A tie for dad? Boring!! Not this one. Dad will love it!

Well, actually this is most likely like no other tie dad owns. First you need to know the slogan the company prints on each tie:  Because most functions that require a necktie deserve to be slept through -- that’s the idea behind Pillow Tie. These designer ties have a little internal bladder that you can blow up to make your tie into a mini-pillow. Now you’re really not going to use this tie for a pillow for more than a few minutes because it’s not all that comfortable. But hey you really didn't buy it for sleeping, did you? But you do get a decent tie and a lot of laughs from dad and friends for your clever gift. At $20.00 it serves as a real business tie. Yes, you can remove the bladder if you want. And I’m not sure if they did this as a joke – or its just a way to make sure no one's dumb enough to try it --- but heed this warning: Pillow Tie is NOT to be used as a flotation device! One note:  I did have trouble blowing mine up at first. I used a push pin to get the bladder moving and then it was fine.

www.pillowtie.com 

The Giz Wiz with his Pillow Tie on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMAnEk4y44U 

Dad can stay in touch with the new Droid X2.

The Droid X is almost reaching its one year mark, so Motorola has released an updated version of the popular Verizon smartphone. Compared side by side, the new Droid X2 looks almost identical to its brother, but there are some  important differences. The biggest changes involve a higher resolution (and a noticeably) better screen plus a big boost in speed. The Droid X2 features one of new Nvidia dual-core 1GHz processors. And the X2 also features a qHD display – that’s an LCD panel with 540-by-960 resolution. Motorola says that's a 26 percent increase in pixels over the original Droid X's 480-by-854 screen. When I put the phones side by side and asked friends to point to the phone with the best looking picture, they picked the Droid X2. It also features a non-reflective GorillaGlass screen. Many of the other stats between the X2 and the Droid X are the same. Both have 4.3-inch-sized displays, 512MB of RAM, 8MP rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video capture, and both have mini-HDMI out ports. The newer model to some people’s disappointment, does not have a front-facing camera. (One reviewer said it was there and would be activated in a later upgrade, but I don’t see it.) One strange change is that the new model only has an 8GB micro-SD card, while the original Droid X had 16GB. But both can handle up to 32GB micro SD cards. The new Droid X2 ships with Android 2.2, (Froyo). Motorola and Verizon users will get an Android 2.3 upgrade (Gingerbread) but there’s no firm date for that yet. Motorola says users should get up to 480 minutes of talktime or 220 hours of standby from a full charge of the 1540 mAh Droid X2 battery. And be aware, even though this is one of Verizon’s newest Droids, it’s not 4G capable. The Droid X2 sells for $199.99 with a new (or upgraded) two-year contract.

www.verizonwireless.com

See or Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw/1317

Now dad can carry his keys without making a hole in his pocket.

There’s not much you can about having to carry keys. But there’s a new device that changes a lot of the bad things about carrying them. The Keyport is compact, and fits comfortably in a pocket or pocketbook. While it’s in your pocket, it won't stab you, tear your pockets, or scratch your phone. It was originally created by an avid motorcyclist, which means the Keyport will not dangle on your handlebars & scratch your bike like keys on a regular chain do. It can handle up to six key blades, which weighs less than six standard keys because Keyport doesn’t need the heavy head of a normal key. Another advantage, no rattle or jingle of keys. The company says it can accommodate chipped auto keys used in newer automobiles & motorcycles, along with high-security keys including Abloy, Medeco, Multi-Lock and many more. There’s also a lost and found program via a serial number, which is used to reunite owners with a recovered Keyport. You can carry six keys in a Keyport, or a combination of keys and optional blades that fit into the slider. There’s a bottle opener (about $5), an LED light (which can light while a key is extended, making it easy to open a lock in the dark), and even a USB flash drive blade! A slider and six blades costs $79 plus S & H.

www.mykeyport.com

The GizWiz Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij34B3aQiXw

See or hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1309

Let dad build his own "swiss-army-knife-type-device"!

Pocket tools with all sorts of fold out attachments are great for trips, in the workshop, etc.  But you don’t need all those attachments all the time. That’s where Switch comes in. It’s the ultimate modular pocketknife for gadgets lovers or any one who likes to tinker. Basically you build your own Switch for whatever job you need it for. In the box you’ll find a small, medium and large Switch frame. It also comes with 18 different attachments so you can mix and match your most frequently used tools. Customize your Switch’s width by swapping out the inner axles, or group your tools into different “themes” – home, office, outdoors, etc. When you have it exactly the way you want it, you put on the colorful end caps and secure it with the included fasteners. $79.

www.quirky.com

Giz Wiz "Make Your Own Switch" Video:

http://youtu.be/niO62HDsCFI

See or hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1318

New a powerstrip that lets you plug one of those big 'transformer' plugs in every outlet?

Do you have a lot of electronic devices with those big transformer plugs? You know the deal. You buy a power strip and find you can only use half the outlets because those big power adapter plugs ends up covering 2 or 3 other outlets. Pivot Power comes to the rescue with an easy solution: a flexible power strip that can bend and flex so you can find the most convenient angle to handle those monster transformer plugs. Because there’s a hinge between every outlet on the strip, you have a lot of flexibility of which way to face the plug. Currently it’s only available in white and it ships with six feet of heavy duty cord. There's also a flat plug at the end so it takes up less room at the outlet you plug it in. There’s 672 Joules of surge protection built in too. $29.99.

 www.quirky.com