A 2016 Podcast Award Nominee! - The Giz Wiz Show! This is Show #1575 for June 17th, 2016 - Our 59th Independent Production!

We were nominated as "Best Tech Podcast of the Year"! Voting is over and the winners will be announced at the 11th Podcast Awards Ceremony Live @ http://www.podcastawards.com/ on June 26th @ 8pm EST.

 Thanks to our wonderful Patreon supporters The Giz Wiz Show not only continues, not only enters its 2nd year of independent production. If you'd like to support OMGChad & DickDe in our independent venture (we pay for everything ourselves) just click the Patreon link at the top of our show web page:  http://www.gizwiz.tv/ You can also contribute just once via the PayPal link that's there too. And thank you! Our show wouldn't exist without our viewer's support. 

And now for something completely different! Welcome to our 1st All Catalog and Gadget Website Show. It's the show where viewers, and Chad & I talk about our favorite off-beat gadget websites and catalogs.

First to send in an email with a suggestions for unusual gifts and gadgets was Dr. Mom. Here's her email:

Dear Dick and Chad,

Off the wagon is a fun catalog with mostly unusual toys for, as they put it "The young at heart'

I particularly like the stuffed internal organs in the section called "I Heart Guts". I mean after all, how can you not love a stuffed tonsil or a plush prostate gland!

http://offthewagon.theshoppad.com/#/category/i-heart-guts

See you for the show. Lil, AKA Dr. Mom

The photo is the "I Heart Guts Humongous Heart Plush" Described as: A great big heart at 10" X 8" X 4". Made of super-soft high quality embroidered plush. It's $19.99. This website has other plush organs too.

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1575  (Goes live late Friday 6/17/16)

Here's a website with some really unique (and $$$) gadgets!

Byron S likes The Green Head website which is here:

http://www.thegreenhead.com/

This site has some very unique items, but it looks like they scout other websites for fun and unusual gadgets and gather them here in one convenient place for viewing and dreaming. (And maybe even buying.)

And here are some of Bryon's picks --- the chatroom loved the animated singing Flappy The Elephant.

Flappy The Elephant - Animated Plush Sings and Plays Peek-a-Boo

http://www.thegreenhead.com/2016/05/flappy-elephant-animated-plush-sings-plays-peek-boo.php

Other suggestions for gadgets to check out on this site via Byron:

Wave City Coffee Table

http://www.thegreenhead.com/2016/03/wave-city-coffee-table.php

If you love real race cars and also love model race cars and have a ton of money, check this out:

Lifesize Porsche 917 Le Mans Raceway Slot Car Track

http://www.thegreenhead.com/2012/11/lifesize-porsche-917-le-mans-raceway-slot-car-track.php

At first I thought, how could that be only $125.00 -- but I looked again -- it's $125,000.00l!

Also check out Float - Magnetized Levitating Wooden Cubes Table while you're there.

From the Giz Wiz: I like how this website is laid out, just follow the arrows right or left to see more interesting stuff. If I ever got really dressed up, I'd considering buying the glowing bow tie and handkerchief square.

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1575  

Three more suggested websites to check out from viewers.

Hi Guys! Not sure if this qualifies or not, but one of my favorite online catalogs to peruse is:

https://kikkerland.com/

Just a couple of nifty things I have found there:

https://kikkerland.com/collections/cool-tools-tech
/products/pearl-earbuds

pretty earbuds for the opera!  ?

Links to two of their incredible collection of wind-up toys are below. (Note the embedded videos on their web page)

https://kikkerland.com/collections/wind-ups
/products/awika-wind-up  

(this is shown in the photo on this page)   And

https://kikkerland.com/collections/wind-ups
/products/mxykikker-wind-up

Thanks for all the fun, love the show so much! Beckee

Here are two more website picks from viewers that you might like to know about:

Moses or Mo writes: Great store to buy second hands goods, they also offer a 2yr warranty, against any malfunctions, on all there items. No accidental warranty. And u only receive an exchange or store credit on defective items.

http://www.webuy.com/

And mtandiz emails: This is a web site I use a lot to buy all kinds of things, Geek stuff, BBQ things, etc....

Used to be known as buy.com  http://www.rakuten.com/

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1575 (Goes live late Friday 6/17/16) 

The Giz Wiz and OMZchad pick their favorite off-beat gadgets websites.

The Giz Wiz's favorite Off-Beat Gadget Website Pick is a UK based website (but you can find their stuff on Amazon too) It's http://www.suck.uk.com/ and here's a good example from their website of something unique they sell: 

If you’re cooking alfresco, get the right tool for the job. A BBQ that looks like a classic metal toolbox. Folds up with a convenient carrying handle for easy transportation to the park or beach. Unfolds to reveal a warming rack and storage tray for your extra hot chilli sauce. A whopping 8x15” stainless steel grill area. Removable fuel tray for your charcoal, and adjustable vent to control the flow of oxygen over the hot coals. Made from steel and coated in super high temperature red paint. This summer get outside, down tools and fire up the barbecue toolbox, not all tools of the trade stay in the kitchen. A great gift for outdoorsy types.

