The Giz Wiz is also a "Special Correspondent" to Computer America. (Read as, non-paid lackey, but it's fun!)
My next appearance on Computer America is Wednesday, November 26th, from 11 PM to midnight. That's when I join hosts Craig Crossman (USA Today) and Carey Holzman (Author, Techno-Wiz).
To hear the show, or go to the archives which now covers the past two years!: www.computeramerica.com
Yet another flashlight!But this is one I'm not going to buy. This is not ordinary flashlight. The Torch flashlight from Wicked Lasers is currently being reviewed by Guinness as the world's most powerful flashlight. At 4100 lumens, the Torch can easily start fires and even fry eggs. I used it to let a guy light his cigarette when I played with it at the Gizmodo Gizmo Galley that was open for a few days before Christmas.Not only can this flashlight light a cigarette, the case itself gets hot. The manufacturer says not to use it for more than a few minutes at a time. Don?t worry, you can?t use for long every if you wanted to. Why? Because the battery life is just 15 minutes. Then you have to recharge the battery pack! The bulb is a 100 watt Halogen with an expected life of 2000 hours. And it comes with a 6 month warranty. This certainly is a conversation piece, and you can light a dark room and make it look like daylight in a photo. But at $300, I?I'm stick to my bright LED flashlights and my Giz Wiz LED Cap. www.wickedlasers.com Watch an egg being cooked with this flashlight:
It’s the Speaker Keyboard from Verbatim. Whether you use your computer to watch videos on YouTube or listen to your favorite tunes, the Verbatim Speaker Keyboard for Windows (there’s a different version for MAC) is a great choice. It has integrated dual speakers, so this keyboard gives you very decent stereo sound right at your fingertips. You get a lot of features without cluttering up your space with speakers and cables. It also has easy keys to control volume and there’s a very effective boost bass button. Built in media buttons let you manage your music from the keyboard too. And of course I love the deep blue backlight illumination. You can easily type in a darkened room and see all the keys and symbols. You can turn on or off – depending on your surroundings or your mood.So with integrated speakers and backlighting, this Verbatim keyboard lets you turn down the lights, turn up the volume and enjoy a great music experience all plugged in with just a single USB cable. Under $80.
This device let you take your temperature or anyone in the family’s temperature a quick, accurate and "non-invasive" way. It’s the Exergen Temportal Scanner. According to a Harvard Medical School study, the Exergen TemporalScanner Temporal Artery Thermometer is even more accurate than ear thermometers. In fact, the company says, it's comparable in accuracy to old reliable — the rectal thermometer. Remember those? Well this one is a lot easier to use. Just a gentle stroke of forehead --- from about center, either right or left to hairline -- captures naturally emitted heat from skin over the temporal artery. It takes just a few seconds. A red LED flashes and soft beep indicates correct scan is complete. It takes 1,000 readings per second, selecting the most accurate one. A patented Arterial Heat Balance feature computes the correct temperature. (We’ll take their word on that!) But it’s neat because it can be used on a sleeping baby or it can be used on children with ear infections. It works on a 9V battery, which is included. It’s available at places like Costco & Wal-Mart stores, under $30. Ready more details on taking and understanding temperature taking and readings at their website. http://www.exergen.com/ Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw733
Take your show on the road with the new Iomega ScreenPlay TV Link.
Want to watch your portable hard drive or flash drive video content in a hotel room, at friend’s house or a party? The Iomega ScreenPlay TV link is an very compact multimedia player that lets you connect your USB hard drive, flash drive, or Iomega Rev Drive (sold separately) to your TV, or any TV with the correct inputs. Watch movies, photos, and videos. Offers HDMI scalable to 1080i. It comes with a full-function remote control. It’s a way to add multimedia features to the digital media collections you already have. Supports latest media formats such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI/VOB), MPEG-4 (AVI/DiVX 3.11, 4.x, 5.x/XViD), MP3, AC3 (Dolby Digital Encoding), WAV, WMA, OGG and JPEG. Plus, an Energy Star qualified adapter for a better environment powers the ScreenPlay TV Link. Suggested retail: $94.95But do a web search. It’s already available for $87.65.
Hang those photos for all to see. Right on the tree, or sit it on a shelf. It’s the Digital Photo Display Ornament. Lets you store over 50 photos and display them as a slideshow or as individual stills on the ornament's miniature LCD screen. Install the software on your PC or MAC and upload the photos to the ornament. The software resizes copies of your photos (your originals won't be harmed) and transfers them to the ornament via the included USB cable. Use the color 1.5” LCD to share your favorite photos with family and friends. The ornament can be hung on the tree, or can be placed on the include stand. Modes include: Auto off, clock, timer and Slide show. Batteries Included. Available in red or green.IMPORTANT! This is only available on the Brookstone website or via their catalog. It is NOT is at Brookstone stores! Under $20. http://www.brookstone.com/sl/product/4878-digital-photo-christmas-ornament.html Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw721 I have a new computer, but I still want to see stuff on my old one. You can see both computers on the same monitor with Belkin’s Flip Wireless KVM Switch.That’s right. Two computers. One monitor. No problem. Business professionals who bring home their laptops spend countless evenings in front of a small display and cramped keyboard. Thanks to the Flip Wireless KVM Switch, you can now use your big monitor and full-sized keyboard for both your laptop and home computer. It's simple. Just press the remote to switch your monitor from one computer to the next. The Switch is also great for connecting your old and new desktop computers, so you can access files and programs effortlessly using the same monitor, keyboard, and mouse. And you can connect a Mac and a PC to the same monitor. Depending on the model you choose, there’s wired and wireless models, the price is $49.95 to $59.95. http://www.belkin.com/flip/ Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw723
The Giz Wiz is also MAD Magazine's Maddest Writer, so you'll find lots of MAD stuff on this website too! www.madmag.com.
IMad About the Movies Directors' Cut'
MAD About the Movies: Director’s Cut features more than sixty zany parodies of classic (and not-so-classic) movies first featured in MAD Magazine and rendered in full graphic glory by The Usual Gang of Idiots. Covering nearly seventy years of movie history, these classic spoofs show that there’s no film so sacred that it can’t be treated irreverently, no movie star so famous that he or she can’t be made fun of, and no script so dramatic that it can’t be twisted to show its amusing side. Some of the best-loved films of all time get their comic comeuppance here, among them: Gone with the Wind / Bonnie and Clyde/A Clockwork Orange/ Brokeback Mountain/Spider-Man / Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone/The Lord of the Rings (all three films!)
