Living a Digital Lifestyle newsletter - March 13, 2009

LIVING A DIGITAL LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 13 March 13, 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)

Finding products to sell at online auctions

Rod in Mississippi is starting his own online business. He's looking for things he can sell either on his own site or on eBay. He wants to know a good place to find products at a discount.

Congratulations, Rod. Starting your own business takes a lot of courage. But hopefully, it will pay off handsomely for you. Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous companies who will try to take advantage of you. They know where you will look for wholesale merchandise and they will be there waiting.

I recommend that you visit USA.gov, the government's official site. You'll find all kinds of things to buy from government sales. You should find great prices. Next, visit trade shows. You'll probably need a TID (Taxpayer ID number) to get in.

In fact, most places that sell wholesale require a TID. Be wary of places that claim wholesale prices but don't request a TID. They could really be middlemen.

Likewise, be skeptical about drop shippers. With drop shipping, you don't buy merchandise. You simply list it on your site. You buy it from the drop shipper when you have an order. The drop shipper mails the merchandise to your customer. There are legitimate drop shippers. However, this is one area where scammers abound. If you go this route, remember that legitimate businesses won't charge you to sell their products.

For more on Web-based businesses, visit my site:

Don't fall for online job scams

• Help selling on eBay

• Building a small business Web site

Spice up your Internet searches

Google is like an old friend, tried and true. When you need to find something online, it's probably your first stop.

I'm a big fan of Google and all of its free services. But, sometimes, I like to shake things up a little bit.

So, I've been using searchme for a few days. It probably won't replace Google in my book. But, it does offer some really cool features.

When you perform a search, you'll get your list of results a là Google. But, you also get thumbnails at the top of the page.

The thumbnails are snapshots of matching pages. You can flip through the thumbnails. If you see something that interests you, click the thumbnail. You'll be taken to that page.

This may seem gimmicky at first. But you'll soon see how handy it is. You can see what you're getting before you click. You can also narrow your results by category.

To get more out of searchme, expand the thumbnail pane. Just click and drag the arrow beneath the thumbnails.

You should also check out the stacks feature. What are stacks? I won't ruin the surprise for you. You'll have to see for yourself!

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

Monitor your home with security cameras

This time of year is often filled with travel. Homes will be empty. If you're traveling, how will you protect your home?

Your belongings may be fine while you're gone. But you never know. Maybe you'd feel better with a home surveillance system. Setting up security cameras might sound intimidating. But really, you just need the right equipment.

You'll want cameras you can access over the Internet. That way, you can check on your home from anywhere.

IP (Internet Protocol) cameras, sometimes called network cameras, are one option. IP cameras can be wired or wireless. Most can operate without being connected to a computer. So, you can put them almost anywhere.

You can also purchase a complete surveillance system. These systems include a DVR. So, you can check the cameras from a television. With a little extra work, you can hook them to the Web.

Choosing a camera

An IP camera offers the simplest solution. These cameras range from less than $100 to more than $2,000. For home surveillance, stick to the low end. I'd spend no more than a few hundred dollars per camera. Any more than that, and you're into business-class surveillance.

Axis sells two affordable IP cameras. The Axis 206 is a wired camera that sells for around $200. The Axis 207w which is wireless, costs $280.

These cameras provide a live view over the Internet. Even some cell phones and PDAs can be used. You can record video or take stills over the Internet. The cameras can even record automatically when motion is detected.

Logitech has the Indoor Video Security Master System. It sells for around $300. It uses HomePlug technology to connect with your computer. It can be motion activated. And you can have alerts sent to your e-mail and cell phone.

Panasonic offers the BL-C20A for under $200. It's intended to be a pet monitor. But it'll also make a great security camera. It's wireless. It offers motion detection. And it will e-mail you a picture when it's activated.

D-link has a wide range of cameras at different prices. The DCS-950 comes in wired and wireless options. Pick it up for around $150. It has motion detection. And it will record well in low-light environments.

IP cameras can sometimes look like standard Webcams. But they're built for different purposes. If you're looking for a quality Webcam, check out my buying guide.

Hook it up

For many of these IP cameras, a computer is not required. But you will need a good wired or wireless router. Wireless routers must be secured, to keep intruders out. See my step-by-step tip on Wi-Fi security.

An IP camera has a unique IP address. It can be accessed directly over the Internet. You'll find this number during setup or in your manual. Enter the IP number in your browser's address bar. With that, you can see the camera's live picture from anywhere. You just need Internet access.

The cameras can save photos and video to a hard drive. Photos will consume much less space than video. You can also save hard drive space with a lower resolution. But don't go too low. You won't be able to make out important details. If thieves break in, you'll want to capture their faces.

Complete packages

You can get all-in-one solutions that require little setup. These packages include several cameras and a DVR for recording. Most packages include both indoor and outdoor cameras.

These systems can't be accessed in the same manner as IP cameras. A DVR doesn't have an IP address. It takes a little extra work to get them online. Each system is different. The package will include manuals explaining these additional steps.

Q-See and Swann are makers of these complete packages. They are more expensive than IP cameras. Expect to pay upwards of $500.

Find products with PriceGrabber

All of these products are available on the Internet. You're likely to find a wide variety of pricing. So, use a price comparison site. There are a number of such sites; I like PriceGrabber.com.There's no point in paying more needlessly.

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!

Expand your range

Few of us still use film cameras. We prefer the convenience and cost savings of digital photography.

But there are some die-hard film fans. They're willing to forego the convenience of digital. They also don't mind shelling out for film and developing.

Why do they stick with film? There are a number of reasons. But the most common is probably dynamic range. This is the difference between the darkest and the lightest tones.

Digital photos just don't match the dynamic range of film photos. So, film photos are more detailed.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. You can try high dynamic range imaging. It will give you richer, more nuanced photos.

You'll need special software to create high dynamic range images. I have a free program on my site that will do the trick.

Before you get started with HDR photography, you might want a quick tutorial. So, check out my handy step-by-step guide.

Be prepared to be wowed by the dramatic, breath-taking results!

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