32 posts tagged “radio show”
Stanton T.55 USB
USB Turntable
Link: Stanton DJ
Stanton has been making cartridges for turntables for many years, and with the resurgence of turntables and vinyls, it's making new USB Turntables as well. The T.55 USB is a belt driven turntable (using the Stanton 500.v3 cartridge) with USB and RCA outputs for converting vinyl music into digital form (with the free Audacity software). For a more expensive direct drive equivalent, there is the T.92 USB.
Vinyl Resurgence
For an ABC News report on the recent rise of the vinyl, click here.
Scoundrels and the Way They Part You from Your Money
The biggest live audience Dick's had was probably about 1,500, when he gave a cruise lecture on the QE2 on scoundrels' schemes and scams. Check out Episode 225 again for a fuller story of the lecture, and Dick's original story on the Mitey Mixer (later covered in Episode 870).
TWiT Home Office Suggestions
Chris Walker has more suggestions for the location of the TWiT Home Office: Possum Grape in Arkansas, Siberia in California, Bloody Corners in Ohio, and Mars in Pennsylvania.
Listen to Episode 894
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Find DGW Info on GizWizSearch
Vinyl Resurgence
For an ABC News report on the recent rise of the vinyl, click here.
Scoundrels and the Way They Part You from Your Money
The biggest live audience Dick's had was probably about 1,500, when he gave a cruise lecture on the QE2 on scoundrels' schemes and scams. Check out Episode 225 again for a fuller story of the lecture, and Dick's original story on the Mitey Mixer (later covered in Episode 870).
TWiT Home Office Suggestions
Chris Walker has more suggestions for the location of the TWiT Home Office: Possum Grape in Arkansas, Siberia in California, Bloody Corners in Ohio, and Mars in Pennsylvania.
Listen to Episode 894
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Find DGW Info on GizWizSearch
Weather Direct WD-3103
4-Day Internet Powered Wireless Forecaster
Link: Weather Direct
Weather Direct by La Crosse Technology makes a huge catalogue of weather stations with a whole range of different functions, which Dick first talked about in Episode 501, after CES 2008. The WD-3103 is described as a 4-Day Internet-Powered Wireless Forecaster. Hook up the Secure Weather Gateway to your router, and 24-hour weather information on your chosen location (from a choice of 60,000 locations) will be sent wirelessly (up to 330 feet) to the display unit. Also included is the TX-50U wireless temperature sensor which sits in your backyard or garden and keeps track of your own outdoor temperature.
No subscription is required for weather information on one selected location. There are subscription packages if you want to receive forecasts alerts or severe wether alerts, or just add 4 more monitored locations. You can also check whether there is a location near you from Weather Direct's list of locations.
One-Click Peril
The WD-3103 is available on Amazon, which means one-click trigger-happy Leo has ordered it through his membership of Amazon Prime. Leo has to ask TWiT intern Abby Laporte, who is around in the studio, to stop him by slapping him hard. This obsessive buying reminds Dick of Bill Gaines. When Bill learned from Dick that the Casio TE2500 Dictionary Watch (Episode 45) was available at a reduced price, he thought it was a great bargain and bought one for everyone at MAD.
A New Journey for Leo
Today, Leo and Henry will be heading to Tokyo on Northwest Airlines Flight 27, en route to his China Tour. Leo is most looking forward to seeing the Forbidden City in Beijing, which commoners were prohibited from entering, in China's imperial days.
Kung Fu
Kung Fu star David Carradine, who played Kwai Chang Caine aka Grasshopper in the show, passed away on 3 June 2009. This reminds Dick of a MAD magazine parody of Kung Fu, featuring "Mosquito" who chose a blade of grass over a sack of gold, and got slammed by his master. Hence the title of the satire - Kung Fool. Check out collectmad.com and look for Issue 164 in January 1974.
A Visit to Skywalker Ranch
Leo had the privilege of visiting the Skywalker Ranch, courtesy of Greg Edmonson and Alan Steinberger, composer and arranger respectively for the sci-fi TV series Firefly, to watch them work with a 70-piece orchestra who were recording music for the PS3 game Uncharted 2. Leo interviewed them on TWiTLive on 10 June 2009, video at odtv.me. Those of us who are less fortunate than Leo would have to content ourselves with watching the virtual tours of the Skywalker Ranch, at Skysound.com.
The Sinkable Titanic
This is the 3rd letter about Episode 844. John Paradox, a parody writer for the Daily Giz Wiz (see Episode 520), reminds Dick and Leo, who were wondering what Titanic musicals there were, about the Unsinkable Molly Brown, which was first a musical, and then a film.