The book is another exclusive with Barnes and Noble’s own publishing division. So B&N is the only place you’ll be able to get a copy. But it’s one heck of a deal at $9.98! The book is about 200 pages thick. I wrote 88 of them. (Residuals? Yeah, right. Forget it!) Hmm, maybe that’s why it’s so inexpensive! http://tinyurl.com/5h8d6z
I wrote about eight of the movie satires in this book.
Here's a USB device that tells you what will grow in your own backyard! It’s called EasyBloom. Place the EasyBloom Sensor in a spot where you would like to grow a plant, or adjacent to the plant that needs monitoring. Let the EasyBloom Plant Sensor gather a ‘plant's eye’ view of that location. After 24 hours, plug the sensor into your USB port. The sensor data is uploaded to the EasyBloom website where algorithms are run that will either recommend a plant or diagnose what is wrong with an ailing plant. Put it in the Recommend mode, and the EasyBloom website will showcase a variety of plants that will thrive in that location. In the Monitor mode, you will be told what is going wrong with a plant you already have and offer visual cues on how to fix it. EasyBloom Plant Sensor is Windows XP and Windows Vista compatible. In January 2009 it will support Mac OS X Tiger (v10.4) and Leopard (v10.5) users. www.easybloom.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw714
Stuck overnight in the airport. You could check into the Mini Hotel!
Here’s the deal. The company says that it’s virtually impossible to get a good night's sleep on the hard benches found at airports, train stations and bus terminals. And if you have a back problem, it can even be injurious to your health! So what to do? With the Mini Motel, you can sleep in a fully reclined position on a cushion of air. Now the company also says: “With the Mini Motel, you can sleep in the privacy of your own "room," away from the gaze of strangers.” Of course I beg to differ just a bit. I think it will attract a lot of attention, but most likely you’ll be one of the comfortable people stuck in the airport! The Mini Motel is very portable and fits easily in your carry-on luggage. The Mini Motel dimensions are 17" x 12" x 3", small enough to slip right into your laptop bag or business tote! The package includes everything you need. There’s a privacy tent with a zippered closure. An air mattress with a built-in foot pump. The pump works, but it’s very slow. But if you’re stuck in the airport or train station you probably have lots of time. There’s also a pillow, bed sheet, alarm clock, reading light, tooth brush & tooth paste, ear plugs, and eye shades. It is a very well thought out packages. Cost is a very reasonable $49.95 and shipping is included! The company sells this is also good for emergency workers and kid sleepovers. Kids would LOVE this!
Welcome to The Plant-a-Lamp. It’s a lamp pole, which is "planted" in the soil of a live potted plant. Add a bulb and lampshade of your choice to turn your plant into a lamp. When the pole is plugged in it turns the leaves of the plant into the switch. Pinch a leaf to turn the lamp on and off. Pinch and hold a leaf to dim and brighten the lamp. And then touch any leaf to turn your lamp on or off. When you touch a leaf to get light, the lamp will turn back on to the previous dim level. Sensitivity to touch can be adjusted via the pole-mounted knob. When the soil becomes dry the Plant-a-Lamp will blink the lamp indicating the soil needs water. A 60 watt bulb is recommended, but not included. The Plant-a-Lamp lighting pole stands 16 inches high, up to 7 inches of the pole can be potted in the soil. Guess what? Although this gizmo has been in the warehouse for years, it turns out that it’s still available. I found it for $29.95 at the website below. (I have never shopped there, by the way.) $39.95, but it was on sale for $29.95 when this was written, early Dec. 2008.
A new way to find things that fall into hard to reach places --- with an LED light too! It’s the Alligetter, a device that lets you easily and safely remove precious or improper objects from a garbage disposal and other hard-to-reach places. You can use the Alligetter in difficult to reach places like under the stove or refrigerator, between or under furniture and between your car seat and console. And there’s no risk of injury or cut fingers from accidental garbage disposal powering on. (Yagg, it hurts to even think about it!) Folding handle makes the unit a bit smaller for easy storage in drawer or cabinet And here’s something great. At the tip of the Alligetter there’s a removable LED with a convenient rear-mounted on/off switch. It makes it easier to find and pick up things that have fallen under other things! Clear ABS plastic construction for strength and light dispersion. Spring loaded trigger for easy grasping. It comes with a flap spreader for garbage disposal units that have rubber flaps. Battery included too. $19.95 www.alligetter.com Listen to this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw716 Oregon Scientific ATC5K! The latest in their action camcorder line. You can play hard, jog, run, bike, and now you can even swim while recording everything with the Oregon Scientific ATC5K! This self-contained, hands-free digital video cam has many new features when compared with the earlier models. There’s a built-in 1.5” LCD screen and a photo capture function. So you don’t have to wait until you get to a computer to see what you shot. And the ATC5K is waterproof to 10 feet! It’s PC and MAC compatible; and Oregon Scientific says it works seamlessly with most video editing software. Video can be recorded at either 640 x 320 or 320 x 240 at 30 frames per second (with sound). That’s a good resolution for video upload services like YouTube. Obviously you’re not going to shoot your best friend’s wedding with this device, but for sport’s action, this camcorder feels very rugged. New also is remote control that lets you start and stop the camera when you have it mounted in a hard-to-reach location, like on you helmet. It comes with USB and RCA cables for playback on your PC or TV. It can even be used as a web cam. The onboard memory is small, just 32MG. Fortunately there’s an SD card expansion slot that can take SD cards up to 4GB. A SD card is not included unless you buy one of the ATC5K bundles. Compatible with operation system WIN2000/XP/Vista and Apple Mac X 10.3/10.4 Uses two AA batteries which are included. MSRP is around $249.99, but do a web search for the best price. I’ve seen for under $200. http://tinyurl.com/56s7pg
After a 3 month hiatus, they're back! The World Famous Giz Wiz LED Logo Hat! (Well at least they're famous in the US and Canada.)
Holiday Special! An extra pair of CR2032 Lithium Batteries will be included with every LED hat ordered between November 8th and December 31st! The manufacturer says this new hat offers up to 30 hours of burn time on the included batteries. With an extra set of batteries you can double that to 60 hours! (Your burn time may vary.)
Perfect for doing any job where you wish you had someone to hold a flashlight.
