Dick's Gadget Warehouse & How To Submit Your Video & Get An Autographed MAD Magazine!

Our email of the week contains a different kind of video, but one we're happy to show.

Hi Dick and Chad,

For the past few weeks the Air Force and the Navy have been doing flyovers of medical facilities and communities in various parts of the country as a way to say thank you to those people who are working so hard to keep those afflicted with the Covid-19 virus alive. These are photos I put together in a little iMovie as my little way to say thank you to them as well, using pictures from the recent flyover of Baltimore, Washington DC and New York City by the Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels a couple of weeks ago. If you watch the internet you will find various times where state Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units are doing the same in many states across the nation.

This is all part of routine training so it doesn’t cost the taxpayer any additional money and it is a great way to say Thank you to those essential workers that, until recently, have worked behind the scenes and “under the radar” to keep us safe, healthy, well-fed, and clean.

Doug Johnson, MSgt, USAF, Ret.

https://youtu.be/_ePF6O1G4_Q

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1779

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We’d love to include your video in an upcoming Giz Wiz Show! Here's what we're looking for! Your home shot video – 2 to 3 minutes long, in any of the following categories:
I bought a piece of crap: Did you buy something you ended up hating? We won't get you a refund, but we might be able to give a platform to vent your disappointment. Remember, "family friendly" language applies.
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I invented this! Did you invent something? (Or did a friend or relative invent something.) We can't market it for you, but we can help get the word out. Show us what it is, and how it works. Even if it's a prototype, you can get our (and the audience) reactions. No professional ads please.
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My Gadget Warehouse: Okay, so you don't have a warehouse. It doesn't matter. Just tell us about your favorite old gadget(s). When and where you bought it, and why you're still hanging on to it.
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My Favorite Gadget (favorite old, or favorite new): Show us what it is, tell us what it does and why you love, or loved it! It can be a new gadget you just bought too.
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Post them on YouTube and send us the link! We'll do the rest. (Or possibly nothing, but that's unlikely.) Remember, videos should be just 2 to 3 minutes long! Low production value is fine, but we should be able to hear you and see you! If we select and show your video on The Giz Wiz you’ll earn a tiny amount of fame (hopefully). And if you live in the US, you'll also get an autographed 38+ year old Alfred E. Neuman picture and a MAD surprise (most likely the current issue of MAD.) But no matter where you live outside of US, I can autograph an Alfred E. Neuman photo to you, scan it & email you a high res copy if we show your video. Just print it out, frame it, or just hang it up and no one will know it's a copy. We've tested it out and fans say they look terrific! If you submitting warehouse videos for a second, third time, etc., you'll get the current issue of MAD as a thank you.

All show submissions go to mail@gizwiz.tv
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Two emails this week reacting to the Z Loks we talked about on your last week's show.

I saw your segment on the zip lock and you said you can leave your luggage tied to a bench at the airport. No offense, but you should never leave your luggage unattended. If someone sees you lock a suitcase to a bench they will shut down that terminal and evacuate it all while trying to figure out whose locked luggage is tied to a bench. So be careful with that. :-) Karl

And email #2:

Hi Dick and Chad,

Last show you featured Hiplok Z Loks. I thought you might get a kick out of a bike lock at the completely other end of the spectrum, the Altorlocks SAF lock: https://altorlocks.com/products/saf-lock.

I first saw this on the LockPickingLawyer’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6rby98W8JigLoZOh6FQ

There are lots of videos online of people trying to break open this giant lock.

Thanks a lot for the show, I always enjoy it.  Robin Holtje

Giz Wiz Show #1778 May 7, 2020 Independent Show #259

This is show our 5th year of Independent Production! (First Giz Wiz show was February 20th, 2006.) Thanks to our wonderful Patreon supporters we're now going into year 15. If it wasn't for our supporters the Giz Wiz Show would be gone. If you'd like to support OMGchad & DickDe in our independent venture (we pay for everything ourselves, including travel) just click the Patreon link at the top of our show web page: www.gizwiz.tv.   

