8 posts tagged “toast”
VIP Hybrid-8 SEG
Video Editing Machine
Link: biocomp
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
The Hybrid 8 SEG (Special Effects Generator) Video Duplicator from VIP (Video Interface Products) allowed the user to hook up 2 video cassette players as the inputs, to output to a 3rd video cassette recorder. You could edit your videos, and add special effects such as split screens and cross-fades. It even had a joystick-style wired remote control. You would end up with wires and cables all over the place. Not even Leo, who's always quick to click the BUY button online, wants to get it.
Long Term Investment
Dick spent thousands of dollars paying rent each month for the Gadget Warehouse and it's payback time. His warehouse contents are now worth hundreds of dollars ! Had Dick not made this long term investment, as Leo observes, we would all be much poorer in spirit now.
The Problem with Dick's Imagination
Dick's creative talent comes at a price. He can always imagine a need for a gadget which turns out to be another surplus to requirement. Hence the VIP Hybrid 8 and the accumulation at the Gadget Warehouse, which is in the process of downsizing.
Early Adopters
Gadget manufacturers count on the estimated 10,000 early adopters who want to be the first to try things out. They used to make an outlet such as Sharper Image or Hammacher Schlemmer the exclusive seller, say for the first 3 months, to maintain the price to allow manufacturers to recoup their costs, before releasing the products on wider distribution later (and when the price would start getting cut).
The GigaPan EPIC
Anthony Devito Junior, usually just Tony Devito, writes in to tell Dick and Leo about the Gigapan, and the GigaPan EPIC, a robotic camera mount for rotating and swivelling the camera sideways and up and down to take multiple pictures of a scene, to be stitched up in due course for making gigapixel panoramas, which you can then upload to the Gigapan website. The EPIC works with most point-and-shoot cameras (see list), and the EPIC 100 is coming soon which will fit larger point-and-shoots.
The GoldenPan
Dick doesn't have the Gigapan, but he has the George Foreman Gigapan frying pan with built-in memory. Leo is tempted by the GigaPan EPIC. He might use it for the Great Wall of China when he visits it in July this year. If Dick had the GigaPan, he would take a panorama of a railroad yard. However, Dick wouldn't be getting it, as he has something better - Dane Golden on a swivelling chair.
It's Just Another Name
Dick has been making up names for Petaluma's Butter and Eggs Day, such as Butter and Margarine, Wine and Swill, Food And Drug Parade. The latest is Rum and Coca Cola Festival.
Dick spent thousands of dollars paying rent each month for the Gadget Warehouse and it's payback time. His warehouse contents are now worth hundreds of dollars ! Had Dick not made this long term investment, as Leo observes, we would all be much poorer in spirit now.
The Problem with Dick's Imagination
Dick's creative talent comes at a price. He can always imagine a need for a gadget which turns out to be another surplus to requirement. Hence the VIP Hybrid 8 and the accumulation at the Gadget Warehouse, which is in the process of downsizing.
Early Adopters
Gadget manufacturers count on the estimated 10,000 early adopters who want to be the first to try things out. They used to make an outlet such as Sharper Image or Hammacher Schlemmer the exclusive seller, say for the first 3 months, to maintain the price to allow manufacturers to recoup their costs, before releasing the products on wider distribution later (and when the price would start getting cut).
The GigaPan EPIC
Anthony Devito Junior, usually just Tony Devito, writes in to tell Dick and Leo about the Gigapan, and the GigaPan EPIC, a robotic camera mount for rotating and swivelling the camera sideways and up and down to take multiple pictures of a scene, to be stitched up in due course for making gigapixel panoramas, which you can then upload to the Gigapan website. The EPIC works with most point-and-shoot cameras (see list), and the EPIC 100 is coming soon which will fit larger point-and-shoots.
The GoldenPan
Dick doesn't have the Gigapan, but he has the George Foreman Gigapan frying pan with built-in memory. Leo is tempted by the GigaPan EPIC. He might use it for the Great Wall of China when he visits it in July this year. If Dick had the GigaPan, he would take a panorama of a railroad yard. However, Dick wouldn't be getting it, as he has something better - Dane Golden on a swivelling chair.