Changing fuses in the dark. / Working under the sink. / Working under the hood of your car, or even under your car! / Hooking up cables behind your computer, HDTV, or under your desk. / Perfect when walking the dog at night. / Finding stuff in the closet. / I've gotten many emails saying the LED hat was almost a lifesaver when a storm knocked out the power.
It features the Giz Wiz two color embroidered designer logo! / A on/off switch is built right into the brim! / The battery holder is built into the liner so it's easily change batteries! / And there's an easy-to-adjust to size Velcro strap!
Cost? $22.99. Shipping is $5.99 and it goes Priority Mail!
IMPORTANT!!!! Here's the bad news on postage to Canada. Postage to Canada has gone up again! Priority Mail to Canada is now $16.10. That's what I pay, I don't make any money on postage. It requires a customs form and the package has to be delivered in person to the post office on the same day as the date on the label. The only good news is that it's the same price to mail one hat or two hats. So you if live in Canada and have a friend who wants to order one, you can at least share the postage. PayPal isn't set up to apply the proper postage to Canada, so if you order one or two hats, I'll send you PayPal invoice for the difference in postage. I wish was cheaper and easier, but it's not.
Ever start unpacking your shopping cart in a parking lot, only to find it running away? Here's Dyanne's story: CARTSTOPPER was born out of necessity. Upon arriving at the local grocery store parking lot one day, I routinely began to transport my two children from my vehicle into a shopping cart. After successfully unloading my youngest child, I went to retrieve my eldest child from our vehicle when I heard a man scream, Hey lady!Your baby!I immediately turned around to witness my child, strapped in the shopping cart, quickly rolling away from my vehicle into the middle of the busy parking lot!Thank goodness the shopping cart came to a stop up against a standing vehicle awaiting a parking spot (as opposed to a moving vehicle).It was the most frightening (and embarrassing) experience of my life. I immediately began looking for a product that would help keep my shopping cart from rolling away from my vehicle. I was surprised to discover that no one had yet to offer an effective solution to this dangerous problem. That was when I knew there was a definite need for a product that stops the run-away cart! CARTSTOPPER is a simple and effective device that reduces the risk of child injury and vehicle damage related to �run-away� shopping carts.It holds securely to any clean, flat vehicle surface and immobilizes your shopping cart.Its compact design stores easily in a purse, diaper bag, or a vehicle's storage area.Finally, an effective and sensible product designed to keep your child safe and your shopping cart secure! And it�s just $9.99. (I�m not sure why, but it comes in 3 colors.) www.cartstopper.com Hear this netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw701 Here's a strange gizmo that kid's will probably love! From Npower, it's The SpongeBob SquarePants Speakers & Sponge Dock. This is a product developed by Nickelodeon and Imation.It's a pair of fairly decent soundsing eyeball speakers for under $40. Huh? Eyeball speakers? Yep, in the dock they just play music, but pop them out, and put them on a table, or on either side of a computer and they wobble and rock 'n roll with the music! The speakers work with most computers, video game consoles, MP3/CD/DVD players, and other audio devices. The soft spongy dock cradles the player and can hold the speakers in place. 4 watts of total output speaker power. I don't know why they call this a dock because there�s only a place to lay your MP3 player. The speakers connect via the headphone jack of your device, there is no charging of the device involved. The wobble motion can be turned on and off. BUT, if the music playing is soft, it can hear the motors inside the eyeballs. But my guess is most kids won't be playing music that has quiet, low passages! There's a standard auxiliary input. http://tinyurl.com/5oq8mm Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw703 Another LED Light.But this one�s is adjustable color! It's from our friend at THINK GEEK. Yes, light-emitting diodes are darn cool, but this one is cool and really unique.This Multi-color LED Light Bulb is a super bright LED bulb that can transition through dozens of color and brightness combinations. And it's compatible with a standard light bulb socket. And how many light bulbs come with a IR remote control. Via the remote you can select an individual color or brightness level or choose one of four different transition effects. It�s great for mood lighting, decorating, parties or special lighting environments. Heck, I use it along with my Lite Panels when Leo and I record the Daily Giz Wiz. It has multiple brightness level settings and four transition effects (long pause on each color, short pause, slow fade between colors, faster fade). The light is generated from a 5 Watt LED. You have access to 16 specific colors including White, Green, Blue, Light Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, Turquoise, and Purple. $49.99. http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/831e
Stickam Player coming soor, or visit: www.stickam.com
Keep Track of How Much Electric Your Gizmos Use with the Kill-a-Watt Power Strip This is another neat gizmo from the folks at Cable Organizer.Com. This power strip is designed to warn of over current and under voltage. Both of these can reduce the life of your electronics. And, in addition to knowing how much electricity your individual devices are using, you can check the quality of your power by monitoring voltage, line frequency, amperage, even KWH/leakage. The on/off switch has soft power up so no surges occur. It will even let you know the specifics of current leakage, which is the amount of electricity a device consumes while "off". (Most new gizmos never really go totally off.) The high-tech blue backlit LCD display is easy to see, even in dim light conditions. Even the power switch is illuminated so you can see it without using more electricity to switch it on and off. The Power Strip has six standard sized outlets and two extra wide outlets for those large transformer plugs. You can calculate your overall electrical costs and estimate by the day, week, month, even an entire year. And I’m not sure why you need this, but it also has an adjustable circuit breaker which can be set for 2,5,10 or 15 amps. Price: $99.95. Even if you’re not interested in this gizmo, check out Cable Organizer’s website because they offer tons of useful gadgets to help you keep your electronics and your office organized! www.cableorganizer.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw706
A Very Handy and Inexpensive Travel Scale
Airlines are changing the carry-on rules quite often these days. And they are no longer inclined to let a few extra pounds slip by without an extra charge. So you should know exactly how much your luggage weights before you leave for the airport. Also some airlines are also restricting the linear measurements of your bags. So you should also have a tape measure to make sure you comply. The redesigned Travelon Luggage Scale is the perfect accessory for makingsure you’re not going to be charged for overweight luggage. It lets you weigh and measure your baggage. It’s especially important if you feel your suitcase case might be close to the fifty pound limit most airlines have set. What’s the linear measurements of your luggage? (L+W+D). Check that with Travelon Luggage Scale’s built in tape measure. This new version lets you lift your luggage and weigh it bag quickly without having to hold the bag while you look at the scale. Now a “memory hand” stays at the top weight of the bag even after you set it back down. The best news is that this useful travel gadget is only $7.50.
