Saturday, December 6, 2008

Kim Komando Show Electronic Newsletter - Dec. 6, 2008

The Kim Komando Show

Kim's Club Shop Listen Columns Cool Sites Tips Buying Guide Video of the Day

Your e-mail address will never be sold to anyone, ever. I promise!




  Jumbo Solar Garden LED Thermometer!






  A Keyboard You Can Use in the Dark!






  Put Your Favorite Photo on A Quality Travel Case!






  Put your favorite photo and a quality backpack! Makes a great custom gift!






  Digital Camera Tote






  Create A Necklace Using Your Favorite Photos!






  You Are Here Doormat!






  Digital Circuit Finder



 

Dec. 6, 2008—Vol. 12, No. 49

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IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR!
Welcome to the latest edition of the Kim Komando Show Electronic Newsletter! This week, I've got money-saving tips, festive sites and fun freebies! Each week my show and newsletter reach millions. Thanks for making me part of your Christmas season!

CONTENTS -- WHAT'S IN YOUR INBOX THIS WEEK:
- ON THE QT: Over $80,000 in prizes; fun videos and freebies
- DIGITAL DIGRESSIONS: Easy and fast tips that work for you
- MY COLUMN: Cool camcorders for tight budgets
- COOL SITES: Komando Kids; and more fun stuff you'll like and use
- COOL USEFUL FUN FREEBIE: Tons of Office templates
- SECURE COMPUTING: CBS site suffers iFrame attack
- YOUR WEEKLY Q&A: Buying a projector and laptop

Listen to Kim On Air CLICK & FIND MY RADIO SHOW IN YOUR HOMETOWN
With 465 radio stations throughout the United States, there's bound to be a station near you that's broadcasting my show this weekend. To find the one closest to you, click here and you'll be magically transported to the Official Komando Radio Map. Then, join me for three fun-filled, jam-packed hours of great talk radio about the Internet, HDTVs, MP3 players, DVRs, marketing tips for your site, digital cameras, camcorders, making money online, using the Internet to save money and a bunch more!

I'd really like you to call me. After all, they call it "talk radio" for a reason. You can join in the fun. I'm sure you have at least one question about something digital. I'm here to help with unbiased advice.

HO! HO! HO! IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS WEEKEND'S SHOW: The Kim Komando Show "Annual Great Giveaway" continues this weekend. Details about how to enter and what you can win are a few paragraphs down. I have over $80,000 in great prizes!

HERE'S HOW TO CALL ME DURING THE SHOW
It takes just three easy steps: 1.) Call the LIVE broadcast. That's this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the East Coast, or, if you live on the West Coast, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. 2.) Know the phone number. It is, of course, toll-free 1-888-825-5254. 3.) Tell our call screener Andrew what's on your mind. That's all there is to it!

NO PREEMPTIONS! DOWNLOAD & LISTEN WHEN YOU WANT!
Listen to my shows when and where you want. Wow! The shows sound incredible in crystal clear digital audio. It's commercial-free, too! Listen on your computer or take me with you in your MP3 player.  You can even burn them to CDs and listen in the car. Click here to join Kim's Club today! It's just a few dollars per month.

SEE SOMETHING UNDERLINED? CLICK & LEARN
When something is underlined in our newsletters, click it. It's a link for you to learn more. So go ahead, click the link. Expand your horizons. You'll be glad you did!

Back to the top

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ON THE QT: Things I pass along just for you!

A LITTLE EXTRA CHRISTMAS HELP
The Christmas rush is on! You've got cards to mail, newsletters to send and gifts to wrap. You also have to prepare for guests and get all of your shopping done.

I can't help you get ready for your guests. But I can help you with some of your other Christmas chores.

Microsoft is offering plenty of cool Christmas templates. All you need is your computer and a printer. The templates are all free. Just download them and fill in the blanks. Or, customize them so they're just right!

Here are some of my favorites: festive Christmas templates, gift certificates and letters to Santa.

HOW MANY VISITORS WILL YOU HAVE THIS CHRISTMAS?
You will probably have plenty of guests this Christmas. After all, it is one of the few times of year the entire family gets together.

We all appreciate the time we'll get to spend with family and friends. But, let's be honest. Preparing for guests is a lot of work. And it is nerve-wracking, making sure everything is just so.

Well, just be thankful you don't live on Christmas Island. This small island territory of Australia is home to about 1,500 people. But, around this time of year, it gets a huge influx of visitors—150 million! Okay, 150 million people don't visit the island. Rather, 150 million red crabs converge for spawning season.

You can learn all about this fascinating event in my Video of the Day. It's the perfect way to make light of your Christmas-time stress!

SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS…
My husband Barry has been hard at work writing and producing Mannheim Steamroller's An American Christmas. This national radio show is hosted by Mannheim Steamroller's Chip Davis. It features Christmas stories and Christmas music from top artists.

It's actually two shows. There is the daily show"The 12 Days of Christmas" and the 12-hour program that airs on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on more than 260 radio stations.