Welcome to Hell
Jeff Lundberg, from Northville, Michigan and long-time listener since Episode 1, has another suggestion for the TWiT Home Office. Dick and Leo have already got Kalamazoo, but how about Hell, Michigan? For souvenirs from Hell, try hell2u.com.
Wonder Wash
Portable Washing Machine
Link: Laundry-Alternative
In support of last Wednesday's Earth Day, Dick is going to do a couple of green gadgets today and tomorrow. The Wonder Wash is a portable, environmentally-friendly washing machine which has been around for a number of years and which Dick has tried out specially for Earth Day. The entire setup is 16" tall with a 12" square base. It can take up to 5 pounds fo laundry. Just fill up the drum with detergent and hot water and hand crank it for 90 seconds. The rotation of the drum causes the air to absorb the heat of the water which in turn builds up the air pressure inside the drum, which forces the detergent particles to go through the fabrics more rapidly and frequently, releasing the dirt more efficiently. Perfect for smaller items and delicate materials.
Tomorrow, Dick will cover the companion gadget to Wonder Wash, the Mini Countertop Spin Dryer.
The Greater Wall of China
The New York Times last Tuesday had a news article on the discovery of a further 180 miles, hitherto undiscovered, of the Great Wall of China. In the visa application form for China, Leo has had to declare whether he has any mental disease, venereal disease, leprosy, and whether he is a journalist. Any positive answer to these would probably disentitle him from travelling to China. So Leo declared himself an educator - and that may well be closer to the truth than his other answers. Leo half-complained about it on Twitter, and was told in no uncertain terms that the US visa application is much more intrusive.
Logical Train of Thought
Leo finally concludes that there is no logical train of thought at all to this podcast. If there is such a train, Dick adds, there are no tracks.
Dick's Way is My Weigh
Dick's show is no whimsical, rough and ready, crazy gadget show. Dick takes the testing of his gadgets very seriously. He weighed his laundry on his trusted My Weigh Ultraship-55 Scales (Episode 346). However, Dick can be forgiven for not having tested the effect of the drum being knocked on one's head - which is going to happen when Leo gives it to Jennifer on Mother's Day. No matter, as Dick might yet put that to the test when he gives it to his friend Lindy Dunn. By the way, a helmet is not included with the Wonder Wash.
Wonder Wash Laundromat
Dick and Leo have some wonderful ideas today. Leo could buy more of the Wonder Wash, one for each of his family and each could have his or her own sanitary bin. No more "Wash and Fold" for Leo. Better yet, they could buy a whole lot of them and set up a TWiT-approved, GizWiz-endorsed Wonder Wash Laundromat, an enterprise that would make even Donald Trump proud.
Samsung Charging Stations
Talk of airports (Episode 802) has got Toyota Boy writing in again, noting that not only are airports not designed for sleeping, but they are also not designed for gadgets in distress and in need of power, as power outlets are hard to come by. In rides the white knight, in the form of Samsung Mobile, which has sponsored the installation of free charging stations at various airports in the States, 14 of them so far.
The power goes out, the light goes on
Two Sundays ago, while doing the Tech Guy, Leo had a power outage at the TWiT Cottage. Fortunately, no serious harm was done. Leo wants an emergency power generator (but even the Honda Super Quiet Generator, Episode 69, would not be quiet enough for the TWiT studio), so that when the power goes out, the light goes on - speaking of logical trains of thought.
Listen to Episode 818
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Fujix P701
Compact Video Projector
Link: projektoren-datenbank.com German eBay
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
From 1993, the first portable video projector from Fujix from about 13 years ago, the Fujix P701 weighed about 6 pounds, with built-in speakers and amplifier, microphone input and RCA audio and video inputs, and Dick thinks it cost about $700-$800. It was considered a business class product, but had only 89,000 pixels (little more than 320 x 240) and 100 lumens. Dick and Leo joke that if Kenner or Mattel were to make a toy projector today, its specs would outclass the P701.
The German site projektoren-datenbank.com lists the recommended retail price as €900. Back in 1993, the Euro did not exist, so it's unclear how the price conversion was done. There was a P701 available on German eBay a week ago, but the auction has now ended (final price €51).
The German site projektoren-datenbank.com lists the recommended retail price as €900. Back in 1993, the Euro did not exist, so it's unclear how the price conversion was done. There was a P701 available on German eBay a week ago, but the auction has now ended (final price €51).
