May 16, 2009—Vol. 13, No. 20

		PAID ADVERTISEMENT "Carbonite makes backing up easy and affordable!"         — Kim Komando • Works on a Mac or a PC • Backs up files automatically • Hassle-free recovery • Now with remote file access • Unlimited backup – only    $54.95/year Try it FREE!

YOUR WEEKEND DOSE OF DIGITAL SECRETS
It's your guide to the digital universe, the Kim Komando Show Weekend Newsletter! I'll show you how to get more from your digital life with helpful advice, insider secrets, top tips and cool sites. And let's not forget the freebies! Each week my national radio shows and newsletters reach tens of millions. Thank you for supporting the work I do!

CONTENTS -- WHAT'S IN YOUR INBOX THIS WEEK:
- ON THE QT: Windows 7 is coming; fun freebies and videos
- DIGITAL DIGRESSIONS: Easy and fast tips that work for you
- MY COLUMN: Save money with a netbook
- COOL SITES: More fun stuff you'll like and use
- COOL USEFUL FUN FREEBIE: Free tools for your mobile phone
- SECURE COMPUTING: Apple issues massive security update
- YOUR WEEKLY Q&A: Speed up Vista the free way

FIND MY NATIONAL RADIO SHOW IN YOUR HOMETOWN
Join me this weekend! With over 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, simply click here and you'll be magically transported to the Official Komando Radio Map.

Then, join me for one, two or the entire three fun-filled, jam-packed hours of great talk radio about the Internet, HDTVs, MP3 players, DVRs, digital cameras, camcorders, GPSs, home theaters, computers and, of course, tips and secrets to getting the most out of your digital life.

Now, I'm sure you have at least one question about something digital. I'm here to help with unbiased advice. All you need do is call me.

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!

DOWNLOAD MY SHOWS LISTEN WHEN YOU WANT!
Get my daily and weekend national radio shows on your schedule. 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.

IF IT'S UNDERLINED IN MY NEWSLETTER, CLICK IT!
When something is underlined in my newsletters, click it. It's a link for you to learn more. So go ahead, click the links. Expand your horizons. You'll be glad you did!

Back to the top

PAID ADVERTISEMENT    SOLVE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS FASTER    GoToAssist Express lets you view and control another computer online, so you can use your expertise to fix the problem instantly. You'll solve technical issues faster while reducing travel costs and increasing customer satisfaction. "Support smarter with GoToAssist Express!" — Kim Komando Try GoToAssist Express FREE for 30 Days!

IS YOUR PC READY FOR WINDOWS 7?
Windows 7 is almost here! Microsoft hopes to complete its latest operating system by mid-August. That would make it available for the holiday season. Of course, no definite release date has been set.

I covered Windows 7's features in last week's Killer Tip. If you missed it, the lowdown is on my site. I'm sure many are eagerly awaiting Windows 7. But will your current machine run it? Or, will you need to upgrade your computer?

I won't leave you guessing. Download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It will scan your computer to see if it is compatible. It also checks your programs and gadgets for compatibility. If a problem is discovered, it will give you upgrade options. Download the Upgrade Advisor from my site!

HAVE HP? IT'S RECALLING 70,000 BATTERIES
HP is recalling lithium-ion batteries used in HP laptops and Compaq notebooks. Roughly 70,000 of the batteries were sold at stores, hp.com and hpshopping.com, from August 2007 through March 2008. Battery packs sold separately are also part of the recall.

To see if your batteries are on the recall list, click here.

SHARE WITH A FRIEND: Help keep your family and friends in the know. Forward this newsletter to them now. Or, if you prefer, invite them to join us. In fact, we have a special place set up to do just that. Click now and share the power of knowledge.

GIVE YOUR BUDGET A BOOST
I get thousands of e-mail messages a week from listeners and readers. So, I have a pretty good idea of what's on people's minds. And many of you are still very worried about money. That's no surprise, given the state of the economy.

Well, I have something to ease your mind. My Money Center has tons of great advice for improving your financial situation.

• Learn how to find freebies online or sell items on eBay.
• Find out how to start a business or a money-making blog.
• Get a job online; and more!

It's all here! Even if your situation isn't dire, you don't want to miss these tips. After all, who doesn't want a little extra spending money?

MY STIMULUS PLAN: GIVE AWAY OVER $40,000 IN DIGITAL GEAR
"I never win anything!" I've heard that from nearly every winner in our Spring Stimulus Giveaway.