DOWNLOADABLE, TOO!
You can also download about an hour of the show directly from iTunes. It's commercial-free and only costs $4.99. To download it, open iTunes and click this link. Or open iTunes and search for"Christmas Companion."

Enter Kim Komando's Great Giveaway Sweepstakes ENTER DAILY TO WIN—OVER $80,000 IN PRIZES TO GIVE AWAY!
It's time for me to play Santa again! My 13th Annual Kim Komando Show Great Giveaway is going strong. And this year, I have the best prizes ever! You can win weekly on my show. But don't forget to enter on my site each day. Just head to giveaway.komando.com and enter daily for your chance to win!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
We're giving away over 280 prizes, including 10 Grand Prizes valued between $1,000 and $4,000 each!

Here's a peek at our Grand Prizes:

    Ultimate Travel Pack: Do you like to travel? If so, you may never want to leave home without this package! It includes great items that are perfect for traveling. Plus, four Southwest Airlines roundtrip tickets are included. They'll get you to any published, scheduled destination nationwide. Value: $4,069.84

    Photographer's Dream Prize Pack: Are you an avid photographer? You'll love this prize! One lucky winner will be taking pictures with his or her new Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera! Plus, the winner will be able to edit, print and share photos with the great prizes included! Value: $2,509.96

    Gadgets & Gizmos Prize Pack: Everyone loves gadgets and gizmos. So, we've put together some of our favorites for this grand prize. We're giving away everything from an LG 19-inch W52 LCD Monitor to Garmin's nuvi 255 GPS Navigation System! Value: $1,128

    Home Entertainment Bundle: If you like games or movies, you'll love this prize package! It includes an 80GB PlayStation3 Entertainment System, along with four PlayStation3 games, eight Universal Home Entertainment DVD movies, and 10 Big Fish Games computer games. Value: $1,073.82 

    GE Security's Simon XT Wireless Security System: Simon XT is a cost-effective wireless security system offering burglary and fire protection. Value: $2,100

    Sonos Multi-Room Music System: The Sonos Multi-Room Music System makes it easy to add music to every part of your life and every room in your house. Value: $1,715  

    The HP TouchSmart IQ506: The HP TouchSmart IQ506 is a touch-enabled PC with a 22" diagonal widescreen. Value: $1,499.99  

    Polk Audio SurroundBar 360˚ DVD Theater: Polk Audio's SurroundBar360˚ DVD Theater is the best performing single-speaker surround sound theater system on the market. Value: $1,199.99  

    TriGem's Averatec 2575 Series Notebook Computer: The new Averatec 2575 Series notebook is a full-featured machine, combining powerful dual-core processing with infotainment capabilities in an ultraportable, ultra-light form factor. Two lucky Grand Prize winners will win an Averatec 2575 Series Notebook Computer! Value: $1,099.99 

But that's not all! Click here to see all the great prizes at the Annual Giveaway Site.

You could win a Sony PlayStation 3, Logitech network music player, Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player, LG 19-inch LCD monitor, Xbox 360 gaming console, Epson all-in-one printer, Garmin GPS, Shure earbuds, Kodak digital camera, Universal Home Entertainment DVD collection, DXG HD camcorder, Adobe photo software, Myvu Crystal media viewer, Microsoft goodies, Sony game or software package, Microsoft's Zune player, SOLO leather rolling laptop case, Total Training one-year subscription, Gifts.com gift card, Lynda.com online training library, Motorola GPS unit, Logitech QuickCam Webcams, Seagate's FreeAgent Go portable storage solution, Genius Touch Speaker System, Omnitech digital photo frame, Audiovox Homebase Message Center, Motorola mobile phone, Pathfinder Luggage CompuBrief, Big Fish Games package, Staples gift card, Rosetta Stone Spanish language software, and more!

HOW CAN I WIN?!
You can win by calling the show and speaking with me live on the air. And new this year, you can also win by entering daily at my Giveaway online.

HOW YOU CAN WIN DURING THE SHOW:
Any caller who speaks to me on the air wins one of our fabulous prizes. The number to call is 1-888-825-5254, but ONLY on Saturdays between 7 and 10 a.m. Pacific (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern).

HOW YOU CAN WIN ONLINE:
If you don't get through during the show, you are still eligible to win. Just enter on my Web site. We're giving away great prizes every day of the giveaway. So, you could win daily. And if you enter online, you are also eligible for one of the GRAND PRIZES!

DID YOU WIN?
Here are just a few of our lucky winners:

— Ruth Fletcher listens on American Forces Network in Bonn, Germany. She won Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. That's a $400 suite for free!
— Darel Bullock in Orlando, FL, listens on WDBO 580 AM. He won 10 great games from Big Fish Games. That $200 prize pack should keep him entertained.
— Kirit Dalal listens to the show on WSBA 910 AM in York, PA. He'll watch movies in style with the $299.95 Myvu Crystal Media Viewer.
— Erin Walsh from Kirkwood, MO, got a brand new Motorola MOTONAV GPS unit. Listening on KFTK 97.1 FM saved him nearly $200!
— Jim Houghtalen in Mantua, UT, listens to me on KNRS 570 AM. He'll be an audio/video pro with this $215 Sony Creative Software Bundle.
— Butch Thornton catches my show on WSCC 94.3 FM in Summerville, SC. He won an Epson Artisan 800 printer valued at $299.99.
— Jennifer Ellinger from Portage, MI, listens on WKZO 590 AM. She'll be able to speak Spanish in no time. She won a $219 Rosetta Stone Language Software pack.
— Linda Cronan listens to me on WOAI 1200 AM in San Antonio, TX. She won a Genius Touch Speaker System valued at $179!
— Scott Kirkland in Lindsay, OK, gets my show on KOKC 1520 AM. He can now carry his files with the Seagate FreeAgent Go. This portable hard drive is valued at $179.98!

