Episode 858

SmartSwipe Security
According to NetSure Technologies, which makes SmartSwipe, although traditional SSL encrypts the data in transit from your computer to the secure server of the e-commerce site, hackers may still be able to access the information while it's on your computer or its memory before the data is encrypted.  SmartSwipe uses a technology which they call Dynamic SSL, that interacts with traditional SSL.  It encrypts the data at the SmartSwipe hardware itself and initiates the SSL key negotiation from SmartSwipe (and not from the personal computer), so that the encryption is extended further back to the earlier point in time when the information is read from the credit card.  SmartSwipe works only on Windows XP and Vista and only on Internet Explorer.  If you're interested in the security side of the technology, you may want to read up on NetSecure's documentation on Dynamic SSL to see if the claims of security are made out.  Dell is now selling it as an accessory.



Squirrel iPhone Credit Card Swiper
Rumour has it that Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is going to make an iPhone hardware and software solution, codename Squirrel, for accepting credit card payment on a card swiper connected to the iPhone.  Here's the TechCrunch article.

Waterproof Housing for the Canon 50D
Alessandro Abate is taking his Canon EOS 50D and a 300mm lens on an Alaska cruise to celebrate with his wife their 25th wedding anniversary.  He wonders if Leo can recommend a waterproof housing for his cherished camera while kayaking.  If he doesn't need to take photos while kayaking, Leo suggests a waterproof cinch bag, but if he wants to shoot through the protective cover, it's going to cost him.

Warnings from Sandrino
If Leo is going to name his autobiography "Just One More Podcast" (see Episode 812), Sandrino's wife, who is an attorney, is ready to collect their share of the royalties.  Also, his daughter has just been accepted into the San Francisco Institute of Art and they may pay a visit to the TWiT Cottage while in the neighbourhood.  Leo will be ready with his TWiT Mat.

Listen to Episode 858
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Episode 857

Polar from Finland
Polar Electro Oy, the maker of today's gadget the Polar F6, is from Finland, not Germany.

Second Rate Snacks
Dick and Leo have often referred to Totino Pizza Rolls, and even fantasised about getting a sponsorship from Totino.  Ted Kekatos has written in about pizza rolls vs pizza bites, and lots more.  On the website Second Rate Snacks, you can find a lot of snacks "taste-off", where famous snack labels are pitted against less well-known brands, such as Totino Pizza Rolls v Mr P's Pizza Bites, Cola Challenge, Cheez-It v Cheese Nips etc.

SysAdmin Appreciation Day
Leo remembers the name of today's letter-writer, but forgets that Ted Kekatos is the founder of the annual SysAdmin Appreciation Day, the last Friday of every July.  This year it's on 31 July.

A Totino Wrap-Up
If you've missed out on earlier episodes and wonder what all the fuss is about Totino pizza rolls on the Daily Giz Wiz, it all started in Episode 253, when Leo received a letter from Eric, a reliability engineer from General Mills, who said he would love to get the company to sponsor the show.  That's when the jocular begging for sponsorship began, which continued for a number of shows.  Back in those days, it was difficult enough to persuade ad agencies to consider podcasts for advertising, but the cause was certainly not helped by Dick and Leo's constant references to the product as "Tostino" pizza rolls and Leo's complaint that one couldn't even find "Tostino" on Google (Episode 263).  By the time their mistake was pointed out to them by listeners (in Episodes 269, 271), it was too late, as confirmed by Eric in Episode 284, and all the begging had been in vain.

But Dick and Leo could pat each other's virtual backs for not getting the sponsorship deal, as General Mills had to recall some of its Totino products due to E. coli contamination in 2007 (Episode 443).

Listen to Episode 857
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-up
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Episode 856

Contigo's Autoseal
Credit to fellow-listener Jeffrey Vento, today's gadget is Contigo's beverage-ware. Autoseal may not be rocket science but it's a neat idea that should work for many people.

And here's a demo of the Contigo Hydration Bottle, available from Amazon in a 3-pack:

Leo's routine
As is Leo's wont, he pooh-poohs Dick's gadget, then as soon as he learns that it pours smoothly, he rushes off to order a Contigo stainless steel coffee mug from Amazon.

TWiT Mats
Leo has referred to the TWiT Mat a number of times now.  After the recording of this episode, Leo shows off a non-slip rubber TWiT Mat given to him by a TWiT fan, and an embroidered mat from another fan.

Listen to Episode 856
Go to TWiT
Read Dick's Write-up
Find DGW Info on GizWizSearch

Episode 855

Spy Cams
P3 International's Desk Clock Video Camera was first shown to Leo when he visited Dick's Gadget Warehouse in Episode 246.  Back then P3 was having a clearance sale and the gadget was still on its website.  It is no more.  These days you can get spy cams and nanny cams hidden behind fruit baskets, door bells, smoke alarms, alarm clocks and so on, with much better low-light performance, and in colour too.  Check out e.g., Brickhouse Security and Surveillance Spy Cameras.

Alfred E Neuman Mouse Pad
Dick has rented the current space for his warehouse from Sofia Bros for 21 years, at $350 a month.  That's about $85,000 - plus 5 years in another room before that.  You can support Dick by buying some of his MAD stuff and GizWizBiz gadgets.  Available now are some vintage Alfred E Neuman MAD Mouse Pads made 13 years ago, at Dick's Mad-Stuff.

Wall-E and the Beam Scope
Several listeners, including Daniel Holth from Gainsville, Florida, have written in, about Wall-E and his giant Fresnel lens which he used to watch his iPod in the film, which is out on DVD and Blu-ray.  The film has quite a few geeky references, one of which being Wall-E's personal Beam Scope (Episode 735).  Below is a comparison of the details in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, on hifi-writer.com., where Wall-E watching his iPod video through the magnifying lens.

From hifi-writer.com

Episode 854

A GizWizBiz MP3 Player ?
The Samsung U5 is available in black, white, red, pink and blue.  The white model lends itself particularly well to adaptation as a GizWizBiz MP3 Player, with a Square-Spaced Giz Wiz, I mean square-faced.  Perhaps with built-in support for automatic downloads of the Daily Giz Wiz?


Diaper Stuffing
Suzanne Lander writes in defence of the Sham Wow. Dick, Leo and her husband may laugh at her, but she thinks the Sham Wow is great as diaper stuffing, in place of microfibre towels and hemp inserts which she used to use.  It saves her from using disposables. Dick thinks it sounds like Gracie Allen.  By the way, the Sham Wow will be featured in MAD Issue 501, and you can win it in due course by playing the What The Heck Is It game.

Ideas for the TWiT Donation Button
During the intermission after this episode, Leo discusses with Dick and Studio Guest Jeri Ellsworth ideas for the TWiT Donation Button, and what should happen to Leo when TWiT gets a donation.