Happy Holidays!

Hello my fellow Geeks and Geek wannabes!

Just wanted to wish you all a happy whatever you celebrate this holiday season!

Be sure to check back here over the next week...I'll surely share any cool techy goodies that Santa might bring for me for being such a good Geek Girl all year long!

Also, if you got any cool or silly gadgets, make sure to let me know by posting them in the COMMENTS section below, or by emailing me at geek.girl@earthlink.net. We might be doing a special Video Podcast featuring Geek Gifts!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers to all of you and thanks for all of your support this year! Hope you are all healthy, happy, and with people you love during this wonderful time of year.

xoxo,
Geek Girl

Episode 4.2: Geek Gads-The Finale!

Hey Everyone! So, as promised, here is part 2 of my TOP 5 FAVORITE GEEK GADGETS. At the end, I read some of your emails! Check out the video here:

Tomorrow I will post a follow-up blog with a text recap complete with links to all of the products so that you can explore them further if you are interested. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please email me or post them in the comments below!

Production starts next week on the next video podcast...I won't reveal the topic just yet, but I promise it will be fun and, well...geeky!

Email me at: geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

New Video Podcast! Episode 4.1: Geek Gads!

It's here! Part 1 of Episode 4 for your viewing pleasure. I had so much to say about my favorite gadgets that I had to split this podcast into 2 segments. Part 2 (or Episode 4.2) will be up by tomorrow night. In the meantime, enjoy the first part, and be sure to send me your feedback!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Episode 4.1: Geek Gads!

Hey Everyone!

I'm uploading Part 1 of Episode 4 right now...it was so long (I was just GUSHING about my fave gadgets!) that I split it into 2 parts for all of your sakes. :) You are welcome. :)

And, I got so many responses from you all, that I read some of them at the end in Episode 4.2! Keep checking back this morning...the second the episode is live you will have it here first!

Cheers,
Geek Girl

A Few Good Gads

Greetings!

So, I am in production RIGHT NOW on Episode 4 of the video podcast. It will be completed tomorrow (Monday 11/12) night, and should be live on Tuesday morning. I am going to give you a bit of a sneak-peek here by giving away the topic because I need to hear from YOU about something that I will then reveal in the new podcast. Here's what I need to know:

What is your favorite gadget?

I am going to talk about 5 gadgets that I love, and expect the unexpected here. I'm sure lots of people will say their iPhones, iPods, etc., which is great, but I want to also hear about other things that you all love. Then, I want to reveal to you all if there is one response that is overwhelmingly universal, or if I get any wacky responses, I might share those as well!

Email me your answer to geek.girl@earthlink.net. Put the word "GADGET" in the subject line. OR, post it in the COMMENTS section below. Hope to hear from you!

Otherwise, come back for the new podcast tomorrow night/Tuesday morning!

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Wow, is it really November? Oh yeah, and STRIKE!

WOW. I can't believe it's November. I haven't blogged in so long, but have no fear, a new GEEK GIRL production schedule is here!

I have been getting so many emails from all of you with questions and comments...I hope that the advice I've given has worked out! Make sure to send me follow up emails. Quite a few new episodes are in progress...and now that I got a nifty new laptop with the iSight built-in, I can change locations and shoot the episodes outside of my office! We're mobile, people...it's official.

On a separate note...as some of you may or may not know, I happen to work at a late night show that has been directly impacted by this week's WGA (Writers Guild of America) strike. They said that late night shows would be hit first, since our writers write fresh new content every day, and boy, were they right. Nothing is for certain now, and the issues (from what I hear) on both sides are difficult. Sometimes I just like to escape with my gadgets and computers and get away from it all (ok, more than sometimes), so that's why I'm going to focus on filming the next few podcasts for you all! But in the meantime, please keep all of us directly and indirectly affected by the strike in your thoughts. And for those people involved in the negotiations, GIVE PEACE A CHANCE! :)

If you have any feedback or just want to say hi, please feel free to post below in the COMMENTS section! Or, email me your thoughts, questions or even videos, at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

OCD Quickie and 1st Official Geek Girl Poll: Circus Ponies Notebook 2.1

Hi Blog Buds!