Every day, I pick a new winner. Check the winner's page http://giveaway.komando.com/winners.asp and maybe you'll see your name in virtual lights.

Be sure to tell 10 friends and family members! And get ready to call in to my show! Finally, don't forget about our sponsors. Be sure to check out the great prizes on the Great Giveaway area. The sponsors make the giveaway possible. So, if you ever want to learn more about any of the prizes, click those links (hint, hint) and you'll land at the sponsor's site.

NEED HELP ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY?
I've received complaints about the Great Giveaway entry form on my site. The form uses a CAPTCHA. That verifies that you are a person and not a machine. By nature, CAPTCHAs are difficult to read. This prevents robots circulating throughout the Web from reading the code.

Some people are having trouble reading the verification code. Well, want to know a secret? Hold your mouse over the speaker icon beside the CAPTCHA code. The code will appear in the status bar at the bottom of your browser. Most people should find it easier to read.

But, maybe the text in the status bar is too small for you. I have that eventuality covered, too! Just turn on your speakers and click the speaker icon. The verification code will be read aloud to you!

SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Maybe you need an office program. Or maybe you desperately need a program to recover deleted data. But, Christmas is looming, and you don't want to be a Scrooge. What do you do?

Just head over to my Download of the Day site! You'll find a slew of computer programs free for the taking. So, you can put your money to better use—like buying Christmas presents!

Here are some of my favorite freebies from the past week. Click on the links below to learn more about the free programs. Don't forget to come back, though. I still have plenty of money-saving advice!

• Losing weight is something we all struggle with from time to time. Maybe you need a little extra help to get it done.

• Decorating is half the fun of the holiday season. So, how about sprucing up your computer? I've found two programs that you'll love.

• Some older games are the most fun. Yahtzee has always been a blast. Now, bring it to your computer.

• The Start menu is a great tool. But for many people it could be improved. This program does just that.

Want a tip? Bookmark my Downloads page. Just go there and press Ctrl+D. That will add my downloads to your browser's favorites!

And remember this: If I say a program is free, it's FREE. There are sites on the Internet that sell free programs. There are also many ads on the Internet for similar programs, which aren't free. If somebody tries to charge you for a free program, back up. You've clicked on the wrong thing.

Saturday's downloadMicrosoft Office is a powerful bundle of programs. I'm not sure Bill Gates knows half of its features. These templates make all that power easily accessible.

HAVE A FEW SPARE MINUTES? THEN, HAVE A LITTLE FUN
There's so much to do at this time of year. There are gifts to buy and trees to decorate. So, if you need a quick pick-me-up, hit my Video of the Day site. Every day, I pick an awesome video to share with you. Your whole family will love my videos!

Don't miss these hot videos from the past week:

• We've all seen shooting stars. But this one gets a lot closer than normal. It's a great light show. And it was all caught on tape.

• Gambling is always a risky venture. But some people aren't happy playing fair. The cheaters' latest cash cow is online poker.

• Christmas has the best decorations. But as always, someone has to take it a step further. And the results are awesome.

Laughter is always the best medicine. And everyone could use a good laugh these days. I've featured some hilarious videos on my site. Here are my recent favorites. Find them right on my Video of the Day archive:

• One of the funniest men in the world is Jeff Foxworthy. In this video, he doles out practical redneck fashion tips.

• Bill Dance is a well-known professional fisherman. His show is full of useful information. And it's rife with hilarious bloopers!

• Weddings are supposed to be magical. But they take a lot of work to get right. This wedding could have used a little more planning.

• I'm always impressed by a good magician. Their tricks and illusions are just so cool. But who knew a bad magician could be this funny!

videoSaturday's video —The Great Depression defined a generation of Americans. One photo captured the feeling of that era. Get the story behind that famous photo.

Sunday's video — Who could forget Jack Webb, and his alter ego, Sgt. Joe Friday. This video with Johnny Carson is from 1968. It's still hilarious.

NOTE: Are you having trouble seeing my daily video picks? Do you get a message that the video is not available? Sorry to say, it's probably not the video. It's your computer, my friend. Get help on my troubleshooting page. These problems are pretty easy to fix.

WANT TO SAVE MY VIDEOS?
Ever want to save a YouTube or other video that you've found online? You've come to the right place. On my site, you can enter the Web address for the video and download the video to your Mac or PC.