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
Here's a peek at some of the prizes:

• HP TouchSmart All-in-One PC ($1,499 value)
• Windows Powered Toshiba Satellite laptop ($1,249 value)
• HP Pavilion Entertainment Notebook ($854 value)
• HP MediaSmart Server ($599 value)
• Samsung Cell Phones (up to $349)
• Logitech Indoor Video Security System ($299 value)
• Toshiba Portable DVD Player ($229 value)
• Windows Vista Ultimate ($219 value)
• DXG High-Definition Camcorder ($180 value)
• Kodak Easyshare Digital Camera ($179 value)
• Pure Digital Flip Video Mino ($179 value)
• SPOT Satellite GPS Tracker ($169 value)
• HP 8" Digital Picture Frame ($149 value)
• …and much, much more!

Click here to see all the great prizes at the Spring Stimulus Giveaway site.

Congratulations to our most recent daily winners!

5/8 – Stephen Brown of Lewisville, TX (KRLD 1080 AM) won the Weekly Grand Prize: A PlayStation 2 – Buzz! Mega Quiz Package
5/9 – Jill Edwards of Lynnwood, WA (KTTH 770 AM) won a Pure Digital Flip Mino ($180 value)
5/10 – Norman Dube of Bangor, ME (WVOM 103.9 FM) won Altec Lansing's Moondance Glow ($130 value)
5/11 – Tim Phillips of Frankfort, KY (WVLK 590 AM & WKYW 140 AM) won a Samsung Propel Cell Phone ($250 value)
5/12 – Sue Schofield of Springfield, MO (KWTO 560 AM) won a Lexar Platinum II and SDHC Card Bundle ($190 value)
5/13 – Diane Kreinbring of Tucson, AZ (KNST 790 AM) won a Sony Creative Software Movie and Music Bundle ($200 value)
5/14 – Phil Thomas of Beaver Falls, PA (WPGB 104.7 FM) won a Pure Digital Flip Mino ($180 value)

Note: Your name would look good on this list!

HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:
Visit the Spring Stimulus Giveaway page to enter daily. I am giving away great prizes each day of the giveaway. Plus, make sure to enter once a day for your chance to win our weekly grand prize! These prizes will be featured each Friday on the site and winners will be announced on-air each weekend!

Finally, don't forget about our sponsors. Be sure to check out the great prizes on the Spring Stimulus Giveaway page. The sponsors make the giveaway possible. To learn more about the prizes, click those links (hint, hint) to visit the sponsors' sites.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE GIVEWAY
Now that you've entered, why not invite your friends? Just enter their information on my site. I'll send them an invitation. If they win, maybe they'll share with you!

TELL YOUR FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, BLOG READERS AND SITE VISITORS
1. Put a banner on your site! Tell them all about my contest. And all they have to do is click to enter!
2. Click the Share This button. You'll see it at the top of the Enter, Prizes, Winners and Share pages. You'll see a list of sites. Select one. It adds my contest!
3. While you're at it, join me on Facebook and Twitter.

GET A COOL FREEBIE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK
There are plenty of sites that offer free computer software. But, do you trust that these programs will do what you want? And are you sure that they won't infect your machine with malware?

I didn't think so. So make my Download of the Day site your one-stop spot for free software. I've got hundreds of programs in the archives. And, I feature a new one each day. What are you waiting for? Check out my downloads now! You can start with some of my favorites from the past week:

• You have dozens of passwords. You're bound to lose some of them. This will help you get them back.
• A little organization can make your life a lot easier. I have a calendar that you can take with you anywhere.
• The Web video explosion has left some in the dust. Finding videos with subtitles can be difficult.
• Screen savers really aren't necessary anymore. Still, they're nice to watch. Why not use great pictures?

Saturday's Download of the Day—Your cell phone can do a lot more than make calls. And it doesn't have to be a smartphone. I've found you some free, neat programs.

Preview of Sunday's download—Illegally downloading music can get you in trouble. But you can get free music if you know where to look.

Want direct access to over 300 free programs? Bookmark my Downloads page. Just go here 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.

THE MOST AMAZING VIDEOS ONLINE
You won't find any of the latest blockbusters on my Video of the Day site. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch my video picks! You'll find plenty to love in my fun and inspiring videos. And, unlike the latest Hollywood hits, my videos don't contain sex or violence. They're safe for the whole family!

