Giz Wiz, Week of April 30th, 2013, Netcast 1414

The Giz Wiz Video of the Week!

Bill Petrosky, a fan of the Giz Wiz show for more than five years, emailed me to say his company had introduced a neat outdoor device that I would probably like to try. It’s call SkiMotion, a new and innovative concept 3-wheel sports riding machine. Here’s a bit of info about it from the company website: The unique patented 4 point-pivot hub mechanism and the ergonomic design allow the user to ride the SkiMotion in various modes of motions. These include the Inline-Skating and Scissor-Kick style for those narrow pathway rides while the Ski-like Slaloming and Cambering moves for wider open areas. The SkiMotion utilizes the leg/hip/arm muscles well as the core muscles to get moving in a smooth easy motion, providing an effective whole-body exercise while having great fun at the same time! …And now back to me. The SkiMotion’s recommended rider height is 4 ft and taller, and up to 200 lb. They recommend a max speed of 17 mph, which is really moving! As you’ll see in the video, SkiMotion does give you a great workout as you cover ground and enjoy the surroundings. It measures approximately 36"H x 40"L x 30"W and weighs approximately 25 lb. It comes slightly knocked down in the shipping box, but it took only about 10 minutes to assemble. It seems strong (frame is steel) and ruggedly built. Stopping is easy too with twin adjustable handlebar mounted brake levers. Recommended for Ages 8 + Up. Available in red and blue, suggested retail is $298.00, but it’s under $236 on Amazon.com.

More info is at the company website: www.rideskimotion.com

It here on Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B00ANV961K/?tag=twnene-20

Giz Wiz Video: http://youtu.be/shCBw95f7rU

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/giz1414  (available 4/30/13 late night)

A travel clock that’s designed to shake you awake.

This Sonic Alert Sonic Shaker clock is designed to wake you up, even if a normal travel alarm clock can’t. It’s small, lightweight, self-contained and battery-operated, but it should wake just about anyone who sets it. You may have seen alarm clocks with a bed shaker attachment. The Sonic Alert actually builds the whole travel alarm clock into the travel shaker alarm clock. Here are some specs from the company: 90 db Extra-loud alarm / Sonic Shaker bed vibrating unit / Pop-up display with convenience light (manually lighted display up to 50% longer battery life) / Test button to test batteries, vibrator and sound operation / Easy to set function keys / Easy to read .75” display / Continuous four minute Snooze setting / Swivel & flush mounted display protects settings. And now back to me! You stand the clock face up to set the time and alarm, then it folds down if you want to place the entire clock under your pillow. There’s an attached metal clasp to hook to a pillow or mattress so the clock doesn’t fall out of reach. The Sonic Alert SBP100 travel alarm comes complete with batteries, pillow strap and clasp, and protective travel case. MSRP is $34.95. You can find it on Amazon for $24.99. (This is a TWiT link. You don’t pay anything more, and TWiT gets a pittance of the price.) If you have Amazon Prime, it ships for free.

http://amazon.com/dp/B000EX3DQQ/?tag=twnene-20  

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/giz1414  (available 4/29 late night)

Viewer Video of the week! New!! Read how to submit yours & win crap!

This Week's Viewer Video of the week: My Favorite Gadget!

As with every viewer video, it starts with an email and a link. Here’s this week’s email:

Hi Dick:

Here is a video I made of the favorite gadget that I use in my photolab. It is a "paper combiner". I'll bet you've never seen one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czy5UXVcyGU

Love the show!

Larry Steiner
Spectrum Photo and Digital Services
Ashland, OH 44805
www.ashlandphoto.com

Listen or watch this episode to see how this machine works! 

www.twit.tv/giz1414  (live 4/30/13 late night)

 +++++

We'd love to include your video in an upcoming Giz Wiz Show. Here's what we're looking for:

Your home made Videos -- two to three minutes long - (four maximum) 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. 

My favorite gadget of all time! Show us what it is, tell us what it does and why you love, or loved it! It can be something you just bought too.

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, 4 MAX! Low production value is fine. Even welcomed! That way our stuff doesn't look bad by comparison. We've set the bar low. Don't trip over it.

NEW! NEW! NEW! If we select and show your video on The Giz Wiz you will now be awarded with some sort of prize. It's Leo's way to get rid of all the "crap from Sky Mall" he's collected. So there's one more (so-so) reason to send in your video!

All show submissions go to gizwiz@twit.tv

'Crap From Sky Mall' Ends! What next for Leo?

It looks like everything that was going to ship from Sky Mall has. Some items on back-order may show up one day, but we're done with Sky Mall crap. We're not exactly sure what will replace it, so we're open to suggestions. Leo would like to buy cheap, weird, fun stuff to demo on the air. Any thoughts? dick@gizwiz.biz.

Leo still had something neat to show us on this episode. A couple of weeks ago, on a Dick's Gadget warehouse segment, we talked about Erector, the toy introduced to the public in 1913. Notice it’s called Erector, not Erector Set. Amazing that a toy, (with many changes over the years), made it to the 100 year mark. You can read more about Erector at the link below. There are still many up-dated Erector kits available (now from Meccano, a French Company) online and in big box stores. Leo bought one for about $80 on Amazon and had Jeffrey Needles, a TWiT intern, build a neat, working crane. Jeff said it took him about 10 to 12 hours to construct the crane following instructions that are mostly just pictures. See the crane in operation on this episode.

The Warehouse Spot about Erector, back of page here:
http://gizwizbiz.squarespace.com/daily_giz_wiz_gadgets/?currentPage=3

The $80 Crane Building Erector Kit: http://amazon.com/dp/B000GOF5S2/?tag=twnene-20

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/giz1414

Back to Dick's Gadget Warehouse for a pack of 13 year old Duracell Batteries.

Will they still work?

It’s 1996 and Duracell introduces PowerCheck Batteries. These are said to be the world's first alkaline battery with an on-board fuel-gauge-like power tester. Using the tester built into every Duracell PowerCheck Battery, buyers could determine battery power anytime, anywhere with no additional equipment. Duracell PowerCheck Batteries were sold in AAA, C and D- sizes. To activate the tester, all you had to do was use two fingers to press the dots on the side and bottom edge of the battery. A yellow thermochromic indicator measures heat resistance in the cell and provides an easy-to-read indication of remaining battery power. When remaining battery power was sufficient, the display rose into the 'Good' zone on the indicator. When remaining battery power was insufficient, the display remained in the 'Replace' zone. I found a 2Pack of D-cell PowerCheck batteries in the warehouse. They were marked “best if installed by 2002”. Since it’s 2013, they are 11 years past the “best if installed by” date. Did they have any power left in them? When I put my fingers on the tester the thermochromic indicator didn’t move a bit. So I tossed the batteries in the trash. Then I thought, wait! Let me double-check them with a battery tester. Surprise, the batteries were still good. It was the PowerCheck thermochromic indicator that probably dried out. The idea of a built-in battery tester is not dead. In 2010, Duracell introduced a tester on their Ultra Advanced batteries. These are said to “last up to 30 percent longer in toys than the previous Ultra Digital”.

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/giz1414  (available 4/30/13 late night)