Living a Digital Lifestyle Newsletter - May 15, 2009

LIVING A DIGITAL LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 67 May 15, 2009

Today's issue will be tips and articles all courtesy of Kim Komando. You can go to her website here. There will be several links that you can click on for yourself, to take you to different articles. I may include those articles in this newsletter, but then again, I may not. If I don't then you can follow the links yourself. If you happen upon a link that is closed to you, then that means you have to be a Kim's Club member to get access to that information. You can become a member very easily and the information is on the site. (By Kim Komando)

Creating a PDF document

Q. A client of my husband's asked that he send an e-mail to them in a PDF or Acrobat file. How do we do this and will we need to buy special software?

A. PDF files are easily created these days. Special software was once required, but no longer.

This file format was created by Adobe Systems in 1993. It is heavily used in business. People like it because it prints so nicely. What comes out of the printer is exactly what went in. No funny formatting. No strange migration of page elements.

On a computer, it does need special software to be read. That's no big deal. Adobe offers its Reader free of charge. Currently, that is version 9. Download it through my site.

You have a choice of ways to create a PDF file. If you have Microsoft Word 2007, use that. I assume you want to send the message in the e-mail. Highlight the message and press Ctrl+C. Open a blank Word document. Press Ctrl+V to paste the e-mail into Word.

PDF files aren't difficult to create. Click here and I'll tell you how.

Stargazing from your computer

Stargazing is a great way to meditate and put life in perspective. If I could, I would spend each night sitting outside to unwind.

Sadly, big cities like mine (Phoenix) tend to drown the night sky in light. And we all have to balance work and family. Sometimes we just forget to slow down and appreciate every minute.

You don't have to leave the city or even your house for stargazing. Stellarium is a free program that puts the night sky on your monitor. And it's more than a light show; it aims for accuracy.

Stellarium shows the sky as you would see it from the great outdoors. The virtual sky is based on data collected from the European Space Agency's Hipparcos Mission. It allows Stellarium to depict the positions and motion of the stars accurately.

By default, Stellarium shows the sky according to the current date and time. But it can show nearly any date or time. You can also change your viewpoint on the globe. See what the sky looks like in Tokyo or Tombstone.

Stellarium can also teach you about constellations. One click reveals the names of constellations. Another click superimposes the constellations with beautiful illustrations.

For a closer look, zoom in on planets, moons, galaxies and star clusters. The detail is impressive.

Stellarium works on either Windows or Mac OS X.

Cost: Free

Link: www.stellarium.org

Convert photos from a RAW format

Lev in Michigan recently attended a family reunion. When he got home, he was horrified. His son changed some of the settings on his camera. The photos won't display on his computer because they're in NEF format. He'd like some help converting the files so he can share them.

I hope you weren't too hard on your son, Lev. This is an easy mistake to make. Besides, this situation can be remedied without too much bother. However, you'll need to find some software to help you out

NEF is Nikon's RAW picture format. When you snap a JPG, the sensor captures light and converts it to data. The data is then processed, and the JPG is created. When you take a RAW photo, the data isn't processed. Instead, it is just transferred to the memory card. You use software to process the data and create the photo.

There are many advantages to shooting in RAW. I won't get into them here, but you can read up on RAW on my site. Now, there is one big drawback to RAW files. Manufacturers use their own, proprietary RAW format. The file format can even differ from camera to camera.

Finding software to process RAW files can be a chore. Fortunately, Nikon is one of the most popular camera makers. That makes finding software a little easier. Enthusiasts and professionals invest in software like Adobe Photoshop Lightroom or Aperture. These can run hundreds of dollars.

You don't need to spend a dime to convert the photos, though. Nikon offers free software that will help you. So, begin by checking the software bundled with the camera. Or, download ViewNX from Nikon's site. It will convert your NEF files to a variety of formats.

You can also use the free IrfanView. You'll need to download a plug-in, though. You can also get the plug-in from my site.

Have summer plans yet?

In just a few weeks, classes will end for the summer. If you haven't planned your family's vacation, now's the time!

Of course, the economy is putting a crimp in everyone's budget. Fancy European vacations are out of the question for most.

That's OK. America is a vast country with plenty to see and do. No matter where you live, there is an interesting vacation spot close by!

Discover America will help you explore your vacation options. If you have a destination in mind, you can learn about attractions and activities.

Or, maybe you don't care where you go. You just want to go hiking or hit the beach. In that case, you can explore by activity.

You can view stunning photos of vacation hotspots. Learn more about a city's culture and history. You'll also find help booking hotels and finding travel deals

There are plenty of other travel sites. But Discover America is the official U.S. travel and tourism site. So you know the information is accurate and complete!

TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE:
www.discoveramerica.com

The Virtual Body

Over the weekend, I was unwinding with a crossword puzzle. One of the clues was a stumper.

The clue asked what part of the brain is associated with sensations. OK, it isn't a terribly difficult question. But it's been awhile since my last anatomy lesson.

So, I headed over to the Virtual Body. I knew it would cover the different areas of the brain!

This site has tours, games and videos. For example, you can arrange the digestive tract. Or, see what each part of the brain controls.

The Virtual Body is a great way to teach children about anatomy. Teachers and parents alike will appreciate it. Of course, you may want to brush up on anatomy yourself!

TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE:
www.medtropolis.com

Copyright 2009 WestStar TalkRadio Network. Reprinted with permission. No further republication or redistribution is permitted without the written consent of WestStar TalkRadio Network. Visit Kim Komando and sign up for her free e-mail newsletters at: www.komando.com

That's all for today's edition, folks.

Until next time -

Digitally yours,

Andrea