I was feeling lazy tonight and just HAD to tell you/ask you about this software I read about today, so I decided to do a quick video blog about it instead (I was sitting on my couch with my laptop in front of me, so forgive the background of my living room!) Check out the video here:





And then give me your feedback below in the COMMENTS section. Or, email me your feedback, or even video feedback, at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Say Hello to my Little Friend... :-)...Happy 25th Birthday, Smiley Face!

Hey there Webbies! I just came across a factoid that made me smile :) and I felt like it was theme-appropriate for this blog ;) and I've decided to report the story to share with you all. Today is the 25th anniversary of the first official usage of the digital smiley face, :-)




Click HERE for the Carnegie Mellon University's official smiley page, with details about it's history.

Where would we be today without the wonders of emoticons and other indicators of tone within otherwise mundane, on-screen text? How on earth could we possibly otherwise bridge the digital gap between an all-out LOL or LMAO and a mere smile? Here's an article from the Associated Press, published today, September 18th, 2007, detailing today's glorious anniversary:

Digital 'smiley face' turns 25
By DANIEL LOVERING, Associated Press Writer

It was a serious contribution to the electronic lexicon. :-) Twenty-five years ago, Carnegie Mellon University professor Scott E. Fahlman says, he was the first to use three keystrokes — a colon followed by a hyphen and a parenthesis — as a horizontal "smiley face" in a computer message.

To mark the anniversary Wednesday, Fahlman and his colleagues are starting an annual student contest for innovation in technology-assisted, person-to-person communication. The Smiley Award, sponsored by Yahoo Inc. carries a $500 cash prize.

Language experts say the smiley face and other emotional icons, known as emoticons, have given people a concise way in e-mail and other electronic messages of expressing sentiments that otherwise would be difficult to detect.

Fahlman posted the emoticon in a message to an online electronic bulletin board at 11:44 a.m. on Sept. 19, 1982, during a discussion about the limits of online humor and how to denote comments meant to be taken lightly. "I propose the following character sequence for joke markers: :-)," wrote Fahlman. "Read it sideways." The suggestion gave computer users a way to convey humor or positive feelings with a smile — or the opposite sentiments by reversing the parenthesis to form a frown.

Carnegie Mellon said Fahlman's smileys spread from its campus to other universities, then businesses and eventually around the world as the Internet gained popularity.

Computer science and linguistics professors contacted by The Associated Press said they were unaware of who first used the symbol.

"I've never seen any hard evidence that the :-) sequence was in use before my original post, and I've never run into anyone who actually claims to have invented it before I did," Fahlman wrote on the university's Web page dedicated to the smiley face. "But it's always possible that someone else had the same idea — it's a simple and obvious idea, after all."

Variations, such as the "wink" that uses a semicolon, emerged later. And today people can hardly imagine using computer chat programs that don't translate keystrokes into colorful graphics, said Ryan Stansifer, a computer science professor at the Florida Institute of Technology.

"Now we have so much power, we don't settle for a colon-dash-paren," he said. "You want the smiley face, so all these chatting softwares have to have them."

Instant messaging programs often contain an array of faces intended to express emotions ranging from surprise to affection to embarrassment.

"It has been fascinating to watch this phenomenon grow from a little message I tossed off in 10 minutes to something that has spread all around the world," Fahlman was quoted as saying in a university statement. "I sometimes wonder how many millions of people have typed these characters, and how many have turned their heads to one side to view a smiley, in the 25 years since this all started."

Amy Weinberg, a University of Maryland linguist and computer scientist, said emoticons such as the smiley were "definitely creeping into the way, both in business and academia, people communicate."

"In terms of things that language processing does, you have to take them into account," she said. "If you're doing almost anything ... and you have a sentence that says 'I love my boss' and then there's a smiley face, you better not take that seriously."

