Giz Wiz #1542 October 28nd, 2015, our 26th Independently Produced Giz Wiz Show

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 this link: http://www.gizwiz.tv/.  You can also contribute just once via PayPal there too. And thank you! The show wouldn't exist with our viewer's support.

Here's three more gadgets from the fun GetGeeked event in NY (actually, Brooklyn) that took place on October 15^th, 2015.

It seems laptops are going down in price and tablets are going up. There are currently tablets that cost more than $1,000 and now, laptops and Chromebooks that sell for under $200. In that budget arena, I was impressed by two new low cost entries from Lenovo. If you want to get into Windows 10 for a very low price, the Lenovo Ideapad 100S is a handsome budget laptop to consider. It's retail price is $199.99 at Best Buy. When you consider Windows 10 Home on Amazon is about $120, this quite a great deal. The design is thin and with its bright plastic red lid and black interior, it looks like a machine that costs a lot more. Of course at that price, it's not a work-horse, but perfect for the more casual user. It's powered by an Intel Atom Z3735F 1.33GHz processor, has 2GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage and a 2-cell 30Wh battery. It also comes with 15GBs of OneDrive storage. You can double that 32GB of storage for about $15 more with a micro SD card. Actually there are a lot of features for the price. It includes HDMI out, an integrated webcam and microphone, two 2.0 USB ports, Bluetooth 4.0, and 802.11b/g/n WiFi. Plus there's a year’s subscription to Microsoft Office 365 Personal. The 11.6-inch display has a 1366 x 768 resolution. If you don't want Windows, there's an almost identical 100S unit that runs Google’s Chrome OS. This version is even less expensive at $179.99. And for a bit more money, the Lenovo IdeaPad 100S is also available as a 14-inch notebook that comes standard with a 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3050 chip and 64GB of storage for $229. (I don't the slight increase is price is worth the extra memory, larger screen and better processor.) The Windows Version is only available at Best Buy and the Lenovo website. The Chrome version will be more widely available. Check the Lenovo website to see all the features of both machines.

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

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

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1542

I bet you haven't seen this gadget before!

Like low, low notes when you listen to music? This is one of most bizarre gadgets I've seen in a long time. The bassAware Drop is a new type of wearable audio device that uses vibration to create a massive bass experience. Here's how the company describes it: Wear your Drop to experience immersive sound and heavy bass that you can FEEL, anytime you’re wearing headphones from any audio source: your phone, music player, tablet, laptop, or game console controller. And now with our new bassAware Boost Mic Mode technology, you can also instantly sync bassAware with your home stereo, the sound system at a club, or the PA system at any venue - perfectly in time with the music coming from the speakers. The Drop delivers an unbelievable personal bass Boost! It’s super portable - you can take it with you anywhere - it’s small, lightweight, and battery powered. Everywhere you go - you’ll feel that visceral punch like you’re in the club or in front of a giant stack of speakers. And now back to me. The unit runs on a 2600 mAh li-ion battery pack with level indicator for an estimated 12-20 hours of use for each full charge. I did try the bassAware Drop at the GetGeeked event in NYC. You can feel the bass, but I also felt weird having this device on my back. Maybe younger folks will like it more. The other problem to my mind anyway, is the price. It's $349 for the model that's ready to go out of the box, or $279 as a kit where you get all the hardware but provide the way to wear it.

Company website: www.bassaware.com

Company video: https://www.crowdsupply.com/bassaware/bassaware-drop-a-wearable-audio-device  

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1542

Bulbs that light, and stay lit, even when the power goes off.