Here are my favorite videos from the past week:

• A mother's instinct can be a powerful thing. You don't want to mess with mommy. This video is a great example.
• Biking is good for your health. But without a helmet it's risky. Danish police have a new way to get riders into helmets.
• It's fun to take the family bowling. But could this seemingly innocent sport have a dark side? Or, is it just a funny side?
• Some people just act ridiculous when they don't get their Apple fix. So, meet Drake. He wants the iPhone. Now! Now!

Nothing changes your life like having kids. Watching children can bring up every emotion imaginable. These kid videos certainly offer a sampling of that. See more in my Video of the Day archive:

• Sometimes our tragedies turn out to be blessings. The Mooneys found this out firsthand. Their story is really touching.
• Children with developmental disabilities can sometimes be cut off from the world. But sports can change that.
• Saying goodbye to a pet isn't easy. But this goldfish funeral is pretty funny. It feels a little wrong. But I can't help laughing.
• Where does Britain's Got Talent find these people? This little girl doesn't offer much. That is, until she starts singing.

Saturday's video—Is there a key to happiness? One fascinating study may have a few answers. And they may just surprise you. You'll want to see this.

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.

SHARE MY VIDEO PICKS
On the lower left of the Video of the Day screen, there is a button. In fact, here's what the button looks like.

Click this button and you can share the video with family members, friends, coworkers and more.

PRIVACY AND SECURITY TIP: Avoid work-at-home scams
You have to be careful when you look for work online. Some job postings are scams. But they're not always easy to spot. I'll tell you how to do it. Tune into the second hour of The Kim Komando Show.

Need to find a radio station near you? No problem! Click here to use the official Kim Komando Show Locator Map. With over 450 stations, there's probably a station near you. But if there isn't, you can always download the shows with a Kim's Club membership. It's only $5.95 per month.

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

• Watching where the kids go online
• How much will a memory card hold?
• Speed up Vista the free way
• Important security tips; and some awesome freebies!

DEALING WITH A HACKED E-MAIL ACCOUNT
Rick wrote in from Mt. Laurel, NJ, where he listens to my daily and weekend show on the podcasts available through Kim's Club. By the way, in that part of our country, WCBS 880 AM broadcasts my daily digital minutes.

Rick recently received an e-mail from his uncle. The e-mail claimed that his uncle was out of the country and needed money. Rick knew the message was a scam; it wasn't even addressed to him by name. He would like to know if it is safe to send his uncle e-mail now. He doesn't want a Russian hacker reading it.

I alerted you to this type of scam awhile back. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly common, Rick. These messages arrive via e-mail. Or, you may encounter them on social networking sites. The messages play on your compassion. After all, most of us would help a friend or relative in need. Fortunately, you were wise enough not to fall for the scam.

To send out these messages, scammers hijack someone's account. They then send messages to the people listed in the person's address book. There are various ways to get into someone's account. But your uncle likely fell for a phishing attack.

There is one very important thing to do in a situation like this. You should call the person who owns the account—immediately. It will eliminate any questions about the message's legitimacy. And your uncle can cut off the scammer's access to his account.

It sounds like you haven't contacted your uncle. So, do it immediately. He may not even know that his account was compromised. And the scammers may be collecting his confidential information. You should, of course, contact him via telephone. Otherwise, the scammers— maybe Nigerian, not Russian—can intercept your e-mail.

Of course, your uncle will want to go through his address book. He should notify everyone on the list about the scam. Otherwise, they could become victims. I also recommend that you forward your uncle this tip about recovering from a hacked e-mail account. He should just follow my steps.

Finally, you or your uncle should report the scam. This is easier said than done. But, there's one great place to report online crimes. Learn more about it here.

PAY IT FORWARD: I'm sure at least one person you know might benefit from these tidbits. So, spread the love. Forward this newsletter to all your friends. Encourage them to de-stress, too, and sign up for our newsletters!

HOW MUCH CAN YOU DOWNLOAD EACH MONTH?
Mike in Phoenix catches my national weekend show and daily minutes on KFYI 550 AM. In fact, in Phoenix, my daily digital minutes air during my husband's talk show on KFYI. He's the Nearly Famous Barry Young.

Anyway, Mike says that he recently purchased a cellular laptop card. He's worried that he'll exceed the 5 GB monthly cap. So, he would like to know how to gauge his monthly data usage.

