19 posts tagged “theme”
ClickFree HD701/HD801
External HDD with Automatic Backup
Link: GoClickFree
The ClickFree is an external hard disk (120GB for model HD701, 160GB for model HD801 which is coming soon) - 2.5" SATA 5400 rpm hard disk - with built-in software to back up up to 10 of your hard drives. No need to install any software on your computers, not even a click. Just plug into a USB port on the computer and the software will auto-run and back up the contents of the hard drive. Plug it into a second computer and it will do the same. Windows only.
Dick Takes Visa
Dick's GizWizBiz merchandise takes Visa too.
Ring Me a Theme
Shane Gibson loves the show, loves the themes, cuts them from the shows and turns them into ringtones for his cellphone - the Warehouse Jingle for his mother-in-law.
Theme Composers Symposium
Ashley Witt who wrote the TWiT theme has suggested that all the TWiT network theme composers get together and make the themes available as a CD or downloads.
Listen to Episode 629
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Dick Takes Visa
Dick's GizWizBiz merchandise takes Visa too.
Ring Me a Theme
Shane Gibson loves the show, loves the themes, cuts them from the shows and turns them into ringtones for his cellphone - the Warehouse Jingle for his mother-in-law.
Theme Composers Symposium
Ashley Witt who wrote the TWiT theme has suggested that all the TWiT network theme composers get together and make the themes available as a CD or downloads.
Listen to Episode 629
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Periscope
Bookcover with Booklight
Link: Periscope Light
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
The Periscope Light from Dick's Gadget Warehouse was a leather bookcover. Built into the bookcover was a book light that extended out from the binder with an adjustable arm.
The company is still going strong and modern versions, with LED lights, are widely available. There is a version for paperbacks, a version for hardcovers, and even one for portfolios, called the Lighted Portfolio.
A Letter Re-Read
Dick re-reads the letter from Michael Richardson (from Episode 620), about the WTHII game show that already existed, called the Liar's Club.
Strange Noises Abound
Leo's computer starts making strange noises, and Dick chips in with his WWF Microphone (Episode 390).
Giz Wiz Garbage
Check out Dick's new GizWizBiz gadgets, the Ice Cube, the Cliphanger and the LED folding pen, at GizWizGarbage.
The company is still going strong and modern versions, with LED lights, are widely available. There is a version for paperbacks, a version for hardcovers, and even one for portfolios, called the Lighted Portfolio.
A Letter Re-Read
Dick re-reads the letter from Michael Richardson (from Episode 620), about the WTHII game show that already existed, called the Liar's Club.
Strange Noises Abound
Leo's computer starts making strange noises, and Dick chips in with his WWF Microphone (Episode 390).
Giz Wiz Garbage
Check out Dick's new GizWizBiz gadgets, the Ice Cube, the Cliphanger and the LED folding pen, at GizWizGarbage.
Sandisk Sansa Fuze
MP3 Player/PMP
Link: Sandisk
Yet another model of the Sansa line from SanDisk. The Sansa Fuze is, in Dick's own words, half way between the Sansa Clip (Episode 493) and the Sansa View (Episode 459): a fusion of the two. It plays the usual music and video files, and Audible Books, 1.9" LCD screen, about the size of an iPod Nano.
Available in 2, 4 and 8 GB models and 5 colours (depending on capacity), all with a microSD card slot which supports microSD-HC cards. FM radio, and built-in microphone for voice recording.
All at very competitive prices too.
Mathematically Challenged
Don Sherman, a biomedical engineer from Wayne, has been listening to DGW since its inception and enjoys the shtick.
He writes in to challenge the claim that the Desktop Earbuds Speakers 500XL (Episode 528) are 500 times the size of the iPod earbuds. He reckons that the iPod earbuds are about 1 cm in diameter, which means that the XL500 would have to be 500 cm, or 5 m long, which they cannot be.
That's only one dimension. One could of course try to calculate the volume. Let's do some (really rough) calculation.