There’s also a fancier, digital version from Travelon for under $25.
This one has a backlit digital read-out that’s easy to read and it also locks into top weight display until cleared by the user. Use the top handle for lighter-weight items and the side grips for heavier bags. It includes a tape measure and a Lithium battery. Both scales are small enough to take with you so you can weigh your luggage before the return trip.
Guitar Hero Air Rocker. Depending on your age, this belt buckle is either scary or way cool. But it's far more than a mere belt buckle. With the included amplifier and magnetic pick, this belt buckle can make you sound like a rock star. Granted you'll be a rock star with a very limited repertoire of just ten tracks, but it will let you make music even if you have zero musical talent. And you don't even need to have a guitar. The amp/speaker is worn on your belt. When you swipe one of the special magnetic guitar picks in front of the sensor built into the buckle, you’re playing music. It’s a licensed product, and the included Air Cartridge features 10 guitar riffs, ranging in skill level from 1-5. Tracks include Black Sabbath's "Iron Man," Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water," Motorhead's "Ace of Spades," Van Halen's "You Really Got Me", and Boston's "More Than a Feeling". There are also five original Air Guitar Rocker freestyle riffs. The idea is to listen to the demo tracks, and then see if you can duplicate the riffs on your own. There’s an output jack if you really want to go nuts and connect your Air Rocker to an external speaker! And there’s a headphone jack in case you’re really awful or your folks can’t stand it anymore! Under $30. Additional song cartridges with and without buckles are available.
If you love model cars, I bet you’ll love Road Mice. You can “Cruise the Web in Style” with Four Door Media's Wireless Optical Mouse and USB receiver utilizing the latest RF and optical technology. These unique mice are high performance accessories with 800-dpi resolution for enhanced accuracy and precision movement. Both PC and Mac compatible, 4Door’s car mouse designs have the look of a replica automobiles and the functionality of the high end pointing device, also known as the computer mouse! The functioning headlights click on as you click either the right or left mouse key. The center scroll wheel is also illuminated. The mouse is powered by two AA’s batteries and shuts off after it detects no movement for about 30 minutes. You can conserve battery power by shutting on the LED headlights, but that’s not much fun. The smooth lines of the various models give the cars a realistic look and feel. A great idea for car enthusiasts and collectors. Instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust, you can “drive” your model every day. Many different model cars are available. About $45.
Help “Green” Your Home with Belkin's new Conserve. The full name of this new device is the Conserve Energy-Saving Surge Protector. You probably know by now that most home electronics continue to use energy even when you've turned them off. This wasted energy is known as Standby Power, which adds up fast. Standby Power impacts not only the environment, but also your electricity bill, as it can account for up to 10% of your household power consumption. Belkin's Conserve Energy-Saving Surge Protector conveniently minimizes standby power by enabling you to turn off the power to multiple devices with just one click of the remote switch. The remote switch easily cuts off or activates the power that flows to devices plugged into Conserve's Switchable outlets. Other devices such as DVRs or routers can be plugged into the Always-On outlets, since they require a continuous power supply. Most of the outlets on this Surge Protector power strip are widely spaced so you’ll have no trouble plugging in those big “brick” plugs. You can also buy multiple units and shut them all off with just one remote, even if they’re in separate rooms. $49.95 for the 8 outlet version. And there’s a 10 outlet version for $59.95 http://tinyurl.com/5nuoc5 Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw694
It's the Giz Wiz Holiday Gift Guide
ABC's World News Now
Friday, November 28th. Set your Tivo Thursday night unless you're an insomniac! (Don't worry, millions are!)
A very clever new gizmo.The Nirvana Organizer If you travel, this is a great new way to have everything you need at your fingertips. On planes and trains, the Nirvana Organizer mounts on the seat back tray table creating an entirely new space for work (and play). It keeps all necessary items within arm’s reach during your trip. There are special pockets designed to fit cell phones/PDA's, plan tickets, passport, credit cards and cash. There are more compartments and pouches for a water bottle. cup holder, key chain clip and pen/pencil holders. The open-access travel organizer bag essentially turns "inside-out" to permit direct access to internal contents. It’s also great for cars, strollers, airplanes, trains – anywhere you need to carry essential items on the go. But this is really the neat part – when it’s time to move on, the Nirvana Organizer folds and zips closed! Now you have a shoulder bag with your gear, or it’s small enough to fit inside another bag or backpack. It comes with it’s own adjustable shoulder strap and carry handles. The shell is100% polyester microfiber; the lining is polyester microfiber and nylon mesh. Water resistant, spot clean only. Available in black, or brown. Cost is a very reasonable: $39.99 www.zenclasstravel.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw691
Here’s a way to be set for minor power blackouts! The Duracell Powerpack 450 provides 450 watts of power and adds voice technology. You can instantly get information on the expected runtime of your devices as soon as you plug them in. In addition, its on-demand information provides battery status lets you know if your Powerpack is charged before you leave the house. In emergency situations, the step-by-step usage instructions walk you through what to do to jumpstart your car or use the air compressor to inflate a tire. It’s powerful enough to jumpstart both 4 and 6 cylinder engines, so it’s a great companion for a car, truck, boat or small RV. The Powerpack can power a wide range of products from coolers at the beach to chargers for cell phones, GPS systems and handheld game consoles. It also operates small power tools, computers, cordless phones, etc. The built-in150 PSI air compressor is good for inflating tires and small sports equipment. Jumper cables are also built right into the device. And there a built-in light provides illumination in emergency situations at home and on the road. Strangely enough for such a well thought out device, the flashlight is not LED. You can recharge the unit via the AC charger which is stored inside the unit. And it can also be charged via a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug. About $140. But as this gets more widely distributed, you should do a web search for the best price.