All you need to know is the Web address or URL for the video. If you are not sure how to get the address for the video, click here to read a step-by-step tutorial on how to do it.

And to start saving videos you find online, use the free tool on my Web site. It's located at http://www.komando.com/myvideo/

PRIVACY AND SECURITY TIP: Monitor your home with security cameras
We're in the middle of the holidays. For many, that means travel. So, watch your home from anywhere with security cameras. I can help! Tune into the second hour of my national radio show.

Need to find a radio station near you? Click here to use the official Kim Komando Show Locator Map. With over 450 stations, there's a station near you.

STILL TO COME: Useful tips, important news and a few laughs!

    • Should you buy a refurbished iPod?
    • Buying a camcorder on a budget
    • Important security tips; and some awesome freebies!

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DIGITAL DIGRESSIONS: Tips that work for you!

REFURBISHED IPODS CAN SAVE YOU A BUNDLE
Ira wrote from Boynton Beach, FL, where he tunes in on WJNO 1290 AM. He's in the market for a new MP3 player. He's considering an 8GB iPod nano. But he's trying to reduce his spending. So, he'd like to know if he should buy a refurbished model. He'd purchase it directly from Apple.

I'm generally not a fan of refurbished products. They have been returned to the manufacturer due to a perceived defect. The manufacturer then restores the product to like-new condition. The defect should be repaired in the process.

However, if you purchase a refurbished 8GB iPod nano, you'll save $50. Granted, it will be the previous generation model. But it's still a great player.

Also, Apple offers a full warranty on the player. You're covered for a year. If that's not enough, an extended warranty is also available. Incidentally, I don't think a refurbished iPod is so bad. iPods sent in for repairs are not returned. Rather, Apple replaces them with refurbished models. I sent an iPod in for a battery change; the replacement unit looked and performed like new.

MP3 players are always hot gifts. So, I'm sure many of my readers will be buying them this year. Not everybody wants an iPod nano, though. So, I have advice to help you pick the right player:

Maybe you bought your favorite music buff an MP3 player last year. In that case, here's a great gift idea: canal phones. They're pricey, but the sound can't be beat! My buying guide will help you pick the perfect pair.

DON'T BE FOOLED BY INTERNET TV SCAMS
Marie in Tallahassee listens to my show on WWBA 1040 AM. Like millions of Americans, she will be affected by the digital television transition. She has a TV in her kitchen that isn't connected to cable. She's seen ads for programs that let you watch TV on a computer. So, she's thinking about using a laptop to watch TV in the kitchen.

I assume you saw the ad in a spam message. Or, maybe you saw a Google ad touting the software. Either way, I wouldn't recommend this service. You should never buy anything from a spam message. That's just asking for trouble. And scammers often use Google ads to lure victims.

Basically, these services aggregate free television programming. The programming may be wrapped up in special software. But, you're really paying for a list of programming that's available free online. This may not be a bona fide scam. However, I'd feel duped by it.

You have other options. You can get a digital television converter box. Just connect it to your television, and you're good to go. The box will likely cost less than the services you saw. You can also get a $40 coupon to offset the cost. You'd probably pay about $20 for the box after applying the coupon. Keep reading to learn more about converter boxes.

A television and converter box is a lot of clutter for a kitchen. Using a laptop eases that problem. You can do that quite easily. First, you can buy a TV tuner card for your laptop. You'll find ones that connect via USB or PC card slot. Expect to pay about $50. My tip covers everything you need to know about TV tuners.

You can also watch programming for free. More and more networks are putting their shows online. You can watch what you want, when you want. Sound appealing? Learn everything you need to know in my money-saving column.
In case you are looking for some sites to watch TV online, here are five that I recommend.

The DTV transition is about two months away. And I'm still getting plenty of questions about it. For example, Pam in San Marcos, TX wants to know if she needs a converter box for her HDTV. John in Phoenix wants to know if he needs to buy a special antenna for DTV. You may have questions of your own. So, you won't want to miss these important tips on my site:

MANAGE ALL OF YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNTS IN ONE PLACE
Michael tunes in on KRLD 1080 AM in Dallas. He wrote to ask about e-mail. Specifically, he has several e-mail accounts through different providers. He's tired of visiting all the different sites. He'd like to check his mail from one location.

Well, Michael, managing multiple e-mail accounts certainly is difficult. And it becomes quite a hassle when they're with different providers. It means you have to jump around from site to site. So, I understand why you want to consolidate things a bit.

Your best option is to use Outlook or a similar e-mail program. This will let you send and receive messages from multiple accounts. If you don't want to shell out for Outlook, try Thunderbird. You'll find a link to this free e-mail program in my Downloads archive.

There's just one snag. Your e-mail provider may restrict your ability to use an e-mail program. You may have to pay to download and send mail from your desktop. There are a couple of programs that will help you get around this. Try Ypops or MrPostman. Both are free on my site.

Installing multiple programs may not appeal to you. And, you may have an ethical problem using programs like Ypops. In that case, there's ePrompter. This handy program will do everything you need. You can download it for free from my site!