Let's assume that the earbuds and the speakers are all semi-spheres. The volume of a sphere is 4/3 x π x (radius)³. My iPod earbuds (admittedly the more recent version, not the original ones which the 500XL resemble) are about 1.6cm in diameter, or 0.8cm radius. The 500XL speakers are about 4 inches in diameter (according to Perpetual Kid), i.e. 10.16 cm in diameter, or 5.08 cm radius. The volume ratio between the 500XL speakers and the iPod earbuds is therefore (5.08)³ ÷ (0.8)³ = 256, i.e. only 256 times. In fact, for the 500XL to be 500 times in volume, its speaker diameter will have to be 5 inches.
There is the volume of the "handles" to consider as well, but that still wouldn't push the ratio up from 256 times to 500 times. I think Fred who makes the 500XL may be mathematically challenged, but surely no one is going to mind when he's come up with such a charming idea. At least 256 is a nice binary number!
Listen to Episode 543
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Mathematically Challenged
Don Sherman, a biomedical engineer from Wayne, has been listening to DGW since its inception and enjoys the shtick.
He writes in to challenge the claim that the Desktop Earbuds Speakers 500XL (Episode 528) are 500 times the size of the iPod earbuds. He reckons that the iPod earbuds are about 1 cm in diameter, which means that the XL500 would have to be 500 cm, or 5 m long, which they cannot be.
That's only one dimension. One could of course try to calculate the volume. Let's do some (really rough) calculation.
Let's assume that the earbuds and the speakers are all semi-spheres. The volume of a sphere is 4/3 x π x (radius)³. My iPod earbuds (admittedly the more recent version, not the original ones which the 500XL resemble) are about 1.6cm in diameter, or 0.8cm radius. The 500XL speakers are about 4 inches in diameter (according to Perpetual Kid), i.e. 10.16 cm in diameter, or 5.08 cm radius. The volume ratio between the 500XL speakers and the iPod earbuds is therefore (5.08)³ ÷ (0.8)³ = 256, i.e. only 256 times. In fact, for the 500XL to be 500 times in volume, its speaker diameter will have to be 5 inches.
There is the volume of the "handles" to consider as well, but that still wouldn't push the ratio up from 256 times to 500 times. I think Fred who makes the 500XL may be mathematically challenged, but surely no one is going to mind when he's come up with such a charming idea. At least 256 is a nice binary number!
Listen to Episode 543
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
The Safety Stick
Car Emergency 4-in-1 Tool
Link: SafetyBright
Another "What's In The Box?" session with Dick and Leo. It's the Safety Stick from Safety Bright, a 4-in-1 emergency tool for the car. It combines a flashlight, a blinking emergency light, a seat belt cutter and a hammer for breaking glass. The base is magnetic for easy attachment to a metallic surface for use as a flashlight or emergency light. Operates on 2 AA batteries.
Where Have I Heard It Before?
Rick from Zanesville, Ohio was surprised to hear his hometown mentioned on DGW by Leo. Leo can't remember that he did, or why, only that he used to have a girlfriend called Sue from Zanesville, Ohio, about 35 years ago. Dick advises Sue that if she's not married yet, she'd better do something about it soon, coz if she waits too long for her ship to come in, her pier might collapse. Leo can't remember where he's heard it before either.
Leo's memory is being obsoleted pretty quickly. For where we've heard about Zanesville before, and Leo's obscure reference to it, think Dick Cheney, or listen again to Episode 507.
For the ship and pier joke, think Johnny Olson, or listen again to Episode 535.
Listen to Episode 541
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Where Have I Heard It Before?
Rick from Zanesville, Ohio was surprised to hear his hometown mentioned on DGW by Leo. Leo can't remember that he did, or why, only that he used to have a girlfriend called Sue from Zanesville, Ohio, about 35 years ago. Dick advises Sue that if she's not married yet, she'd better do something about it soon, coz if she waits too long for her ship to come in, her pier might collapse. Leo can't remember where he's heard it before either.