We're used to surfing the Internet freely. Unlimited broadband plans train us not to worry about usage. But things are different with cellular broadband. And most of us have no idea what constitutes 5 GB of Internet traffic.

The good news is that 5 GB should be fine for most people. That assumes you save your heavy downloading for your home connection. Here's a breakdown of what you can do each week without exceeding your cap:

General surfing:                      125 hours per week
E-mail (no attachments):         1000 per week
E-mailing photos:                    125 per week
Watching videos:                    75 minutes per week
Downloading MP3s:                75 per week
Online gaming:                        5 hours per week

I use a cellular card myself. The cards come with access software. I have the access software tell me how much of the data plan I have used whenever I fire it up. This way, I won't get into those expensive roaming charges.  On the Toolbar of the access software, there is usually a Usage button. You can find a lot of connection data there, too.

But, before dipping into my monthly data allowance, I check for Wi-Fi. These days, a hotspot is never far away. I have a great tip that will help you find free Wi-Fi. You won't have to worry so much about your data usage.

Now, if you're not sure about these laptop cellular cards, I've got you covered. Here's a column all about them.

Do you know the difference between using an air card verses a Wi-Fi connection? This tip answers that question.

Need more help making the connection? I have plenty of free help for your broadband woes:

• Improving your broadband speed
• Is your ISP blocking file sharing?
• Test your broadband speed
• Internet options for the boondocks

PROTECT YOUR KIDS WITH PARENTAL CONTROL SOFTWARE
Matt in Tuscumbia, AL, listens to my show on WVNA 1590 AM. He is setting up his XP machine so his kids can use it. Understandably, he wants to limit their surfing. He would like a tool that filters out offensive sites. But he would like the ability to approve certain sites. He would like some help finding the right program.

There are many parental control tools on the market, Matt. And, these programs may work in a number of different ways. So, I understand your confusion. But we can find a solution that will suit your needs.

I often recommend Blue Coat's K9 Web Protection. This is a great free Web filter. It lets you block sites based on category. For example, you can block nudity or alcohol and tobacco. You can also block things like file-sharing and gaming. Unfortunately, though, you can't allow specific sites.

A second option is to use OpenDNS, another free program. It will speed up your Web browsing. It blocks phishing sites. You can also use it to protect yourself from misspelled Web addresses. Additionally, it will filter out offensive sites based on category. But, unlike K9, OpenDNS lets you add exceptions. Learn more about OpenDNS on my site.

Finally, you could create your own approved list. Then, you would ban every other site. This will take a bit of work. I have a great tip that will help you limit the browser to specific sites. Then, you can create home pages for your kids.

One of these solutions should work. If not, try a paid parental control program. You'll need help picking the right one, though. That's exactly what you'll find in my handy buying guide!

Reminder: I have a slew of tips to help be the best parent in today's digital age. I add new tips to the Parental Advice section on my Web site weekly. Click here to check them out now. By the way, every single tip within the Parental Advice section is free.

WELCOME A NEW ADVERTISER
Are you in the tech support business? Ever want to be? Or do you need to hop on a client's computers to check things? If so, you need to check out GoToAssist from Citrix, makers of GoToMyPC.

With GoToAssist, you can instantly view and control customer computers with secure, easy-to-use GoToAssist Express. Try it FREE for 30 days and see how you can:

• Wow your customers with instant help – on a Mac® or PC
• Solve issues faster – and save time
• Reduce travel and support costs
• Give support even when customers are away from their computers

You can try it free for 30 days! Just click here to get started with your free trial now!

STAY UP TO DATE THE EASY WAY
Staying up with the digital news can be tough. But you don't have to worry about that. I check the news every morning. Then, I send it to you in my free News of the Day newsletter, Monday through Friday. So why not sign up now?

Now, you can also get the headlines and watch the latest news videos, too, on my site. Drop by our Daily News page at Komando.com.

GET UNBIASED BUYING ADVICE WHENEVER YOU NEED IT
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!

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

• Rookie Rundown—Choosing a memory card
• How to speed up Vista the easy and free way
• Keep reading! I have more money-saving tips!

PAID ADVERTISEMENT     SAVE 25% – LIMITED TIME OFFER Secure, Protect, Repair & Optimize Your PC! • Award winning technology • Cost-effective solutions • Advanced, intuitive software     • Simple and easy to use • Free online/phone support Click Here to Find Out More!