If you opt to use Outlook, you'll probably need a little help. Setting it up can be tricky. So, you'll want to read my time-saving column. You'll be up and running in no time!

BUYING ANY TECH FOR THE HOLIDAYS?
Visit the Komando.com Buying Guide. Here, you can find unbiased advice on buying laptops, desktops, TVs, monitors, scanners, video cards, digital cameras, software, audio, printers, cell phones, networking gear, handhelds, memory cards and, well, let's just say a heck of a lot more! You can scan the categories. Or use the Search banner on the page. We hope you like the improvements at the Buying Guide and use it often!

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE
At Komando.com, we now have a shopping guide that will help you find the perfect gifts and the lowest prices online. Check it out by clicking here.

AMERICAN FORCES RADIO & THANKS
Listen all over the world! My shows are broadcast on the American Forces Radio Network. If you know someone in the military, let them know. And if you have served, or are currently serving our country, THANK YOU. With the holiday season here, check our page that spotlights ways that you can thank our troops.

NO PREEMPTIONS! DOWNLOAD & LISTEN WHEN YOU WANT!
Listen to my shows when and where you want. Wow! The shows sound incredible in crystal clear digital audio. It's commercial-free, too! Listen on your computer or take me with you in your MP3 player.  You can even burn them to CDs and listen in the car. Click here to join Kim's Club today!

DON'T STOP YET – THERE'S MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW:

    • Rookie Rundown—How much storage is enough?
    • Keep reading! I have more money-saving tips!

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THE WEEKLY COLUMN:

COOL CAMCORDERS FOR TIGHT BUDGETS
Decorating the tree, opening presents and visiting relatives can only mean one thing. It's time to capture memories. Fortunately, you don't need to spend thousands on a high-end camcorder. You can find a quality camcorder that delivers crisp, clear videos for $400 or less.

There are several types of camcorders. MiniDV camcorders tend to be the least expensive. However, transferring footage to your computer for editing is time-consuming.

DVD camcorders are relatively inexpensive, as are blank DVDs. These camcorders were designed to bypass the computer. So, watching videos on a standalone DVD player is easy.

You'll also find hard drive camcorders. Transferring footage to a computer is a snap. Also, the hard drives provide plenty of room for recording. But, hard drives aren't very durable. And the storage can't be expanded.

Camcorders that use flash memory are becoming increasingly popular. You can switch the card to add more storage while on vacation. The memory is also sturdy. And transferring video for editing is a snap.

Choosing a storage format is only one piece of the puzzle. Find out what else to look for in a camcorder in my free weekly column. It makes the buying process easy!

A LITTLE ABOUT ME:
Did you know that I host two radio shows? I have a Digital Minute that airs Monday through Friday. I also host a three-hour show on the weekends. Over 460 radio stations in the great United States broadcast my shows. Plus, from here in the desert come all kinds of tidbits about living a digital lifestyle. You can read my weekly column in over 100 Gannett newspapers across the country. And I write two columns a week for the USAToday Web site.

HOW TO CALL ME DURING THE SHOW
It takes just three easy steps: 1.) Call the LIVE broadcast. That's this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the East Coast, or, if you live on the West Coast, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. 2.) Know the phone number. It is, of course, toll-free 1-888-825-5254. 3.) Talk to Andrew and tell him what's on your mind. That's all there is to it!

WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
There are other newsletters aside from this one that we send out free of charge. Sign up for all four now, while you're thinking about it. You can do that here.

STILL TO COME IN THIS ISSUE:
    • Some freebies and a contest for you to win!
    • What should you look for in a projector and laptop?

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Great Christmas Gift: Get This Vintage-Style Candle Tealight Holder!

• Beautiful wood-appearance cast resin holder
• Includes 10 glass votive cups and tealights
• Simple inspiration for any home

GET YOURS NOW! MAKES A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!



Other Items of Interest
Amazing Travel Blanket
Compact Snap-Around Tripod




ROOKIE RUNDOWN: Tips to get you newbies up and going!
Charlie wrote in from Eugene, OR, where he catches my show on KUGN 590 AM. He's read my buying guide on CompactFlash and SD memory cards. But, he has a couple of questions.

First, Charlie would like to know what size memory card he needs. He also wonders why this information wasn't included in the buying guide.

I wish you had given me more information, Charlie. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to memory card capacity.

Will you be using the card to store photos or music? Or will you be using it for something else? And how long will data stay on the card? Will you offload data quickly? Or will you need enough storage for weeks or months?

Let's address music files first. One minute of music generally uses one megabyte of storage. And, most songs are about four minutes long. So, a 1-gigabyte card will hold about 250 songs. Using these guidelines should help you determine what size card you need.

Photo files aren't so easy. File size will vary based on the image size and image quality. File format will also affect memory card capacity.

I recommend that you consult your camera's manual. It should tell you how many photos you can fit on different-sized cards. This will give you an accurate idea of what size card to buy.

But I have a quick rule of thumb to help you out. JPEG files are generally half the size of the sensor capacity. So, say you have a 10-megapixel camera. Each JPEG will be about 5MB. This means a 1GB card will hold about 200 photos.

