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About Me

 

Known as MAD's Maddest Writer, co-host of The Giz Wiz with OMGchad at www.GizWiz.TV, The Giz Wiz on ABC's World News Now, and on Tech Guy Labs with Leo Laporte on www.TWiT.TV

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    WORLD NEWS NOW

    Starting Oct 1 2022:   GO HERE FOR GADGETS I SHOWED ON WORLD NEWS NOW             

      https://www.gizwiz.me/world-news-now

     

    With co-host Rhiannon Ally & Andrew Dymburt.

    "Where more insomniacs get their news than any other source!"

    On these pages are gadgets I've shown over the past few years on the show. 

    To find out when I'm on TV again, or to learn about new gadgets between shows, follow me on Twitter:

    www.twitter.com/thegizwiz

    Want more Dick De?

    The Giz Wiz does a gadget show every week with co-host OMGchad Johnson:

                                                      www.gizwiz.tv

    Entries by The Giz Wiz (728)

    Monday
    Apr052010

    Don't let your GPS get lost when thieves take it!

    These days almost every driver I know has a GPS unit. Many of them are built in, but many are portable units. GPS units become easier to use and more feature laden every year. But along with tech advances comes the attraction of thieves. That’s why I think the Maplock GPS anti-theft device is a good idea. It’s a two part locking system. There’s a stainless steel tether that attaches around the steering wheel. It’s connected to the Maplock device, which fits over your GPS unit and is locked with a key.  The Melbourne-based auto accessory company Who-Rae Australia developed this gizmo, which they say is the world’s first in-car GPS security device. It’s made to protect most portable GPS units with screen sizes between 3.5” & 5”. The bright colors of the Maplock are intended to deter thieves from breaking a window to gain entry. If thieves are roaming through a parking lot taking GPS units, I think they’d skip one that had this device in place and pick something easier. Why hassle cutting a wire and breaking a locking device when the cars all around probably have no locking device? GPS theft is not an isolated crime. According to the FBI, the number of thefts has increased by 700% in recent years. There are estimates that 2.6 million GPS units will be stolen over the next two years, so an under $50 anti-theft investment could really be worthwhile. It’s on pre-order right now and should be shipping in about a month.

    www.gpsmaplock.com

    I did a Daily Giz Wiz Netcast on this gizmo: Hear it here: www.twit.tv/dgw1023  

    Monday
    Apr052010

    Jumper Cables for Dummies!

     

    What seems like an easy task to some, hooking up jumper cables, can actually be dangerous if not done correctly. Improper use of ordinary jumper cables can result in sparking or shorting, which can result in injury to the user. It can also produce a power surge that causes damage to a vehicle’s electrical system. And that’s bad news for your entertainment and navigation functions. Yes, it should be easy. The red battery cable goes to the positive side of the battery, and the black battery cable goes to go to the negative side of the battery. These days the usual recommendation is to connect the black battery cable to exposed metal on the engine block or the car frame to complete the ground. But if it’s dark, if the battery itself is poorly marked or just dirty, it may be difficult to make the connections properly. That’s where MICHELIN’S new Smart Jumper Cables come into play. They can help avoid problems during an improper jump-start. The first thing you notice is that these jumper cable ends are not marked with red or black, or negative or positive. That’s because it doesn’t matter how you hook them up. The built-in safety technology (a sealed box at the center of the cables) in Smart Jumper Cables provides surge protection and automatic polarity adjustment from either positive or negative connections. A green LED light tells you the circuits are complete. If the green LED light does not come on it might mean one of the cables is not making good contact. You’ll know which side isn’t making contact because there’s an LED light for both ends of the cables. They also have a textured grip to improve handling, especially in cold weather. But wait, there’s more! These cables stay flexible and tangle free because Michelin says they’re made with cold weather resistant materials. They also come with a sturdy zip-up storage case Under $40. 

    www.michelinsmartcables.com 

    I did a Daily Giz Wiz Netcast on this gizmo: www.twit.tv/dgw1046

    Monday
    Apr052010

    Useful car gadgets that can save you time, money & sanity!

    CarMD. It's like a doctor for what ails your auto!

