When I visited the NY Historical Society in early February, 2016, I came across one of the most unusual typewriters I ever saw. It was a Blickensderfer typewriter designed by George Canfield Blickensderfer in 1892. I was intrigued, so I went to Wikipedia to learn more about it. And here's what I found: Instead of the common mechanism with letters on the end of individual bars connected to the keys, the Blickensderfer used a cylindrical wheel with letters embossed on it. Pressing a key caused the cylinder to turn so the correct letter was positioned over the paper, and continuing caused it to be inked by a roller as it moved to press down on the paper. The mechanism is very similar to the IBM Selectric design introduced decades later, with the only major change being the shape of the striker. Like the Selectric, one could easily change the typeface on a Blickensderfer simply by changing the type cylinder. The Blickensderfer system dramatically reduced complexity of the design. A typical example contained only 250 parts, compared to the 2,500 parts of a standard typewriter. It was much smaller, lighter, and cheaper than other typewriters. --- Pretty amazing stuff, isn't it? And as you see in this show, we found a video on line where you can see a close up view at the way this amazing typewriter works.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blickensderfer_typewriter
If you want to buy one, here's what looks like an excellent one offered at $450 on eBay as of 2/11/16:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLICKENSDERFER-NO-5-TYPEWRITER-1892-PATENT-IN-ORIGINAL-BOX-/361486904784?hash=item542a4c6dd0:g:NTMAAOSwuYVWm6Qx
See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1557
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Hello Dick and Chad,
I know how much you guys love LEDs and while I was at Home Depot looking for light bulbs I came across this odd looking bulb. It was the GE LED Bright Stik (missing a ‘c’) which is a non-dimmable, instant-on, 60-watt bulb replacement at 760 lumens. They’re energy saving bulbs that are rated to last for 13.7 years at 3 hours a day although the limited warranty only lasts 3 years. You’ll notice they have a small profile and take up less space than other bulbs.
I’ve attached some pictures but it is difficult to gauge the brightness, but know that I find it pretty comparable to the CFL that I used to have. The box of 3 that I bought cost $10. They are on Amazon but for considerably more. On Home Depot’s website they are $9.97 http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-60W-Equivalent-Soft-White-General-Purpose-LED-Bright-Stik-light-bulb-3-Pack-LED10S3-96/205783754
Forever a proud Patreon supporter,
-Oscar from El Paso
February 12, 2016 
Last of my unique CES gadgets.....StudioSync dual-function shelves. There are two of them. The Studio Sync Wireless Bluetooth Music Shelf which works as both a decorative, useful shelf and as a way to play your music via a pair of Bluetooth speakers installed in the bottom of the shelf. Once you charge the shelf via the included USB cable you can have music for us to 20 hours wireless played via your Bluetooth-enabled device. Here's some more info from the company: Handles up to 60 watts RMS, rechargeable 5-volt battery delivers up to 20 hours of use on a single charge, powers off after 17 minutes of Bluetooth disconnection. The shelf mounts to wall by installing the included 'floating shelf' bracket hardware. MDF construction. Shelf measures 34-1/2" L x 9-1/4" W x 1-4/5" H. The other dual-function shelf is The Studio Sync LED Lighted Shelf. It adds ambiance to room and accent special accessories artwork via two built-in rotating LED lights mounted at the bottom of the shelf. An added dimming light feature helps you control the light, illuminating the room with just a touch. You can install this lighted shelf over your bed, in the kitchen under cabinets or over a work desk. Add creative storage to your home to reduce clutter and brighten up a room at the same time. Recharge from computer with micro USB cord included. Look for them at Bath, Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, and Amazon. The lowest price I could find for the StudioSnyc Shelf with built-in speakers was under $42.00 on Amazon here, as of 2/10/16.