If the card will hold other types of data, you're on your own. I don't have enough information to help you.

Fortunately, memory cards are relatively inexpensive these days. So, I recommend buying a larger card than you anticipate needing. That way, you don't need to worry about offloading photos while on vacation.

Memory cards are much like batteries. To put it bluntly, they're not very exciting. But, all the cool gadgets need them. So, keep the fun going with these great tips on my site:

A MESSAGE FROM THE KOMANDO.COM POSTMASTER
Did you move and get a new e-mail address? Let us know so you don't miss a single issue of our free newsletters. It's easy. Just use our Change of Address form at the Komando Newsletter Center. Click here to access it now.

SEE SOMETHING UNDERLINED? CLICK & LEARN
When something is underlined in our newsletters, click it. It's a link for you to learn more. So go ahead, click the link. Expand your horizons. You'll be glad you did!

GET MORE FREE TIPS FROM ME TO YOU
You get this newsletter. Now, sign up for my other three free e-mail newsletters.

• Free computer or digital tip Mon-Fri
• Free Cool Site daily
• Free news links Mon-Fri

As always, I guarantee your privacy. Your e-mail address will not be sold, leased or given to anyone, ever!

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO HELP THE TROOPS
Christmas will soon be upon us. You're probably planning to spend the holiday with your family and friends. But don't forget about our troops overseas. Many won't be spending the holiday with their loved ones.

At Operation Komando, you'll find a list of items you can send to the troops. There are both high-ticket and smaller items. Of course, you'll want your package to arrive in time for the big day. Don't worry. There's still time. My handy shipping schedule will help you out.

STILL TO COME IN THIS WEEKEND'S EDITION:

    • Security tips to keep your computer safe
    • Buying a laptop and projector made easy

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RADIO REWIND: Your guide to all things radio!

MAKING A LIST...
Just like me, you have places to go, people to see and holiday memories to make. I'll keep you updated with shopping trends, online safety and money management ideas. So don't miss my three-hour weekend show and Digital Minutes. Together we'll make this the best celebration ever!

Santa

WELCOME, NEW AFFILIATES!
Tampa, FL (WGUL 860 AM), Sundays at 2 p.m. Digital Minutes in the 10 a.m. hour.

Ft. Dodge, IA (KVFD 1400 AM), Saturdays at 11 a.m. Digital Minutes in the 6 a.m. hour.

CHECKING IT TWICE
My affiliates are never on that"naughty" list. You can hear my shows from coast to coast on great stations like these: Chicago (WLS 890 AM); Dallas (KRLD 1080 AM); Atlanta (WSB 750 AM); Phoenix (KFYI 550 AM); Orlando, FL (WDBO 580 AM); Austin, TX (KLBJ 590 AM); Birmingham, AL (WAPI 1070 AM); Tulsa, OK (KRMG 740 AM); Akron, OH (WHLO 640 AM); Des Moines, IA (KWQW 98.3 FM); Ft. Wayne, IN (WOWO1190 AM); Reno, NV (KKOH 780 AM); Myrtle Beach, SC (WRNN 99.5 FM) and, for our troops wherever they may be stationed, the American Forces Radio Network.

THESE FOLKS ARE NICE
Everyone knows about the Alamo. But five missions were established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century. These became the largest concentration of Catholic missions in North America. Four missions (San Jose, San Juan, Concepcion, and Espada) were founded in Texas. They succumbed to drought, malaria, and French incursions. So, they were relocated to San Antonio.

woai  

Will you be in town to tour the missions? Then catch my weekend show in San Antonio on WOAI 1200 AM, Sundays at 11 a.m.

A QUICK CLICK TO FIND ME NEAR YOU
It is so easy to hear my shows on a radio station near you. All it takes is a click on my Locator Map. Then, check your e-mail for your nearest station!

MISS SOMETHING? LISTEN WHEN AND WHERE YOU WANT
With the hustle and bustle of the season, you deserve a break! Take some time to catch up with my Kimcasts. They're just a click away when you're a member of Kim's Club. Join today!

STILL TO COME IN THIS WEEKEND'S EDITION:

    • Security tips to keep your computer safe
    • What you should know about buying a projector

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Jumbo Universal Remote

Easy to use & hard to lose! The Jumbo Universal Remote can manage up to 8 separate devices (TV, VCR, DVD, Satellite, Cable, etc.). This is a great gift for those that have a hard time seeing the tiny buttons on a regular remote. Best of all, it doesn't fall between the cracks of the couch! BUY NOW



Other Items of Interest
Chargepod: Charging System
Cool Illuminated Keyboard

MY WEEKLY SELECTION OF UNIQUE AND GREAT WEB SITES

KIM'S TIPS FOR KOMANDO KIDS: Choosing a cell phone for kids
Cell phones are high on Christmas lists. Your kids might be begging for them. But which cell phone features are important for parents? I'll answer that question. Listen to the third hour of the Kim Komando show.