SAVE MONEY WITH A NETBOOK
Everywhere you look these days, you'll see netbooks. These are much like laptops, only smaller and less powerful. And they can save you a bundle!

Many are discovering that netbooks provide all the computing power they need. And they start at around $300. The combination has made them incredibly popular.

Dell, HP, Asus, MCI and Acer are just a few companies selling netbooks. You won't have as many options as with laptops. But, shop carefully, and you'll find a netbook that suits you just fine.

Do you have a Web site or blog? If so, help support The Kim Komando Show! Linking to my site is easy. Plus, I just added new artwork to post on your page. You'll find instructions and the artwork here. Thank you for your support!

A LITTLE ABOUT ME:
Did you know that I host two national 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.

HAVE A QUESTION?
If you have a question about something digital, let me help! 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 me. That's all there is to it!

STILL TO COME IN THIS ISSUE:

• Some freebies and a contest for you to win!
• Speed up Vista?
• And so much more you can use!

Karen in Tulsa, OK, catches my national radio show on KRMG 740 AM. She wrote in to ask about memory cards. She is looking for a new SD card. She will use it in her MP3 player and her camera.

But Karen doesn't know what size memory card she needs. She wants to know how many songs or photos fit on a card.

First off, Karen, don't buy a memory card. Buy two! Sharing a memory card between gadgets isn't convenient.

Choosing a memory card for a music player is relatively easy. One minute of MP3 audio requires about 1 MB of storage. The average song is four minutes long. That means you'll get about 250 songs per 1 GB of storage.

This assumes that you're using the default audio quality. If you use a higher quality, you'll get fewer songs per gigabyte. However, relatively few people use high-quality MP3 files.

Things are more complicated when it comes to photos. That's because there are more variables. Cameras shoot photos at various resolutions. And let's not forget that some people shoot in RAW format.

Now, I'm going to assume that your camera takes 8-megapixel shots. That's an average resolution for digital cameras these days. According to Lexar, the average size of 8-megapixel, high-resolution JPEGs is 2.3 MB. That means a 1 GB card holds about 400 images.

Your camera may have different specifications. In that case, you can calculate card capacity for yourself.

To do this, look at the average file size of your photos. The file size should be in megabytes. So, divide 1,000 by the file size. (There are 1,000 megabytes in a gigabyte.) This will show you how many photos you get per gigabyte.

Memory cards have fallen drastically in price in recent years. You will find 2GB cards for less than $10. So, I would buy a bigger card than you think you need. There's nothing worse than a full memory card!

But, be careful when purchasing SD cards 4GB or larger. That's because there is another SD format, SDHC. Not all gadgets can use SDHC cards. The two card types look identical. Check your manuals or the manufacturers' Web sites. They'll tell you if SDHC cards are supported.

Need more help with memory cards? Don't miss these great tips on my site:

• Get help with a troublesome memory card
• Salvaging a wet memory card
• Recover deleted photos from a memory card

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.

STILL TO COME IN THIS WEEKEND'S EDITION:

• Security tips to keep your computer safe
• Can you speed up Vista without adding memory?

PAID ADVERTISEMENT Email Marketing – FREE TRIAL "I know first hand that staying in touch with customers regularly is the key to small business success! That's why I recommend Email Marketing from Constant Contact." —Kim Komando Keep your customers coming back to your business with email marketing from Constant Contact. Start Your FREE Trial Today!

ARMED FORCES DAY Today is Armed Forces Day. Created in 1949, it honors troops in all military branches. During my three-hour weekend show, I'll tell you all about Operation Komando.com. It's my effort to supply our troops with support, care and love from home.

ON YOUR RADIO, ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE
Be sure to tune in to my shows all across America. Or, catch me on the stations on The American Forces Radio Network. Here is a sample of my affiliate list of over 460 affiliates: Chicago (WLS 890 AM); Knoxville, TN (WNOX 100.3 FM); Des Moines, IA (KWQW 98.3 FM); Boston (WBZ 1030 AM); Washington (WTNT 570 AM); Minneapolis (KTLK 100.3 FM); San Antonio (WOAI 1200 AM); Birmingham, AL (WAPI 1070 AM); Toledo, OH (WSPD 1370 AM); Fort Wayne, IN (WOWO 1190 AM); and so many more!