It's Just Another Name
Dick has been making up names for Petaluma's Butter and Eggs Day, such as Butter and Margarine, Wine and Swill, Food And Drug Parade. The latest is Rum and Coca Cola Festival.
Thermaltake Blacx SATA HDD Docking Station ST0005U
External HDD Dock
Link: Themaltake USA
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
Having mercilessly mocked Dick's recommendation of the CompUSA External HDD Enclosure in Episode 67, Leo suffered the embarrassment of not only having the original recording of that episode itself accidentally erased, but also having one or more of his web servers died on him, once in October 2006 (see Episode 179 and his blog post for Friday 13th 2006), and more recently on 19 September 2008 (see his recent blog post). Both occasions on a Friday. The first time it was a hard drive failure, and recently, it was a RAID 5 controller failure, with loss of certain data which had not been backed up. This was despite his constant reminders to his audience to back up, on his radio show. By the way, the GizWizLive video has been lost (which had nothing to do with the RAID 5 controller failure).
Will Leo learn his lesson? Let's hope that today's TTTT gadget will help him do so. The Thermaltake Blacx SATA HDD Docking Station has a function similar to the common external hdd enclosure, or a previous TTTT gadget the NewerTech Universal Drive Adapter (Episode 267). The major difference is, it is even more convenient. You just slide the HDD into the slot of the docking station (SATA connection facing down), as you would a slice of bread into a toaster, and connect the dock to the computer via USB or eSATA. Leo has the model ST0005U which has both forms of connections (the latter enabling full SATA speed), while the other Blacx models N0028USU and N0029USU only have a USB connection (the latter working as a USB hub as well). Ideal for people who have a number of external HDDs to work with constantly. Works with both 2.5" and 3.5" SATA hdds.
Another Small Car
Leo finally has a letter to read. Regular correspondent Mark Sukoenig tells Leo that user satisfaction for the Smart Car has not been great, and reminds Leo of an even smaller car in the 1950's, the BMW Isetta, with a link to a YouTube video.
Listen to Episode 667
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Another Small Car
Leo finally has a letter to read. Regular correspondent Mark Sukoenig tells Leo that user satisfaction for the Smart Car has not been great, and reminds Leo of an even smaller car in the 1950's, the BMW Isetta, with a link to a YouTube video.
Listen to Episode 667
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Kingston DataTraveler Micro Reader
USB Thumb Drive and MicroSD Card Reader
Link: Kingston
The Kingston DataTraveler has evolved from a simple USB Thumb Drive (Episode 83), to an SD Card Reader (Episode 353), and now to a microSD Card Reader. The DataTraveler Micro Reader has capacities of 1GB, 2GB and 4GB built-in flash memory, and opens up to reveal a microSD card slot to read and write data to and from your microSD card, now a prevalent format in cellphones. It supports microSD-HC and Memory Stick Micro (M2) as well. The microSD card is not included.
Kingston also offers an almost confusing array of alternatives. The name of the model, DataTraveler, means the device includes built-in flash memory. But you can get just the USB microSD reader (without the built-in flash memory), with a microSD card (which is the album art for this episode's mp3), or without a card. There is also the Kingston Mobility Kit (Episode 383) which contains adapters for all the SD sub-formats. All in a thumb drive design.
Kingston also offers an almost confusing array of alternatives. The name of the model, DataTraveler, means the device includes built-in flash memory. But you can get just the USB microSD reader (without the built-in flash memory), with a microSD card (which is the album art for this episode's mp3), or without a card. There is also the Kingston Mobility Kit (Episode 383) which contains adapters for all the SD sub-formats. All in a thumb drive design.
Señor Wences ...
... aka Wenceslao Moreno, was a ventriloquist who performed on shows including the Ed Sullivan Show with his puppets Johnny (Wences's hand with a blond wig), and Pedro (a head in a box), who bore a striking resemblance to the very Giz Wiz himself. Wences died aged 103 in 1999. You can read his entry on Wikipedia. Here is a video on YouTube of a performance by Señor Wences. Pedro appears in the video at the 1:30 mark.
