Tame that Beast of a giant HDTV with this magic wand!

Thursday March 25th, 2010, Netcast 1054 

Don’t worry; The Wand tames Low Def TV’s too! Didn’t you wish you were a wizard when you were a kid? Or even right now as an adult? Well, guess what? You can be a wizard in a very short time! Imagine the surprise (and yes, the envy) on your friend’s faces when you say: “Let’s watch TV”. Then you pick your magic wand wave it at the flat screen and the picture springs to life! Another wave and you change channels, adjust the volume, do whatever you want. The Wand is the ultimate device when you want to be in control. But is it truly magic? (Yeah, right!) Of course now, but it’s wildly clever! The Wand can learn up to 13 commands from your existing remote controls and key them to particular magical motions. Flick the wand from side to side to flip the channels, twist the wand to turn up the volume, etc. Yes, there is a learning curve, but once you master the movements, you will be a real wizard to all those around you! The Wand helps you learn by vibrating in your hand. As you learn each movement properly, the wand will vibrate the number of times indicated on the included instruction sheet. Then the Wand vibrates to tell you each time it has learned a function from your remote control correctly. It can learn from pretty much any IR remote in your house and once you master its 13 movements, you can mastermind a symphony of electronic enjoyment from the comfort of your couch. It’s compatible with almost all makes of TV, DVR, or really anything with an IR remote! Buttons are sooooooooooooooo out. Wands are in! $89.99 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/home-entertainment/cf9b/images/4907/ 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1054

Avoid that ‘sick feeling’ when you realize you left your Bluetooth enabled cell phone behind.

Wednesday March 24^nd, 2010, Netcast 1053 

ZOMM can come to the rescue if you leave your cell phone behind. It’s called the world’s first Bluetooth wireless leash for mobile phones. With billions of mobile phones being used worldwide, thousands of people walk away and accidentally leave their phone behind on a daily basis. (See, you’re not alone!) If you forget your cell phone (it must be Bluetooth enabled) ZOMM will first start blinking the built-in LED lights, then sound an alarm if you walk away even further from your mobile phone. That way you know you have to go back for it. I tried the ZOOM at the Gizneyland studio. After I paired my EnV3 Bluetooth phone with the ZOMM, I left the phone on my desk and walked out the door with the ZOOM. About 30 feet away, the unit started vibrating and blinking. I kept walking. About 50 feet away the alarm went off. It worked fine! But wait there’s more! The device itself also features call notification with speakerphone, a panic alarm and a feature that allows you to call emergency assistance from anywhere with just a press of a button. (I didn’t try those last features.) ZOMM is about the size of a very fat poker chip and easily attaches to a key ring. Or you can carry it in your pocket or purse. There’s also clip in the kit so you can even attach it clothing or workout gear. But wait. There’s still more!  With call notification, ZOMM will vibrate, flash lights and provide a sound alert for incoming calls when your mobile phone is out of sight; in a purse, gym bag or in a noisy environment. To answer a call just press a button and ZOMM is a fully functioning speakerphone. To send to voice mail, just press the multifunction button twice. As a personal security device, ZOMM will sound a panic alarm and/or call for emergency assistance. You can speak to emergency personnel without ever touching your mobile phone via the built in speakerphone. It uses a lithium-ion battery that should last about 3 days with a single charge. It comes with a standard micro USB wall charger and a micro USB charger. You can pre-order ZOMM now in black or while, but it won’t be shipping for another month or two. $79.99. 

www.zomm.com 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1053

A piece of equipment you won’t run out and buy, but very interesting!

TTTT Tuesday March 23^nd, 2010, Netcast 1052  A super high tech Turn The Table Tuesday gizmo.

