Turn an empty cardboard box into a speaker, instantly!

The Vibe is a speaker like no other. It’s about the size of a triangular shaped hockey puck. It looks nothing like what it is - a small speaker, or as the manufacturer Tunebug calls it, a sound generator. It weighs a mere 5.3 ounces, which is good, because you most likely will want to pack it when you travel. Why? Because the Vibe uses something called SurfaceSound technology to turn small objects into big sounds. Basically it turns anything you place it on, into a fairly decent sounding speaker! You can even use the cardboard storage box that comes with it as the speaker. Any device you have that has a headphone jack, like your iPod, iPhone, laptop, netbook, MP3 player can now offer really decent sound any place you go. Connect any one of those devices to the Vibe using included 1/8”cable and then set the Vibe on a flat surface. Turn it on and listen as the Vibe turns that surface into a larger, louder sounding speaker. It’s pretty neat. You charge the Vibe’s internal rechargeable battery via a USB-to-mini-plug cable, also included. The company says you’ll get about five hours of play time on a full charge.  The best sound from the Vibe comes when you place it on a hollow surface, such as a box. That's why the Vibe comes with a small box, called a Sound Base. In my testing, sound quality and volume varied wildly depending on the surface on which I put the Vibe, but empty boxes do work best! (You adjust the volume level using your iPod, iPhone, or other connected device's volume control.) A tissue box worked really well, so if you travel, you’d most likely have one already there in the hotel bathroom. At a party, I played some music with my MP3 player and placed the Vibe on a round table. As folks walked around it sounded like the entire table was playing! Everyone was really impressed. This certainly wouldn’t be your prime listening speaker (it’s mono) but it’s ideal for the office, hotel room, or any place you need decent sound without carrying a ton of equipment. List price is $69.99, but I did a web search and saw it for as low as $55.

http://www.tunebug.com/tunebug-vibe.php

Hear or SEE this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1209

Roku adds 3 new HD devices, one that sells for under $60.

Roku, the folks who build those neat little black boxes that let us stream high-definition content from the Internet to our flat screen TV, have introduced 3 new models. They range in price from about $60 to $100 and they’re smaller than ever. All three models can stream high-definition playback from Netflix, Amazon, Pandora, even TWiT. (Assuming, of course, the original content is in High Def.)  Yes, you can even watch The Daily Giz Wiz on your big screen TV. The price of the Roku box depends on the number of connections and features you want. The more expensive high-end boxes include an Instant Replay feature that stores content briefly, so you can see it again, even though it’s streaming video. Here’s something to be aware of. If you’re going to use the component video (red, blue, green) connection, you will need a special cable with a 3.5mm connection for the Roku box end, and the standard red, blue, green connections on the other end. This cable is not included. That was one way to make the new Roku boxes much smaller, by eliminating the jacks for each of the separate component cables.   Check out the Roku website to see the various features for each of the new boxes which are now available. I love my Roku box and use it to stream all the TWiT video to a flat screen TV at Gizneyland. All 3 boxes include remote control.

www.roku.com 

Hear this Netcast www.twit.tv/dgw1193

When this clock stops running, don't reach for new batteries; but add water!

Bedol Water Powered Alarm Clocks really do their part to reduce our carbon footprint by running on tap water alone! When they first arrived I filled the reservoir with water wondering if this really could be possible. With seconds, the digital clock started running. Amazing. There are three versions of the water clock. I showed the Smiley, the largest of the three. It has the largest water tank, and when filled can run up to sixteen weeks or more on just plain tap water! (They don't recommend using bottled water.) Just refill the water reservoir when you see it running low through the translucent case. The smaller Water Droplet (not shown here) retails for $29 and is available in four colors. The newest eco-friendly Bedol Water Alarm is the Smiley (shown here) and it’s available in six colors: Red, green, orange, blue, yellow and charcoal. You have to remember that aActual operation times will vary depending on the content of local tap water. But when it runs low, power is as close as your sink. How does it work? The clock’s power plant employs the ions in water to generate electrical current.  Each clock features a daily or hourly alarm and easy to set 12 hour or 24 hour clock.

www.bedolwhatsnext.com

Hear or SEE this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1191

This is the easiest to use travel clock I've found so far!

 

It’s the new Moshi Voice Control Travel Alarm Clock. Pushing a button and then just giving a command sets the time of day and alarm time on this small travel alarm clock. A while back we did the Moshi Talking Clock for the home. This travel alarm clock is better. You push a button on the top of the clock and give a command. You can say things like “set time”, “set alarm”, even “temperature”.  The last thing you want to do when you arrive jet-lagged at your destination is try to futz with those confusing hotel alarm clocks or automated wake-up calls. With the Moshi VC Travel Alarm Clock simply say, "Set Alarm…7:30 AM” and wait for confirmation voice. Then you can fall asleep with ease. Something I really like happens when the alarm goes off in the morning. You don’t have to touch a button, just say “snooze” and go back to sleep for another nine minutes! It’s available in four different color options and it’s priced reasonably at $24.95.

http://www.moshilifestyle.com/Product/VoiceControlTravelAlarmClock

Hear the Netcast Leo &  I did on this program: www.twit.tv/dgw988  

Here's the link to show we did on the large size Moshi Talking Clock. You set the large clock by waking it up with "Hello, Moshi". I like the travel clock better, when you wake it by pushing a button. The bigger clock would sometime come on and start talking about it heard a phrase on the radio or TV!

http://gizwizbiz.com/homecurrentdailygizwiz/dgwmarch09.html

Let there be light! No, let there be LED light!

CCrane introduced the first 60-watt direct replacement LED bulb about four years ago, the GeoBulb. It cost more than $100! But now the price has dropped to $39.99. (Don’t forget the first CFL bulbs were about $30!) The GeoBulb is the same size as a conventional incandescent bulb suitable for direct replacement in any indoor open fixture. It puts out more light than a standard 60-watt bulb but uses less than 8 watts. That’s about 45% less than even CFL bulbs. Also LED bulbs are instant on/off. They don’t take time to reach full brightness. The newest bulb, the GeoBulb3 is built for long lasting durability. It’s the first bulb built to last for about 50,000 hours! It just may be the last bulb you’ve ever have to buy. And you’ll be using just 8 watts of electric instead of 60. That can really offset the price of the bulb. As with CFL bulbs, as people start using them more and more, sales will increase and the prices will drop further and faster. Right now GeoBulbs are not dimmable. Part of the problem is that most dimmers don’t go down to zero watts. So while an incandescent bulb may appear to be off when totally dimmed, a super efficient LED bulb like the GeoBulb would stay on! Available in soft and warm white. Learn more here:

http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/geobulb-led-light-bulb.aspx?RefID=WS110401WSDG0100