Known as MAD's Maddest Writer, co-host of The Giz Wiz with OMGchad at www.GizWiz.TV, The Giz Wiz on ABC's World News Now, and on Tech Guy Labs with Leo Laporte on www.TWiT.TV.
April 30, 2015 Post a Comment But next week it continues with Giz Wiz show #1517 on http://www.gizwiz.tv/!
On this week's show Leo & I reminisce about 8+ years of Giz Wiz on TWiT.
April 29, 2015 Post a Comment 
Most of the links here don't work anymore because well they're more 8 years old and technology marches on! But read some of the copy and see the prices! Today we get so much higher tech for considerable less money!
It's a GPS and a lot more!
Magellan RoadMate 800. Not only does this portable battery powered unit do turn by turn navigation, but it’s also an MP3 player and photo viewer. Preloaded maps (on a 20 GB hard drive) for out-of-the-box text- and voice-prompted directions for all 50 United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Virgin Islands. 3.5-inch, high-resolution color touch screen. SmartVolume feature automatically increases speaker volume when speed exceeds 45 MPH, and the map color changes automatically for better visibility at night. Under $900.
The world?s first digital music eyewear?
Oakley, world famous for their precision sunglasses, started with the impressive Thump line, a combination of their high tech sunglasses and a miniature built in MP3 Player. Now they've introduced a lot of new bells and whistles with their Thump2! I tried a pair and not only do they make me look ultra trendy, they offer impressive music playback considering their size. The new design lets you listen to even more of your favorite tunes because THUMP 2 offers memory storage up to 1 gigabyte. That?s 240 songs in a fully integrated design that frees you from dangling cords and wires. Everything is built in! Listen to music virtually anywhere with the easy to adjust speaker buds and just swing them out of the way when you want to hear the outside world. There are also 512 MB & 256 MB versions. You get up to 6 hours of playback time on a single charge and a three-color indicator light shows battery level. Prices range from about $300 to $450.
Make calls, take pictures, shoot video, email friends, watch the latest news ----
LG the V, is one heck of gizmo.You can experience the ultimate in mobile multimedia with The V because it does a lot!. Stream, download and play video clips with V CAST, crank up the tunes with the MP3 player and built in stereo speakers. Shoot pix and flix and store them on an optional MiniSD card. Get and send email anywhere, anytime, with the QWERTY keyboard. LG The V has two screens, one on the outside for making calls, and a bigger one on the inside for viewing emails, writing emails, watching videos, or with V CAST watching music videos, or the latest news. It also has a business card reader and Bluetooth wireless technology built in! It's a lot for $299.00 and with a two year Verizon Wireless contract there's a $100 rebate which brings to under $200.
Slingbox.
- Here’s an amazing gizmo like no other I’ve ever seen! Picture this. You’re on a trip flipping through all the dreary channels on the hotel TV. There’s nothing you want to see. If only you had all those “favorite” channels you have programmed on the TV at home. Well with Slingbox you can!! It’s hard to believe but Slingbox enables you to watch your home programming from wherever you. It turns virtually any broadband internet-connected PC into your personal TV. You can be in another room or the backyard like I was, or even in another country, and you’ll have access to your television, cable box, DVD, etc.. Not only that, there’s a virtual remote control that pops up on the remote computer that lets you use the mouse to control the home devices. When you travel, be sure to warn the people at home so they don’t freak out when you change the channel from 3,000 miles away! Hook up took me about 20 minutes and I’m quite amazed at how well it works. The price is right too. $249.00
Charge 2 Go $25 The Charge 2 Go uses a single AA battery to provide 3 hours of talk time on your cellular phone. A chip inside the charger amps the battery’s 1.5 volts to voltage powerful enough to charge and run the phone. It’s about 1/3 the size of other multiuse portable cellphone chargers. Adapters are available for all phones except Sanyo and Audiovox. Great for leaving in your car’s glove box, since AAs take years to lose their charge. Each Charge 2 Go comes with 3 cell phone adapters, so order by cell phone manufacturer.
See or hear this current show: www.twit.tv/giz1516
April 29, 2015 Post a Comment From the Sky Mall website: The Newest Craze in Outdoor Games!
The Human Slingshot is a fresh new game, unlike anything you've seen and is guaranteed to be a big hit whether you're playing or watching. It's an exhilarating, fast-paced game that involves four people slinging each other back and forth within a human sized stretchable band. It's easy to learn and anyone can play! Carrying bag included. 36"H x 48"W x 1/4"D . $99.99
And Leo's take?
Leo loved this! He took it outside on the sidewalk and four TWiT folks played with it. He said it was a lot of fun and great exercise. Although Chad fell down, he seemed to enjoy it too. Leo said of all the crap he had ordered from Sky Mall, this was one of the best, even though it was expensive at $75, plus shipping and handling! As of 5/1/15 Sky Mall doesn't exist, but it may come back in some form.
