7 posts tagged “pc”
HYmini
Hand-held Windmill Generator/Portable Charger
Link: HYmini
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
iSoniCast
iPod Accessory - Wireless Streaming
Link: Monster Cable
Mad Currency
Randal Schwartz, Perl expert, co-host of FLOSS and long-time fan of DGW, came across an entry on Wikipedia about fake denominations of US currency and found that the Mad currency (3-dollar bill) which Dick talked about in the past (see, e.g. Episode 121) has made its way into that entry. Dick goes on to describe the Alfred E Neuman postage stamps that Mad used to make.
Spork Cartoon
Dick and Leo mention in passing a spork cartoon which listeners have written in about. Leo says he is going to save it for the Letters Section, but naturally he forgets. While we wait for Dick and Leo's memory to come round, here's one which is pretty good, by Jakin J Waldock.
Listen to Episode 567
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Poqet PC
Portable Computer/Subnotebook
Link: Bryan Mason Wikipedia
The Poqet PC dates back to 1989, when it cost $2,000. It was about the size of a paperback, had a monochrome screen, a great keyboard, and even 2 PCMCIA slots, running MS-DOS. The original Poqet PC (also with the epitaph "Classic") had 512KB memory, while a later model the Poqet PC Prime had 640KB SRAM. It ran on 2 AA batteries which could last anything from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. PC Magazine, Byte Magazine and Andrew Seybold all sang their praises of the Poqet. In 2005, PC World also ranked it as one of the top 50 gadgets of the past 50 years.
The company was then acquired by Fujitsu, which released the Poqet PC Plus, that had 2MB RAM and a rechargeable battery. The Poqet PC Plus is available for sale from California Digital.
Dick could not afford the Poqet back in those days, and now can't remember which listener wrote in to him about the Poqet PC. Dick and Leo reckon it was Brian Davis.
Somewhere Out There
OEM Guy, aka Cochrane, works for the company which makes the Battery Tester for Duracell (Episode 526), proving Leo's statement that there's always a listener out there with a connection to anything they talk about. OEM Guy explains that the battery tester works by using thermo-chromic ink.
Listen to Episode 550
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
IBM PC Junior
Vintage Computer
Link: Old-Computers
CPP
John R Henry, CPP, whose previous letter was read out in Episode 439, gets a second shout-out, and explains that CPP means Certified Packaging Professional, a qualification awarded by the Institute of Packaging Professional.
Listen to Episode 490
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
StealthSwitch
Desktop Cloaking Device
Link: Stealth Switch Think Geek
The Lemonade Girl in Manhattan
While talking about Halloween in Manhattan, Leo remembers seeing a little girl selling lemonade at a street corner in Manhattan. He was so touched that he bought some from the girl. Before you conclude that it was very sweet of Leo to do that, listen to how Leo paid the poor girl, in Episode 121.
Mad Computers
At the Mad Office, the computers in the Art Department are all Macs, and the Editorial Department are all PCs.
Leo as Dev Null
"The Vegas Cabbie" wants to hear the full story from Leo of how Dev Null came about in the programme "The Site" on MSNBC. Leo has done it before (Episodes 149, 187), but this is the fullest account he has given yet on DGW. You can see a clip of Dev Null singing Happy Together, accompanied by Andy Cahan of the Turtles on the piano, in either of those old episode blog entries, at the very end of which, you can even hear Leo doing the famous NBC G-E-C chimes.
Of Mouse And Man
Dane Golden has found an old short film done by Aaron Lubarsky in 1996 about computers and technology. It has Leo talking about the future of portable devices and entertainment networks. His predictions were pretty good. Leo has posted it on his blog, or watch it here.
Listen to Episode 434
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Scottevest Ultimate Hoodie Microfleece
Technology-Enabled Clothing / Gear Management Solution
Link: Scottevest
Mike Kunkel from Tennessee gives Dick a chance to get back at Leo. Responding to Leo's story about the quiz on The Lab with Leo, about the PlayStation One (Leo's Episode 404 error?), Mike writes that there was a PSOne proper released in 2000, in addition to the original PlayStation (from 1994). Leo repeats the logic about World War I and World War II, but grudgingly accepts that there was a PSOne after reading Wikipedia.
Old IBM Computers
While trying to defend himself from Mike's letter, Leo takes us on a walkabout on old IBM computers: the IBM Personal Computer (Model 5150) in 1981, the IBM Junior in 1983, and the IBM Personal System/1 (PS/1) in 1990 - with 1MB of memory.
GizWizBiz Inka Pens
Originally there were 100. Then there were 50. Now there are only 25 left.
Read Dick's Write-Up
Go to TWiT
HP Slimline PC
Windows PC
Link: HP
About 1/3 of the normal tower size, but fully equipped. You can pick your specs from the Slimline series, and change the skin too.
KC & the Sunshine Band
Leo was in Indianapolis for the Indie 500 and Casey of KC & the Sunshine Band was in the parade.
Match Game Guests
Stories about Gloria Swanson and Rita Moreno.
DGW Jingles
There have been many submissions of theme songs for the DGW, including a "churchy" one from Pat/Hagen Mrizek that goes "The daily giz wiz, makes its own sauce", and "Dick will be there". But it's the jingle by Paul Minshall from Vancouver that they like.
Listen to Episode 123
Read Dick's Write-Up
Go to TWiT