    Car MD is designed to give drivers two things they need most when it comes to their vehicle’s health:  easy-to-use tools and empowering information. Leo said it’s very easy to use. It should work on any 1996 and newer car, light truck, SUV and minivan. To get started you plug Car MD into the data link connector (DLC) of your 1996 & newer vehicle. That gives the device access to the vehicle’s on-board computer. (Videos on the company’s website can explain a lot more.) After the CarMD gathers the info it needs, a LED light tells you to disconnect it. It usually takes less than a minute to get the info downloaded into your Car MD. Then you use your PC to upload the information and tap into the CarMD online database for a specific report about what’s ailing your vehicle. The company says their easy-to-understand reports let you determine things like why your vehicle’s “check engine” light is on and find out how severe the problem is and how much parts and labor should cost. It’s like getting a second opinion on your repair estimate by comparing your CarMD report with your mechanic’s to ensure they located the true source of your car’s pain and bill you fairly. The CarMD database has real-life fixes from thousands of ASE certified technicians across the country and a range of resources to help you decide to attempt repairs yourself or refer to a qualified mechanic. Cost is $99.

     http://www.carmd.com/Shop/Products

    Friday
    Feb192010

    TOY FAIR 2010!

    Folkmanis Cow Puppets are new and so cute!!What a hard-to-take assignment. Go to Toy Fair with cameraman Peter Martinez, Jr. & Giz Wiz producer Dennis Wunderlin and play with toys!  Arr-gee, okay, I'll do it!

    Here's a link to the spot from air, World News Now, Friday, February 19, 2010

    http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=597291096890#!/dick.debartolo?ref=profile 

    And here are most of the gadgets you saw. I didn't see the spot until air, so I'm refining this list throughout the day.

    Chompers from Wild Republic is the only toy I showed that should be available in toy stores now as they started shipping right before Toy Fair. The T-Rex and Velociraptor dinosaurs,
    Great White Shark, Tiger, White Tiger and Lion Chompers have
    oversized heads and child hand-sized bodies that open and close mouths. Kids can they show them off or even use to pick up things from the desk & floor. Colorful and about $5 each.

    www.wildrepublic.com

    The Spy Video Tracker is coming in October, 2010 & will cost about $120. This was not yet listed on their website when I checked at Toy Fair time in February.

    www.spygear.net

    The Folkmanis Puppets start at about $20 and range up to about $60. For the quality and construction these puppets are a great value. There are available at  stores, but you can see the line and find retailers at:

    www.folkmanis.com

    I have no connection to anyone at any of the links above and make no money no matter where you purchase them, so always shop for the lowest price & check the store's reputation on line. 

    Tuesday
    Jan192010

    What kind of weird hat is that guy wearing??

    From our friends at Gizmodo. We can't see who's wearing the TV Hat. Maybe that's a good thing!I expect to find unusual things at CES and boy did I find one. On a Daily Giz Wiz episode about a month ago I  read a press release about this device and everyone thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t, because I found it at CES! I’m talking about the TV hat: a baseball cap with a brim that's about a 9 inches long!!  There’s a clear plastic VideoMP3/iPhone/iPod holder at the tip of the cap that drops down. You put your player in there. In between your eyes and the screen is a drop-down rectangular magnifying glass that makes your video source appear much bigger. It’s on a track so you can slide it forward or back for focus. The company says it’s: “A movie theater experience absolutely anywhere!” I’m not sure about that, but I must say it does work pretty well. (But DO NOT THINK High Def, or even medium def.) Even Vinita had to admit, “you may not be able to tell at home, but this really works”. One thing is for certain. You will look truly weird wearing this device. Black flaps drop down around the cap to block out the light. The kit even include a black flap to hang from the cap behind your neck. If you don’t mind looking like the “Elephant Man”, you could use this on the plane, train, bus or even on a camping trip. A camping trip is good because less people will see you! Also the price isn’t bad. Here are the official details: Receive the As Seen On TV Hat in your choice of Cap or Visor for $19.95 plus $7.95 S&H and a FREE neck protector. You can also choose your color; choose from blue, white, red, khaki or camouflage. When you purchase 2 or more As Seen On TV Hats we will pay the additional shipping!

    https://www.asseenontvhat.com/flare/next

    Hear the Daily Giz Wiz Podcast I did on this product: www.twit.tv/dgw1001