Leo's memory is being obsoleted pretty quickly. For where we've heard about Zanesville before, and Leo's obscure reference to it, think Dick Cheney, or listen again to Episode 507.
For the ship and pier joke, think Johnny Olson, or listen again to Episode 535.
Listen to Episode 541
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Fred's 500XL Desktop Earbuds Speakers
Speakers
Link: Worldwide Fred
These earbuds look exactly the same as the familiar iPod earbuds, but are 500 times as big (hence the name 500XL). They are desktop speakers made by Fred & Friends, and available on Perpetual Kid (see also Episode 404). USB-powered, they produce decent sound, and can double up as portable speakers using 4 AA batteries. A fun gag.
Andy Marken chips in again
The generous Andy Marken has stepped into the fold again, offering 10 copies of Cyberlink's YouCam webcam special effects software (see Episode 443) as prizes, to add to the 3 Maxtor portable drives. For details of the contest, see Episode 514.
You can see one of the YouCam special effects, the Polaroid look, in Dick's recent video on the 500XL Earbuds Speakers.
And Now, From Our Own Correspondents
Andy Marken chips in again
The generous Andy Marken has stepped into the fold again, offering 10 copies of Cyberlink's YouCam webcam special effects software (see Episode 443) as prizes, to add to the 3 Maxtor portable drives. For details of the contest, see Episode 514.
You can see one of the YouCam special effects, the Polaroid look, in Dick's recent video on the 500XL Earbuds Speakers.
And Now, From Our Own Correspondents
Theme-Free Wednesday Theme
Dan Lueders of Why Me Studio, a DGW listener, and musician and songwriter based in Chicago, sent in a theme to Dick and Leo back in January (which apparently Dick again misplaced - see below). It's for their Theme-Free Wednesday. It was made in response to comments by Dick and Leo in the beginning of Episode 478, segments from which have been incorporated into the theme itself.
Some listeners might remember the name Dan Lueders. He made a Gravy Jingle submission which Dick first mentioned in Episode 115, which was never played, and somehow got misplaced. The jingle submission was later recovered and played in Episode 313 (and played again in Episode 314). By then Paul Minshall's Gravy Jingle had long established itself as the closing theme.
For more information on Dan Lueders, check out his profile on urSESSION, or Promiseland Music.
For a long-winded story of the Gravy Slogan and Jingle, check out the Gravy page.
For more DGW jingles, you can find them on the Jingles page.
Listen to Episode 528
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Themes And Jingles
The Choicest Sounds from DGW
Yesterday, George Wood from Scotland, one of our favourite theme writers, sent me copies of the files for his jingles. It so happens that in today's episode, Episode 515, Leo remarks that when they first started, they had no jingles, and now DGW is happily filled with them. Here's a recap of all the official DGW themes and jingles, in chronological order. A belated celebration of Episode 500.
Opening Theme
Written by Mark Blasco of PodcastThemes
on a geek cruise, who also wrote themes for other podcasts on TWiT,
it opens proceedings every day and sets the whimsical tone for the
Daily Giz Wiz. It was there right from the beginning, in Episode 1, on 20 February 2006.
Closing Theme
Also called the Gravy Jingle, with its reference to the "It makes its own gravy" slogan. Created by Paul Minshall from Vancouver, Canada, it was chosen as the Gravy Jingle among other jingle submissions. First incorporated into the end of the podcast in Episode 116, but was first aired and introduced by Leo during the show in Episode 118, on 2 August 2006. For the history of how the Gravy Slogan and Gravy Jingle came about, see this rather verbose blog entry.
Also called the Gravy Jingle, with its reference to the "It makes its own gravy" slogan. Created by Paul Minshall from Vancouver, Canada, it was chosen as the Gravy Jingle among other jingle submissions. First incorporated into the end of the podcast in Episode 116, but was first aired and introduced by Leo during the show in Episode 118, on 2 August 2006. For the history of how the Gravy Slogan and Gravy Jingle came about, see this rather verbose blog entry.
