If you watch a lot of commercials, you should do well playing The Logo Board Game

Pretty much every product you buy has a logo. But could you name them if you saw them? Could you give the slogan that goes along with some of the world’s most famous logos? We must see hundreds of them everyday, especially if you watch a lot of television. Logo is a game that puts your consumer knowledge to the test. The object of Logo is to show off your knowledge of popular brands and pass your fellow players so you can be first in the winner’s circle. The first person to make it into the winner’s circle by answering the most logo/brand questions correctly wins. It’s really a lot of fun. Sometimes you’ll say something that you’re sure is wrong, but some how it just comes to mind – and it turns out to be correct. There are 400 game cards with a total of 1200 questions. The rules are simple and the game consists of the question cards, the board and the playing pieces. No lights, bells, spinners or batteries needed. Ages 12+.

I had several questions about Logo and Rachel Griffin at SpinMaster was kind enough to answer them.

How did Logo come into being? The product was launched by a company by the name of Drummond Park in 2010 in just the UK market.  Spin Master obtained the rights to develop and distribute a game for the North American market starting in the fall of this year.

Did you need to get any company’s permission?  For all cards in the game that have images (200 cards total), we needed to get permission from each one of those brands.  This was a very robust project as licensing agreements had to be signed and images / questions needed to be approved.

Did companies have to pay to be on the box cover?

There was no royalty paid to any of the companies for permission… not those included in the game or those featured on the box cover.  Most companies fortunately saw the value in having their brands included in our game for the exposure that it would bring.

MSRP $24.99.   As of 11/17/11 it was under $19 at ToysRUs:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11815456&CAWELAID=924885805

Two new tripods from Gorilla Pod.

Ever find a shot that would look 100% better if you had your camera on a tripod? But you can’t carry a tripod with you everywhere you go – or can you? You can with the GorillaPod Micro 250. This gizmo is so small it can be an “always-on” camera tripod for point-and-shoot cameras. With an adjustable ball-head the GorillaPod Micro 250 offers the stability, range of movement, and versatility of full-size tripods for your point and shoot camera up to almost 9 ounces (250 grams). The GorillaPod Micro 250 can be used to position your camera on uneven terrain. A machined aluminum-positioning ball allows for 36° of movement in any direction to frame a level shot on uneven surfaces while still firmly holding your camera in place. The coated zinc alloy legs weigh less than 1 ounce). The legs quickly lock in place when opened. Colorful rubber foot grips (in your choice of red, blue, or gray) fit discreetly underneath your camera. It's so inconspicuous; you can leave it permanently attached. It’s just 2.6 inches long and 0.7 inches wide. $19.99

www.joby.com/gorillapod/micro250

Have a bigger camera too?

A helpful companion for your compact system camera is the GorillaPod Hybrid. The company says its rock-solid stabilization and precise ball head-enabled positioning allow you to capture professional-quality images without the size and weight of a traditional full-size tripod system. I don’t know about professional quality shots, but I have the earlier model to stabilize my camera in weird places. You can use the two dozen-plugs leg joints to bend and rotate 360° to wrap around objects. They are rubberized ring and foot grips to enhance stability on difficult terrain, so you can place your camera at virtually any angle. Built with Japanese medical grade ABS plastic and German TPE rubber for secure joints that stay firm and grippy after years of shooting. It supports cameras up to 2.2lb (1kg). The slim-line quick-release clip has a bubble level which stays connected to your camera and snaps into the ball head for instant setup and perfectly level images every time. About $40.

http://joby.com/store/gorillapod/hybrid

The lastest Nixon Coolpix Digital Camera with a Built-In Projector!