THE BIGGEST LITTLE CITY IN THE WORLD
Reno, NV, is known for its casinos and gaming. It is also close to Lake Tahoe ("The Most Beautiful Drive In America"). The city is home to many golf courses and world class ski resorts.

The River Walk district, ripe with local merchants, celebrates Reno's arts culture and heritage.

While you're in Reno, tune in to my weekend show. KKOH 780 AM airs at 4 p.m. Sundays. And listen for my Digital Minutes in the 8 a.m. hour weekdays!

FIND ME USING OUR HANDY DANDY STATION MAP
Find me in Reno or any other city! Just click here for my locator map. Then, click on the area near you. You'll receive an instant e-mail telling you where to tune in!

DISH THE DIGITAL WHENEVER YOU WANT VIA PODCASTS
Kim's Club members get premium content and can post to my Message Board. As a member, you can also listen on demand with my Kimcasts. You can download my weekend and daily shows! Only $5.95 per month!

Back to the top

	Convert Your Vinyl LPs to MP3s! • Transfer music to PC or Mac computer • Connects to your home stereo with ease • Software for advanced recording & editing CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS!
	Other Items of Interest Slide and Negative Scanner to PC Snap-Around Flexible Stand For Hand-Helds

KIM'S TIPS FOR KOMANDO KIDS: Are your kids talking to strangers?
It's one of the first warnings you give your children: Never talk to strangers. But a new trend gives anyone the opportunity to do just that. How does it work? And should your kids be using it? Learn all about it in the third hour of my national weekend radio show. Find me near you now using our radio locator map.

CONTEST: My Spring Stimulus Giveaway
Check out my giveaway now. We have laptops, speaker systems, camcorders and more. Enter every day to win. In fact, you could win something great every single day of the giveaway. So, bookmark the site now! There is over $40,000 in prizes.

CONTEST SITE: Invest in your love
How would you like a romantic trip to Tahiti? Submit a video with your loved one. And you could win! Open to U.S. residents, 21 or older. Deadline: 12/15/09.

FREEBIE OF THE WEEK: Taster's Choice in an instant
Nescafe is giving away six samples of its flavored instant coffee. Just fill out a short form to get yours. Open to U.S. residents only.

FREEBIE FROM CONSTANT CONTACT: Send your own newsletters
Have your own business? E-mail marketing works to keep your name in front of current customers. Try it free for 90 days. No credit card required. Use promo code Kim to get the free trial.

FREEBIE FROM KOMANDO.COM: A fun physics puzzle game
Puzzles and brain twisters make for fun games. Throw in some physics and engineering, and you've got something addictive. This game is a blast.

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:
• Make free long distance calls
• Get more from your money
• Amazing rock sculptures

Do you get my free Cool Site of the Day newsletter? Sign up now by clicking here.

Stay with us. There's lots more to cover:

• Free tools for your mobile phone

Back to the top

THIS WEEK'S FOCUS: Free tools for your mobile phone
Your cell phone can do a lot more than make calls. And it doesn't have to be a smartphone. I've found you some free, neat programs.

I'll tell you more during the first hour of my national radio show this weekend. Find a station near you by using our map.

Let's keep it going; there's plenty more to cover:
• SECURE COMPUTING: Time to update Mac OS X!

Back to the top

PAID ADVERTISEMENT GOTOMYPC IS AS SECURE AS ONLINE BANKING. "If you haven't tried one of my favorite technologies, GoToMyPC, you can with comfort and ease! Brought to you by Citrix, GoToMyPC is the easy, secure and reliable way to remotely access your PC from any Internet-connected computer!" - Kim Komando Fast. Easy. Secure. Try GoToMyPC FREE for 45 Days!

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

APPLE ISSUES JUMBO SECURITY UPDATE
On Tuesday, Apple issued a massive security update for Mac OS X. In all, 67 vulnerabilites were patched. Of these, 26 could be used to execute arbitrary code. That means they could be used to hijack a machine.

To get the patches for Leopard or Tiger, run the Mac OS X update service. Leopard users won't see the security patches. That's because they've been rolled into the Mac OS X 10.5.7 update. The patches can also be downloaded from Apple's site.

