4 posts tagged “gopher”

The HYmini is not a fan, but a windmill which converts wind power into electrical engery and stores it in the internal rechargeable battery.  The wind has to be at least 9 mph.  When the wind is fast enough, a green LED lights up to indicate that electrical energy is being generated.  You can also charge the battery using conventional AC power (adaptor included), or using the computer via USB.

You can also charge the battery via USB by buying a solar panel using solar energy, called the miniSOLAR.  There is also a bicycle attachment to harness the wind power, and an arm-band for people who jog.

You can use the HYmini to charge your 5V portable devices.  It also doubles up as a flashlight.

Sit Up!
Leo is back on his GopherSport Anti-Burst Fitness Ball (Episode 322), while Dick is slumped on his chair in a comfortably bad posture.

VCR Plus
Sharon from PoCo (Port Coquitlam) in BC, Canada loves the VCR Plus episode (Episode 560).  She tells Dick that TV guides in Vancouver still print the VCR Plus codes.  Her parents have been using the codes for 7 years.  Jim Nelson also writes in to say that he still uses the codes.

Regis
Leo thinks Regis is great and does his work without anyone knowing it.  For a photo of Regis in his office, go to Leo's Flickr.

It's A Gas
Dick and Leo mentioned the Mad recording "It's A Gas" yesterday, and again today.  A listener James Baldwin has found the recording on YouTube and emailed Dick the link.  Dick has embedded it on his home page, or listen to it here.



Listen to Episode 568
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page

Cable-It is Monster Cable's new cable management kit.  It's a coiled tube (with a slit down the length of the tube) which houses your cables, for your computer, electrical appliances or AV equipment.  Just put the ends of a group of cables into the hollow of the handle (also called a "Zipper"), attach the tubing to the handle, and pull the handle down the length of coiled tubing.  The tubing will then enclose the cables like a zip.

Cables can come out of the tubing easily via the slit to make their connections at different places along the tubing.  Available in 3 diameters to accommodate different numbers of cables.  Different lengths available too.  Come in black, white and grey.

If you missed Leo's live demonstration of Cable-It during the recording of the show on TWiTLive, you can watch a demonstration of how it works by Jeff MacArthur, Amber's brother, on Episode 130 of the CommandN podcast.


First Looks
Thanks to the amazing technology at the TWiTLive Studio, Dick can finally put a face to the name Dean, or Dave, or Dufus, aka Dane Golden.  Colleen too, but that's another face.  Dick is now scheduled to appear live on TWiTLive on 20 June 2008.

Leo-Branded Stability Ball
Leo is thinking of selling his own brand of the Gopher fitness ball (Episode 322), complete with his visage and autograph so everyone can sit on his face.  It will be called Leo's Butt Ball.

Mechanical Calculators
Girl Geek, whom Dick also calls Geek Girl and other names, who becomes who she is because she has a mother who would buy any crap that passes in front of her, writes in again.  One of the vintage gadgets her mother bought is the Addiator.  The picture below is from John Wolff's Web Museum.


This reminds Leo about the Comptometer, given to him by his father-in-law.  Leo promises to bring it in.  Variations of the Slide Rule.  John Wolff's Web Museum has it too.


Dick can't remember any of these old gadgts.  All he can remember is the old Punch Board, which Leo calls legalised gambling.

Listen to Episode 561
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page

USB data storage and protection.  Add hard drives as you go, completely hot-swappable. Mix and match hdds of different capacities, brands or speeds.  No downtime or data migration.  No software required.  No need for RAID.  Complete with blue, yellow and red LED lights.  Works with Macs and PCs.  Drobo from Data Robotics does it for you like a robot - the world's first data robot.

No TTTT Jingle
Leo forgets to play the TTTT Jingle.

More on WaterBOB
Bob Green from Santa Clara points out that it is recommended that the WaterBOB (Episode 319) be disposed of after one use.  Dick has clarified it with the manufacturer.  There is no reason it cannot be re-used, but it must be sterilised first.

Bill Gaines on Brooklyn Celebrity Path
On 30 May 2007, William M. Gaines, founder of MAD Magazine, was inducted into the Celebrity Path in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  Other inductees included Mel Brooks, Barbra Streisand, Barbara Stanwyck, Jackie Gleason, Henny Youngman.  Dick attended the ceremony and later made a presentation to Gaines's daughter Cathy, in the Satanic Garden in the backyard of the DeBartolo Manor.  Read the Press Release.  Learn about the Celebrity Path.

Listen to Episode 332
Go to TWiT

During the recording of TWiT 98, the exercise ball that Leo was sitting on in the studio gave way and exploded under him, landing Leo on the floor, after use for only 10 days.  A testament to Leo's weight.

So Leo has ordered a new one, an anti-burst stability ball, from Gopher Sport.  The balls come in different sizes for different body heights.  Leo's ball seems to have held up so far, or if it hasn't, Leo wasn't about to tell us.

The Origin of the Gravy Slogan
Listener Anish (rhymes with "quiche", as Leo rhymes with "mayo", whereas Dick doesn't rhyme with any food), wants to know how the gravy slogan came about.  Dick and Leo have no idea but essentially it was a non-sequitur.  Dick thinks they have abandoned the slogan, but Leo points out that they play the gravy jingle at the end of each episode.

For the origin of the Gravy Slogan, see insidedgw.vox.com/library/post/gravy.html

Netcasts You Love ...
... from people who wear kilts - courtesy of Jim Cutler.  Mark Blasco at podcastthemes receives credit for the opening theme written on a geek cruise - the whimsical theme which acts as the background for Leo's introduction of every episode - for the first time since Episode 27.  And Leo continues to mix up George Wood with Paul Minshall.


Listen to Episode 322
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page