Emoticons reflect the likely original purpose of language — to enable people to express emotion, said Clifford Nass, a professor of communications at Stanford University. The emotion behind a written sentence may be hard to discern because emotion is often conveyed through tone of voice, he said.

"What emoticons do is essentially provide a mechanism to transmit emotion when you don't have the voice," Nass said.

In some ways, he added, they also give people "the ability not to think as hard about the words they're using."

Stansifer said the emoticon was part of a natural progression in communication. "I don't think the smiley face was the beginning and the end," he said. "All people at all times take advantage of whatever means of communication they have."

OK, so my only question is: who on earth was writing posts on message boards in 1982?! Who knew that they even existed back then? Pretty amazing stuff, folks.

Anyhow, new podcast coming soon, and lots of exciting posts coming up now that fall is well on it's way! Summer is officially ending, and that means lots of new gadgets, tv shows and other great stuff coming up for the holidays!

Remember, to email me your questions, or even video questions for a chance to be featured in a future podcast, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Traveling Geek Girl and Murphy's Law

Hi blog buds!

I am SOOOO excited right now. First off, so many of you have sent in questions over the last 2 weeks, and I promise(!) I will personally answer each and every one of them! However, I just had to let you all know that not only am I leaving the country for a 2 week vacation today (I plan to do a special on-the-road video podcast from Italy, so keep checking back this week!), but my trusty old G4 laptop finally died on me last week, and that's why I haven't responded to you all as promptly as I usually do. Of course, it had to happen RIGHT before I left for holiday (that's Murphy's Law, right?) but at least I got a cool new MacBook out of it!

Anyhow, I did lose a few emails from you all, however I think it was only 3-5 in total...I do have the rest saved and plan on writing responses while waiting at airports and train stations in Europe. :) So if you sent me an email early last week or the week before that, can you please re-send it to me just to make sure I get to your question? And I happen to think that a special video podcast will be a nice consolation prize, given that I can get decent internet connections while on the road! The topic will be totally impromptu (I just had the idea this morning), there won't be the usual Geek Girl backdrop or glasses(!), and I think it's going to be very useful for those of you who travel!



Lastly, before I sign off this airport and go to the real kind I wanted to say how great it is to see you all posting suggestions and answering each others' questions in the comment section here on my little 'ol blog when I can't get to them soon enough. It's really great to see a little Geek and Geek-in-Training community forming here, and I hope you guys can help each other out while I am on holiday (though I promise to have something for you guys, even though I'll technically be on vacation!)

To email me your questions, or even video questions for a chance to be featured in a future podcast, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :) See you all in Cyberspace soon!



Arrivederchi and cheers,

Geek Girl

You Asked, I Answer! iPod on the Radio: Transmitters

Hello web friends!!

So many of you have been emailing me over the last two days about the iPod transmitter that I recommended to Ross "the Intern" Mathews after he mentioned it on his blog (click HERE to check it out), that I decided to post a whole blog about it. Also, Episode 3 of my Video Podcast, which is coming up soon, is going to feature all of my favorite gadgets, and I will be including this transmitter in that video as well.

First things first, in case you missed it, here's Episode 2 of my Geek Girl Podcast:




Ok, now, for the piece de resitance...




Before I tell you all about this transmitter and where to find it, I have to give you all a quick brief about how these things work. Lots of people have emailed in about problems with transmitters and the static and interference and plain non-functionality of the devices that they have bought. What you need to know is that there isn't a device (yet) that is external (plugs INTO your car as opposed to having it wired inside of your car radio, which I had done and I LOVE) which will cut out ALL of the static from the airwaves. The way that these transmitters work is like this:

• your car cigarette lighter acts as the power source for the transmitter.
  
• you plug the transmitter into your iPod (which also, as a bonus, charges your iPod via the cigarette lighter)
• you turn on your car radio and scan for a station that is nothing but static...in this case, the more static the better
• you program this station on your car stereo, and then you turn on the transmitter and program that same station on it as well (the transmitter that I'm recommending actually has 3 channel pre-set buttons, so that's a plus, because you can have different stations for different areas you drive in)
• you turn on your iPod and play it, and the transmitter actually transmits what your iPod is playing via the preset station you have selected, and your car radio receiver picks it up. It's like your own mini-broadcast radio station in your car!