I don’t own one, but each year at the Photo Plus Expo I like to follow the progress of the unique Nikon Coolpix Projection Digital Camera. Simply put, it’s the only digital camera I know of that becomes a digital projector with the slide of a single button. The newest model, the S 1200pj is Nikon’s third version. The features of the digital camera itself have not changed much since last year’s S1100pj. But there are a lot nice new features in the built-in projector. The projector’s throw has been increased to 10 feet, a 3 foot improvement over the last model. The LED light is now individual RGB vs. last year’s single white LED. The lumens have been increased from 14 to 20. That means the screen size has also increased from 47 inches to 60 inches. One of the most interesting new features of the Coolpix S1200pj is its compatibility with iPhone/iPad/iPod devices. Last year Nikon added the ability to project images from a MAC or PC computer. You can still do that, but now you can also stream content from your iPad, iPod and iPod Touch through the camera’s video projector. It’s down via a special cable that’s included. Imagine how little equipment you have to carry now to put on a PowerPoint presentation or entertain at a party or hotel. The new camera makes it easy to start the projector by just sliding the protective projector lens cover up. There’s even a built-in tilt stand. And you can project pictures or videos that are on your SDHC cards. Camera-wise the new model has the same 14-megapixel and 5x optical zoom Nikkor lens as last year. Battery life remains at one hour, so you’ll either have to use an optional AC adapter or buy an extra battery or two. The bad news is that the price of the camera has increased by about $80. When you consider the discounts that are now available on the outgoing S1100pj, it’s a difference of $150 to $200! Yep, the latest cost a lot more. The S 1200pj was introduced recently: late August 2011. I assume the price will drop as it becomes available at more places. 

http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Product/Compact-Digital-Cameras/26278/COOLPIX-S1200pj.html

Bring an non-working fireplace up to working one - in just minutes!

There are so many fireplaces in New York City apartments that no longer work, and I imagine the same is true throughout the country. Without spending a ton of money you can bring any existing fireplace to life in just about ten minutes! The Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert Heater is easy to install and a snap to use. Simply slide it into an existing fireplace, adjust the trim to fit, and then plug it into a standard household outlet. There’s no venting, no gas hookup and no fumes or smell. Not only do the flames look good, your fireplace will once again actually produce heat! You should make sure the Dimplex fireplace insert has it’s own electric outlet as it uses up to 1500 watts with the heater on “high”. The patented flame technology offers the most realistic flame effect I’ve seen. The built-in fan-forced heater has a high/low setting and distributes heat quietly. Or you can leave the heater off completely and just enjoy the flame effect. The company says it can heat up to 400 square feet. The remote control turns the unit "on" or "off" from anywhere in the room. You turn the heater on and adjust for high or low heat using two small switches at the top of the unit. The Dimplex DF 12309 Electric Fireplace Insert heater measures 10-4/5 by 23-1/5 by 19-4/5 inches. It sells for $199.99 on Amazon.com. Becareful, because I’ve seen the same model Dimplex on sale for $299.99. Dennis Wunderlin (designer of the GizWiz logo) owns the one in the video. He bought it online for $199.99 and really loves it. It fit perfectly into the built-in fireplace in his apartment with no adjustments needed.

Then I sat down and played -----

Dennis Wunderlin, who designed the Giz Wiz logo, was looking to buy an 88-key electronic piano small enough for his NYC apartment. On the web he found many excellent reviews for the Yamaha P-95B Digital Piano. He went to Sam Ash Music where there’s a large selection of digital pianos set-up for customers to try. He found the P-95B Digital Piano provides an authentic acoustic piano playing experience at a reasonable price. The sampled piano sound is excellent and Dennis said the 88 full sized, weighted keys feel exactly like playing a full-sized piano. At only 12.5 lbs, and 11.06” x 58.15” x 15.03”, the Yamaha P95 Digital Piano doesn’t take up very much space. Really decent sounding built-in 4.5” x 2.5” full-range speakers are powered by twin 6 watt amplifiers. There are two headphone jacks so you can play in private or share with a friend or piano teacher. Along with 2 different acoustic piano sounds, there are 8 additional sounds onboard. 2 Electric Pianos, Jazz Organ, Pipe Organ, Strings, Choir, Harpsichord and Vibraphone. You can layer any 2 sounds and play them simultaneously. There are 50 built-in songs for listening enjoyment or for use as a practice/study tool. If you want to record your own song, there’s a built-in 1-track/1 song recorder. The built-in reverb effect offers 4 different types and the Chorus effect adds dimension and depth. But wait, there’s more! Additional features include a built-in metronome, a keyboard touch sensitivity control and a sustain pedal which is included. And there are ports for MIDI I/O. It's available in black or silver. MSRP $899.99, but it sells for about $549.99. Dennis bought his at Sam Ash for that price.

http://www.samash.com/p/Yamaha_P95B%20Digital%20Piano%20in%20Black_-49951587

Giz Wiz Video Of The Week: http://youtu.be/Ie33bpbL5M0

See or hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1336