When I saw a guy at the GetGeeked event holding a light bulb in his hands that was lit with no signs of what powered it, I had to stop and ask about it. It turns out it part of a safety and security system called BeON. The company says BeON unites prevention with protection to give you peace of mind when you are away and let you feel safe and sound when you are home. BeON has created a system that anyone can use in any home, and it doesn't take much more effort than screwing in a light bulb, downloading an app, and making some onscreen adjustments. In just a few steps you can have exit and backup lighting. All the technology, including the battery is built into a module that actually fits in one of the BeON bulbs. They look like ordinary bulbs in lamps and ceiling fixtures, but do a lot more. The can learn your movement and living patterns to protect your home once you leave. With BeON’s system, light switch operation remains the same, the only thing you change is the bulbs. Your new safety and security features are operated with their mobile app. BeON offers emergency lighting automatically when your smoke detector alarm sounds, backup lighting during power outages and slowly fading light when you leave a room. The LED BeON bulbs equal a soft white 60 watt incandescent bulb, and they're dimmable. Right now the kits are iOS app ready, and an Android app is coming soon. A kit with three bulbs and three modules which fit inside the bulb is $199.00 at the company website. 

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/n945sxX3WyY 

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

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1542

Chad's Crappy Corner and his final "as seen on TV" gadget, October's theme.

The (hopefully) proud Patreon supporters of the Giz Wiz were polled and for October's theme for Chad's Crappy Corner they picked “gadgets as seen on TV”. For his final October gadget Chad picked the Toucan Can Opener.

Here's what Amazon said about the Toucan One Touch Can Opener.  

Now you can open cans with a touch of a button. Simply attach Toucan One Touch Electric Can Opener to the top of any can and press the button. It cuts through any can. Use the automatic can opener to open any size can. Toucan also removes bottle caps and breaks the tight seal on jars so you can easily open. (50 people reviewed this on Amazon and it got 2.5 stars out of five.)

And Chad's take: This gadget worked slowly, but it worked. Well it worked on some cans. It didn't like the 1st can Chad tried it on. And Chad said it was LOUD when it worked. He was also able to use it to pop up one of those pesky pull tabs on a can, but wasn't successful in using it to open a tight jar lid. Those are supposed to be another use for the Toucan Can Opener. (I bought a different version of the One-Touch Can Opener and mine was loud too and incredibly slow. And mine left a very rugged edge on the can.) Chad showed us that his opener left the can with a much smooth edge when it was finished working. Below is the the Toucan webpage link. You can get one for about $20, or two for $30. But you can also find it at stores, as Chad did. He got his at his local Walgreen's for about $20. It's about $17 on Amazon. At either price, Chad wouldn't recommend it.

Company website. (Ad starts immediately when you click the link, so lower your volume.)

https://www.asseenontv.com/toucan-can-opener-as-seen-on-tv/detail.php?p=859419

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1952  

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

This week's viewer video arrived with this email from Zak Fuhrman  

Hi Dick and Chad,

This is a video of what may be the oldest gadget you have had on the show. It's my 1915 Victor Victrola. It celebrated it's 100th birthday last month. This was a Christmas present from my wonderful fiance. I still use it quite regularly and have a fine collection of 78's for it. I know you like to include the MSRP on your show, so for reference it originally sold for $60 ($1400 in 2015 dollars), but it is worth about $250 today. I love the show, and thanks for showing my video.

Zak

https://youtu.be/AIgzufsbS8s

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1542

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We're looking for more viewer videos and 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.

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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Letter of the week:

Hey Dick ! I wanted to do a video of this for the Gadget warehouse but never got around to it... 

Attached please find a pic of my mid 70 Superscope by Marantz 8 track player /recorder. Designed in Chatsworth California, Made in Japan. Great working condition and installed in my studio. Note the period current Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti tape !

I purchased this on eBay after a few (too many) adult beverages but just love the look of it. I was actually able to find some sealed tapes on eBay which is pretty amazing as they stopped producing 8 tracks in 1983.

Sorry to here about your dog. I just found this little guy (photo attached) wandering down my street with no collar and starved. I ran ads etc to find it's owner but no responses... so I'm going to keep him ! I named him Duke.

Bootleg Craig