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![]() Aug. 2, 2008—Vol. 12, No. 31 Support this free newsletter—please visit our advertisers
A FEAST OF DIGITAL HINTS, SECRETS AND ADVICE CONTENTS — WHAT’S IN YOUR INBOX THIS WEEK:
WOW! EXTRA HOUR THIS WEEKEND!
SEE SOMETHING UNDERLINED? CLICK IT & GO 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!
IS YOUR STATE HAVING A HOLIDAY? Fortunately, you may be able to get a little help. Many states have tax holidays. You may be able to avoid tax on certain back-to-school items. This is great news for many families. But act quickly. Many states are holding their tax holidays this weekend. Click here to see if your state is included. FORWARD ALERT: We all like to save money. So, forward this newsletter to your family and friends! They’ll appreciate your help! DON’T MISS YOUR FAVORITE OLYMPIC EVENTS Or, you could simply hit the ‘Net. NBC is providing free, on-demand access to videos of more than 20 sports! To watch the videos, you’ll need to install NBC Olympics On The Go. This will let you subscribe to your favorite events. You’ll receive new videos automatically. Unfortunately, there are limitations. The software only runs on Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate. And there is a 12-hour delay. I have a link to the software on my site. BACK FROM COSTA RICA I also got too close for comfort to a crocodile. I posted some pictures in my scrapbook. Click here to check them out.CHECK OUT THE GREAT VIDEOS ON MY SITE Here are some of the most popular videos from the past week:
• I don’t advocate playing with guns. But this video features a rather funny prank. • Ever wonder who’s behind the Nigerian money scams? This show reveals the cons. • Pixar makes some of the best animated movies. Is there intelligent life in outer space? This video provides one answer. Remember to vote for your favorite videos! Just click the stars below a video to rate it.
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. I’VE GOT PLENTY OF GREAT FREEBIES Then visit my Download of the Day site! Each day, you’ll find a new program that will make your life easier. And you’ll never have to worry about spyware in my downloads. Each is thoroughly tested and Kim approved! Here are some downloads featured on the site last week:
• Freebies to lose weight and stay healthy • My favorite freebies not to miss • Send free text messages • Make removable drives appear on your desktop What do you know about your Wi-Fi setup? Today’s download will tell you all about your network the easy and fun way. Learn more about this freebie in the first hour of my national radio show this weekend. Visit www.komando.com/downloads for our Download of the Day. Remember to bookmark the page (press CTL+D on the page) and visit daily for new useful freebies. PRIVACY AND SECURITY TIP: Watch out for sneaky ads STILL TO COME: Useful tips, important news and a few laughs!
• Finding sites for a cell phone • Important security tips; and some awesome freebies!
James wrote in from Atlanta to ask about an e-mail he received. He was informed that he won about $1 million in the British Web Lottery. He wants to know if the e-mail is legitimate. He says that it came from MSN. It’s funny that you won the British Web Lottery. I’ve won it about a dozen times. So have a number of my employees. We’re all rich beyond our wildest dreams! I don’t mean to be snarky. I just want to make a point: The e-mail you received is not legitimate. It is a scam—one that is becoming increasingly common. I’ve been seeing more of it lately than the Nigerian banking scam. In order to play the lottery, you need to purchase a ticket. This should be your first clue. If you didn’t purchase a ticket, you couldn’t win the lottery. Now, I’m quite positive you didn’t purchase a ticket. Why? The British Web Lottery does not exist. The United Kingdom has the National Lottery. And, it has posted a warning about the scam on its site. You’ll find other clues that the e-mail is a scam. The messages typically tell you to keep your win a secret. You may also see spelling errors and typos. But the biggest giveaway should be the fact that you’re receiving an e-mail. You don’t give out your e-mail address when you buy a lottery ticket. The e-mail references a database of Internet users. This database doesn’t exist. The e-mail purports to come from MSN. This is the scammer’s attempt to legitimize the e-mail. The e-mail did not come from MSN. It is easy to spoof e-mail. Visit my site for more help on avoiding scams: STARTING YOUR OWN ONLINE STORE Good for you, Brad! There’s nothing quite like owning your own business. There is a lot of hard work involved. But, ultimately, the rewards make it worthwhile. I wrote a column on starting your own e-store not long ago. I’ve also written about optimizing your site for SEO. You should read these tips for some background information. The tip on SEO will be particularly helpful. Read my tip on building a commercial site. It will help you develop a request for proposal. You’ll also find help on selecting a developer. The tip wasn’t written with retail in mind. So, there are a few more considerations in your case. You should examine retail sites that you like. See what works and what doesn’t. You’ll also want to think about payment processing. And securing customers’ data should also be a high priority. Make sure the