A TV Remote that's hard to misplace.

You know how easy it is to lose the remote and how hard it is to find it! What if the remote was easy to find and easy to keep where you won’t lose it? That’s the idea behind Brookstone Pillow Remote Control. How can you lose this remote in between the cushions, when it IS a cushion! Built into to this pillow is a 6-in-1 universal remote control! Although the ads say: “fast, easy set-up with pre-programmed automatic code searching”, I found it was a bit of a chore. Most reviews on Amazon also say it takes some doing to program the Pillow Remote Control correctly. All the built in keys do ‘click’ when you push on them to perform a function. So you don’t accidentally hit a button and go into an unwanted mode, a power-saving auto shutoff feature shuts off remote functions after 60 seconds of inactivity. You have to remember to hit the “activate” key for 3 seconds to bring the pillow back to life. Power is supplied by 2 AAA batteries which are not included. The instruction tells you to push the battery case switch to off if you’re not going to use the pillow for an extended period. I did that, and it erased all the codes. I’m not sure why they ask you to do that when the pillow has auto-shut-off built in. Even though the 6-in-1 Pillow Remote is from Brookstone, you don’t have to order it from them. I got mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $39.99.

See or hear this Netcast: http://www.twit.tv/dgw1345

Like magic - turn any surface into a speaker --- cheap!

There have been a few vibration system speaker gadgets over the past couple of years. Basically they turn any surface into a speaker! But up to now that cost $50 to $80. But now comes the Rock-It 2.0 Portable Vibration Speaker for under $25. I actually paid just $19.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I like this little gadget a lot. It’s small enough to take just about anywhere, and it can be powered by 2 AAA batteries, or even USB. You get a USB cable in the box, along with a audio extension cable - two nice bonuses. If you’re in your hotel room and you want music without using your headphones, but plug the 3.5 mm headphone out jack into your iPhone, MP3 player, etc. Then turn the Rock-It on and put the vibration disc on just about anything. I tried it on many different cardboard boxes, an empty plastic bowl, even a wooden table top. I’ve heard of people using it on a Styrofoam cooler. The quality of the sound varies with what you stick the vibration disc on. In the video I shot I just held the vibration disc against the surface I was turning into a speaker. It probably would have sounded a bit better if I used the little stick-on discs that comes with the Rock-It 2.0. You’re not going to use this as your main speaker system, but for a hotel stay, or any place you need a way to play music (or a movie soundtrack) louder, this is great, inexpensive solution. Seems to be $24.00 an Amazon & just $19.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

http://video.bedbathandbeyond.com/v/20193/rock-it-2-0-portable-vibration-speaker-system-accessories/

Weekly Daily Giz Wiz Video: http://youtu.be/diA7RqKJ6QA

Music for your feet! It's about time someone invented this.

Here’s a gadget I bet no one on your gift list owns: Toe Tunes – Slippers with built-in speakers! And why do I know no one of your gift list has them --- because they don’t exist. Only the realistic box that shows Toe Tunes in use is real. Yes, this is a Prank Pack, one of a line of fake gift boxes that show off-the-wall gadgets what looks real, until you think how really stupid the “gadget” is! From the Toe Tunes Slippers box: "Tired of headphones that cover your ears? Feeling disconnected from the outside world? Fed up with wires bumping against your head and body? ToeTunes is your solution!" More from the box: "Before you head to the pricey spa, remember that as little as 4 of your favorite tunes played in direct contact with your feet is just as therapeutic, and more fun for those around you!" That comes from a chart that shows how your Toe Tunes compares to Massage, Acupuncture, even new socks. No surprise, Toe Tunes is the no-contest winner! And I love the part of the Prank Pack that describes the included Extra Bonus that lets you turn your slippers into headphones with the included headband. A picture shows a young man enjoying his music with his slippers held tightly against his ears. Fold up your Prank Pack and put your real gift inside, sit back and watch your friend try to act like they “love” it! You could put a pair of socks inside and I’m sure they’d be thrilled to how new socks rather than useless ToeTunes. The box has full-color printing on all 6 sides. Size: 12" x 9" x 4" (30 cm x 22.5 cm x 10 cm) Cost is $8.00 or 3 for $20 on the company website, plus $5 shipping for any number of boxes. I saw them at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $5.99.

www.prankpack.com  

I've fallen & I can't dial the phone!