CONTEST SITE: Epson HD Sweepstakes
Good Housekeeping is giving away an entire home theater. Prize includes HD projector, 100-inch screen and sound system. Open to U.S. residents. Deadline: 12/31/08

CONTEST: The Annual Kim Komando Show Great Giveaway
The Great Giveaway is going full blast! Every caller who speaks with me live on the air wins a great prize! Online, winners are picked daily! So, enter every day to win a valuable prize on my Web site. Hurry! Deadline for online entry is 12/22/08.

FREEBIE OF THE WEEK: Try Yogi Tea
Get a free sample pack of Yogi Teas. Sample packs include three organic green and herbal teas. Try Meditative Time, Berry Anti-Oxidant and Mexican Sweet Chili.

FREEBIE FROM KOMANDO.COM: Check out Google's browser
Most people use Internet Explorer or Firefox. I recommend Firefox. But Google has released a browser of its own. And it's pretty fast. See it for yourself.

GET A COOL SITE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK
There are plenty of great sites on the Web. But who has time to find them? Every day, I pick one great site and share it with you. Try it for a week and you'll love it!

In case you missed any this past week, here's a list of some of our favorites:
Buy cool Christmas cards, help a charity
How does your stock portfolio look?
It's a great time to work on your family tree
Online auctions made easy

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COOL USEFUL FUN FREEBIE OF THE WEEK

THIS WEEK'S FOCUS: Tons of Office templates
Microsoft Office is an incredibly powerful bundle of programs. I'm not sure Bill Gates knows half of the things it can do. Templates make all that power easily accessible. I've found a bunch of great and useful templates that's perfect for this time of year. From keeping tabs of gifts to family newsletters, these are some really useful freebies.

Let's keep it going; there's plenty more to cover:
• SECURE COMPUTING: CBS site comes under attack

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Spruce Up The Holidays With a Little Seasonal Flavoring!


SECURE COMPUTING: STUFF TO KEEP YOU SAFE FROM HARM!

Brought to you by my book, Complete Guide to Computer Security & Privacy. Order your copy today!

CBS SITE USED TO SPREAD MALWARE
Criminals launched an iFrame attack on a CBS site. The attack was used to infect visitors' machines with malware. iFrame attacks insert code in legitimate sites. Visitors are directed to a second site. However, visitors are unaware that they have been redirected.

Apparently, this particular attack has been stymied. But iFrame attacks have been popular this year. Let this serve as an important lesson to you. Even legitimate sites can be used to spread malware; no Internet site is 100 percent safe. To protect yourself, keep Windows and your security software updated.

THE END IS IN SIGHT, BUT I WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK
• How to choose a projector and laptop

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Outsmart a thief with these unique safes!

The average burglar spends 8 minutes in the victim's home and only has time to check the most obvious places for valuables? Put the odds in your favor... hide your valuables in plain sight. These unique "safes" allow you to hide valuables inside common household products - one of the last places a thief would think to look.
CLICK HERE TO KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE!




Other Items of Interest
Roadside Emergency Kit
Kim Komando Executive Pen


KILLER TIP--THE WEEKLY QUESTION SENT IN FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU!

My husband and I travel to churches to give a presentation. So, we're looking for a good projector to ensure consistency. The presentation includes pictures and text. Our budget for the projector is $1,500. We also need a laptop to use with the projector. A DVD player (but not a burner) is a must, as is high speed. Our budget for the laptop is also $1,500. Do you have any suggestions?
—Rebekah in Anderson, SC, listening on WORD 106.3 FM

Prices of projectors range from $600 to $10,000 or more. And differentiating between models can be difficult. That is, unless you have a good grip on all the features.

First, you'll need to decide on a type of projector. You'll find CRT, LCD and DLP. If they sound familiar, there's a reason for it. These technologies are used in televisions.

You can eliminate CRT (cathode-ray tube) projectors. These are big and bulky—you certainly don't want to travel with one. They do offer outstanding picture quality. But you'll spend $10,000 or more. They're best suited for high-end home cinemas.

That leaves LCD and DLP. DLP (digital light projection) uses light reflected off micromirrors to generate images. Light passes through a rotating color wheel.

DLP projectors are great for home use. They can provide a high-resolution, bright image. They're also noted for good color accuracy and contrast.

LCD projectors are popular with business users. An image is displayed on a transparent chip. Light passes through the chip to project the image. Like DLP, LCD offers high resolution images. You also get good contrast and accurate colors.

Both DLP and LCD have their drawbacks. For example, you may see the rainbow effect with DLP. The colors may appear to separate. LCDs are susceptible to the screen door effect. You may see individual pixels on a large screen.

In your case, I would go for an LCD projector. It will save you some money over a DLP projector. It will also do better with PowerPoint presentations.

Next, I would look at the brightness. Brightness is often a big problem with projectors. That's particularly true when you're using them in a bright room. And, if you use a wall instead of a screen, the projector needs to be even brighter.

Don't settle for less than 1,000 lumens. In fact, I would shoot for at least double this. Since you're traveling, you can't count ideal conditions for your presentation. You should also invest in a good screen.

Contrast ratio is also important. A good ratio will produce nice crisp images. A low contrast ratio yields dull, washed-out images. Aim for 2000:1 or greater.

