Giz Wiz Show #1779 May 14, 2020 Independent Show #260

This is our 5th year of Independent Production! (First Giz Wiz show was February 20th, 2006.) Thanks to our wonderful Patreon supporters we're now going into year 15. If it wasn't for our supporters the Giz Wiz Show would be gone. If you'd like to support OMGchad & DickDe in our independent venture (we pay for everything ourselves, including travel) just click the Patreon link at the top of our show web page: www.gizwiz.tv.  

Whoa! An email at the top of the show? Well, this one was very special! Here's it is:

I just want to point out that Chad is less than 2,000 away from having 1 Million (!!!) subscribers on his OMGCraft YouTube channel. At the rate he has been gaining new subscribers, he should reach the 1 Million (!!!) level around May 15 to May 16. I thought you would want to know. Devoted GizWiz fans and watcher + proud parents, OMGMom & OMGDad (aka Selina and Dane Johnson) --- NOTE: CHAD HIT 1 million subscribers on May 15^th, 2020!

How do I know I'm not getting closer than six feet to other people?

Well, there's a gadget for that! Not right now, but one could available as early as July. Here's info from the company: Safe Spacer is a lightweight wearable device that helps workers and visitors to maintain safe social distancing, enabling workplaces and public spaces to re-open and operate with peace of mind. Using Ultra-wideband technology, Safe Spacer runs wirelessly on a rechargeable battery and precisely senses when other devices come within 2m/6ft, alerting wearers with a choice of visual, vibrating or audio alarm. It can be worn on a wristband, with a lanyard, or carried in a pocket. It offers ultra-precise measurement down to 10cm/4" - ten times more accurate than Bluetooth applications. Engineered for fast, easy disinfection, it's also waterproof. For minimal handling, Safe Spacer works wirelessly via NFC contactless technology or Bluetooth. It will be available in early Q3 (July/August) directly from IK Multimedia for $99.99, with volume discounts available. ---- Chad thinks this is aimed at businesses and I agree. I don't think many people want to spend $99 when they can judge 6' for themselves for free.

http://www.safespacer.net/

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1779  

May is Bike Safety Month And Here's A Great Helmet With Lots of Safety Features.

JJust in time for Bike Safety Month is the Livall Neo Cycling Helmet. Yes, the Neo is the lastest bike helmet from Livell with lots of safety features. There's LED turn signals that can be viewed from the front and back. There's a brake light if you stop really fast to warn those behind you. There's a remote control that attaches to your handlebars to control many of the features, or pair the Neo with your phone and control it via Bluetooth. The built in stereo speakers don't cover your ears so you can hear music, phone calls, and navigation directions while still hearing what's going on around you. There's even a Walkie -Talkie function if other riders near you have similar Livell helmets. Plus there's even an SOS function. In case of an accident, sensors in the helmet sense it and can send an alert to an emergency contact you preset, if paired with your smartphone. And there's an alert that lets you know when your phone and helmet are out of range of each other. MSRP: $169.00.

Company website: http://www.livall.com/

Here is their Amazon page. I see a Livall Helmet with many of the same features, but it doesn't say Neo. I emailed the company to see if that is indeed the Neo helmet. UPDATE, that Amazon helmet does not have the latest two features. Unless you're in a hurry, I'd wait until the Neo is available. It adds a brake light function and front LED lights. It was supposed to be out early April, but the Covid-19 has pushed everything back. This link is for the previous model: https://amzn.to/367mBm7 

As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

UPDATE! Heard from the PR firm for Livall. Because of Covid-19, shipping from overseas has been delayed. Amazon is expected to have the Neo bike helmets online in July, 2020. 

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1779  

Add horn, lights, speedometer & more to your bike for about $30.

I love combo gadgets and this one is great for a bike. It's branded Tesecu and includes a bright headlight, a Speedometer/Odometer, trip recorder and a horn which offers six different sounds. The horn has a remote that mounts on the handlebars at a convenient place you choice and plugs into the back of the main unit. The 120db bike horn is LOUD, which I found out when I first tried it in my studio. It's possible you might even want to tone it down a bit, perhaps with a piece of tape over the speaker for use in congested areas. The back lit screen records and displays speed, distance and ride time. All this is powered by a rechargeable 2500 mAh battery. The company says the unit is waterproof in the rain, but certainly don't put it in water. The LED tail light features an one-touch switch with four different lighting modes and it too has its own rechargeablele battery. The kit sells for about $30 on Amazon, although price there can change at any time.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/enWXWc0jokU 

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2T9eoIT

As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1779

Chad's Crappy Corner & his second gadget for his new May Theme.