The Geemarc AMPLI600 Amplified Emergency Connect Phone has a huge amount of features. It’s an amplified phone with Caller ID, speakerphone and the most unique feature – an emergency contact dialer. Here’s how it works. You record an emergency message and then program up to six emergency contacts. They should be family members; friends or neighbors who are close enough to respond to the emergency call. The Ampli600 comes with two small transmitter remotes, one that can be worn on the wrist, and one on a lanyard. If there’s an emergency, the wearer presses the emergency button on the transmitter or the red emergency button on the phone.  The Ampli600 starts calling each person on the contact list and playing the emergency message. When a person on the contact list answers and hears the message, they dial a number (0-9) to confirm that the emergency message has been received. That will stop the phone from dialing the other emergency contact numbers. That also signals the AMPLI600 to turn on the built-in speakerphone so that the contacted person can speak to, and listen to the other user. I found that an answering machine can miss recording the emergency message, but it will go on to the next person the list. I thought that was a drawback, but then I thought you really don’t want it to leave an emergency message on a machine. You want the device to keep calling until it reaches an actual person. The AMPLI600 is a reasonably priced way to have an emergency connect system without a monthly monitoring fee.  There are lots of other features too: Adjustable Amplification - up to 52dB w/ Volume Control Slide Bar, Amplification Boost Button & Situational Boost Button : Tone Control to let you customize the amplifier for optimum clarity, Enhanced Ringer - Up to 95dB Amplification, Visual Ringer Indicator, and Vibrating Handset, 3 One-Touch Emergency Buttons, 99 Station Name / Number Caller ID Memory and 99 Station Phone Directory / Dialer. There’s even a Strobe Light Ring Flasher. This device has so many features make sure to read, understand and test all the functions. And you have to make sure everyone on the contact list understands what they should do if they get an emergency call. Check out the valuable information at the company website. Although the MSRP is $199.99, do a web search on Amazon.com. You can find it for almost half price. Company website:

http://sonicalert.com/products-amplified-phones-Ampli600-ec.html  

Need more memory for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch?

Okay, so you bought an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and you didn’t buy enough memory. There’s no way to add memory inside the device, but there is a new solution from Kingston. It called the Kingston Wi-Drive and it lets you add 16GB or 32GB of external storage. The case itself is slim and lightweight and almost looks like you’re carrying a second iPhone. We already covered the Seagate GoFlex Satellite, which lets you add a lot more memory for the same, or even less money, but the Kingston Wi-Drive uses embedded flash memory. So it’s smaller and you don’t have to worry about jarring a moving hard drive. You start by charging the Kingston Wi-Drive. Once charged, you add your photos, movies, music, files, etc. by clicking and dragging to your device via your desktop or laptop computer. When the Wi-Drive is plugged via a USB port, it will show up as an additional drive.  Once you have content transferred, download the free Wi-Drive app onto your iOS device. The app will allow you to access all the available Wi-Drive content on your iPhone, iPad, or in my case, the iPod Touch. Check the Kingston website for the supported formats. I added some MP4 video, which played fine, but it won’t play WMA files. Kingston says the battery will last for around four hours of constant use. One of the neat things about the Kingston Wi-Drive is that you can connect multiple devices to it – up to three of them. You charge it and transfer files via a mini USB connection. It Apple iOS only for now, but an Android app is due out soon. Shop Amazon for the lowest price. Right now on Amazon I see the 16 GB unit for about $80 and the 32GB one sells for just under $100.

Kingston website: http://www.kingston.com/flash/wi_drive.asp

See or hear this Netcast: http://www.twit.tv/dgw1341