This is the basic unit that goes into the 22 pound backpack.Leo has been doing some amazing live broadcasting lately. It started at CES when he was able to roam through various tech exhibits and transmit live video. Recently he set a new world’s record (Leo has a badge to prove it) for the “longest live-streamed crowd surf.” He surfed the Diggnation crowd at SXSW. The equipment he used is from LiveU. LiveU opens a new era in live content by using six different wireless cards from 3 different carriers, picking the best reception from any of the six wireless cards from second to second for seamless streaming. As I said you’re not going to run out and buy this equipment because it costs tens of thousands of dollars. But you might be up for renting it if you’re a podcast producer. Here’s some info from their website: LiveU designs, develops and provides a real-time Video Uplink Solution at broadcast quality which provides instant setup time, connects to any video camera and allows going live in seconds. LiveU frees video broadcasting from uplink limitations and allows the color and excitement of live broadcasts to be shared by TV Broadcasters, Web Portals and Video Prosumers, anywhere, anytime. Now back to me! I assume the “anywhere, anytime” means “anywhere, anytime there is a wireless signal available”. But what they allow broadcasters to do sure is amazing! Leo is so excited about this equipment; he’s planning on “live TWiT broadcasting” from many other live events this year. 

www.liveu.tv 

See the now world famous “live Leo crowd surf”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODDxiTExRRg

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1052

A great travel clock, especially if you give talks or lectures!

Monday, March 22^nd, 2010, Netcast 1051

Roadshow Alarm, shown open (right) closed (left)The complete long name for this clever producer is the Roadshow Companion Travel Alarm & Presentation Timer. But I’ll just call it the Roadshow Travel Alarm. Yes, it a regular travel clock, but it also allows folks who give talks, addresses and boardroom presentations to keep track of their time through its unique LED lecture timer functionality. While picturing your audience in their underwear is said to help alleviate the stress of being in the spotlight, the Roadshow excels at alleviating the other half of the fear of public speaking: wondering if you’re staying with the presentation’s allotted time. Here’s how the Roadshow Presentation Timer works: there are six color LED lamps across the top of the clock that illuminate sequentially (in Auto mode) or change at intervals of your choosing (in Manual mode). In the auto mode, enter the time your lecture or talk is supposed to take, say for example 30 minutes. The clock divides this into six equal segments. For 30 minutes they’ll be 5 minutes each. For each 5 minutes of talk, a green LED sequentially lights. At the half way mark, a yellow LED comes on, then 5 minutes later, the next yellow LED light. At five minutes before the end of your talk, a red LED lights. This simple and unobtrusive visual pacing device helps keep your presentation on track. Flexible settings allow the Roadshow to work whatever your time needs. (I think the max is four hours, but your audience will have left long before then!!) Note that the LED’s are sequential. In order words, when the next LED down the line lights, the one before it goes out. You don’t end up with 6 LED’s on at once.) Of course Leo already ordered one. He has no fear of speaking in public, but he does like to know the timing for certain events where he has to be on and off the stage at a preset time. Another thing I like about this clock is that it shows both the time of day and alarm time, plus a big ON or OFF for the alarm. And there’s a snooze feature. Normal price for the Roadshow is $29.95, but right now it’s on special at their website for $19.95. I contacted the company, American Innovative, and asked them if could please hold the sale price for a couple of weeks until folks get to hear this Netcast. In case it meets their needs, the price break is great. They kindly said they would.  

http://www.americaninnovative.com/products/roadshow.php# 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1051

Never be wrong again!

Friday, March 19^th, 2010, Netcast 1050 

Back on Friday, August 22^nd 2008 on the Daily Giz Wiz we went back to Dick’s Gadget Warehouse to meet the “YES MAN”. He’s a small talking head that always agrees with everything you say!  Hear that Netcast here: www.twit.tv/dgw640 

Whipping Boy (sometimes called the Whiner Doll) is a friend of the Yes, Man! Both were available starting in 1990 as fun gadgets produced by Rau Creations. How refreshing it was to know just about anything you do, no matter how bad, is not your fault! Yep, you can blame everything on the Whipping Boy.  Pass the blame onto him and he will immediately start apologizing. He’s voice activated. Say something to him like: “Why are these files so messed up?” Wait a beat and listen to what Whipping Boy has to say for himself! It’s always his fault! His responses include: 

"It was all my fault." / "How could I have been so stupid."

"I've screwed up again, why do you keep me around here?"

"Forgive me, forgive me, please."

"What a dumb thing to do. Fire me where I stand."

"I destroy everything I touch with my incompetence."

"I'm a disease, I make myself sick."

Even though you can still find Whipping Boy & Whiner Doll listed on many websites, I couldn’t find one that still had them for sale. Even though you can’t currently buy a Whipping Boy (Luckily Leo had Dane!) you can still hear him apologize here: 

http://www.mandrgames.com/WHINERDoll.htm 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1050