A hot design from SUCK UK. Just be sure to pick up the right metal box from the garage, you'll look like a right numpty trying to set fire to a box of spanners.

Giz Wiz: It is expensive at $120.00 US. (I don't see it on Amazon as of 6/15/16)

http://www.suck.uk.com/products/bbq-toolbox/?search=tool

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1575 (Goes live late Friday 6/17/16)

Instead of Chad's Crappy Corner for this special Giz Wiz Show, Chad picked his favorite off-beat gadget website. And surprise, Chad's website pick turns out to also be a UK based website too! It's http://www.firebox.com/ 

Right off the bat I found something I like on firebox. Here's the info on it from their website:

In a world where everyone just downloads movies off the internet, how are you supposed to show off your eclectic film tastes? The Desktop Cinema Light Box, that's how. Ditch the ever-present Ikea desk lamp and swap it for something that tells the world you're a bonafide film buff (or just someone who loves stylish ambient lighting). This diminutive retro billboard comes with 69 interchangeable acetate letters, symbols and numbers so you can show off your distinguished movie tastes or put a motivational quote up in lights. With three rows of letters there's ample room to play with.

Back to the Giz Wiz: The price is in pounds on the web, 14.99 pounds which is roughly $22 US. But when Chad checked, the shipping was $25. If you added more items the shipping only went up by a few bucks.

I searched Amazon and found one that looks very similar. If you add $22 + $25 shipping for the Firebox one, the one one Amazon is about the same price, but it adds the ability to power it as a battery operated device + AC, or battery operated + USB power adapter port. The Firebox one just specified battery operation only. 

This item is no longer on Amazon.

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1575

Dick's Gadget Warehouse & How to Submit Your Viewer Video.

For this special edition of The Giz Wiz we even have a "catalog" viewer video and a "catalog" viewer email! First the video of the week. It arrived with this email: 

Hi Dick and Chad,

I'm Adi Oron from Israel, along the years I gathered dozens of various catalogs and hundreds of products leaflets. Before google this was the only way one could have more information on stuff one don't need.

My first take for the gizwiz was 19 minutes long and still I didn't cover them all, so here is the chopped version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwkv-x_EVeY

Few old catalogs from this video are on the web and you can find them at

http://retromash.com/argos/

Keep on doing your uncatalogued show,

Shalom from Israel, Adi.

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1575 (Goes live late Friday 6/17/16)

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We’re looking for more Viewer Videos!

We’d love to include your video in an upcoming Giz Wiz Show, so here's what we're looking for! Your home shot video – 2 to 3 minutes long, in 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! Did 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. No professional ads please.

-

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 a new gadget you just bought too.

-

Post them on YouTube and send us 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, but we should be able to hear you and see you! If we select and show your video on The Giz Wiz you’ll a tiny amount of fame (hopefully), an autographed MAD magazine and a 35-year-old Alfred E. Neuman picture. So that's one more (so-so) reason to send in your video! IMPORTANT: We'll just shower you with praise for your video if you live outside the US or Canada since we can't afford to send stuff outside of those two places. (Thanks for understanding.)

All show submissions go to mail@gizwiz.tv

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The letter of the week:

Dick & Chad, this has to be the most interesting catalog humanly possible. It's "The Catalog of Catalogs (VI)." 567 pages.

To make a long story short, I accompanied my mother to a seminar on book self-publishing several years ago. At the end they mentioned this book and conveniently had it for sale. Back then the internet was not what it is today, so the concept of that book was so bazaar to me that I had to get it. A few months back, I think it was when you first announced this project, I looked online to see if it was ever updated. I believe this is the last print of the book.

I still have it and no I'm not a pack-rat). I didn't find any online .pdf or e-book versions of it so I can send more pages or I could just send you the book if you want it lol.

Since nothing can top this pick, I'm guessing one of three things will happen. You will lead the piece with it, use it for the finale, or not mention it at all since the concept of it might cause some heads to explode when 'giz-wizzers' find out that such a thing ever existed.

Every once in a while I catch you live; I'm in the chat room as WLAsteve. So far I have never posted anything in there so no one knows I exist. Keep up the good work, actually, keep up the 'mad' work.

Thanks, Steven Davison Los Angeles, CA

From The Giz Wiz: I found the catalog of catalogs on Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/Catalog-Catalogs-VI-Mail-Order-Directory/dp/1890627089?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0