Living a Digital Lifestyle Newsletter - April 13, 2009

LIVING A DIGITAL LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 40 April 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)

Whip your yard into order (3/13/09)

The official start of spring is just a week away. I'm sure many will be happy to see the end of winter.

With warmer weather on the way, you'll be spending more time outside. So, now is the perfect time to survey your yard.

Maybe it is time for you to completely re-do your landscaping. Or, maybe you just want to plant some spring flowers. No matter your needs, visit yardcare.com before you begin.

It features a wealth of advice for making your lawn the most it can be. From planting a lawn to choosing gardening tools, it's all at yardcare.com!

Of course, when it comes to yard care, advice isn't one-size-fits-all. You'll want advice tailored to your specific region.

Fortunately, you'll get just that at yardcare.com. Be sure to use the map to find advice specific to your area.

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

Hooking up a television

Q. I have a new television, but I don't know how to get local stations. Do I need to get a converter box? I thought those were only for older sets. Please help so my children can watch free educational programs.
-Tabitha in Troy, MO, listening on KFTK 97.1 FM

A. Boy, this television thing has got a lot of people confused. What happened to the good old days? You only needed to plug them in.

Well, you had to do more than that. You had to find a way to get a signal. And the good old days weren't so hot, anyway. Most broadcasts-and TVs-were in black and white.

This question has to do with digital broadcasting. In June, most TV stations will have switched from analog broadcasting. Those with analog televisions will need converters to receive the signal. (Digital broadcasts are sent in 1's and 0's; each 1 and 0 is a bit. And each bit is separate. Analog broadcasts send in a continuous wave.)

So, let's get to your question, Tabitha. All televisions built today are required by law to have digital tuners. If you have a flat-panel TV, you have digital and analog tuners. Standard TVs may have both, too. It depends on how long they were in inventory. An old standard TV may just have an analog tuner.

Also, some stations already have switched to digital broadcasts. Some broadcast in both analog and digital. Others are broadcasting in analog only. Some of those will change in June, while others may remain analog. Confusing, huh?

So, first off, find out what kind of tuner you have. Digital tuners are marked ATSC. Analog tuners are NTSC. Your manual should tell you. If not, check on the back of the TV. If nothing else, check the manufacturer's site. The specifications for your set will be there. They will include the type of tuner.

Setting up a TV needn't be difficult. Click here for the rest of this tip.

View Earth live from space

I'm a big fan of Google Earth and online mapping sites. These services provide a bird's-eye view of Earth through satellite images.

There's just one problem with mapping sites and Google Earth. The images aren't live. Updates are measured in years.

So, how does one get a live satellite view of Earth? By visiting NASA's site, that's how!

NASA has just launched live streaming from the International Space Station. You'll see breathtaking views of Earth from an altitude of 220 miles.

You'll also see exterior views of the ISS. And, when available, you'll hear audio communications between astronauts and Mission Control.

Unfortunately, communication channels between the ISS and Earth are limited. These are reserved during daily operations.

That means the Webcams are only active when the crew is off-duty. That's usually between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.

At other times, you'll see a map of the ISS's current location. The map also shows the path of the space station.

Visit the ISS's page to learn more about the space station. The link to the Webcam is somewhat hidden on the page. So, I've included a direct link that will open in Windows Media Player.

Prepare to be wowed!

TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE:
ISS page - www.nasa.gov/mission_pages
Webcam - www.nasa.gov/multimedia

Removing a password in Vista

Q. I have Windows Vista. How can I sign on without having to type in my password?
-John in Cut Bank, MT, reading my newspaper column

A. There's nothing easier, John. But I have found that passwords are pretty handy. I'll get into that in a moment.

To remove your password, click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click User Accounts. Under "Make changes to your user account," click "Remove your password." Enter the password in the box. Click Remove. Close the Control Panel window.

This is also easily done in Windows XP. Click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click User Accounts. Double-click your account. Click "Remove my password." Enter your password in the box. Click Remove Password. Close the open windows.

However, you might eventually find that you need a password. For instance, say you use Windows encryption to safeguard a folder. After encryption, the file still opens automatically after the sign-on to Windows. But its key is linked to your password. Others can't sign on and see the folder.

You'll also need your own password if you have a Guest account. Such an account is really handy when you have company. Guests might well want to use your computer. People using the Guest account can't download anything or see your files. The Guest account never takes a password.

Setting up a password is as easy as removing it. In Vista, click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click User Accounts. Click "Create a password for your account." Enter your new password twice. Enter a hint, if you like. Click "Create password."

In Windows XP, click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click User Accounts. Click "Create a password." Enter your password and click Remove Password. Enter the password twice, along with a hint if you like. Click Create Password.

Passwords are also easily changed.

Here are other tips from my site that you will find interesting:
• Breaking a BIOS password
• Help with a lost Windows password
• Password memorizer

Beware of debt management offers

Q. I picked exactly the wrong time to expand my business. And I did it with debt. Now, I'm having trouble making my payments. I received an e-mail today (Yes, it was spam.) for debt consolidation. Does this sound reasonable to you?
-John in Dallas, listening on Dallas KRLD 1080 AM

A. Debt isn't necessarily bad. But it can easily get out of hand. Runaway debt is a scary thing. If you find yourself in trouble, you may look for outside assistance.

There's nothing wrong with getting professional help. Credit-counseling and debt-consolidation services can be beneficial. But take a deep breath before jumping into anything. Unscrupulous businesses and criminals love desperate people.

I'm not qualified to give you financial advice. But I can tell you how to do your research. When looking for help, it's easy to fall for a seedy program.

Search engines are really useful. Googling "Debt Consolidation" turns up thousands of sites. That's great, right? The more options the better? Well, maybe not.

This may be one of the worst ways to find debt relief. You're going to run across flashy Web sites and big promises. You'll also find pages lined with ads. Large advertising budgets don't always equal the best services.

Do you know the kinds of help out there? Click here for more info.

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