HD 1080p Screen, BluRay, Altec Lansing Sound, Fingerprint Reader, Remote Control, HDMI Output --- a real powerhouse desktop replacement computer from HP! It’s thePavilion HDX18t with a 18.4” 1080P HD screen, BluRay player and Altec Lansing Home Theatre Sound! There’s HDMI output so you can connect this powerhouse to an even bigger HD screen. But just the way it is, this is perfect for video in the den, bedroom, or home office. (There’s an option TV tuner too.) This computer comes in a high tech Titanium case with a backlight touch control media center. Other features include a fingerprint reader for password control, Bluetooth, WiFi, Intel Duo Core processor and built in web cam. If you watched us record the Daily Giz Wiz, you heard Leo say it was the best video we ever had. So we’re going to record this week’s Daily Giz Wiz episodes with the HDX 18t! There’s also 16” version which offers a 1080p screen & BluRay as an option. Both models come with windows Vista and you can have the option of 32 or 64 bit versions. The 16” model starts at $1050.00, and the 18.4” model at about $1399.00. www.hp.com Hear this episode: www.twit.tv/dgw676 If the BudFits, wear it! The folks at BudFits have an interesting observation. “Apple’s white earbuds are easily the most recognized headphone style on the planet. They have reached iconic status the world over. Their popularity transcends cultures and backgrounds.” So far, so good, but there’s more that’s also true:“If you think iPod and iPhone earbuds are uncomfortable and fall out easily, then you are not alone. BudFits keep earbuds from falling out and also make the earbuds far more comfortable by eliminating the need to wedge the earbuds in the ear canal. “ Actually I think the sound of the earbuds that come with iPods are pretty good, but I don’t wear them because they don’t go in, and when I force them in, they fall out. BudFits can end that problem. They adapt your iPod or iPhone earbuds to fit so you can hear your music, exercise and still have them in your ears. You simply snap your iPod earbuds into the Budfits, which hang over your ear. And the price is right too, Under $9.00 www.budfits.com Hear this Netcast:www.twit.tv/dgw678
G1 has arrived at selected T-Mobile Stores.
Because I was going to show the G1 two & a half hours after the embargo was lifted, I was able to get one early. But T-Mobile sent constant reminders to me not to say a word about it on the air, or off until 12:01 on October 16th.On to phone.When you boot the G1, you’ll see the little green Android to remind you that this phone uses the open software platform, Android. T-Mobile says anyone can design applications for the phone, with no permissions needed. You can tell Google was in on the development because there’s a Google search bar right on the opening screen. There’s also Google Maps and G-Mail. You must have a Gmail account to activate the phone, but that’s easy to get. The 3.2-inch color touch screen (480 by 320 pixels) is easy to read and to move items around. That screen slides up and reveals a complete QWERTY keyboard. There’s no sync program like iTunes so you have to drag your music and videos to the phone via the USB cable. Strangely there’s no flash, which cuts down a bit on surfing the web. But there is voice dialing and built-in audio recording which are both nice features. The G1 has Wi-Fi, GPS (no turn-by-turn directions, though) and a 3.2 MP camera (for stills — no video recording).It uses a tiny trackball for scrolling. There’s a removable battery, which I like. There were headphones in the package, but I couldn’t find a headphone jack. Then I looked more closely at the headphones and see that they use a mini USB jack. There’s very little built in memory, so for photos, music and programs, the G1 requires a MicroSD card. It comes with a 1-gigabyte card, but can use up to an 8 GB card.G1 plans start as low as $55 a month for unlimited Internet use and 300 minutes of calling, but you need to sign a 2 year contract. Then the phone is $179.00.
The new 32 GB SDHC memory card from Kingston. Kingston Technology's Secure Digital High-Capacity (SDHC) memory cards are fully compliant with the new Secure Digital Association 2.00 specification. Kingston Technology is shipping a 32GB Elite Pro SDHC Flash memory card. It's idea for use with digital video camcorders and other high-resolution imaging devices. The new 32GB card is the largest capacity in Kingston’s Elite Pro line of SDHC cards, which currently includes 4-, 8- and 16GB capacities. The new 32GB Elite Pro SDHC memory card is optimized to meet the demands of high capacity and fast write speeds. The card can store thousands of photos and hours of high definition video. For example, the new 32GB Elite Pro SDHC card can capture more than 6,000 still images (with a 10MP camera) and over eight hours of video using 6Mbps HD Extended recording. Even in full high def you can record 251 minutes of video! Leo is thrilled to be able to carry so many photos and videos on a single card when he travels. Suggested price is $308.00 but it'sthe street priced at under $200. So do a web search before you buy.
Hear this Netcast:www.twit.tv/dgw687 Now you can buy one of your favorite music albums and put it directly into your cell phone! It’s something new from San Disk. Slot MusicAlbums are a whole new way to buy music. It’s micro-card music albums. Buy the album and put it right into your phone and start listening! Nothing to download. Comes with an USB adapter so you can download the album to your computer. These albums do not have Digital Rights Management so you can copy them to your devices for your own use. And if you hate the album, you can erase it and you'll have a 1 GB micro SD card - all for about $16! San Disk also introduced the SlotMusic Player.Designed to play SlotMusic albums, and nothing else, there’s no onboard storage or a screen. It’s small enough to fit in just about any pocket, which is what you’ll have to do because there’s no clip or lanyard to carry the player. It’s powered by a single AAA battery which San Disk says should last about 16 hours. When I met the folks from San Disk PR they told me that the SlotMusic Player is built with the same audio chip as their more expensive Sansa Fuze and Clip players. The sound is very decent. File formats for this unit are basic too. It only plays unprotected WMA files. The one drawback to MicroSD cards is that are really, really small! They fit millions of phones, but if get into swapping out albums on MicroSD cards often, it could be a challenge not to lose or misplace them. That’s why San Disk also makes an optional MicroSD card carrier. Albums will be about $16.00 and a Slot Player, about $20. There are also ‘bundles’ that include the album, the player & headphones. They are about $35. Album selection right now is very small; about three dozen albums. But since they go directly into some 90 million phones and the micro SD card can be used in many ways, there’s not a big risk if SlotMusic doesn’t pan out.
Peek -- A Way To Get & Send Emails & Nothing Else!