But here's the drawback: no matter how good a transmitter you get, you are still dealing with radio waves. Radio waves, even on the best, biggest stations cut out when you are out of the area (i.e. when you go on road trips and there are long stretches of road where you can't get ANY reception). Lots of environmental factors also influence radio waves, such as weather and clouds (random fact: did you know that at night, if the cloud coverage and temperature are just right, you can pick up AM stations over the radio that you couldn't pick up normally? The radio waves actually bounce off the clouds and reflect back down to earth in places they wouldn't normally transmit. Neat, right? Actually, if anyone reading this knows more about that phenomenon, please post about it in the COMMENT section below...I'd love to hear more about it!).

Anyhow, the moral of the story is that you will never get perfect reception with a transmitter. But the one that I show you above has some advantages that help minimize the interfering factors. It's a Kensington Digital FM Transmitter/Auto Charger, and you can buy it at the Apple store HERE. The advantages are:

1. It is digital, which transmits a clearer signal
2. It has 3 programmable stations, which allow you to switch stations depending on the area you are in
3. And it has a Patented Aerielle wireless technology, which enhances noise reduction and stereo separation.

So there you go, blog buddies. Everything you wanted to know about the transmitter. I personally think it's also worth it, if you have the money and a car that will allow for this type of hook up, that you have your iPod cord installed in your car. Then you just plug in your iPod like you would to your computer, and control it via your car CD control buttons, as opposed to the radio. If you do it this way, there is absolutely no radio interference because the car stereo treats the iPod input like a CD, as opposed to a radio wave.

Lastly, a few of you have asked about an iPod cassette adapter. I've found one HERE, however can't personally vouch for it's effectiveness since I don't have a tape deck. Make sure you check out the specs, because you have to have a front loading tape deck, etc. The reviews for this one look pretty good, but make sure to always do some online investigating before you buy any electronics products. Or, check with me. :)

Ok fellow geeks and geeks-in-training...that's all for now! To email me your questions, or even video questions for a chance to be featured in a future podcast, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Oh, What's in a Name? Ep. 2 UPDATE

Hello faithful web friends!

As a follow up to the last podcast, Episode 2, in which we discussed USB Card Readers (the video for which I will link to again and embed below), I wanted to give you all some examples of hubs/readers that you can purchase online from reputable sources. I also wanted to clarify some of the nomenclature that I used when describing the device itself.

Now, I knew in my little geek brain that when I created the last podcast that the word HUB actually technically describes a USB port that allows you to plug in many USB devices (cameras, printers, card readers, etc.) into your computer via one USB plug in in the back. A HUB is also generally a dictionary term for the main center for any sort of activity. I always refer to my card reader as a HUB, because I think I cross purposes in my brain when thinking about its function. For those of you who are curious, here is a picture and a link to what an actual, technical USB hub is:

USB HUB INFO

Now, here is a link to the type of hub, or USB Card Reader, that I so highly praised in my last podcast:

I actually have this exact reader for my other camera that has an xD card, and though it does have a cord, it doesn't need an external power source and works just like the reader I showed you in the podcast. San Disk is a great company for these types of products.

There are also multi card readers, which are great if, like me, you have a ton of different cameras and memory card types. These multi card readers are totally affordable, and have lots of slots for your different kinds of memory cards on one nifty little device. Here's a link to one from Staples: MULTI CARD READER

So I just had to clarify for all of you that the more correct term for the device that I hope you will all run out and buy is a USB Card Reader, which I mentioned in the video. But c'mon, how can you make a cute title like "Hubba, Hubba, Hubba" out of "USB Card Reader?!" You can't, is the answer. :) I just had to get that off my chest.