Resolution is a little trickier. For best results, the projector's native resolution should match that of the laptop. Most laptops these days have XGA or WXGA screens.

XGA offers a resolution of 1024x768. WXGA is the widescreen equivalent. There are several resolutions labeled WXGA. But, in laptops, WXGA generally means a resolution of 1280x800.

You should be fine with either resolution. You may be tempted to buy a high-definition projector. Save your money—unless you will also use it for watching movies at home.

There are a couple of other things to consider. First, think about a zoom lens. This will let you adjust the image size without moving the projector. This is a nice touch. Next, think about the projector's size. When you're traveling, smaller is always better!

Your budget of $1,500 isn't too far off the mark. I would put a projector matching these specifications in the $1,200 to $2,000 range. But don't go on up-front costs alone. Price replacement bulbs before making a decision. These can run hundreds of dollars.

Your budget for a laptop, however, is way off. These days, $1,500 will buy you a very powerful machine. You probably don't need all this power, unless I'm missing something. You can probably cut your budget by $600 or more.

Most laptops these days should have a DVD drive. So, I wouldn't worry too much about that.

PowerPoint doesn't require a particularly powerful processor. But, I would go ahead and buy an Intel Core 2 Duo. This will give you some room to grow. There are different versions of the Core 2 Duo. A low- to mid-end version will do just fine.

I recommend a fair amount of RAM, though. That way, you don't have to worry about your presentation stuttering. I generally recommend 2 gigabytes of RAM as a starting point for Vista. In your case, I would up this to 3 gigabytes.

Now, I'm not sure to what you refer when you say"high speed." You could be referring to the processor speed. Or, you could be talking about system speed, which is affected by RAM. You could also be referring to Internet access.

With a Core 2 Duo and 3 gigabytes of RAM, your system will be fast. Virtually any laptop you buy will have Wi-Fi. This will let you access high-speed Internet. So, your laptop should be high speed in every respect!

Finally, when you purchase a laptop, pay close attention to the operating system. There are several versions of Vista. Make sure you buy the right one. My quick tip will help.

There are also 32- and 64-bit versions of Vista. The 64-bit versions have one big advantage over 32-bit ones. Find out what this advantage is by reading my enlightening tip. There are also a few disadvantages to 64-bit Vista. Will these disadvantages affect you? My tip will help you decide.

When it comes to buying digital gear, everyone's needs are different. So, the advice I've given Rebekah won't apply to everyone. Never fear! I have more guides on my site that will help with your tough buying decisions:

IF I HELPED YOU, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME?
Help me find new listeners and readers. Here are a couple ways:

1. Tell your co-workers, employees, team members, fantasy sports buddies, family members and friends to check us out. I have a form that makes it easy.

2. Link your blog, online profile or site to my site. Instructions and cool artwork await you.

Have a great weekend. Thank you for your support of my show and newsletters! I appreciate it!

Kim :)

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Recharge Your Batteries Right From Your Computer!

• 2 pack of AA Ni-MH batteries
• Save time, money & the environment
• Excellent for travel & home use
NEVER BE WITHOUT POWER AGAIN!



Other Items of Interest
Baby Onesie's With Attitude
Anti-Theft iPod Lock




SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU LAUGH

IF YOU THINK FOOTBALL FANS ARE BAD…
A large chess tournament was held in New York City. The matches were held in a conference room in a hotel. The chess buffs arrived early at the hotel each day. They would gather in the entry way and talk with fellow chess fans. Mostly, they would talk about how well they played the previous day. Or they would try to intimidate their opponents by mentioning secret moves. A few days into the tournament, the hotel manager shooed all of the chess players away. He said he had had enough of chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

Have a great day and I'll see you on the radio!

Give me a call! I'd love to hear from you. It takes just three easy steps: 1.) Call the LIVE broadcast. That's this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the East Coast, or, if you live on the West Coast, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. 2.) Know the phone number. It is, of course, toll-free 1-888-825-5254. 3.) Talk to our call screener Andrew and tell him what's on your mind. That's all there is to it!

Hugs,
Kim :)

GET MORE TIPS FROM ME TO YOU
You get this newsletter. Now, sign up for my other three free e-mail newsletters. Try 'em! You'll like 'em!

    • Free computer tip Mon-Fri
    • Free cool site daily
    • Free news links Mon-Fri

As always, I guarantee your privacy. Your e-mail address will not be sold, leased or given to anyone, ever!






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Personal & Educational Use Only This blog consists mainly of FREE newsletters from computer web gurus that I receive. I thought you might like to see them all in one place than try to discover them on your own. A moderate amount of editing may be done to eliminate unrelated repetitious ads or unnecessary text which bloat the post. However I have given the authors full credit and will not remove their site links because you deserve to see where it comes from and they deserve to get credit for what they have written. Your use of this site is simply for educational purposes. For more computer-related help go to: CPEDLEY.COM for free software, advice and tips on low cost products which are very helpful. If you want to contact the editor, please go CPEDLEY.COM and check the Contact page for email address.