If you have a PDA, a Smart Phone or other device to get your emails, you won't be interested in the Peek. The Peek is new device that receives and sends email. It can open attachments and it can let you see photos that someone emails you, but it can do nothing else. But the pictures have to be JPEGS. This is not for the geek, but more for the geeks parents who might want to get & send emails, period! You can emails via popular services like Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail and AOL. Each device can have up to three accounts, although the three email accounts are combined into the same “inbox”. It's easy to set up and pretty easy to use. A scroll wheel on the side highlights your menu choices, and then you push in on the wheel to select it.For some odd reason when you highlight an email, you then have also go to “read email”. I don’t why you need that extra step. The keyboard letters are backlit which is very nice and the device is the size of a very, very thin pack of cards. The Peek notifies you that have emails by vibrating, make a chime sound and setting off a blinking blue light. The display is a 2.5” (240 pixels by 320 pixels), color and it looks pretty decent. I’d like to see a bigger type face but the PR folks told that is coming in November. The Peek has 8 megabytes of memory. That’s equal to about 5,000 emails. So Leo could use it for two days before he has to clear the memory to make room for more emails. Peek says if you start with a fully charged battery it should last about five days assuming you get and send 10 to 15 emails a day.Power users who send and receive 200 to 300 emails a day will get about two days of use from a full charge. I have the red Peek, but it also come in charcoal gray, aqua blue, and black cherry. Hmm, I guess I don’t have red. I have black cherry!It’s $100 at Target or at the company’s website. Service is $20 a month and there’s no contract! Soon they’ll offer an annual deal. If you pay for 12 months, you’ll get one month free. But I would go with the month to month until you’re sure the PEEK serves your needs.
So you want to get into Podcasting. Here’s a way to record on the run. The Belkin GoStudio lets you record high-quality audio content, anywhere you go. Record full Podcast episodes, interviews, lectures, or music directly onto your iPod. You can upload your content to iTunes when you connect your iPod to your computer. There are two built-in omnidirectional stereo microphones. If you have your own mics you can use the onboard input jacks. You can even plug in a musical instrument. There’s also built in speaker so you can listen to your audio before you leave your current location where the recording took place. This is not for the iPhone, or the iTouch. It’s just the iPod, which includes most of the newer models. There’s a list of all the iPod models that the GoStudio works with on the Belkin website. Price is under $120. www.belkin.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw685 Did people come up with weird gadgets - in the past? Check this out, from Dick's Gadget Warehouse! It’s the Konica Kanpa – the still camera that brought along its own ‘photographer’! The Konica Kampa was billed as the “fully auto party camera”.Probably the only camera back in the late 1980’s that had a built in mic. But the mic wasn’t to record second. The camera featured Voice Release - loud noises make the camera turn in the direction of the noise and then quickly shoot a picture! So the biggest loud mouth at your party gets in the most pictures! It was “framing free” – which meant it moved around and took pictures on its own! It came with it’s own mini tripod. It acted as a regular tripod, or when you put it in the “auto” mode, it rotated over a 100 degree arc, taking pictures randomly. (Without the sound activating it.) The KONICA KANPAI first came out in 1989.It was listed as one of the "Products to Watch," in Fortune Magazine, March 25, 1991. (Watch vanish from the market place with dismal sales, is my guess!)
Not just another plain old GPS! For an authentic Knight Rider experience, Mio partnered with Universal Studios Navtones to create The Knight Rider GPS!Yep, hit the open road and hear exclusive voice guidance and turn-by-turn directions featuring the original voice of K.I.T.T., probably the most famous TV car of all time. The device’s integrated randomized greetings and 300 custom names will welcome you to your navigation experience. It also looks unlike any other GPS. There’s an active LED voice synthesizer display so the lights move in sync with the voice. You’ll think you’re looking at the originalK.I.T.T.’s dashboard. (Come on, you have an imagination, right?)The Knight Rider GPS can even be programmed to advise drivers of speed limit infractions for those inclined to apply too much turbo boost. There’s 4.3-inch widescreen interface, more than four million points of interest, it can assist you in locating gas stations, emergency assistance, hotels and restaurants.It’s pre-loaded withmaps of the U.S. and Canada, so it’s ready to operate in minutes right out of the box.it boots up by saying "Hello Michael, where do you want to go today?" But you simply use the virtual keyboard to change it to your name. On the GPS screen there’s a Trans-Am to represent your car. You can bring along your favorite music via the SD/MMC Memory Expansion slot. There’s a built in speaker, and rechargeable battery. 16 languages, including French. (Hear that Leo?) MSRP for the Knight Rider GPS is $269.95 U.S. http://www.knightridergps.comfor more information. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPV-B8TC7XY(for a video demo) Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw671 If you have an iPhone or iPod, Leo talked about something you might want to own. It started with an email I received from Richard Thalheimer, founder of The Sharper Image. With SI gone he created RichardSolo.com, an online store. He wanted me to try one of his new products, a backup battery for the iPhone/iPod. Here's some info from Richard’s website: “I worked with a leading manufacturer to design and develop a new backup battery using Apple's proprietary connector. It's the rechargeable Smart Backup Battery — just snap it on and it begins to charge instantly. It is the first on the market to be certified for both "Works with iPhone" and "Made for iPod", and it does work with the 3G iPhone." One thing about this battery is that it's small but powerful. In fact, it's the most powerful battery of its size available. Keep it in your pocket, purse, or briefcase, and snap it on to keep going all day — and night! You can charge while simultaneously using your iPhone. One of the best features of this product is that at night, you snap the battery and iPhone together, and charge them both with the included charger. So you are getting a wall / USB charger for free. When you travel, you don't need the Apple charger. Just take this one. It works for all models of iPhone and iPod, including the 3G, except for iPod shuffle. The polymerized lithium-ion battery can be recharged over and over again for several years and will not develop "memory". Three color LED lights to show you the status of the charge." —Richard. Cost is $49.95. BUT --- Richard is introducing a new model which also has a built in flashlight. It will be $5 more. You can preorder that, or order the current model here: www.richardsolo.