This picture is taken from the virtual Dick's Gadget Warehouse created by David Knighton on Second Life, aka Boss Melnitz.
Letters Jingle
Created for DGW's Mail Bag by George Wood from Scotland, aka the Jingle Singers. As the show went on, more and more emails came in, and Dick and Leo decided to read a letter in each episode. This original Letters Jingle was first aired in Episode 166 on 9 October 2006. For an audio history of how the idea of a letters jingle came about, see this other blog entry.
Festive Letters Jingle
A special version of the Letters Jingle prepared by George Wood for the Jingle Bells season, but truly a jingle for all seasons. Particularly popular with DGW fans. First aired in Episode 208 on 6 December 2006.
Letters Jingle
Created for DGW's Mail Bag by George Wood from Scotland, aka the Jingle Singers. As the show went on, more and more emails came in, and Dick and Leo decided to read a letter in each episode. This original Letters Jingle was first aired in Episode 166 on 9 October 2006. For an audio history of how the idea of a letters jingle came about, see this other blog entry.
Festive Letters Jingle
A special version of the Letters Jingle prepared by George Wood for the Jingle Bells season, but truly a jingle for all seasons. Particularly popular with DGW fans. First aired in Episode 208 on 6 December 2006.
TTTT Theme
The idea for a Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday first started during Episode 115, and TTTT officially began in Episode 122 on 8 August 2006. The theme for TTTT arrived much later, when George Wood decided to write a theme for our special Tuesday, to sing the praises about Leo's travails in looking under his desk. It first appeard in Episode 307 on 8 May 2007.
The idea for a Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday first started during Episode 115, and TTTT officially began in Episode 122 on 8 August 2006. The theme for TTTT arrived much later, when George Wood decided to write a theme for our special Tuesday, to sing the praises about Leo's travails in looking under his desk. It first appeard in Episode 307 on 8 May 2007.
Wait-For-Dick Jingle
Every so often, while Dick and Leo are recording the show, Dick's doorbell will ring and it's usually a courier deilvery of a gadget. Dick will go "to answer the door, for just one more - UPS delivery," while Leo sits there twiddling his thumbs. In Episode 337, this happened again and Leo broke into song about waiting for Dick. Paul Minshall lost little time in coming up with a superior version to Leo's, which was aired on 2 July 2007 in Episode 346.
After that, it took a long while before another opportunity came up for the jingle to be played, in Episode 417 on 9 October 2007. It also took Leo a long time to locate the jiingle on his computer.
Every so often, while Dick and Leo are recording the show, Dick's doorbell will ring and it's usually a courier deilvery of a gadget. Dick will go "to answer the door, for just one more - UPS delivery," while Leo sits there twiddling his thumbs. In Episode 337, this happened again and Leo broke into song about waiting for Dick. Paul Minshall lost little time in coming up with a superior version to Leo's, which was aired on 2 July 2007 in Episode 346.
After that, it took a long while before another opportunity came up for the jingle to be played, in Episode 417 on 9 October 2007. It also took Leo a long time to locate the jiingle on his computer.
Warehouse Friday Theme
Warehouse Friday started right from the show's first Friday, on 24 February 2006 in Episode 5. Despite its popularity, the request for a Warehouse Jingle did not appear until listener Roy McMahon suggested the idea in Episode 366.
"They're geeky and they're goofy. Together they are loopy." Our favourite theme writers George Wood and Paul Minshall could have been writing about themselves. They collaborated to produce a spooky, squeaky theme song fit for the celebrated Warehouse and our favourite day of the week, Warehouse Friday. It was completed just before Episode 400 (see this blog entry), but first aired only in Episode 415 on 5 October 2007, as Dick and Leo had pre-recorded quite a number of shows.
Again, the picture here is taken from David Knighton's virtual Dick's Gadget Warehouse on Second Life.
