Let Iris help you get control of home automation.

Another winner of a CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award is Lowe’s for their Iris Smart Kit. Lowe’s entered the Smart Home market in July with the launch of its new, award- winning Smart Kit. It’s a way to simplify safety and efficiently for people who want home automation, but don’t want to have to learn a dozen different systems. Since Lowe’s is a huge retail chain, they asked many of their major suppliers to create an easier way for customers to manage home automation via their new Iris platform. Kevin Meagher, Lowe’s vice president of smart home puts it this way: “Current home monitoring solutions are expensive and inflexible to the extent that 80 percent of homes have no protection. Iris makes home security and management simple and affordable with free, entry-level services, no long-term contracts and a wide variety of products that are easy to install and manage from your smart phone.” At CES 2013, Lowe’s plans to unveil the next generation of Iris products and services that will allow consumers to do everything from managing home energy consumption to monitoring pet doors to check on the family dog throughout the day. Lowe’s currently offers a variety of connected products that are compatible with Iris from  partners like Schlage, First Alert, GE Jasco and Radio Thermostat of America. If you want to start right away, here’s a quick look at what’s available. Want to start with home monitoring? Check out the Safe & Secure Kit. Looking to start saving on your energy bill? The Comfort & Control Kit is your answer. Can't decide? The Smart Kit has everything plus a Range Extender. Each kit is $179, but you can save money with the kit that is a combination of the two. It retails for $299.00.

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Iris_239939199_

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An emergency phone with a battery that can last up to 15 years!

 Here' a cell phone that can work when your normal one doesn't! It's called the Spare One Emergency Phone. What do you do when you break down in your car and your phone is out of power. Just power up your Spare One phone. This emergency phone runs on 1 AA battery. It comes with an Energizer Ultimate Lithium battery, which can hold its charge unused for up to 15 years. But it can also use any standard AA battery. Just insert your SIM card & you can have up to 10 hours of talk time. The phone will make emergency 911 calls without a SIM card, but that's all it will be able to do - but that alone can be a life saver! For calling other numbers you’ll need a SIM card to put into the Spare One phone. You can use your own SIM card or purchase one from any GSM network carrier, like T-Mobile or AT&T. The phone’s design is super simple. An emergency number can be programmed into the center button. If you need to call that number, just hold the red button for 2 seconds to call. You can also add 9 speed dial numbers for emergencies. And finally, there’s one other safety gadget built in – a small LED flashlight that can stay on for as long as 24 hours with the single AA battery. It ships in a waterproof pouch and you can operate the phone while it's in the pouch, great for use in storms. $99.99, but selling for $10 less on the company website right now. (Nov. 13, 2012)

http://www.spareonephone.com/product.html

It's here on Amazon, but it may not ship with the new waterproof pouch. However it's $57, not $89.99 as on the manufacturer's website: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008B291SQ/?tag=twnene-20

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Chad Gets To Pick The Next Gadget!

Chad finds a really nice external high capacity power bank charger from Anker. It has an ultra slim 0.4 inch profile with an attractive piano-style black varnish finish. Since it’s Chad’s gadget and I haven’t seen it in person, here’s some info from Amazon: Supply instant power to charge your device anytime, anywhere. High capacity: 3200mAh, 1 full charge or add 10 hours of talk time to your iPhone 4S / 4G / 3GS, 100+ hours audio playback, or 100% - 200% to the battery life of most mobile phones. Super convenient built-in Micro-USB charging plug frees you from carrying any extra cables when you're on the go; USB output also available for most all your other mobile devices; Convenient flashlight for night & low-light use activates after pressing the Power button for 2 seconds. Charges via Micro-USB power wire (included) or AC adapter (not included). Input: 5V 1A; Output: USB 5V 0.6A; Dimensions: 4.17 x 2.24 x 0.4 inches. Package includes: Anker External Battery / 1 Micro-USB tip / 1 USB to Micro-USB power wire. And now back to The Giz Wiz. And the price is right! MSRP $37.99, but on Amazon it’s just $22.99! And it’s on Amazon Prime, so you’re a member, shipping is free.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054U6CEE/?tag=twnene-20

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Chad picks a second gadget! Digits. 