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw672 Wednesday, October 10th, 2008 Netcast 673 Earphones that don’t go in the ear! Audio Bone Okay, here’s how Audio Bone explains their technology:We all hear sounds through both our bones and our ear drums. Most sounds are heard by our ear drums. The ear drum converts the sound waves to vibrations and transmits them to the cochlea (or inner ear). But in some cases vibrations are heard directly by the inner ear – bypassing your ear drums. In fact, this is one of the ways you hear your own voice. This is also how whales hear. Bone Conduction bypasses the eardrums.In bone conduction listening, the headphones perform the role of your ear drums.Audio Bone headphones decode sound waves and convert them into vibrations that can be received directly by the Cochlea – so the ear drum is never involved. Back to Dick De: You can see how Bone conduction is a safer way to listen.Bone conduction does not use your eardrums, so it’s safer for your ears than conventional listening. And when you wear them, the ear cups, or buds rest in front of your ears. (See photo.) Because the music goes through the bone, and there is nothing in your ears, you can hear everything around you. In a noisy environment you could even wear ear plugs and hear your music. And if someone wants to let you hear their Audio Bones, it's not as gross as if they ask if you'd like to hear those earbuds they just pulled from deep in their ears! Also, even though they’re stereo they use a single wire that comes up behind your head. And you can listen in the pool, even underwater. Just make sure whatever music player you’re using is waterproof too! But there are some drawbacks. The price is high. About $180! And when I listened to them I thought they sounded just okay. The spec sheet lists the frequency response at 50-12,000 Hz. And the last drawback is that they require much more volume than an ordinary pair of ear buds. I had to play my Sansa Clip & my Shuffle at full volume to hear the music. So they’re perfect to solve certain problems, but most people will most likely continue to use regular headphones for music. http://audioboneheadphones.com/products.html Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw673
Warm Mouse, Warm Hands - The Warmmie USB Warm Mouse Here’s what the company says: This is an ergonomic, infrared, HEATED Computer Mouse. It features accurate 800dpi, Optical 2-button scrolling mouse. It emits radiating heat to your hand and fingers. As natural infrared rays are gently emitted, reflected and refracted in the soft tissues of your fingers & hands, cellular functioning is enhanced. This amazing process can help to reverse damage done from overworked joints. Infrared rays can actually help to produce better enzymes within the cells of the muscle. This mouse fits in your hand comfortably, minimizing unnecessary pressure on the wrist and forearm muscles. This insures that your wrist is in a neutral position during use. You can move freely while delivering therapeutic heat to relax tight hand and wrist muscles.And here’s what I found.When the on/off heat switch built into the USB cable was off the mouse showed a temperature of 76.5. When I click the switch to “on” and waited about ten minutes, the surface of the Warmie mouse heated up to112 degrees. It definitively heats, but didn’t get too hot to handle. They say the scroll wheel has a blue LED, but mine has an orange LED which I think works better since orange is more “heat-like” that blue. Outside of the heating feature it works pretty much like any other mouse. Finally, Vavolo says the same mouse sells for up to $39.99 at Amazon, but there price is way lower. It was originally 28.99, but NOW it’s $18!!! And that includes Free Shipping!! If you suffer from cold hands, or have a relative who does, this could make a nice, thoughtful, relatively inexpensive gift. http://vavolo.com/UB-WHM-1-PRO.asp Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw681 Did you ever think you’d hear the name Polaroid in this digital age?
They’re back with a neat, new digital product, the Pogo.This pocket-sized gizmo lets you printing images from your digital phone via Bluetooth. Or you can connect it via USB cable a PictBridge enabled camera. I used it with my LG Voyager and my phone found the device in seconds. Now the company says that once connected simply select what image to send to the printer and within 60 seconds, the print is ready to be shared. Well the print is done in about 60 seconds, but it takes another minute or so for the phone to send the info to the Pogo. Still it is an attention getter. And the process is totally different from earlier Polaroid prints. The reason is Zinc Paper which is inkless. Zinc Paper is an composite material with embedded yellow, magenta and cyan dye crystals. With 100 billion crystals in a 2x3" print, the paper is 100% inkless. The Pogo ZINK-enabled printer uses heat to activate and colorize these crystals. You can ten smudge-proof, water-resistant, tear-proof photos in a package. The Pogo has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, but because it’s so compact, it needs to be recharged after it prints about 15 pictures. Pogo does not work with the I-Phone, but Polaroid says it works with about 70% of Bluetooth-enabled phones out today. At the suggested retail of $150, I thought it was a bit expensive for the fun it provides. But now B&H photo is selling it for under $100. You can buy three 10-sheet packages for $10. That comes to 33 cents a picture. More info, plus cell phones with Bluetooth at the Pogo is compatible with are here:
The photo shows blue LED, mine arrived with an orange LED, which I like better. Looks more like heat.
Leo got a new Plantronics Headset, so I had to get an even newer one! It’s thePlantronics 777.
The full name of this gizmo is:Plantronics Game Com 777 Surround Sound Gaming Headset! I must admit, it’s pretty nifty. It features Dolby Headphone Technology that delivers a very real 5.1channel audio experience. It comes complete with a Plug-and-play Dolby USB sound card. (Dolby Pro Logic II technology.) An analog hook-up is provided in case you need it. Plantronics calls it an open-ear design, but the large cups do cover the ears completely. There’s a concealed mic boom that stays hidden until you’re ready to use it. Then it just pivots down.And there’s an in-line volume and mic-mute control. I recorded my half of this episode (Netcast 666) of the DGW using the 777.Leo wasn’t sure if he didn’t like the Logitech Clear Chat that I normally use, a little better. But as far as my hearing Leo in the headphones, it was the best he ever sounded. It sounded as if his voice was coming from speakers in the room rather than just in my headset. The mic is noise-canceling and you have the ability to also turn the Dolby on and off.The 777 is ruggedly built and best of all, the price is under $100. They’re brand new and although they’re shown on the Plantronics website, you can only pre-order them when this was written. Since we record a week ahead, they may be available to buy by the time the Netcast airs. http://tinyurl.com/3jz6fc Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw666 I Went a Little Cuckoo over this Device called Cucku. Need back up? There’s nothing cheaper than this, because Cucku software is free. Cucku backs up your data locally (like to an eternal hard drive or flash drive) and then sends a secure copy to a trusted friend or family member of your choice. Yes, that’s what’s truly unique about this back-up. (Cuckoo birds put their eggs in other bird’s nest, just like you’ll put your files on a trusted friend’s hard drive.) Every day Cucku backs up your data to a local folder on your PC and then sends any new or changed files to your backup partner for offsite storage. Cucku keeps a copy of any previously backed up files that have since been deleted so that you can recover accidentally deleted files. You can restore a specific version of an individual file or all versions of files prior to a particular date and time. If you want more control, Cucku allows you to fine-tune every aspect of your backup. And if the worst happens and your PC is damaged, lost or stolen, you can restore your files from your partner. I asked if Cucku software was free, how did the company make any money. Seems they are currently working on Cucku Backup Pro, a version of Cucku with extra features that will be available towards the end of 2008 for a small fee. However, they are committed to keeping Cucku Basic Backup free to all. Cucku Backup supports Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later, 32 or 64-bit) and Windows Vista (32 or 64-bit). Cucku Backup needs a broadband Internet connection and Skype to backup files to a friend. If you don’t already have Skype installed then you can download it from www.skype.com. Skype is also free, easy to use and allows you to make cost efficient telephone calls from your PC www.cucku.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw668
Now your one computer can be seen on two screens!