Bicycle Gadgets
Larry Blakely from Vienna, Virginia (where AOL is, says Leo) has been a listener since the show began (and Larry was one of the winners of the weird gadgets competition back in Episode 146). Recently Larry has been training for a fund-raising event organised by bestbuddies.org - a charity for fostering friendships between volunteers and people with intellectual disabilities. He has chosen the 50-mile cycle challenge, during which he will ride on a trike from Carver to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Larry would welcome suggestions from Dick of bike gadgets such as headlights, safety lights, and flat tyre protection.
TerraTrike
For some hi-tech recumbent tricycles, visit terratrike.com. These are state-of-the-art trikes for the dedicated cyclers.
Butter and Eggs Day
Petaluma will be celebrating its annual Butter and Eggs Day tomorrow, and you may hear the parade band pass by if you listen to Leo's radio show. Meanwhile, Leo will be preparing himself and Ozzy for the Cutest Little Chick contest.
Listen to Episode 815
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Pinnacle TV for Mac HD Mini Stick
HDTV Tuner and Video Recorder
Link: Pinnacle Systems
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
This is the latest offering by Pinnacle Systems of a USB HDTV Tuner, for the Mac platform, from Andy Marken, an old friend of the Daily Giz Wiz . Dick reviewed the PCTV HD Ultimate Stick for Windows back in Episode 419. A listener wrote in about a Mac version in Episode 457, which was an old Mac version that did not support ClearQAM and could only record in MPEG-2 (and hence the recorded videos were not compatible with iPods). Leo was told then that a new Mac version was being developed, and here it is, the Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick.
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.
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
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
iCap MP3 Player
Wearable MP3 Player
Link: iCap MP3
Another find from CES 2009, the iCap MP3 Player is a specially constructed baseball cap with an MP3 Player slotted into a cut-out in the front flap of the cap. The package comes with a clip for attaching the MP3 player to your own cap or elsewhere.
The MP3 player comes with 1GB storage, a microSD card slot for expansion, FM tuner, and built-in speakers (with surround sound). The idea is you don't need to listen to it through the earphones, which may save your life in certin circumstances. It is detachable and can be used as a stand-alone player too, and you can also listen to it with your earphones (which are also included). It has a buillt-in microphone for voice recording. The rechargeable Lithium polymer battery is replaceable, and the player supports MP3 and WMA (including Windows Media DRM-9 and DRM-10 files). The stand-alone player weighs about 2.65 ounces.
Dick thinks that a combination of the iCap, the Cell-Mate (Episode 744) and the nPower PEG (Episode 748) from yesterday would look great, if you could survive the dorkdom. Dick isn't going to walk down the streets of New York "with his head playing".
A Political Scientist at TWiT
Leo was earlier broadcasting the feed of Barack Obama's Inauguration when he discovered that Dane Golden, a major in policital science, knew who all the politicians were. Little did Leo know that Dane was just bluffing him.
The Letters C, H and P
Stefan from Sweden and Jeremy on the TWiT Army write in to explain the letters C, H, and P for APS film's different aspect ratios (Episode 745). They also point out that you could decide which aspect ratio you wanted, when you had the Advantix rolls of film developed into prints.
A Bout of Amnesia
At the beginning of this recording session, Dick and Leo thought that they had already recorded Episode 749, and so started with Episode 750, a Gadget Warehouse Friday show. A little bird tipped off Dane Golden who told Leo about the missing Episode 749. Dick then realised that he thought he had done it because he had earlier talked about the iCap on Leo's radio show - which drew a complete blank from Leo.
Listen to Episode 749
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
The MP3 player comes with 1GB storage, a microSD card slot for expansion, FM tuner, and built-in speakers (with surround sound). The idea is you don't need to listen to it through the earphones, which may save your life in certin circumstances. It is detachable and can be used as a stand-alone player too, and you can also listen to it with your earphones (which are also included). It has a buillt-in microphone for voice recording. The rechargeable Lithium polymer battery is replaceable, and the player supports MP3 and WMA (including Windows Media DRM-9 and DRM-10 files). The stand-alone player weighs about 2.65 ounces.
Dick thinks that a combination of the iCap, the Cell-Mate (Episode 744) and the nPower PEG (Episode 748) from yesterday would look great, if you could survive the dorkdom. Dick isn't going to walk down the streets of New York "with his head playing".
A Political Scientist at TWiT
Leo was earlier broadcasting the feed of Barack Obama's Inauguration when he discovered that Dane Golden, a major in policital science, knew who all the politicians were. Little did Leo know that Dane was just bluffing him.
The Letters C, H and P
Stefan from Sweden and Jeremy on the TWiT Army write in to explain the letters C, H, and P for APS film's different aspect ratios (Episode 745). They also point out that you could decide which aspect ratio you wanted, when you had the Advantix rolls of film developed into prints.
