Okay, so what the heck is Spherification?

Here’s how the company describes it. Spherification is ideal for creating pearls that will liberate their flavors while bursting in your mouth. The Spherificator uses the reaction between the vegan food additives sodium alginate (extracted from algae) and calcium chloride (a salt) to form a spherical membrane around the ingredient you choose. When a solution containing sodium alginate is dripped into a calcium bath, calcium ions react with alginate molecules by allowing them to align and bind so that a thin gel membrane forms around the droplets. The process of turning liquids into caviar-shaped pearls through the spherification technique has been around since the 1950s, but until the invention of the Spherificator it was an extremely arduous, time-consuming and inconsistent task. If you have done it before using a syringe you will be thankful that those times are now behind us and you’ll be pumping out all kinds of pearls in no time. For an optimal burst-in-mouth effect, serve pearls within 15 minutes of creation. As the pearls sit the reaction will continue until they are completely congealed.

And from the Giz Wiz: I tasted Spherificated Gatorade at the show. To me, those little beads tasted a bit weird in my mouth. But I have to add that I’m not a fan of Gatorade, even right out of the bottle. The device is $99.00 and it seems to be a bit of a process to makes those ‘pearls’ as the company calls them. Included with your Spherificator is 1 x 40g sodium alginate, 1 x 100g calcium chloride, 1 x 50g sodium citrate. There much more info at the company website, including a video.

http://www.spherificator.com/

It’s also available on Amazon where it got so-so reviews.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31IV5ZN  – As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. This does not add to your cost.

Chad’s Extra is The ReliefHeat Belt. (The company doesn’t use a space in the brand name.) First, here’s some info via the company: ReliefHeat has an electric heating element that is powered by an internal battery. The product includes a wall charger that you use to charge the battery. The product is designed for waist sizes from 22 – 60 inches. (In 2 different size belts.) How long does the battery last? It depends significantly on the temperature setting that you choose as well as the environmental conditions (air temperature, layers of clothing you are wearing over your ReliefHeat, etc). At the lowest temperature setting (100°F), a fully charged battery will last about three hours, and at the max temperature setting (160°F), the battery will last for about one hour. ReliefHeat is designed for both iPhone and Android.

And Chad’s take: Chad liked this. He did point out that to set it up with your phone out of the box, it has to be plugged into AC power. Then you can use it anywhere, even on a plane where it would be great since you couldn’t use other heat pads that require a microwave. Although Chad received this as product sample at CES 2020, he noted it was $99 online with free shipping as 3/6/20. Normal price on website is listed as $119.00.

https://reliefheat.com/

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1769

Our loyal Patreons have voted on Chad’s new March “Cheap Gadget Theme”. And the winner is……”Cheap Gadgets For When You’re Sick”. Chad pointed out that this was apropos because we talked a lot about the Corona-virus at the top of the show. Chad’s first ‘cheap gadget for when you’re sick is Soap Brite. This is a pretty clever device because not only is it a soap dispenser, (greatly needed for washing the hands a lot these days) but it has built-in automatic LED light! Chad paid only $4 on from a ‘close out’ bin at Home Depot. It’s a bit more than $11.00 on Amazon.

And Chad’s take: Chad liked this. You’ll see on this week’s show it does light automatically and it stays lit for about a minute or so. More motion should keep it lit. You get to pick a color for the LED light from a choice of seven. It runs on a couple of AA batteries, and as you’ll learn the battery compartment comes off with half-a-twist, it not a screw off bottom as Chad originally thought. For $4 you can’t beat it, but even at $11+ you get two gadgets in one. Reviews at Amazon are not good, but it seems many of complaints are about the battery compartment. A half turn unlocks it, but it seems they don’t bother to point that out in the instructions as you’ll learn on this week’s show.

Amazon link (if you can’t find it cheaper at Home Depot) https://amzn.to/2PSCd60 As an Amazon Associate Giz Wiz Biz earns from qualifying Amazon purchases. You pay no more.

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1769

Our viewer video this week comes from our most prolific fan, Mo Torres. It’s not a gadget this time, but Mo reports on an app he thinks Chad and other owners of the iPhone 11 will enjoy. Here’s Mo’s email:

Hey guys

Check out this app, Chad will love it, hopefully.

It only works on iphone 11 and app is called Double Take.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/kRMqkoVKJQY

Apple iPhone 11 App record two 2 cameras at the same time FiLMiC (02-2020) GiZWiZ

Cost: Free

WebSite: https://www.filmicpro.com/

Mo

See or hear this show: www.gizwiz.tv/episode/1769

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We’d love to include your video in an upcoming Giz Wiz Show!

Here’s what we’re looking for! Your home shot video – 2 to 3 minutes long, in any of the following categories:

I bought a piece of crap: Did you buy something you ended up hating? We won’t get you a refund, but we might be able to give a platform to vent your disappointment. Remember, “family friendly” language applies.
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I invented this! Did you invent something? (Or did a friend or relative invent something.) We can’t market it for you, but we can help get the word out. Show us what it is, and how it works. Even if it’s a prototype, you can get our (and the audience) reactions. No professional ads please.
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My Gadget Warehouse: Okay, so you don’t have a warehouse. It doesn’t matter. Just tell us about your favorite old gadget(s). When and where you bought it, and why you’re still hanging on to it.
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My Favorite Gadget (favorite old, or favorite new): Show us what it is, tell us what it does and why you love, or loved it! It can be a new gadget you just bought too.
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Post them on YouTube and send us the link! We’ll do the rest. (Or possibly nothing, but that’s unlikely.) Remember, videos should be just 2 to 3 minutes long! Low production value is fine, but we should be able to hear you and see you! If we select and show your video on The Giz Wiz you’ll earn a tiny amount of fame (hopefully). And if you live in the US, you’ll also get an autographed 38+ year old Alfred E. Neuman picture and a MAD surprise (most likely the current issue of MAD.) But no matter where you live outside of US, I can autograph an Alfred E. Neuman photo to you, scan it & email you a high res copy if we show your video. Just print it out, frame it, or just hang it up and no one will know it’s a copy. We’ve tested it out and fans say they look terrific!

All show submissions go to mail@gizwiz.tv
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Email of the week is from Ranger Rick and it’s about the Museum of Printing.

I spent half my working days in Typography and Printing. Going in the Museum was kind of a walk down memory lane. I worked for companies like Compugraphic, Itek Graphics and Digital Image Corp which now exhibits those typesetting machines. I was lucky to work with some great tradespeople of the day and find it fascinating to see tech transform the industry. I worked for Type Solutions here in NH one of the founding fathers of TrueType. We did the initial work on all Apple and Microsoft core fonts. I will try to get a personal video of typecasting at the Museum. I got to give out credit for Frank Romano for spending his life’s work trying to preserve printing. He has written some 60 books on the subject.

Wish you well, Magoo and RangerRick

You’ll see a couple of photos from their outing to the Printing Museum on this week’s show, but here’s a link to a video about the place from their local TV station.

https://youtu.be/outx_f3fReA

Ranger Rick also asked: Would a video of their hot type press be ok for gizwiz?  — Chad & I answered, “yes!”.