developer you hire has what it takes to handle these things. USING A GPS UNIT WITH GOOGLE EARTH It is true that Google Earth is compatible with some GPS units. That’s if you buy Google Earth Plus ($20 annually). Google Earth will let you import data from a GPS unit. However, you can’t download the satellite imagery to a GPS unit. Google Earth simply does not support this. And a GPS unit probably couldn’t handle all that data. There is a solution, though. Google Earth Plus supports Real-time GPS tracking. You connect your GPS unit to your laptop. Then, open Google Earth. Select Tools>>GPS>>Real-time. Then select your GPS unit. You’ll see the imagery as you travel. Of course, connecting the laptop to the Internet poses problems. There’s a solution to that, too. You can load a cache of Google Earth images onto your computer. Just pull up driving directs for the trip you’ll take. Then, play a tour of the trip. You’ll want to adjust the tour speed. Make it slow enough to load all the imagery into the cache. Adjust the tour speed by clicking Touring>>Tour Speed. For more on using Google Earth with GPS, visit Google’s site. You’ll also learn what GPS units are compatible with Google Earth. Have you tried Google Earth yet? If not, download the free version from my site. You’ll love it! For more fun, add sounds of habitats to the program. I have a download that will do just that. And for help selecting a GPS unit, check my buying guide. FINDING PERMANENT LINKS FOR MY DOWNLOADS AND VIDEOS Well, Jim, getting permanent links is fairly easy. On the Download of the Day page, click the link for the featured program. It will take you to a description of the program. Copy the link for the description and send it to your friends. This is the permanent link. You have two options for the Video of the Day. You can click on the calendar on the Video page. That will take you to the video for a particular day. The link in the address bar is the permanent link for the video. You can also figure out the permanent link yourself. The first part will be http://videos.komando.com. This is followed by the year, month and day; separated by slashes. For example, the permanent link for today’s video is http://videos.komando.com/2008/08/02.PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE GOOD KOMANDO WORD DON’T STOP YET – THERE’S MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW:
• Are Blu-ray movies worth the extra expense?
We all know that music can alter your mood. Sad songs can make you cry. Upbeat songs may give you an energy boost. But can music create the same effects as illegal drugs?This seems like a ridiculous question. But Web sites are targeting your children with so-called digital drugs. These are audio files designed to induce drug-like effects. All your child needs is a music player and headphones. Protect your teenager. Find out what you need to know about digital drugs. It’s all in the rest of my column. It’s free to read, print and share with family and friends on my site!A LITTLE ABOUT ME: HOW TO CALL ME DURING THE SHOW WAIT! THERE’S MORE! STILL TO COME IN THIS ISSUE: Sites for mobile phones
• What about Blu-ray movies shot in standard definition?
Denis in Spring Valley, WI, just purchased a Motorola Q. He’s been looking for mobile-friendly Web sites. He’d like some recommendations. The iPhone makes it easy to surf the Web. That’s because it has a full-fledged Web browser. You can see pages pretty much like they would appear on a computer. Things are different with smartphones like the Motorola Q. Their Web browsers are more limiting. You’ll be able to see many Web sites. Just use the address bar to enter a site’s name. Unfortunately, though, it isn’t easy to use a normal Web page. You’ll need to scroll a lot to see different areas of the page. Pictures and graphics may be slow to load—if they load at all. So, you’ll want to seek out sites designed for mobile phones. Sites have the ability to glean information about your browser. So, they can tell that you’re on a mobile phone. Some sites will automatically direct you to mobile-friendly pages. Google is an example of this. Yahoo! and MSN will also show you a phone-friendly page. There is a trick that may work with other sites. Try putting an “m.” (minus quotes) in front of the domain name. For example, you would type “m.google.com” (minus quotes) in the address bar. If the site has a mobile version, it should appear. You may strike out with this method more than you succeed. In that case, visit cantoni.mobi. It provides a list of mobile sites in a variety of categories. You’ll find travel, entertainment and shopping sites, among others. It’s a great way to start surfing from your phone! I also have a tip that will get you started surfing on your phone. Speaking of cell phones, I found a neat caddy that I use when charging my cell phone and MP3 player. It holds your cell phone so it doesn’t dangle on the floor. Plus, no more cords lying around a desk! It’s just perfect! You can find it for sale in my store. You get two for $12.95. Use one at home and the other at the office. Or give the second one as a gift. Just click here now to check them out.KEEP YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS UP TO DATE
• Free computer or digital tip Mon-Fri As always, I guarantee your privacy. Your e-mail address will not be sold, leased or given to anyone, ever!