Ok fellow geeks and geeks-in-training...that's all for now! To email me your questions, or even video questions for a chance to be featured in a future podcast, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

To check out my YouTube Channel, click HERE.
To check out my MySpace and become my friend, click HERE.
And make sure to subscribe to my videos on iTunes...they are FREE and the quality on iTunes is way better than on YouTube. Plus, you can take me with you on your iPod. :)

Oh, and here's the episode again, just in case you missed it!



Ok peeps, Happy Friday, and keep those questions and comments coming!!

Cheers,

Geek Girl

Episode 2: Hubba, Hubba, Hubba!

Hello Web-People! Episode 2 is here, and if you take and download digital pictures to your computer, then this one is a must-see!

In this episode, I talk about the importance, benefits and inner-workings (without getting too technical!) of USB hubs, or card readers. These nifty little devices allow you to -- get this -- download pics from your camera to any computer without using software, or your camera, or even a cable!

To check out the Quicktime version of the Podcast online, Click on the image below:


Or, you can check out the YouTube version right here on this page:

The next episode is going to be really exciting! I'm going to talk about all of my favorite new gadgets, and even have a few of them to show all of my faithful Geek Girl fans. So, if you have a gadget you'd like me to talk about and feature, send me an email to geek.girl@earthlink.net, or leave a comment in the COMMENT section below. You can even send me a video message to my email, and you just might be featured in my next podcast! I'd love to showcase some of my fans on this podcast. Oh, and don't forget that you can go to iTunes and subscribe to this podcast, all for the low price of FREE!!

OK people, until next time,
Cheers!

Geek Girl

Episode 1: PodWhat?

Hello cyber-friends and fellow Geeks!

Guess what this is a picture of-just guess! C'mon....



Ok, give up?

It's a screen-grab of the title animation in the first episode of the long-awaited Geek Girl Podcast!

And naturally, the very first episode is about...what else? PODCASTS! There are so many people who think that a Podcast refers to just one specific type of media file for an iPod, and there are people who just plain have no idea what they are. Either way, it's ok, because I've chosen to focus the entire first episode on defining Podcasts and showing you what goes into them. To see the Episode 1: PodWhat? click below:

PodWhat?

or, you can click here to see the embedded YouTube version:



The feed is also available on iTunes in the Music Store.

Let the fun begin!

Remember to send me all of your feedback and questions to geek.girl@earthlink.net.
I'm looking for video questions as well (and pics, if you want). As long as you don't clog up my email with huge files. :)

Keep checking back for more soon, and send me your ideas for future "Blogger's Choice" podcasts!

Cheers,

GeekGirl

TRENDING: Apple TV and Absence Makes the Heart...

...grow fonder.

A part of my job at the TV show I work on is to keep ahead of the proverbial digital curve. I read all sorts of geek magazines, newsletters, and websites, and a few times a year I attend national conferences on digital entertainment technology and gadgetry. (I know, it sounds totally dorky, but hey, what do you expect?) Basically, I have to keep an eye out for the future. This is what I call TRENDING, and it will be a recurring feature here on this blog. Whenever I have something to tell you all that I think is going to be the next big thing, the wave of the future, the next hot new type of gadget, etc., I will post a blog alerting you to the fad so that you can be as up-to-date as I am (or at least try to be!). And now, I present to you, the first installment of:




Today I want to talk about something that I've known about for a while, and now it is really hitting the mainstream, though I think that it will take a while for people to actually start using it and having a use for it. The TREND that I am talking about is watching content from your computer on your television set, and vice-versa.

This type of entertainment takes on all sorts of forms, such as Internet Television, or IPTV, Slingboxing and AppleTV. The most common type of content on the web seems to be User-Generated content, or sites such as YouTube or MySpace, where people can upload videos and share, comment on them and search them. My theory, from observing the evolution of entertainment in the last few years that began with Reality Television, is that people like to see candid, real moments from normal people, and thus User-Generated content has recently been king. (a close second are original web-exclusive, bite-sized bits of entertainment, but we'll save that for another entry because it deserves one all it's own).