Digits is a way to stay warm while staying connected. It’s from the folks at Quirky. The cold weather is here in a lot of the country. But you don’t have to let the cold keep you from your digital connections! Digits are mini conductive pins that attach to the gloves you already love so you can use electronic touch screen devices, like smartphones and MP3 players, even when it’s below zero. They’re simple to use. Digits separate into two pieces. Place the backside of the digit (with post) inside the fingertip of the glove and push through. Then twist the other side of the digit onto the post. Digits are made of conductive silicone, with a metal pin on the back for attaching to your glove. They’re black in color and come in packs of four so you can use them on multiple sets of gloves or give a set to a friend. You probably will use two Digits on the glove you use for your electronics. $11.99 a pack at the Quirky website. You should be able to find them for a buck or two cheaper if you do a web search. 

http://www.quirky.com/products/37-Digits-Conductive-Glove-Pins 

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Gadget Warehouse Time! And it's another interesting viewer's video! (Learn how to submit yours at the bottom.)

It's another viewer's warehouse gadget video. It started with this email to us:

Hello Dick and Leo (and producer),  (That would be Jason Howell.)

I have recorded a video presenting my Warehouse gadget: 1980's Fabulous Fred, a 10-in-1 electronic game, from MegoCorp. The link is below. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd-pKoYalCg

Thank you in advance for the time given my proposal.

Best, CIC

Dr. Caroline-Isabelle Caron, Associate Professor

Department of History, Queen's University

Kingston, Ontario  

Want to be a part of The Giz Wiz Show? Then submit your own video! 

Here's what we're looking for:

Your home made Videos -- two to three minutes long - in the 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.

I Invented This! Do 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.

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. 

And a new category: My favorite gadget of all time! Show us what it is, tell us what it does and why you love, or loved it!

Post them on YouTube and send our producer, Jason, 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. Even welcomed; so our stuff doesn't look too bad by comparison. We've set the bar low. Don't trip over it.

All show submissions go to gizwiz@twit.tv

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The Giz Wiz for the Week of November 6, 2012. Show 1389

Leo takes a long trip down under, and OMGChad co-hosts this week show!

It's time to get a grip - on your camera phone!

At the 2012 PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in NYC, JOBY launched their new GripTight collection of Android and iPhone stands. They're designed for folks who use their smartphones to take photos and video, and view media on the go. Which I guess is pretty much everyone! I'm sure the name Joby is familiar. Years ago we featured their award-winning GorillaPod flexible camera tripods that let you hang your camera from all sorts of strange places.  Now JOBY expands their collection with three new lightweight phone-holding products that fit the best-selling smartphones like the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III and the Nokia Lumia 920. (And you can use them with or without their protective cases.) The GripTight products are designed to help you shoot shake-free pictures and video from unique angles. Joby says their GripTight Micro Stand is the only pocket-sized smartphone stand available. It has a steel inner frame and zinc alloy legs, yet it’s small enough to fit in a pocket or on a key chain. Grippy, rubber feet let you stabilize your smartphone on uneven surfaces, and the mini-ball head tilts 36 degrees in any direction. The GripTight GorillaPod Stand with its bendable legs allows users to secure their smartphones to all kinds of objects and stabilize them on all types of surfaces as they shoot photos and videos. The GripTight Mount is also available alone if you already have a GorillaPod. It also fits camera tripods and standard tripods via a universal, stainless-steel ¼-20" thread. The GripTight Mount is available for $19.95 (US MSRP). The GripTight Micro Stand and GripTight GorillaPod Stand are available for $29.95 each (US MSRP).

www.joby.com

GripTight at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GHYM0M/?tag=twnene-20

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/giz1389