Video Toaster on the Amiga 2000
Leo's reference to Newtek's Video Toaster in the Snappy episode (Episode 565) did not invoke any nostalgia in Paul Watson. He still has the Video Toaster working on his original Amiga 2000, along with Final Cut Pro on his Intel Mac Pro!
For an archived video of the Video Toaster on an Amiga 2000, go back to the blog post for Episode 565.
Repurposing Lumpy
Dick suggests that Carvel's Lumpy the Whale (more commonly known as Fudgie) should be repurposed as Leo the Loopy. To revisit Dick and Leo's repartee on Lumpy the Whale, check out Episodes 347, 357 and 535.
President and Biz Dev Guy
Apart from getting a new uniform and a No.1 Badge, Dane Golden has been promoted to President and Biz Dev Guy of TWiT. Leo is also going to get a part-time editor to edit the shows to free up Dane so he can bring Leo his cup of broth and blanket, prune the trees and mow the lawn in the TWiT garden, and drive Dick to and from the San Francisco Airport on a stretch Volkswagen when Dick appears on TWiTLive.
To learn more about Leo's new crew at the TWiT Cottage, including Colleen and Frédérique, read his recent blog post TWiT Live Update.
Off to Nova Scotia
Dick is off to Nova Scotia today, on the Queen Mary 2, but will return to base on Tuesday to record more DGWs.
Listen to Episode 574
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
... aka Wenceslao Moreno, was a ventriloquist who performed on shows including the Ed Sullivan Show with his puppets Johnny (Wences's hand with a blond wig), and Pedro (a head in a box), who bore a striking resemblance to the very Giz Wiz himself. Wences died aged 103 in 1999. You can read his entry on Wikipedia. Here is a video on YouTube of a performance by Señor Wences. Pedro appears in the video at the 1:30 mark.
Video Toaster on the Amiga 2000
Leo's reference to Newtek's Video Toaster in the Snappy episode (Episode 565) did not invoke any nostalgia in Paul Watson. He still has the Video Toaster working on his original Amiga 2000, along with Final Cut Pro on his Intel Mac Pro!
For an archived video of the Video Toaster on an Amiga 2000, go back to the blog post for Episode 565.
Repurposing Lumpy
Dick suggests that Carvel's Lumpy the Whale (more commonly known as Fudgie) should be repurposed as Leo the Loopy. To revisit Dick and Leo's repartee on Lumpy the Whale, check out Episodes 347, 357 and 535.
President and Biz Dev Guy
Apart from getting a new uniform and a No.1 Badge, Dane Golden has been promoted to President and Biz Dev Guy of TWiT. Leo is also going to get a part-time editor to edit the shows to free up Dane so he can bring Leo his cup of broth and blanket, prune the trees and mow the lawn in the TWiT garden, and drive Dick to and from the San Francisco Airport on a stretch Volkswagen when Dick appears on TWiTLive.
To learn more about Leo's new crew at the TWiT Cottage, including Colleen and Frédérique, read his recent blog post TWiT Live Update.
Off to Nova Scotia
Dick is off to Nova Scotia today, on the Queen Mary 2, but will return to base on Tuesday to record more DGWs.
Listen to Episode 574
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Ziszor
Portable Paper Shredder
Link: Ziszor
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
This time, it's Leo's turn to do a "What's In the Box?" routine, and Dick's turn to guess what it is. It's Ziszor, a portable, hand-held shredder. It runs on 4 AA batteries, comes with 4 Ziszor catcher bags, and you shred your paper trail right into the bag. Ziszor's slogan is, Don't let your mail be your trail. But as Leo demonstrates, it can't shred Colleen's credit card, though it will shred your English spelling into oblivion.
A Wireless Toaster
Karen Toast Conger, of ToastFloats, used to work for WatchGuard, a network security devices company. As a parting gift, she was given a very special toaster. Her colleagues bought her a Cuisinart toaster, took it apart, and put a WatchGuard Firebox X Edge wireless router into it. A wireless router, security device, and a toaster.
