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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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    The Giz Wiz is a weekly guest on The Tech Guy Show with -- who else? - The Tech Guy himself, Leo Laporte.

    Leo Laporte & I chat about some sort of fun or weird gadget weekly his The Tech Guy Radio Show. The show is syndicated by Premiere to over 180 radio stations around the country. Leo's closing in on 1.5 million listeners! I'm on the Saturday Show with The Giz Wiz Gadget of the Week. My spot is on about 1:45 PM PST / 4:45 PM EST. 

    And if you watch The Tech Guy stay tuned. Because after the Tech Guy Show  Leo does The New Screen Savers Show, and then I return to do Giz Fiz PM, a show with viewer questions, Match Game questions, videos, guest of the week and more! That starts when New Screen Saver ends..about 5:00 PM PST/ 8:00 PM EST. Watch it all at

    http://www.twitlive.tv/

    All The Tech Guy Labs show notes, shows & info can be found here:

    http://techguylabs.com/radio/ 

    Below are the gadgets we've talked about on the show.

    Saturday
    Sep252021

    A Really Unique 2-Way Outdoor Lantern.

     At an outdoor party at the marina, I brought along the Faux Fire/Bright White Light Lantern I talked about on the Giz Wiz Show almost 2 years ago. I knew the party would go into the evening hours and it would be dark on the dock. People loved the lantern and wanted to know where to buy one. I couldn't find the exact model I had, but I found the Lichamp 4 Pack LED Camping Lantern. It's a battery powered dual function, energy-efficient LED light for 360 degree illumination. The company says it's made of military-grade and water-resistant plastic. Foldaway handles make it easy to carry and they fold to store when not in use. Pull up the handles to open and turn it on or control the brightness, no switches required. Each time you open and close the lantern the light changes from white to flame back to white, etc. An ideal gift, great for camping, emergencies, backyard, etc. It's a small number of ratings but it got 4.5 out of 5 stars from 21 reviews. And they're inexpensive. 

    Price: $26.99 BUT ---- Coupon $10.00 extra savings coupon applied at checkout. Was working as of 9/25/21 afternoon. Price comes to 4 lanterns for $16.99 - that's only $4.25 each! Amazing.

     Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/mIDn7H8OUpA

     Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zJ29F0  As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

    Here's the 3-in-1 Lantern I reviewed almost 2 years ago. It adds a bright white flashlight at the bottom. I liked it lot, but it's a lot more. About $19.00 for one lantern. It got awful reviews on this page, most of them complaining the lantern doesn't fit the description. It turns none the demo videos at the bottom of the page feature the actual lantern shown in the photo. Check latest Amazon price here: https://amzn.to/3lVHJnD 

    As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

    Saturday
    Sep182021

    It Cuts Cardboard & Soft Plastic Packaging, But It Didn't Cut My Skin. (I tried it, so you don't have to!)

    I'm leary of metal boxcutters because they can be very dangerous. That's why I wanted to buy and try the Slice Carton Cutter. I think this is pretty neat. It looks good, and it's so much safer than using one of those fearful box cutters. You'll see me try it on several packages in my video, but first here's what the company says about it: Slice safety blade’s unique cutting edge might seem dull, but it cuts right through your material while keeping you safe! Other blades are dangerously sharp. Slice blades start at a safe and effective sharpness and stay there 11 times longer. With a metal sheath and a reinforced nylon handle, this durable tool stands up to industrial use. Ideal for cutting boxboard, cardboard, tape, clamshell and flexible plastics. Ships with a 10526 rounded-tip reversible utility blade. Each side lasts up to 11 times longer than a comparable steel edge. Pointed-tip 10528 utility blade available separately. Watch this week's show to see how well this works. I was impressed. And it's under $10. UPDATE: I liked the one I bought so much, I bought the 12 pack which reduces the price to a bit under $8 each. They make great gifts.

    Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/BpONW4BBaII 

     

    Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3u4Njb3 

    As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more. 

    Saturday
    Sep112021

    Want to be ready for any emergency? Here's the BioLite Solar Home 620 Kit!

    I like the philosophy at BioLite: "We are on a mission to empower and protect our planet through access to renewable energy. With that in mind we have produced (and given many of these away in third world countries) the BioLite Solar Home 620." This kit includes a 6 watt solar panel, mounting screws, the control box, three individual string lights with individual switches, including one with a motion sensor. The handsome control box includes a 20-watt hour rechargeable battery to store solar energy, 2 USB device charging ports, digital display for feedback on power availability, and control for the built-in speaker. You can use the built-in FM radio or use the SD card reader to play your own MP3 music files. The company says this kit is perfect for cabins, sheds, backyards, camping, RV's, and power outages. Someone in the chatroom added “it's perfect for tree-houses”. I also read one review where a person who keeps everything possible for emergencies keeps one of these kits standing by “just in case”. The 6 Watt Solar Panel Charges up a 20 Wh Control Panel (Hence, the name 620!) to bring multi-room lighting, device-charging, and music pretty much anywhere.

    Product video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=say6ILpMZA8

     

    Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/N2MB8aQdIDw

     

    Amazon link: https://amzn.to/38WVDj1 

     

    As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

    Saturday
    Sep042021

    Can this Chefman InstaCoffee really brew coffee from a K-Cup in 30 seconds?

    It's the Chefman InstaCoffee Single Serve Coffee Maker. Brews in 30 Seconds. Compatible with K-Cup Pods, Grounds & Loose-Leaf Tea w/Reusable Filter. While their copy says “Make fresh coffee in 30 seconds, I put a stopwatch to test it out. Well, in 30 seconds this coffee maker does start the brewing process, which is fast – but it takes 2 minutes, 15 seconds to brew a full Kcup. In additon to K-Cups® you can use your own freshly ground roast using the included filter. I like the compact design which takes up little counter space. It's also designed to fit most 14 oz. travel mugs. I don't know how this work, but the company says the InstaCoffee is equipped with a self-cleaning mode, making it easy to prevent and remove mineral build-up. The rubber drip tray is removable for easy cleaning between uses. All is all I like this device which sells for under $43.00. (As of 9/4/21)

     

    Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/1puGS5kjeGw

      

    Check the latest price on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3DXVuue 

     

    As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

    Saturday
    Aug282021

    What The Heck Is A Mouse Jiggler?

    Honestly, I have no idea. But the name sounded so nutty, I decided to buy one just so Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy, could help me (and maybe you) find out what it does, and if there’s a reason to buy one. (Buy one that is, other than based on a nutty name!)

    Here’s what the company says about it:  This mouse shaker is designed to allow your computer to recognize it as a normal mouse. No one in your IT department will notice any anomalies, and you can handle your business without drawing attention. 3 switching modes: upgraded mouse jiggler, exclusive ON/OFF switch, more convenient to use. Long press to turn on, long press to turn off, and tap to switch modes. Protect your computer’s USB port from damage caused by continuous plugging and unplugging.

    Driver-free: This mouse mover is a plug-and-play device, no driver is required, just plug it into the computer and press the button to use it. Durable and sophisticated: This mouse mover jiggler is made of high-quality translucent ABS, which is not easy to break. The surface is frosted, and the mouse jiggler looks like a work of art. You can see the beautiful blue indicator light is lit and flashing. The blue indicator light is always on when connected to the computer, and it starts to flicker when working. Note: When you need to use the mouse, please turn off the mouse jiggler.

    MSRP: $24.99 Amazon link:  https://amzn.to/3gDCkQk    As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.