Weekly Daily Giz Wiz – Week of July 16th, 2012, Netcast 1373

Wireless Earbuds with one short, tangle-free wire.

One of the most frustrating things about carrying earphones in your pocket or backpack is those tangled wires when you need to use them! Well, one of the big advantages of the small and lightweight Plantronics BackBeat GO wireless earbuds is decent sound with (almost) no wires. These Bluetooth-enabled wireless earbuds have just one short, single wire that connects the right and left earbuds. Coil them up, slip them into your pocket, and they’re ready to use again when you take them out. And you still get a fully functional Bluetooth device. Listen to music, chat with friends on the phone, or watch movies on your tablet with no dangling wires. There’s an inline controller that lets you manage calls, play and pause music, even skip tracks while your Bluetooth enabled smart phone is out of sight in your pocket or bag. You won’t even notice it, but there’s an inline microphone so you chat as you walk too. Yes, the BackBeat GO wireless earbuds pause your music when a call comes in. So you have a secure, comfortable fit, the kit includes cushioned eartips in three sizes. If you want to use them to work out, there are two stabilizers for a more secure fit. Plantronics says you'll get up to 4.5 hours of listening/talk time from these ultralight earbuds, and up to 10 days of standby time. The Android version of the Plantronics MyHeadset app enables one-tap pairing and displays the headset battery meter for tablets running Android 3.0 ("Honeycomb") and smartphones and tablets running Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich"). For the iPhone and iPad, a headset battery meter automatically displays onscreen. Other features include: Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, A2DP profile for audio streaming and AVRCP profile for music controls. The 6mm neodymium speakers offer very decent sound, but they do lack solid base, not unusual for small earbuds. They included charger has an AC plug permanently attached, but for travel, you can charge them using a micro USB smart phone charger. That’s how I charged mine. Suggested retail is $99.99, but if you do a web search, you can find them for about $76-$78. 

http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/backbeat-go 

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/dgw1373 

This link usually goes live Sunday, the day after we record this show, Sat. 7/14/12

Video of the week - Pivothead HD POV video recording glasses!

When I first heard about a new gadget, Point-of-View (POV) video-recording glasses, I thought the name they picked was rather strange – Pivothead. But after using a pair to shoot some HD video, I think the name is pretty accurate.  Pivothead glasses are available with clear lenses so you look like you’re wearing old-fashioned black plastic frame eyeglasses. Or you can buy Pivothead disguised as trendy sunglasses with various color lenses. If someone is standing directly in front you, looking you in the eye, they will probably feel you’ve got a hidden camera in the center of your glasses. But from a few feet away, Pivothead can pass as ordinary glasses. The various models (Aurora, Durango, Moab and Recon) are only different on the outside. Inside each one features an eight-mega pixel Sony sensor, a four-element glass lens and 8GB of built-in storage. (There is no external storage, but a wireless option is coming.) The company says you can capture about an hour of video with the built-in 440mAh battery. Video modes include: 1080/30fps, 720/60fps and 720/30fps. Shooting video is really easy once you turn the camera on. There’s nothing to hold, you record whatever you're looking directly at. (All the controls are built in the frame and tiny LEDs let you know if you’re in video mode, still mode, etc. You can see these lights even when you’re wearing your Pivothead device. There's built-in optical image stabilization, which I definitely needed. I shot video as I left the dock, and drove my boat out into the Hudson River. With a fast moving tide, I swing my head quite quickly from side-to-side to avoid hitting anything, and you see it all happening in the video. (Don’t get whiplash watching!) You charge the glasses via a micro-USB port also built into the frame. The same cable is used for downloading files and adjusting settings. Most settings can be adjusted directly on the glasses. The blinking LEDs tell you the settings you’ve choosen, but I found it far easier to use the digital dashboard on my computer to set everything up. Once you have the Pivothead set the way you want, your choices are sent to the glasses via the USB cable. The glasses feel well made and the video results are quite good. The MSRP is $349.00. I don’t know if discounts are available, since Pivothead is fairly new to the market. There is an external memory device coming. Info is at the company website

www.pivothead.com  

The Giz Wiz Using Pivothead Glasses: http://youtu.be/KewFRVb8jVM  

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/dgw1373 

This link usually goes live Sunday, the day after we record this show, Sat. 7/14/12

A high-performance workout - on a bike!

Is it a bike? Yes. Is it an exercise machine? Yes. Is it both? Absolutely!