We start with a What The Heck Is It? Gadget.

If you couldn't guess those devices I unpacked are Hexagonal Touch Sensitive LED Honeycomb Wall Night Lights. I wish I had read the full description before I started playing them and thinking they weren't working. It turns out they use a capacitive sensor as a switch to turn each component on or off when you touch it! Well, that's what it's supposed to do. As you'll see in the video, four worked really well, and one seemed to be touchy about being touch sensitive. I don't have a place to install them, but they do come with double stick circles to put them on a wall. You connect the lights together by the magnetic edges to fit the structure you want. I paid $30 for 5 lights as a 'deal of the day' on http://www.untilgone.com/. They were still on the Until Gone website as of 5/7/20 for $32.99. And there are a lot of choices at Amazon too. They're fun and different and I guess they could be called a great conversation starter. You'll also see they are available in colors, but I bought white lights.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/9vxcZoN46Tw

https://untilgone.com/products/hexagonal-touch-sensitive-led-honeycomb-wall-night-lights-5-pack  

Lots of choice on Amazon: https://amzn.to/35y7YYG

AliExpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33032622456.html

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1778

Meet the Z Loks.

I much prefer the Hiplok Combo for its added security.Hiplok Z Loks are reusable security ties designed to provide ultra-convenient added protection for short stops. They can be used as basic security for bikes, luggage at the airport, etc. Z LOK is available in both a keyed and combination locking version in a variety of colors. It has a lock and hold ratchet design (like a zip-tie) but this one has a reinforced steel core. And the company says they're for basic security in low-risk areas, like when you run into a place for coffee or a newspaper. I'm not crazy about the lower priced version because they all use the same key. So once someone has one of those Z Lok keys they can open any of the keyed Z Loks. The three Digit combination lock with number reset function is built much better and offers more security. They're both inexpensive at about $12.50 for the keyed version & $25 for the Combo lock version. I've seen the Combo lock on sale for about $20 on Amazon.  

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/Fr1waXSy2ew

Company video: https://youtu.be/WqTyXpNlj0A  

Company website: http://www.hiplok.com/

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35E7TCI 

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1778  

Cuisinart Popcorn Maker, take 2!

Some weeks back I started to review the Cuisinart Popcorn Maker. I wondered how Cuisinart could make something that retailed for under $8 at times. It seems to fluctuate between $7.99 and $12.99 from week to week on Amazon. I didn't even get to make popcorn in mine because out of the box it didn't work right. It opened like it should, but when you pushed it closed it bend in all weird shapes. I tried to get a refund, but strangely, you can't get a refund on this article. First time I ever heard of that on Amazon. I was given an 800# to call and they took my info and sent me a new one. They did not want the original one back. The new one folds better, but not good enough to please me. So they'll probably end up as flower pots in the backyard.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/Huir56lsggw  

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SKSRpy  

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1778

Chad's Crappy Corner & His New Cheap Gadget Theme For May.

Chad's 'Cheap Gadgets Theme For May picked by our loyal Patreons is 'Cheap Gadgets You Can Hack!"

These theme won by a wide margin. Who knew our audience was so tech-minded! I like LED's and to me hanging up a strip on the wall and plugging them in is being techie. But Chad, he had to find a way to make EACH led bulb addressible!

I was fairly lost with this project, but I must admit, it was pretty awesome what Chad was able to do. He seemed he did actually make his LED's obey his every command.

Watch this week's episode and then if you want to duplicate what Chad did, here's a list of everything he used!

Here's Chad's list of the gadgets: 

• NodeMCU Board -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HF44GBT 
• WS2812b LEDs -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZHB9M6A 
• 5v Power Supply -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XK2DDW4
• Jumper Wires -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077X7MKHN
• Extra Wire For power to the other side of the strip -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QTCBZ4I
• Connectors so you can use a heat gun instead of saudering Iron -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S62KYSL

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1778