With the growth of people viewing video on the internet, and the demand to share it, mobile phone video providers and portable media-players such as iPods have grown much more robust in their ability to view and share content.

And then, a funny thing happened. People started wanting, naturally, to be able to have the content that they have recorded on their TiVo's or DVR's somehow transferred onto such mobile devices. Since they were already paying for their cable and TiVo subscriptions, they had already payed for that episode of Lost that they just payed for AGAIN on iTunes or Amazon or Google Video in order to be able to watch it on their laptops and media players.

Enter Slingboxing.



Sling Media is a company that created a trapezoid-shaped box that could virtually transmit the content you recorded from your TV to any wireless-enabled device (including your computer). Now, not only could people download their fave TV shows from iTunes if they missed them, they could record them at home and bypass having to pay for them again at all. Though this is somewhat of a band-aid for the problem for the time being, it works.

And then, another funny thing happened. Content from the internet became REALLY popular. People still watch their network dramas and comedies, but they value short-form entertainment almost, if not equally, as much. So now, not only do people want to watch their TV content on-the-go, they wanted to bring the content they found on-the-go (whether it be movies, music, or pictures) back into their living rooms and onto their TV's.

Enter AppleTV, which just released today. AppleTV takes everything from your computer in terms of media, and it beams it back to your TV. And it's wireless. The best of both worlds.


Ok, so maybe you are not running out to buy one. I'm not either. That's why we're talking stuff that's AHEAD OF THE CURVE. I personally think (and I don't think that I am in the minority) that the future will consist of one box in your living rooms that is going to control everything - your TV, Internet, lighting, phone, doorbell, alarm, etc. A fully-integrated system and only one, neat little box with only a few cables. Say goodbye to the jungle of wires behind your entertainment center and computer station. Well, not quite yet, but it's coming.

Cheers!

Geek Girl


Thanks for all of your questions!! If you have questions, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net
Check out my podcast on iTunes - GeekGirl
Season Premiere Episode coming up!

It's HERE!

FINALLY...the introductory podcast is up! It should also be in the iTunes directory shortly as well, so right now you will have to view it via switchpod. I am still working on the permanent background, so i just did this one in my office at home. Bear with me as this thing evolves. :) To get the feed, click on the still below:




You might have to let the whole video load first depending how fast/slow your computer is. Also, here is the link where you can subscribe to the feed via iTunes (you have to click on the "Subscribe in iTunes" link on the right-hand side of the page, and the video will download automatically into your iTunes): FEED

(You can also get the video there if for any reason the photo link above doesn't work).

Ok, bloggers, NOW I need your feedback! Let me know your thoughts, ideas, questions, suggestions, etc. by posting a COMMENT below, or by emailing me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Isn't It Ironic, and Mercury is in Retrograde-WHAT TO DO!

I feel like i'm telling the teacher why my homework is late for some reason. :) i find it simply hilarious that my internet at home (both cable modem and then the airport) have been down since Sunday. I am FINALLY back up, and have received some emails with questions from you guys, and I will be answering them tonight. Thanks for sending them in, keep 'em coming!

In other, yet still related news, someone just told me about this astrological event that is happening right now, and i think it explains why mine, and other peoples' lives, at the moment seem to be in turmoil, especially when it comes to electronics and computers. I have never heard of this before, but apparently it happens 3 times a year. And just to preface this, I'm not an astrology nut or anything...I do believe in the power of the universe, and that things need to be physically and energetically lined up in order for the outcome that you are looking for to become a reality, but I've never read star charts or anything like that. That being said, apparently, when the planet Mercury is in retrograde, (as it is now until March 7th), what you are supposed to do is hold off on major decisions, purchases, contracts, etc., and you are supposed to back up all of your data and systems in the event of a meltdown. This is also supposed to be a time where you re-think your decisions, re-check projects, and make sure that you are listening to your gut instinct on things, and not make rash decisions. For more info on Mercury in Retrograde, click HERE

Lastly, to get off the Hippie Chick kick, I will resume procuction on the Podcast and respond to your questions tonight.

Until then, Cheers!