A Bout of Amnesia
At the beginning of this recording session, Dick and Leo thought that they had already recorded Episode 749, and so started with Episode 750, a Gadget Warehouse Friday show. A little bird tipped off Dane Golden who told Leo about the missing Episode 749. Dick then realised that he thought he had done it because he had earlier talked about the iCap on Leo's radio show - which drew a complete blank from Leo.
Listen to Episode 749
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Verbatim Tune Board
Speaker Keyboard
Link: Verbatim
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
With a little help from his friend Dick, Leo got this keyboard from Andy Marken. LED-backlit, the Verbatim Tune Board or Speaker Keyboard has built in stereo speakers, with bass boost, complete with sound controls and music playback controls, and can save you some wiring as all it takes is a USB connection. Leo has the Mac version, but a Windows version is also available.
Back from France
Leo is back with Henry from Rennes after their visit to Abby, but Jennifer is stuck in Paris as she has lost her passport. While Leo was in France, Dick went on Stickam on both Tuesdays.
Check out Leo's blog post "France Montage" and the links there to his photos from France.
An Ozzy Jingle?
East Coast Girl on the Chatroom suggests there should be a jingle for whenever Ozzy comes on TWiTLive.
Ten Questions from Dr Mark
Dr Mark Sukoenig put in 10 questions for Leo. What does an A battery look like? Why do Dick and Leo sound as energetic on the Friday show as they do on the Monday show? What is a Luma and how safe is it to pet one?
Themed to the Gills
Paul Minshall, apart from doing the 12 Days of GizWiz, has done a country-style jingle for the Daily Giz Wiz. Visit http://paulminshall.com/themes to play the Country Giz Wiz jingle.
Listen to Episode 732
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Homepage
Back from France
Leo is back with Henry from Rennes after their visit to Abby, but Jennifer is stuck in Paris as she has lost her passport. While Leo was in France, Dick went on Stickam on both Tuesdays.
Check out Leo's blog post "France Montage" and the links there to his photos from France.
An Ozzy Jingle?
East Coast Girl on the Chatroom suggests there should be a jingle for whenever Ozzy comes on TWiTLive.
Ten Questions from Dr Mark
Dr Mark Sukoenig put in 10 questions for Leo. What does an A battery look like? Why do Dick and Leo sound as energetic on the Friday show as they do on the Monday show? What is a Luma and how safe is it to pet one?
Themed to the Gills
Paul Minshall, apart from doing the 12 Days of GizWiz, has done a country-style jingle for the Daily Giz Wiz. Visit http://paulminshall.com/themes to play the Country Giz Wiz jingle.
Listen to Episode 732
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Homepage
Oregon Scientific ATC-5K
Helmet Action Cam
Link: Oregon Scientific
Dick covered the ATC-1000 and ATC-2K by Oregon Scientific in Episodes 42 and 258. Now comes probably the 5th iteration of this helmet action cam, the ATC5K. As before, it's waterproof (up to 10 ft) and shock-resistant (for its shock-resistant properties, see the YouTube video on the Episode 258 blog post). It now records video at 640 x 480 VGA resolution at 30 fps, can take digital stills, with USB and RCA cables included. Comes with mount grips and straps of different lengths and mounts easily on handlebars and helmets. 1.5" LCD display, can be used as a webcam when connected to a computer. Expandable with SD card up to 4GB.
Obama Cover
Dick re-reads the 2nd part of the letter from Robert Taylor (from Amarillo, Texas) (see Episode 710 for the first part). Since Barack Obama's election, the Mad issue with the Obama cover (Yes, We Can't) has become the centre of attention in Texas, deep Republican territory. Dick remarks that the price for that issue has also shot up on eBay.
Bill Gaines, Taylor Ham and Automat
Dick was introduced to Taylor Ham by Bill Gaines, and they went all the way to Atlantic City for it, as it was pioneered by John Taylor from Trenton, New Jersey. Bill's enthusiasm for life meant that he was interested in almost everything. Bill once took Dick to an expensive wine tasting session at the Waldorf Astoria, all dressed up in their tuxedos, and stopped en route at Automat's food vending machines for dinner. For Dick's story of the wine tasting event, see Episode 87.
Mad Poster Book
Mad has a new Mad Poster Book, with full-size posters.
Listen to Episode 718
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Livescribe Pulse Smartpen
Lecture and Lecture Notes Recorder
Link: Livescribe
From the creator of the Leapfrog Flypen (Episode 14) and its improved successor Fly Fusion (Episode 386), Jim Marggraff, the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen takes the idea to a higher level (both in terms of capabilities and age), for use by any school or college students.