When you look at the ElliptiGO, it really does look like a total mash-up of an ordinary bike and a piece of gym equipment. Basically it is both. There are three models, which are very similar. The ElliptiGO 3C is the newer three-speed elliptical bike. The 8C adds more speeds and gear ratios. And there's a carbon fiber pro model. The folks at ElliptiGO said they wanted to combine the best elements of cycling with the natural strides of the running motion. So the ElliptiGO 3C is designed to offer a high-performance, low-impact workout for active adults. Here’s a quote from Bryan Pate, cofounder and co-president of ElliptiGO to help explain the concept: "We created the 3C to deliver a high-performance workout experience with less impact by combining the most popular cardio exercises—running, cycling and the elliptical trainer—into one incredibly fun to use product. The riding experience is similar to that of our original 8S elliptical bike but at a lower price point, allowing us to reach more people with this new form of exercise." At a holiday gift show I got to try to the ElliptiGO 3C on a stationery exercise stand. Just using it for a couple of minutes I could feel my whole body was working, as opposed to just the legs doing most of work with a normal bike. You’re way closer to the ground as you pedal on the 3C and you are standing, so there's no worry about an uncomfortable bike seat. The handlebars and hand brakes are very similar to a normal bike. The price is up there. The ElliptiGO 3C retails for $1,799 and the 8C version is $2499. The Pro model is higher yet. You can see video of the bikes in action and get all the specs at the company website: 

www.elliptigo.com 

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/dgw1373 

This link usually goes live Sunday, the day after we record this show, Sat. 7/14/12

Leo's Turn The Table Turkey -- or Treasure??

This week was a typical Turn The Table Turkey. One minute before the show Leo suddenly remembered he didn’t have a pick for the week. A quick trip around the studio and he located an Apple MacBook sitting in a Henge Dock. I never heard of Henge Docks, but looking at one, I think they’re quite nicely designed. According to the company, Henge Dock has created the first truly comprehensive docking station solution for Apple’s line of notebook computers. This means you can quickly, easily and cleanly incorporate your MacBook computer into a desktop setup or your home theater system. It let's you get the best features of a laptop, desktop and media center PC all from one computer. Henge Docks design doesn’t require any hardware, software or settings changes to your computer. Every current MacBook is compatible with their system, right from the factory. Each Henge Dock model is designed for a specific type of MacBook computer. Leo showed us how easily a MacBook docks and stands quite securely. Because all the cable and outputs have to line up exactly, you need to order the Henge Dock for your model MacBook. Included with each dock are a full complement of custom USB, Ethernet, Audio cables. Some models offer Firewire cables, designed to work with the Henge Dock system. You reuse your own existing Apple supplied MagSafe power source and Mini-DisplayPort adapter. If you choose to purchase a Mini DisplayPort Adapter, they recommend you buy one of their Henge Docks accessories to guarantee compatibility. The unit is plastic, but does look good. Prices start at about $55. The exact model Leo had on the show is this one: 

http://hengedocks.com/order_HD01VB13MBA.php 

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/dgw1373 

This link usually goes live Sunday, the day after we record this show, Sat. 7/14/12

Dick's Gadget Warehouse - Spray Misty For Me.

A short time ago I talked about a gadget called Twist & Mist, a device – which when hooked to a garden hose – produces mist to help keep you cool. When I tried it in my backyard I thought it worked great. I also thought it was a shame that Twist & Mist wasn’t portable. That’s when I remembered I had a weird gadget in the Dick's Gadget Warehouse that was a portable cooler. Not only did I find the device, but to my amazement, it turns out that Twist & Mist is made by the same company that made MistyMate, the gadget from 1989 that’s still in my warehouse. A web search revealed that MistyMate is the world’s leading manufacturer of consumer mist products.  (Maybe they're also the only manufacturer of consumer mist products.) According to their website: “Founded in 1989 with the invention of the world’s first pressure operated personal mister, MistyMate was the first company dedicated to emerging as the leading brand in the newly founded industry they call “mist cooling”.  Today, MistyMate has expanded its scope to encompass a varied product line while remaining faithful to its commitment to produce unparalleled never-before-seen consumer mist products.” And now, back to me! You fill the new Misty Mate models with plain water and pressurize it with a built-in pump. Then the system delivers continuous streaming, ultra-fine mist that will immediately cool surrounding air and body temperature. Misting works on the basic concept of evaporative cooling. I filled my 23 year old Misty Mate model from a garden house and guess what? It worked just fine! It's drops the ambient temperature by up to 30 degrees! (You don’t need to use a garden hose with the new models.) 

http://www.mistymate.com 

See or hear this show: www.twit.tv/dgw1373 

This link usually goes live Sunday, the day after we record this show, Sat. 7/14/12

SHOW NOTES:

Here's the website for that strange motorized Pooper Scooper!

http://www.poovak.com/

Want to send a video for possible airing on the new Giz Wiz Show? The Giz Wiz moves to recording on Tuesdays at 4 PM EDT, 1 PM PDT, on July 24th. I'll be live at the TWiT Brickhouse for the opening show. All the details are here:

http://gizwizbiz.squarespace.com/dicks-blog-log/