Karaoke on TTTT
And if you can't get enough of jingles, here's a karaoke version of the TTTT theme, which you can sing to.
Update:
No-Theme Wednesday Theme
In Episode 478, Dick and Leo decided that they would have no theme for Wednesday, and it's going to a Theme-Free Wednesday. Chicago-based Dan Lueders, who much earlier made a gravy jingle submission (which got misplaced), prepared this Wednesday Theme for DGW, sent it over to Dick in January 2008, which got misplaced again. Fortunately, it saw the light of day on 19 March 2008, when Dick and Leo found it again, and played it in Episode 528.
The album art for this theme is adapted from the original artwork by Lori Lebeau-Walsh.
To know more about the works by our theme song writers, see:
George Wood: Promedia on Vox, PodSafeAudio, and PodShow;
Paul Minshall: PaulMinshall.com, and Paul's blog on Wordpress;
Mark Blasco: Podcast Themes;
Dan Lueders: urSESSIONS and Promiseland.
Warehouse Friday started right from the show's first Friday, on 24 February 2006 in Episode 5. Despite its popularity, the request for a Warehouse Jingle did not appear until listener Roy McMahon suggested the idea in Episode 366.
"They're geeky and they're goofy. Together they are loopy." Our favourite theme writers George Wood and Paul Minshall could have been writing about themselves. They collaborated to produce a spooky, squeaky theme song fit for the celebrated Warehouse and our favourite day of the week, Warehouse Friday. It was completed just before Episode 400 (see this blog entry), but first aired only in Episode 415 on 5 October 2007, as Dick and Leo had pre-recorded quite a number of shows.
Again, the picture here is taken from David Knighton's virtual Dick's Gadget Warehouse on Second Life.
Karaoke on TTTT
And if you can't get enough of jingles, here's a karaoke version of the TTTT theme, which you can sing to.
Update:
No-Theme Wednesday Theme
In Episode 478, Dick and Leo decided that they would have no theme for Wednesday, and it's going to a Theme-Free Wednesday. Chicago-based Dan Lueders, who much earlier made a gravy jingle submission (which got misplaced), prepared this Wednesday Theme for DGW, sent it over to Dick in January 2008, which got misplaced again. Fortunately, it saw the light of day on 19 March 2008, when Dick and Leo found it again, and played it in Episode 528.
The album art for this theme is adapted from the original artwork by Lori Lebeau-Walsh.
To know more about the works by our theme song writers, see:
George Wood: Promedia on Vox, PodSafeAudio, and PodShow;
Paul Minshall: PaulMinshall.com, and Paul's blog on Wordpress;
Mark Blasco: Podcast Themes;
Dan Lueders: urSESSIONS and Promiseland.
LG Voyager
Cellphone
Link: Verizon
Dick follows up his coverage of the V (Episode 9) and the enV (Episode 219) with the LG Voyager. Carried by Verizon in the US, the Voyager has touch screen controls, like the iPhone, and it opens up revealing a Qwerty keyboard. 2MP camera and camcorder, microSD slot, bluetooth capable.
You can subscribe to Vcasts and even TV broadcasts (with a built-in TV antenna). It can also do web browsing, and utilises Verizon's fast 3G wireless.
Nintendo Virtual Boy
Mike Kunkel, who previously corrected Leo about the PSOne in Episode 409, writes in about another vintage game gadget, the Nintendo Virtual Boy, which Leo thought in Episode 450 was a hood you put on a Game Boy. Mike explains what it was.
Listen to Episode 478
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
You can subscribe to Vcasts and even TV broadcasts (with a built-in TV antenna). It can also do web browsing, and utilises Verizon's fast 3G wireless.
Nintendo Virtual Boy
Listen to Episode 478
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Targus Flare Backpack
Laptop Backpack with Raincoat
Link: Targus Flare 17" 15" Black 15" Blue
A backpack with the usual compartments and pockets, including a laptop compartment. The Targus Flare has 2 sizes, one for 15.4" and one for 17" notebooks. It has a "raincoat" inside a zipped pocket on the bottom which unfolds up to cover the entire backpack from wet conditions.