At the tip of the Smartpen is an infrared camera, and as you jot down notes on Livesccribe's special Dot Paper, the notes are "captured" and turned into digital copies (PDFs). What actually happens is that the camera takes 72 shots per second of 36 dots on the dot-enabled paper each time. The (x,y) coordinates of each capture are interpreted by software to rebuild the image of the notes. So it is not handwriting recognition as such, but rather a recording of where ink is positioned. Livescribe calls it DPS - Dot Positioning System.
Two microphones on the pen itself record the lecture and the software synchronises (or at least indexes) the recording with what you are writing or drawing on the Dot Paper. A pair of earphones plug into the end of the pen. At the backs of the earphones are also 2 additional microphones which can record "3D sound", so that when the recording is played back, you're taken back to the same environment, with all the sounds around you recorded.
The notes and audio recording are stored in flash memory inside the pen (1GB and 2GB models available), which you can transfer to a Windows XP or Vista machine (Mac support being developed) via the Smartpen Dock (which is also a USB charging cradle) and the bundled software.
As you go over your notes, tap on a word or drawing with the pen, and you will be taken straight to the part of the recording when the word or drawing was jotted down. Recording and playback controls are on the Dot Paper itself, with "buttons" for Record, Play, Pause, Speed up, Bookmarking, etc.
You can also store or share your notes online, on your "My Livescribe Account" which comes with the Smartpen (250MB online storage). To see some of the "notes" posted online, and to try out the "synchronised" recording (pencasts?), click here.
The Smartpen comes with 100 sheets of Dot Paper, 3 ink cartridges and 1 stylus cartridge. The website says that beginning in the fall, Livescribe will enable users to print their own dot-enabled paper.
Further applications are being developed, an idea similar to the Fly Fusion modules.
Totally Costly
Dennis Demarco got a new Vista machine recently, but when he tried to play the Totally Mad 7-CD set, it wouldn't play on Vista. Desperate to see his favourite Mad CDs, he went and got an XP machine. Total cost of CDs in 1997: $17. Total cost of computer to play the CDs in 2008, $430.
There is also a DVD version, called Absolutely Mad, but Dick thinks that the CD-set has better indexing. See also Episode 214, and makememad.com.
A Younger President
Leo bemoans the fact that if Obama gets elected, it will be the first time in Leo's lifetime that a US president is younger than himself.
At the tip of the Smartpen is an infrared camera, and as you jot down notes on Livesccribe's special Dot Paper, the notes are "captured" and turned into digital copies (PDFs). What actually happens is that the camera takes 72 shots per second of 36 dots on the dot-enabled paper each time. The (x,y) coordinates of each capture are interpreted by software to rebuild the image of the notes. So it is not handwriting recognition as such, but rather a recording of where ink is positioned. Livescribe calls it DPS - Dot Positioning System.
Two microphones on the pen itself record the lecture and the software synchronises (or at least indexes) the recording with what you are writing or drawing on the Dot Paper. A pair of earphones plug into the end of the pen. At the backs of the earphones are also 2 additional microphones which can record "3D sound", so that when the recording is played back, you're taken back to the same environment, with all the sounds around you recorded.
The notes and audio recording are stored in flash memory inside the pen (1GB and 2GB models available), which you can transfer to a Windows XP or Vista machine (Mac support being developed) via the Smartpen Dock (which is also a USB charging cradle) and the bundled software.
As you go over your notes, tap on a word or drawing with the pen, and you will be taken straight to the part of the recording when the word or drawing was jotted down. Recording and playback controls are on the Dot Paper itself, with "buttons" for Record, Play, Pause, Speed up, Bookmarking, etc.
You can also store or share your notes online, on your "My Livescribe Account" which comes with the Smartpen (250MB online storage). To see some of the "notes" posted online, and to try out the "synchronised" recording (pencasts?), click here.
The Smartpen comes with 100 sheets of Dot Paper, 3 ink cartridges and 1 stylus cartridge. The website says that beginning in the fall, Livescribe will enable users to print their own dot-enabled paper.
Further applications are being developed, an idea similar to the Fly Fusion modules.
Totally Costly
Dennis Demarco got a new Vista machine recently, but when he tried to play the Totally Mad 7-CD set, it wouldn't play on Vista. Desperate to see his favourite Mad CDs, he went and got an XP machine. Total cost of CDs in 1997: $17. Total cost of computer to play the CDs in 2008, $430.
There is also a DVD version, called Absolutely Mad, but Dick thinks that the CD-set has better indexing. See also Episode 214, and makememad.com.
A Younger President
Leo bemoans the fact that if Obama gets elected, it will be the first time in Leo's lifetime that a US president is younger than himself.
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