Geek Girl

A "Heroes" Aside

Ok, so I know that I wasn't going to blog this weekend because I'm working on the Podcast, but I just caught up on the latest episode of Heroes (which I'm officially and unexpectedly obsessed with) and I just HAD to say something. (By the way, if you haven't watched the last episode, this might be somewhat of a SPOILER for you, so don't read any further!!) I was just thinking that if I could be a hero, I would want the same power the latest new Hero had...the power to connect to the internet and satellites just using her brain and without a computer. How cool is that? I realized that when I was thinking about it today, that it was quite possibly the GEEKIEST power one could have, so sharing my little thought would somehow be appropriate here. LOL.

Anyhow, Happy Saturday, Bloggers. Here's a fun picture I took using the "PhotoBooth" feature on my Mac (the desktop, not the laptop) with the iSight camera that is built into the monitor/CPU unit. There are lots of fun effects you can set it to, but being an official art collector and geek as well, I'm quite partial to the Warhol-esque filter:

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Got a question? Email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

Testing, Testing, 1..2..3..

This weekend is going to be filled with lots and lots o'testing and learning for Geek Girl! I am in the process of creating a test video Podcast and hopefully will post it by Monday to see how it works with this Blog tool. Stay tuned! I'll need all of YOUR comments and feedback in order to create the most helpful, informative Podcast EVER. (Ok, not EVER, but close).

Just one quick note...I've changed the settings to allow you all to post comments, questions, and/or suggestions without having to give any info. You can remain Anonymous, just how some of you like it. :)

Lastly, I'm putting out a call to ALL of YOU to send me your questions and suggestions on video podcast topics. They can be questions about anything from using software to email to internet to digital cameras to iPod's to peripherals to fonts! Anything that you struggle with in daily life, even if you think it's silly; I bet you it's not, and I bet you I've been asked about it before! I've got most of the season mapped out, but I'd love to do a few episodes that are "BLOGGER's CHOICE" topics. You can also email me reasonably sized questions as video files...I'm hoping to gather enough video questions from you all to dedicate a special Podcast to you all at the end of my "season" that will feature your "live" questions! What do you think? I think it will be really fun and exciting. But then again, I am a geek. ;)

Post your topics, questions and suggestions in the COMMENTS section or email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net. To those of you who have already emailed me, thanks for the feedback!! For the rest of you, let's talk!

Cheers and happy weekend,

Geek Girl

iPod Quickie! (and a solicitation of-dare I say it-PC HELP!!)

Ok, so i can't tell you guys enough how many people I get asking me daily for help with their iPods. On the video podcast and throughout this blog, there will be plenty of help, tips, tricks & accessories that fall under the fun & wonderful category of "All Things iPod!"

So, today's tip is a simple one about how to reboot your iPod in the horrible event that it crashes, freezes, or starts to act up. Before you run wildly to wait in line at the Genius Bar at the Apple Store, try the following steps first.

When you can't eject your iPod from your computer because the computer and/or iPod have frozen, don't fret! The first rule of iPods is not to panic about iPods. :) Remove your iPod from the dock (even if it is stuck on the "Do Not Disconnect" screen) or just take it when it's frozen and lay it flat on a hard surface. (Don't worry, we're not opening it and performing surgery or anything--in fact, NEVER open your iPod. It will likely ruin your iPod and void any sort of warranty.)

Next, toggle the "Hold" switch on and off a few times. Finally, hold down the center button and the top "Menu" button of the iPod simultaneously until you see the screen go through the restart process. This consists of the screen going black, then the Apple logo will pop up semi-faded, and then you will hear/feel the hard drive restarting. Then the Apple logo will come up in full color, and the iPod should start up properly. (NOTE: it might take a little longer than normal, don't be alarmed!)