• A serious update for RealPlayer
Brought to you by The Solar Charger. Use the sun to charge your cell phone and iPod. Click here to order yours now in the secure store at Komando.com.Spam is the bane of computer users. I’m no exception. I would like to see spam disappear. It would make computers more enjoyable—and safer. But there is something that irritates me more than spam: junk mail. Junk mail isn’t quite as dangerous as spam. However, it can reveal a wealth of information to identity thieves. And I object to all the wasted paper. There’s simply no need for it. So, I use a couple of sites to help me eliminate junk mail. This one will help you get off direct marketing lists. And this one will help you stop unwanted catalogs and mailings. My mailbox is looking a bit bare. That’s a good thing! I’m doing my part to reduce waste!Back to the top
IN THE AIR, EVERYWHERE NEW AFFILIATE THIS WEEKEND NEW DIGITAL MINUTES AFFILIATES NEW TIME NOT “THE SPACE NEEDLE” CITY On July 16, 1990, the City Council passed Resolution 28207. It designated Seattle The City of Goodwill. The resolution was adopted before The Goodwill Games, an international sporting competition, opened. The Goodwill Games were held there during the summer of 1990.
TERRESTRIAL OR… …FROM THE WEB, YOU CAN HAVE ME …IN CASE YOU NEED A RADIO STILL TO COME IN THIS WEEKEND’S EDITION:
• How do DVDs look in a Blu-ray player?
KIM’S TIPS FOR KOMANDO KIDS: Buying a back-to-school laptop CONTEST SITE: Game on the go FREEBIE OF THE WEEK: Xtreme clean up FREEBIE FROM KOMANDO.COM: Classical music lovers PERFORMANCE CENTER AT KOMANDO.COM: Keep your PC like new GET A COOL SITE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK
THIS WEEK’S FOCUS: Wi-Fi monitor on your desktop
CRITICAL FLAWS PATCHED IN REALPLAYER The flaws could be used by a hacker to run malicious code on a computer. They could also be exploited to reveal personal information. If you use RealPlayer, make sure you install the patches on your machine.GET YOUR FREE SECURITY SOFTWARE HERE SHARE IT: Spread the word. Share the link to my security center with your family, friends, baseball team—everyone! They will thank you for it! THE END IS IN SIGHT, BUT I WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK
To get the most from Blu-ray discs, movies should be shot in high definition. This isn’t a problem for most newer movies. Studios have been using high definition for about 10 years. So, a Blu-ray disc can be created from a high-definition source. Of course, many discs will be created from 35mm celluloid film. Fortunately, its resolution surpasses that of Blu-ray. Studios should get a good transfer from 35mm film to Blu-ray. So, Blu-ray versions should be crisper than their DVD counterparts. There is a complication, though. Celluloid film degrades over time. Also, studios often make many copies from the same master. Celluloid film can be damaged when copies are made. With damaged or degraded film, the transfer doesn’t go so smoothly. You won’t get a very good picture. Of course, this holds true with standard DVDs, too. This means you will find some really bad Blu-ray transfers. The quality of the transfer will vary from movie to movie. Fortunately, the major studios will have taken steps to protect their masters. So, the majority of Blu-ray DVDs should be crisp and clear. Now, you want to know how an upconverted DVD compares to Blu-ray. The Blu-ray copy should be better than an upconverted DVD. That’s because a Blu-ray was designed to work with HDTVs. DVDs use rectangular pixels. In comparison, your HDTV uses square pixels. The picture must be scaled to fit your screen. Through interpolation, pixels are added based on surrounding pixels. This is tantamount to guesswork. The quality of an interpolated DVD varies from player to player. You could see pixilation, noise and color shifts. That’s particularly true if there’s fast motion. Blu-ray is different. It uses square pixels, like your television. Also, the image is sized to match the resolution of an HDTV screen. So, your player won’t need to do much work to output the movie to your screen. You should notice a much better picture. Should you run out and replace your old DVDs with Blu-ray discs? I wouldn’t. That can be quite costly. Rather, I would replace movies as the need arises. Maybe you can’t tolerate a DVD once it has been upconverted. In that case, buy a copy of Blu-ray, if you want. As for buying new movies, go for Blu-ray. Blu-ray discs’ list prices are about $10 more than those of DVDs. However, a lot of online stores offer discounts on Blu-ray discs. The discounts narrow the discrepancy in price. You have a Blu-ray player, so you should enjoy it. Are you ready to make the jump to high definition? I have plenty of help on my site:
• Understanding Blu-ray player profiles • Selecting an HD camcorder • What you should know about HDTVs IF I HELPED YOU, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME? 1. Tell your co-workers, employees, team members, poker buddies, family members and friends to check us out. I have a form that makes it easy. 2. Link your blog 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!
MONEY’S TIGHT FOR ANESTHESIOLOGISTS, TOO Thanks for joining us via e-mail. And I’ll see you on the show! P.S. I will be taking your calls for four hours this weekend. If you never have, give it a try. It takes just three easy steps: 1.) Call the LIVE broadcast. That’s this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the East Coast, or, if you live on the West Coast, 7 to 11 a.m. 2.) Know the phone number. It is, of course, toll-free 1-888-825-5254. 3.) Talk to Andrew and then, me. That’s all there is to it! GET MORE TIPS FROM ME TO YOU
• 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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