Chad's May Theme is gadgets you can hack. He bought an elaborate Project Kit for $80 & then released it was similir to something had done years ago. So, he did both gadgets! Here's a little about RetroPie, as Chad  explained it:

RetroPie allows you to turn your Raspberry Pi, ODroid C1/C2, or PC into a retro-gaming machine. It builds upon Raspbian, EmulationStation, RetroArch and many other projects to enable you to play your favourite Arcade, home-console, and classic PC games with the minimum set-up. For power users it also provides a large variety of configuration tools to customise the system as you want. RetroPie sits on top of a full OS, you can install it on an existing Raspbian, or start with the RetroPie image and add additional software later. 

https://retropie.org.uk/ (That gadget is still available and Chad's video about this gadget is on this week's show.)

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In the past two weeks Chad bought the Elegoo Mega 2560 Project Kit, billed as The Most Complete Starter Kit from Elegoo. Looking at the photo of the kit and it's endless number of parts, my guess is you are either saying: "OMG, what an amazing kit, I need this!" Or, "WWhy all those parts? Do I need this? Can't I find what it builds already built for like the same price?" Folks, I have no idea. A lot of people in the chatroom were excited about this find, and some were....er, not. At 1st Chad felt bad because the kit is on the Elegoo website, but marked as out of stock. No problem. If you Google Elegoo Mega 2560 kit, a lot of choices to buy it come up. Chad paid $79.99 for his, but I see it on ebay for about $65.00. You'll have to watch this week's show to learn some of the things you can build, or mashup with this kit.

Company website: http://www.elegoo.com/

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1779  

Dick's Gadget Warehouse & How To Submit Your Video & Get An Autographed MAD Magazine!

Our email of the week contains a different kind of video, but one we're happy to show.

Hi Dick and Chad,

For the past few weeks the Air Force and the Navy have been doing flyovers of medical facilities and communities in various parts of the country as a way to say thank you to those people who are working so hard to keep those afflicted with the Covid-19 virus alive. These are photos I put together in a little iMovie as my little way to say thank you to them as well, using pictures from the recent flyover of Baltimore, Washington DC and New York City by the Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels a couple of weeks ago. If you watch the internet you will find various times where state Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units are doing the same in many states across the nation.

This is all part of routine training so it doesn’t cost the taxpayer any additional money and it is a great way to say Thank you to those essential workers that, until recently, have worked behind the scenes and “under the radar” to keep us safe, healthy, well-fed, and clean.

Doug Johnson, MSgt, USAF, Ret.

https://youtu.be/_ePF6O1G4_Q

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1779

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We’d love to include your video in an upcoming Giz Wiz Show! 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.
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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.
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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.
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My Favorite Gadget (favorite old, or favorite new): 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.
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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 earn a tiny amount of fame (hopefully). And if you live in the US, you'll also get an autographed 38+ year old Alfred E. Neuman picture and a MAD surprise (most likely the current issue of MAD.) But no matter where you live outside of US, I can autograph an Alfred E. Neuman photo to you, scan it & email you a high res copy if we show your video. Just print it out, frame it, or just hang it up and no one will know it's a copy. We've tested it out and fans say they look terrific! If you submitting warehouse videos for a second, third time, etc., you'll get the current issue of MAD as a thank you.

All show submissions go to mail@gizwiz.tv
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Two emails this week reacting to the Z Loks we talked about on your last week's show.

I saw your segment on the zip lock and you said you can leave your luggage tied to a bench at the airport. No offense, but you should never leave your luggage unattended. If someone sees you lock a suitcase to a bench they will shut down that terminal and evacuate it all while trying to figure out whose locked luggage is tied to a bench. So be careful with that. :-) Karl

And email #2:

Hi Dick and Chad,

Last show you featured Hiplok Z Loks. I thought you might get a kick out of a bike lock at the completely other end of the spectrum, the Altorlocks SAF lock: https://altorlocks.com/products/saf-lock.

I first saw this on the LockPickingLawyer’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6rby98W8JigLoZOh6FQ

There are lots of videos online of people trying to break open this giant lock.

Thanks a lot for the show, I always enjoy it.  Robin Holtje