Episode 938

Coby Snapp CAMs
If you want "deluxe" versions of the Coby Snapp CAM3000, you can get the Snapp CAM4000 (same video capability with a bigger, swivel LCD display) or the Snapp CAM5000 (which takes 720p videos).

Dick used the CAM3000 to take a video of a visiting squirrel in his backyard.  You can find the video on YouTube.



The Penguin Tea-Timer Again
Steve Leth from South Jersey found the Penguin Tea-Timer on stupid.com, and has recommended it to Leo as a companion to the Toothpick Bird for his Plastic Animal Planet show, and Leo can be the Marlin Perkins of tacky plastic bird gadgets.  Dick thinks that this is the TTTT surprise that Leo has planned for Dick.

The Penguin Tea-Timer was first suggested to Leo by another listener - George from Ajax, Ontario, Canada, in Episode 501.  Dick and Leo talked about it again in Episode 542.  This is the third time the Penguin Tea Timer makes an appearance on the show.  If Leo covers it again on TTTT, it's going to be a real surprise.

Penguin Tea-Timer
Home Office Suggestions
Steve has more suggestions for the Home Office location: Bivalve, New Jersey, and Slaughter Beach, Delaware.

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Episode 937

GigaPan Epic and Epic 100
The GigaPan was first mentioned on the show by a listener in Episode 775.  Alex has the original GigaPan EpicEpic 100, which is compatible with slightly bigger cameras and even some DSLRs. but the more recent model is the

The Night Owl
In Episode 924, Dick and Leo talked about their sleeping habits.  Night owl Danny Whitmer from Sydney, Australia (who first wrote to Dick and Leo in Episode 308) goes to bed at 6 a.m. and gets up at 2 p.m.  20 years of clubbing till the wee hours 5 nights a week have probably shifted his circadian rhythm, and Dick adds, made him feel like 86 at the age of 46.  Now the former clubber has taken up yoga, which Dick has been doing for many years.

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Episode 936

A New Host for the Week
Leo is playing truant this week from the Daily Giz Wiz.  He thought he would be able to record his usual Tuesday shows but couldn't, and Alex Lindsay has stepped into Leo's big shoes.  Of all the shows that Alex has had to take over, the Daily Giz Wiz is probably the hardest, with all the jingles, gadgets, letters, and the final tagline.

Dead and Alive
John Groucho Fish corrects Dick and Leo about their announcement of the recent death of a Laugh-In cast member (Episode 928).  It was Henry Gibson who died, not Arte Johnson.

FM Transmitter
Dan Linda, who has an X10-controlled daughter (Episode 918), has written in response to the question in Episode 921 about the best FM frequencies to use for FM transmitters in the car.  Now that the FCC has turned off the analogue TV channels, Dan has found that the best channel to use is 87.7.

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Episode 935

Induction Charging
While induction cooking never took off, it may well find another way into gadgets through induction charging, such as the Palm Pre (Episode 862), and the Dell Latitude Z ultra-slim laptop, which Leo is going to buy after Windows 7 gets released.

Dell Latitude Z
New York City Geography
Leo's wonky NYC geography in the intro reminds Dick of the television series Mike Hammer starring Stacy Keach in the title detective role.

Born in New York
Leo has always considered himself a native New Yorker, as he was born there, at the Women's Hospital (see Episode 64).

Shocking Laser Tag
In Episode 916, Leo talked about the TWiT Team's lasertag .comwars.  Young listener and fellow podcaster Christian Kaff from kaffcast.com has played with his family the Shocking Laser Tag, available at Perpetual Kid, which gives you a little shock when you get hit.  Dick prefers the game Shocker, but if Leo is to repeat the .comwars, he might want to try it at Governor's Island.

Shocking Laser Tag from Perpetual Kid

Nomination for Podcast Awards
Nominations have begun for the Podcast Awards.  This is the nomination stage to get the shortlist of nominees.  You may only submit one form.  Dick and Leo are going for People's Choice.  All you need to do is fill in the name of the podcast, which is The Daily Giz Wiz, in case you haven't noticed, and the podcast url, which is http://twit.tv/dgw, and your email address.

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Episode 934

So Much Chocolate, So Little Gadgetry
Leo gets sent all sorts of stuff, including Amano Chocolate and Starbucks Instant Coffee from Warren Owen.  Pity he doesn't get sent some decent gadgets for TTTT.

Tedx and Dubai
Leo is off to Dubai where he will be giving a speech at the Tedx conference.  He's already arrived and has posted updates on his blog.  Dick suggests he visit the Palm Islands, a housing development built on reclaimed land in the sea in the shape of a palm tree or palm leaf.

One of the Palm Islands in Dubai
The End of The World According to Dubai
The Palm Islands development looks positively modest when compared to The World Islands, another development in Dubai of man-made islands surrounded by breakwater which together resemble a world map.  You can buy an entire country there (by invitation only), if the project gets completed.  It's like playing Monopoly with real money.  The development, along with many other building projects in the United Arab Emirates, has been suspended because of the financial crisis, and the man who bought Ireland has committed suicide.  See an article in The Times.  Leo is going to meet a princess there and may well receive an invitation to buy an island.

The World According to Dubai
Things to Do in Dubai
When Leo is done haggling with the Emirati royalty over the price of an island, he might try some indoor skiing at the Dubai Emirates Mall, visit the spice and gold souks (the last being probably the only reason Jennifer has agreed to go with Leo), or buy a pair of Gap jeans for Dick, if he can find such lowly goods there.  Just don't expect any help with the jeans from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Twitter. 

An FM Transmitter Solution
Germ Cartee always enjoys the show a little bit when it manages to grab his attention from other things more interesting.  After listening to Episode 921 in which a listener asked about FM transmitters, he is offering his own solution.  He has a second car which has pre-configured static FM frequencies, but he doesn't listen to the local FM radio stations.  He dismantles the external FM antenna which stops the local FM signals from interfering with the FM transmitter.

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