Listen to Episode 557
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
A Wireless Toaster
Karen Toast Conger, of ToastFloats, used to work for WatchGuard, a network security devices company. As a parting gift, she was given a very special toaster. Her colleagues bought her a Cuisinart toaster, took it apart, and put a WatchGuard Firebox X Edge wireless router into it. A wireless router, security device, and a toaster.
Listen to Episode 557
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Backpack Shield
Bulletproof Shield
Link: Backpack Shield
A bulletproof shield which can fit into most backpacks. According to Backpack Shield's website, it is supposed to stop bullets from virtually all handguns. Essentially a Kevlar sheet, it will protect you from the back, but can also be used as a shield when you put the backpack in front of you. A sad commentary on American society, Leo says.
The company also sells backpacks, including see-through or transparent varieties, for convenient security checks.
VeggieTales
Technopiliac from Toronto, Ontario writes in about the VeggieTales which often parody popular TV shows and films. There's a parody of the Lord of the Rings, called the Lord of the Beans, in which the beans are scared of - an army of Sporks - forged by Lord Scaryman. In the end, the sporks were defeated by Keebler cookies. The parody is available on DVD on Amazon.
That brings back bitter memories for Leo, of the sponsorship that never was, by To[s]tino pizza rolls.
Listen to Episode 524
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
The company also sells backpacks, including see-through or transparent varieties, for convenient security checks.
VeggieTales
Technopiliac from Toronto, Ontario writes in about the VeggieTales which often parody popular TV shows and films. There's a parody of the Lord of the Rings, called the Lord of the Beans, in which the beans are scared of - an army of Sporks - forged by Lord Scaryman. In the end, the sporks were defeated by Keebler cookies. The parody is available on DVD on Amazon.
That brings back bitter memories for Leo, of the sponsorship that never was, by To[s]tino pizza rolls.
Listen to Episode 524
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Tom Bihn's Western Flyer
Travel Bag For Laptop
Link: Tom Bihn
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
Leo was going to do the new Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse, but has decided to leave it for Dick to cover. Apart from pens and watches, Leo cannot get enough of laptop bags. Tom Bihn specialises in bags, which are all well made, sophisticated, componentised, customisable cases with optional add-ons and inserts.
Leo has the Western Flyer, but recommends the SuperEgo for Dick, who can take an Ego Strip with it. The SuperEgo can carry Dick's laptop with room to double up as an overnight bag. For the ultimate briefcase, try the Empire Builder.
Extras include the Horizontal Brain Cell (an insert for storing your laptop), the Absolute Shoulder Strap (which tucks away neatly inside the bag but turns your bag into a messenger-style bag), and the Freudian Slip (a briefcase organiser).
Dick has been using a Targus bag for his laptop (probably the Targus Flare Backpack in Episode 394), but is now sorely tempted to get a Tom Bihn bag.
Toasting Don Quixote
Karen Toast Conger, who lives aboard a catamaran and travels around the world with her family (Episode 512), has taken up Leo's invitation and sent him a photo of her boat, the Don Quixote. It's a Lagoon 380 catamaran. You can see Toast's boat on her website, and on Flickr too. She and her two young girls sing along to the Letters Jingle.
Listen to Episode 522
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Leo has the Western Flyer, but recommends the SuperEgo for Dick, who can take an Ego Strip with it. The SuperEgo can carry Dick's laptop with room to double up as an overnight bag. For the ultimate briefcase, try the Empire Builder.
Toasting Don Quixote
Karen Toast Conger, who lives aboard a catamaran and travels around the world with her family (Episode 512), has taken up Leo's invitation and sent him a photo of her boat, the Don Quixote. It's a Lagoon 380 catamaran. You can see Toast's boat on her website, and on Flickr too. She and her two young girls sing along to the Letters Jingle.
