from Portland, Oregon (previous letters in Episodes 226 and 436) is back with a suggestion. Instead of Dick and Leo giving away prizes, he's going to buy a GizWizBiz Cap from Dick. It's the least he can do.
From now till Episode 600, if you buy a GizWizBiz Cap, you'll get an autographed copy of Mad. If you buy two, you will get a GizWizBiz LED Ice Cube on top of everything else, which Dick showed off during GizWizLive. It's an "ice cube" that glows green in your drink.
A New Sponsor?
A message brought to you by CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Mark Pelletier of Futures In Biotech and Jamie Davis of Medicast warn you against DVT, Deep Vein Thrombosis. Handy advice for our listeners who love doing DGW Marathons. For more information, visit the CDC website. Is that a new sponsor?
Listen to Episode 596
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
MediaShow 4
Photo and Video Management and Editing Software
Link: Cyberlink
Dick loves Cyberlink's YouCam (Episode 443) so much that he was delighted to see a demo by Andy Marken (via GoToMeeting, Leo thinks) of another piece of software from Cyberlink, MediaShow 4. It manages your photos and videos, makes slide shows of your photos with background music, qjuickly enhances your photos and videos, and enables you to share your photos and videos easily on Flickr and YouTube.
Conversion Chart for Engineers
Tracy Taylor came across a conversion chart which could have come from Mad.
What is the ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter? An Eskimo pi.
What is 2000 pounds of Chinese soup? Wonton soup.
The time between slipping on a banana peel and smacking on the pavement? One ba-nano second.
Half a large intestine? A semi-colon.
2000 mocking birds? To kill a mocking bird.
The chatroom groans.
To see the full conversion table, click here.
Mad Minute
Editoral replies to editorial queries.
Listen to Episode 583
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Conversion Chart for Engineers
Tracy Taylor came across a conversion chart which could have come from Mad.
What is the ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter? An Eskimo pi.
What is 2000 pounds of Chinese soup? Wonton soup.
The time between slipping on a banana peel and smacking on the pavement? One ba-nano second.
Half a large intestine? A semi-colon.
2000 mocking birds? To kill a mocking bird.
The chatroom groans.
To see the full conversion table, click here.
Mad Minute
Editoral replies to editorial queries.
Listen to Episode 583
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Rotator
Swivel Socket Adapter
Link: Rotator Electric
Like the Socket Sense (Episode 519), the T10 Flexible Power Strip (Episode 449) and the Power Squid (Episode 24), the Rotator Swivel Socket solves the problem of the big plug or transformer that gets in the way of other plugs. The socket adapter is designed primarily for use on a dual outlet. Its elevated position gives you more room to manoeuvre. The socket itself swivels to give you more flexibility and in certain cases, enables better balance for the device you're plugging in.
You can watch a demonstration here.
The Rotato
The name of Dick's gadget reminds Leo of the Rotato, a hand-crank potato peeler. The Rotato Express is electrically powered.
Live Audience
A number of people have asked about watching Dick live on TWiTLive, in the TWiT Studio itself (aka The Giz Wiz Green Room). Dick would love to have a live audience when he appears on TWiTLive on 20 June.
Piano Roll
Daniel Gentleman of ThoughtFix LLC writes in about what he thinks is the oldest method of recorded music distribution - the piano roll, and the player piano.
Even back in the day, the music industry was worried about copyright violation, and one of hte piano roll makers, Apollo, was taken to court, resulting in the 1908 Supreme Court decision in White-Smith Music Publishing Company v Apollo Company, which Apollo won. But later Congress intervened. Read about it on Wikipedia.
Here is an excellent video on YouTube of a TV programme aired on TVOntario in the late 1980's, called "The Acme School of Stuff", on how a piano roll was made.
Dick and Leo wonder if the younger generation would understand what a "bread box" or an "ice box" is.
You can watch a demonstration here.
The Rotato
The name of Dick's gadget reminds Leo of the Rotato, a hand-crank potato peeler. The Rotato Express is electrically powered.
A number of people have asked about watching Dick live on TWiTLive, in the TWiT Studio itself (aka The Giz Wiz Green Room). Dick would love to have a live audience when he appears on TWiTLive on 20 June.
Piano Roll
Daniel Gentleman of ThoughtFix LLC writes in about what he thinks is the oldest method of recorded music distribution - the piano roll, and the player piano.
Even back in the day, the music industry was worried about copyright violation, and one of hte piano roll makers, Apollo, was taken to court, resulting in the 1908 Supreme Court decision in White-Smith Music Publishing Company v Apollo Company, which Apollo won. But later Congress intervened. Read about it on Wikipedia.
Here is an excellent video on YouTube of a TV programme aired on TVOntario in the late 1980's, called "The Acme School of Stuff", on how a piano roll was made.
Dick and Leo wonder if the younger generation would understand what a "bread box" or an "ice box" is.
Eagle Creek Multi-Function Travel Clock
Travel Accessory
Link: Eagle Creek
Made by Eagle Creek and available at Magellan's, the Multi-Function Travel Clock tells the times of 16 cities around the world, is an alarm clock (with snooze function), calculator, currency converter, and even tells the temperature.
Brand New Monday Jingle
It's a brand new week and a brand new day and a brand new Monday Jingle, from Dan Lueders again, which has incorporated Leo's Monday ditty, their occasional slogan "The worse your life is, the better we sound" and even the Gravy Slogan.
Rock My Teeth
Patrick Warn from Georgia, Vermont writes about Rock My Teeth - a musical tooth-whitening system. Attach the whitening kit to your iPod and the music, Professor Bocelli claims, helps line up the peroxide molecules to make it easier for them to penetrate through the enamel into the dentin to whiten the teeth. Watch the video here. Dick thinks the HydraBrush (Episodes 226, 480) - though Dick thinks it's called Turbo Brush - makes a lot more sense.
Cotati Accordion Festival
Dick is joing Leo at TWiTLive on Friday 20 June 2008, and Dick has had difficulty getting a room at the local hotels, because that weekend is the Cotati Accordion Festival. Dick manages to book himself a 2-night package at the Metro Cafe and Hotel, one of Leo's favourites. Kim from Wild Planet is going to demonstrate their Christmas toys and she'll come dressed as an elf.
Listen to Episode 566
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Brand New Monday Jingle
It's a brand new week and a brand new day and a brand new Monday Jingle, from Dan Lueders again, which has incorporated Leo's Monday ditty, their occasional slogan "The worse your life is, the better we sound" and even the Gravy Slogan.
Rock My Teeth
Patrick Warn from Georgia, Vermont writes about Rock My Teeth - a musical tooth-whitening system. Attach the whitening kit to your iPod and the music, Professor Bocelli claims, helps line up the peroxide molecules to make it easier for them to penetrate through the enamel into the dentin to whiten the teeth. Watch the video here. Dick thinks the HydraBrush (Episodes 226, 480) - though Dick thinks it's called Turbo Brush - makes a lot more sense.
Cotati Accordion Festival
Dick is joing Leo at TWiTLive on Friday 20 June 2008, and Dick has had difficulty getting a room at the local hotels, because that weekend is the Cotati Accordion Festival. Dick manages to book himself a 2-night package at the Metro Cafe and Hotel, one of Leo's favourites. Kim from Wild Planet is going to demonstrate their Christmas toys and she'll come dressed as an elf.
Listen to Episode 566
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