EVGA introduces the new UV Plus+. Take any available USB port on your Desktop or Notebook and turn it into an additional video output for use with another display. With a small footprint and a unique magnetic-stackable design for use with multiple UV16 units, UV Plus+ allows for additional displays to increase productivity by expanding, rotating, or mirroring your virtual workspace through an easy to understand and operate software interface. UV Plus+ is powered by USB and uses Lossless Compression for transferring video signal which provides a crystal clear viewing experience on your additional display. The GPU-less design utilizes a virtual driver and high-performance DDR memory with full support for Windows Vista Aero and high resolution capabilities. With all of these features in one tiny package, the EVGA UV Plus+ is the perfect, easy solution for an additional monitor in only minutes.Under$80 http://tinyurl.com/5frrg8 Hear a Netcast I did on this product: www.twit.tv/dgw608 Here’s one of the smallest printers I’ve ever seen or used. The Printstik is a thin, completely self-contained printing device. It uses thermal technology (remember thermal? Think years ago, and waaaaaaaaaaay bigger.) to burn an image onto especially prepared thermal paper, so you can print on the go. The paper is contained within a cartridge that you slide easily into the PrintStik. But that’s the only cartridge you’ll have to fool with; the reason for the Thermal printing technology is so that ink or toner cartridges aren’t needed. The Printstik is fully Bluetooth connectible. Most importantly, the PrintStik is compatible with PDAs and Bluetooth Ready Smartphones. Because of the small size and limited screen space of most Smartphones, reading email or deciphering directions or schematics can be difficult. Now just print it out and take a look at the full sized sheet of paper.$299.00 www.printstik.com Here something pretty amazing from the clever folks at Eye-Fi. First came the 1GB Eye-Fi SD card. It’s a memory card with WiFi built in! Shoot a picture in your home or office and when you turn around it's already on your computer screen. (Assuming you have WiFi configured.) Or bring your camera home from a trip and when you turn it on, it uses your wireless network to transmit your trip photos to the computer. And it's all done automatically. The second version of the Eye-Fi card went to 2GB and dropped in price to just $80). A newer version at $100 can not only download your photos wirelessly to your computer, but it can also upload them to Flickr, Picasa or other online photo sites, again automatically and wirelessly. But now there's a brand new version called Eye-Fi Explore. Are you ready for this? The Explore makes note of where you took each photo!It's called photo geotagging. Once the photo is uploaded to your computer (Mac or PC)each photo shows the city and state where it was taken. It works best in metro places. Free for one year with the Explore card is the use of any of Wayport’s 10,000 commercial hot spots in the United States. That way your photos will be uploaded before you even arrive home. And if you lose your card, you haven’t lost your pictures! www.eye.fi
Philip is right on with their new SpotOn gizmo. The Philips SpotOn LED Motion Sensing Portable Light offers hands-free lighting without having to push a button, pull a string or hit a switch. The built in motion sensor turns it on for you. It’s great for inside a closet because it will go on automatically when it senses the door opening. (Test it out first to make sure you put in a place where the SpotOn can sense motion. After about 20 seconds of zero motion, it automatically shuts off again. Since the SpotOn uses 3 battery saving LED’s, my guess is you’ll get many months of service of the 3 AAA batteries. They come with the unit, but you can easily replace them later on. Easy installation. You can mount it with stick on tape which is supplied, or use the supplied screws. Dimensions: 3.13 x 2.69 x 0.8 inches. There is no off switch so it’s meant to be used only in places where there is motion for a short time, like a closet, drawer, trunk, etc.List Price: $20.00, but do a web search at your favorite hardware type store, because most of them are selling the SpotOn for under $16.00. I haven’t shopped this place, but they do sell it for $15.99. Right now a Google search brings up places sell it in the UK, but it’s working it’s way over here. This website is in the US: http://tinyurl.com/4qb3uz Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw601 Today’s your last chance to play the “What The Heck Is It?” Game. Guess what the gadget is at the very bottom of www.gizwiz.biz and you can win one of the up to 36 copies of autographed MAD Magazine’s given out each month. Here’s a very easy way to put video on your iPod, PSP, or a USB device! It’s the Pinnacle Video Transfer (PVT). This is the one of the easiest ways to record video I’ve ever used. I was recording video within 5 minutes of opening the box. On the bottom end of the PVT just connect the DC power and a USB flash drive. The other end of the unit has the video connections. There’s the usual RCA, red/white/yellow composite and an S-video input. LED’s are also positioned above each of the video/audio inputs and the USB port. When the unit is turned on the blue LED’s let you know the unit “sees” audio & video and the USB drive. For better quality recordings, as you would expect, Pinnacle advises using the S-video input rather than Composite Video. You get the composite A/V cable, but you have to supply your own S-video cable.After connecting the cables and plugging in a USB storage device, turn the device on by pressing the MODE button. When all the LED’s have turned blue, select the recording quality. Pressing the MODE button lights the LED’s - (one LED for 'Good', two for 'Better' and three for 'Best').To record – hmmm, let’s see. Oh right - press the REC button. All the LED’s then turn red to confirm that you’re recording. To stop, just press the REC button again. There’s a warning not to remove the USB drive until its LED turns blue. But that only takes a few seconds after you stop the recording.When you search the drive on your computer you’ll find the recordings in the Video directory, The unit has no clock, so there’s no time or date stamp of the recording. Each video is numbered according to the sequence in which it was recorded. Although the PVT can record directly to most iPods and the PSP, I only tried it with a USB flash drive and it worked perfectly. I took the USB flash drive from the PVT and was able to watch the show I recorded from my cable box on my laptop. I did a price search on Amazon and see it can be bought for about $115 to $120.00. www.pinnaclesys.com
If your glove compartment is so full of parking tickets you can’t close it, here’s the solution to keep the parking meter maid (or man) at bay. The Parking Meter Alarm has a 24 hour countdown alarm you can set in 5 minute increments to remind you when it’s time to race back to your car and feed the meter. Probably best to set the alarm to go off 5 or 10 minutes before the meter runs out to give you time to put in more quarters. Speaking of quarters, there’s a spring-loaded cylinder that holds 10 quarters so you’re never at a loss for change. There's even a ring to hold your keys. Has an easy to read LCD display. Metal. Measures 1 3/4"H x 1 1/8"diam. Price: $9.95 http://tinyurl.com/5uss9e Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw616