Originally seen on this Netcast
I wouldn't dare try these, but Leo Laporte did on TWiT's Giz Wiz Show. This gadget is called Orbitwheels! What a weird concept. These are skates you step into and then hang on for dear life. Why? Because instead of the wheels facing forward like normal skates, the Orbitwheels rotate to the right and left!! Perfect for doing a split, but I don’t know how anyone would learn how to go forward on them. Here’s the description from the SkyMall website:
A cross between a skateboard and inline skates, but with more freedom and simplicity than either, the Orbitwheels are a brand new concept for wheeled sports. The design is simple: two feet, two wheels... and you're ready to go. Countless tricks and maneuvers can be as creative as your imagination! With the Orbitwheels minimalist design, fun and transportation have never been so portable and convenient. Enjoy on a variety of different surfaces. No need to fuss with buckles and flaps - just step into the hoops and take off. Wearing a helmet is always recommended. Leo bravely tried them, but with proper protection, a full sumo suit, as you can see in the video version of The Giz Wiz. He didn’t get far before he fell down. In fact he fell down a few times. People in the chatroom said this was the funniest TWiT show ever. You have to watch the video version just to see Leo bravely trying his Orbit wheels while wearing his Sumo suit! See or hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1378
No matter what Leo says I think Purse Guard Ultra is a clever idea!Zelo calls Purse Guard Ultra "A Woman's Best Accessory When Dining Out."
We laughed, we giggled, but here's the scoop. PurseGuard Ultra is a compact, easy to carry gizmo to protect a woman's purse, or anything you hang on it. It has an alarm and flashing light to alert you if someone tries to take what you decide to hang on the Purse Hanger Hook. So it can protect things against theft if you're busy talking, reading or just daydreaming. With PurseGuard Ultra, purses can be hung safely on the edge of almost any dining table and kept comfortably off of laps, and, more importanlty, off of floors or backs of chairs where they can be easily stolen. Audio and LED light alarms go off if anyone attempts to lift purse and/or PurseGuard from edge of table. Can also be used as a one-LED flashlight. Zelco didn’t specify a weight limit, but I tried with a 5 pound weight, checked out with my UltraShip 55 scale, and it worked fine!Carry pouch included. Price $22.00. There's a model also without the light but it's only $1 cheaper and I think the new model is more ruggedly built Available in black or white.
UPDATE: Sadly Purse Guard Ultra seems no longer available!
We also did a Netcast on this gizmo. www.twit.tv/dgw406
See or hear this current show: www.twit.tv/giz1516
April 29, 2015 Post a Comment The Spork? The 2 X 4? They might be, but I think there was more talk about The Toothpick Bird!
It was Leo's Turn the Table Tuesday, Tuesday, April 3rd 2007, Netcast 282
Eight years later, 2015, and the Toothpick Bird is still available! Here’s what catalog company Archie McPhee says about their Toothpick Bird! We all get food stuck in our teeth from time to time. It's one of life's little annoyances, and how you deal with it is what really counts and sets you apart from the crowd. There's no need to search for a boring box of toothpicks that you keep tucked away in a drawer. Press down the head of this handsome plastic bird and he will peck a pick for you! The bird stands atop a hollow base, which stores toothpicks. The toothpicks aren't included, but we're pleased to report that the bird functions perfectly and becomes even more entertaining when paired with any of our flavored toothpicks. This stylish red and black bird looks great wherever you place him - in the kitchen or in your cubicle, on a desk or a bedside table - wherever you need to have toothpicks on hand. $7, just about the same price as 8 years ago!
http://mcphee.com/shop/toothpick-bird.html
Hear this original from April 2007. Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw282
See or hear this current show: www.twit.tv/giz1516
April 29, 2015 Post a Comment There is a Dick's Gadget Warehouse! Okay, so it's not an entire warehouse, I rent just one big room in the Sofia Warehouse on 83rd & Amsterdam Avenue, NYC. But it holds tons of crap, lots of old gadgets and boxes and boxes of MAD Magazines. Is there anything really valuable there? Frankly, I hope so, because I've paid more than $100,00 in rent by now, having a room there for more than 25 years!
Here's a short video look inside Dick's Gadget Warehouse!
See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/giz1516
IMPORTANT!
After more than eight years --- this is the last GIZ WIZ SHOW on TWIT.
Starting May 7, 2015 look for us at http://www.gizwiz.tv/. We record the show the usual time about 4:30 PM PDT / 7:30 EDT, Thursdays. OMGChad & I are producing the show ourselves. If you'd like to help support us with a buck (or more if you want) a show please check out www.patreon.com/gizwiz.
And thank you! --- Don't worry, you can still listen for free if you don't wish to give.