THE END IS IN SIGHT, BUT I WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK
• Speeding up Vista the free way

I've heard that Windows Vista can use a USB drive as additional memory. Supposedly, you can plug in the drive and it is used like RAM. It seems like this is a great way to add extra memory to your machine without opening it up. Also, flash drives are cheaper than RAM. If I use a flash drive instead to complement system memory, how low can I go with the RAM?
Ron in Chicago listening on WLS 890 AM

It is true that Windows Vista features Ready Boost. This lets you attach a thumb drive via USB to speed up your system. Secure Digital (SD) cards will also work. But it's pretty cumbersome. Just use a thumb drive.

As cool as this sounds, Ready Boost is limited. It's not intended to replace system memory. It is simply a way to enhance the machine's virtual memory. Virtual memory has been around for ages. It's not as good as physical RAM.

You still need an ample amount of RAM. I recommend two gigabytes for Vista.

Feel like getting technical? Ready Boost speeds up Vista's performance by copying the paging file to the thumb drive. The system's paging file is normally placed on the hard drive. When the system RAM becomes full, the overflow is moved to the paging file.

Flash memory reads random data about eight to 10 times faster than hard drives. However, with large chunks of sequential data, hard drives are faster.

Ready Boost recognizes large, sequential read requests. These are directed to the paging file on the hard drive. Other requests are directed to the flash drive. If the flash memory is removed, Vista directs all requests to the hard drive.

For optimal performance, you should up to  three times the system memory with Ready Boost. However, you can't use more than four gigabytes.

At the low end, I've seen differing numbers on Microsoft's site – 256 megabytes and 512 megabytes. Vista requires 512 MB RAM minimum. So I wouldn't use less than 512 megabytes for ReadyBoost.

Your USB version must be 2.0; USB 1.1 won't work. Additionally, the flash memory must have fast random read speeds.

Your old flash memory may work with ReadyBoost. If you buy new flash memory to use with Ready Boost, look for products that specify that they're optimized for Ready Boost. Sometimes, they're labeled "Enhanced for Ready Boost."

Here's how to get started with Ready Boost.

When you insert Ready Boost-capable thumb drive, you'll receive notification from Vista. Just select "Use this device to speed up my computer." You can also adjust the amount of space Ready Boost can use. Go to the Properties dialog box for the USB drive or flash card. You can choose to allocate part of a USB drive's memory to speed up performance and use the remainder to store files.

Ready Boost is included in the following editions of Vista: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. If your system is running slow, give it a shot!

You may still need to add more RAM. If so, drop by my site and read my Memory Buying Guide.

NEW LINKS ALWAYS DESIRED
We have new linking artwork for your blog, online profile, Web site and wherever else you'd like to post it. Help us tell the world to go Komando. Just paste the code on the appropriate page within your site. It's that simple!

Kim :)

Back to the top

	Let Dad Know That He's Your Hero! Two book set, perfect for any father!  1) Dad: His Story, His Words:      Let dad answer questions about      his life, to remember and treasure.  2) Dad: My Hero: Book featuring amazing quotations about fatherhood MAKES A GREAT GIFT FOR DAD!
	Other Items of Interest Download Kim's Photography and Video Books! 'Mom, Her Story' Two Book Set

WHAT A STINKER!
The U.S. mint decided to issue a 50-cent piece. It even enlisted the public in choosing a design. It put the designs on its site to let the public vote. Each design featured a different American patriot. Two designs tied. One featured Nathan Hale; the other, Theodore Roosevelt. So, the mint decided to put one on each side of the coin. That way, when the coin is tossed, you can just call out Teds or Hales!

Speaking of money… Pirate - How much it costs to buy a pie.

And since it's getting warm… These are my summer clothes. Summer paid for, summer not.

And just one more thing:

Do you like puzzles? I had a lot of fun with one that challenges you to find faces in a tree. I have the puzzle posted on my blog.

Hugs to all!

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

Copyright © 2009, The Kim Komando Show. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of The Kim Komando Show is prohibited and strictly enforced. Newsletters may contain links to sites on the Internet owned and operated by third parties. The Kim Komando Show is not responsible for the availability of, or the content located on or through, any such third-party site. Information in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and freedom from infringement. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. We will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this information, including, but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.

If you must, unsubscribe details are below. :/

To unsubscribe, use my online form.

You may also unsubscribe by sending a request via postal mail. Please include your name, e-mail address and a printed copy of your Newsletter e-mail. Send to:
Unsubscribe Kim's Newsletter
2711 N. 24th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85008