But if you're lugging a 17" notebook around, Dick recommends the Targus Rolling Backpack TSB700, with a pull-up handle and wheels on the bottom.
Budding Opera Singer
Leo the Budding Opera Singer starts singing, which reminds Dick and Leo of his appearance as Dev Null on MSNBC singing Happy Together (Episodes 187, 149). Definitely not a replacement for the late Pavarotti.
The Great One
Talk of the Caboose (Episodes 339, 356) reminds listener Brian Drake of Jackie Gleason who had a number of private, custom-made railroad cars, as The Great One had a fear of flying. Those railroad cars are now in the National Central Railroad Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dick and Leo start dreaming about the TWiT Train and the Giz Wiz Caboose.
Dick mentions in passing a new hand-dryer that blows air at a tremendous speed that was recently featured at a press event which he could not attend. This might be the Airblade, from Dyson the famous English vacuum cleaners maker. It blows air through a HEPA-filter at a whopping speed of 400 mph.
Samsung Q1 Ultra
UMPC
Link: Samsung
The Q1 Ultra is a UMPC (an Ultra Mobile PC) which Microsoft promoted at one stage with the code name Origami, but its future is not very clear. It has a qwerty keyboard which are divided into 2 parts for your 2 thumbs. Built-in wifi b/g, bluetooth, and HSDPA. 7" 1024x 600 LCD screen. 800 Mhz processor, 1GB DDR2 PC3200 memory, Windows Vista Home Premium. 9" x 5". Built-in speakers and stand.
The Land of the Rolling Hills
Petaluma is a native Indian word meaning "The Land of the Rolling Hills".
The Lost Jingle
Someone has sent in a jingle to Dick wondering if this was the old letters jingle they were looking for (Episode 285). It's not a letters jingle at all but a gravy jingle submission. It's by Dan Lueders. This was the jingle submission Dick referred to in Episode 115, which Dick thought was played on Episode 114 but in fact wasn't - at least not on the currently available download.
Voices in your head
Dick and Leo have become voices in Bob Hamilton's head.
Listen to Episode 313
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
The Land of the Rolling Hills
Petaluma is a native Indian word meaning "The Land of the Rolling Hills".
The Lost Jingle
Someone has sent in a jingle to Dick wondering if this was the old letters jingle they were looking for (Episode 285). It's not a letters jingle at all but a gravy jingle submission. It's by Dan Lueders. This was the jingle submission Dick referred to in Episode 115, which Dick thought was played on Episode 114 but in fact wasn't - at least not on the currently available download.
Voices in your head
Dick and Leo have become voices in Bob Hamilton's head.
Listen to Episode 313
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
SeeEye2Eye
Eye Contact Enabling Device for Video Chat/Teleprompter
Link: Bodelin
SeeEye2Eye enables direct eye contact with the person you are chatting with in a video chat or conference. It is placed over your own webcam, and a set of mirrors reflect the video image of your friend from your screen on to a beam-splitting glass which sits in front of the webcam, which you can see. The beam splitter, while showing the video image of your friend, at the same time allows light rays of your own image through to be captured by your webcam. With extra software, SeeEye2Eye can also be used as a teleprompter.
Karaoke Version of Letters Jingle
Dave of Birmingham, Alabama, wants Dick and Leo to sing along to the Letters Jingle. Sadly they oblige.
DGW Anniversary Coming Up
Tomorrow is another TTTT, but also the First Anniversary of DGW.
Listen to Episode 251
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Karaoke Version of Letters Jingle
Dave of Birmingham, Alabama, wants Dick and Leo to sing along to the Letters Jingle. Sadly they oblige.
DGW Anniversary Coming Up
Tomorrow is another TTTT, but also the First Anniversary of DGW.
Listen to Episode 251
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