Listen to Episode 522
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
Photo Studio In A Box
Mini Photo Studio/Photography
Link: American Recorder Technologies
From American Recorder, this Photo Studio In A Box is 16" x 16" x 16" is ideal for taking studio style photos of small objects. It comes with a stand for your camera, two 8" tall studio quality lights (2800K Tungsten lamps for even colour temperature), a soft light box made of woven nylon fibre mesh diffuser giving you uniform illumination and eliminating harsh shadows, and a two-sided (blue/grey) non-reflective fabric background.
New Look for Dick's Website
As reported in Episode 500's blog entry, Dick's website has a new look, and Dick has just noticed that he's put at the top of the home page: "This website no longer contains trans-fats." But Dick thinks that the letter read out yesterday (from Bill Mulligan) came before the new website came up. Indeed, Dick and Leo talked about DGW being free of trans-fat, cholesterol and starch in Episode 498.
Gadgets, Science and Technology
Karen Toast Conger (from Toast Floats and Toast Floats Blog) and her family are full-time live-aboard cruisers on their catamaran in the Pacific Northwest. She regularly download TWiT podcasts to learn about all the things she can't afford any more, but DGW does offer news of affordable boat-worthy gadgets, such as the Liquid Image Underwater Camera Mask (Episode 484) and the WaterBob (Episode 319), which Karen calls the Bathtub Water Bladder. She recommends the link on Dick's website to PowerBoat Magazine for boat gadgets.
Karen also says that the gadgets we love are a by-product of science and technology, and believes that we must get to know about the science policy and plans of the next American president. There is a proposed presidential debate devoted to science and technology - Science Debate 2008.
Jerkstopper Unplugged
Leo also refers to a letter sent to him by Bob Harris, who was prompted by the Jerkstopper (Episode 507) to write about a piece of free software for Mac which alerts you when the power cord for your MacBook becomes unplugged, called Unplugged, from Brik Software.
Listen to Episode 512
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
New Look for Dick's Website
As reported in Episode 500's blog entry, Dick's website has a new look, and Dick has just noticed that he's put at the top of the home page: "This website no longer contains trans-fats." But Dick thinks that the letter read out yesterday (from Bill Mulligan) came before the new website came up. Indeed, Dick and Leo talked about DGW being free of trans-fat, cholesterol and starch in Episode 498.
Gadgets, Science and Technology
Karen Toast Conger (from Toast Floats and Toast Floats Blog) and her family are full-time live-aboard cruisers on their catamaran in the Pacific Northwest. She regularly download TWiT podcasts to learn about all the things she can't afford any more, but DGW does offer news of affordable boat-worthy gadgets, such as the Liquid Image Underwater Camera Mask (Episode 484) and the WaterBob (Episode 319), which Karen calls the Bathtub Water Bladder. She recommends the link on Dick's website to PowerBoat Magazine for boat gadgets.
Karen also says that the gadgets we love are a by-product of science and technology, and believes that we must get to know about the science policy and plans of the next American president. There is a proposed presidential debate devoted to science and technology - Science Debate 2008.
Jerkstopper Unplugged
Leo also refers to a letter sent to him by Bob Harris, who was prompted by the Jerkstopper (Episode 507) to write about a piece of free software for Mac which alerts you when the power cord for your MacBook becomes unplugged, called Unplugged, from Brik Software.
Listen to Episode 512
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-Up
LG enV
Cellphone
Link: LG
Carried by Verizon, this cellphone is a follow-up to the V (Episode 9). LG's EnV has Evdo, qwerty keyboard, bluetooth, 2 MP camera, micro-SD card slot, multimedia files player.
Leo's Stretch Limo
Leo has a stretch limo complete with driver, Butter Wizard (Episode 216) and toaster, and when he's in it, he talks like a toff, and his Scottish accent doesn't work.
Coffee Syringe
Spadge, a coffee syringe from Canada recommends the AeroPress from Aerobie, the company that makes frisbee discs.
Giant Cheques
Leo has received giant cheques from Visa and T-Mobile. He's going to the bank now and then straight off to Mexico, beyond the jurisdiction. Dick will be here after the holidays, but we're not sure about Leo.
Listen to Episode 219
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