Now, there are a few other things that can go wrong with your iPod, in which case you can do a few other simple things before resorting to a full "RESTORE". This checklist includes downloading and installing the latest, most updated iTunes software, and then making sure your iPod is up-to-date and fully charged. You might sometimes also get the following icon:



if your iPod is out of juice. To recap, Charge it, Update the software, Restart it, and then if you are still having problems with it, you may need to fully RESTORE it. Here is a link to information on how to RESTORE your iPod (NOTE: this will erase everything on your iPod and restore it back to factory settings, so make sure that your music library reflects what you had on your iPod so that you can re-load all of the songs/pics/vids after you RESTORE):

RESTORE

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS

So I want to put out a call to all of YOU bloggers and geeks out there for your suggestions, tips and questions for future posts and the podcasts that are in production RIGHT NOW! Also, I encourage you to all any alternate suggestions (or corrections) in the COMMENT section, especially in regards to equivalent PC options for completing the tasks we talk about here. (I know, I know, being a Mac Geek Girl, I can't believe I'm asking for PC help either! But it's for YOU guys!) Or, you can always email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net.

That's All for Now, folks! Stay tuned for more!

Cheers,

Geek Girl

Photo Email Etiquette

Today's post deals with a HUGE pet-peeve of mine. HUGE. (In fact, I'm going to tag it under Pet-Peeves for future reference; I'm sure that a few more will pop up in the future ;).

The tip & pet-peeve is this: people who insist on emailing you photos and clogging up your email because they don't know how to reduce the size of the jpeg. Has this ever happened to you? I'm sure it has. Like when, say, you log into your email software and it spends about 5 minutes "thinking" about the "Send & Receive" function. And then when all of the emails finally come through, you realize that your sister-in-law has sent you ten 2 MB each pics of your nephew. (and they are all always unfailingly the same shot of the kid).

People, there is a way to share your pics with friends and family and not infuriate us. There are actually a few options.

The first option is one that I would recommend if you don't have any sort of image-editing software (such as Photoshop). Set up a free account with Shutterfly or Flickr or Yahoo!Photos and this will then allow you to create online albums of your images and send a simple, tiny LINK of those albums to your family & friends. These sites also let you organize the photos how you want, create fun little borders & captions, and people can view them as a slideshow on their screen.

The second option takes a bit more time and saavy, but is still really easy. It involves using Photoshop or other such image-editing software. There are two ways to reduce image size in Photoshop. First open the image and then click on the "Image" file menu. Click on the "Image Size" option, and the window that you see below will pop up:

Make sure that you have the "Constrain Proportions" option checked, and you should also check "Resample Image." This will make sure that your image will not be distorted horizontally or vertically; it will only allow the software to change the density of the pixels within the image and it's overall proportions & size. Then change the resolution to 72 pixels/inch (this is all the resolution you need to view properly online and create the smallest file size). You can also change the actual dimensions to make them smaller, and at the same time lower the resolution if you want. Experiment with this and see what yields a reasonable final file size (TIP: check the file properties when the file is closed and saved to see what size it will show up as when you email it and/or upload it).

The other, and simpler, way to reduce file size is by using the "Save As" function. Go to the "File" menu, and click on "Save As." Name your file and choose a location to save it to, and click "Save." The following window will pop-up next:
Here you can choose the quality of the final saved file using the slide at the top. Usually even a "low" quality image is just fine for email and the internet. The degree of the quality in this case refers to the file compression when the software saves the image.

If you are one of those people who like to send lots of pics and have perhaps performed the pet-peeve faux-pas I speak of in today's blog, consider yourself warned and hopefully remedied. :)

Cheers,

Geek Girl

PS-Do YOU have questions about technology-related stuff that YOU want answered? Email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

Terms of Endearment and a Photoshop Type Tip

For anyone who has ever wondered, or even for those who have never given it a thought, I would like to explain two common terms that are used to describe something that you already know exists, but probably never knew that it even had a name.

The terms of endearment of which I speak are in regards to typeography, something which is near and dear to my heart (but also something, that when done in the wrong font or style, can drive me absolutely nuts!!). I know, I know, I'm a geek.

The first term describes the horizontal spacing in between characters. This is called "kerning." The second describes the vertical spacing in between lines of characters (i.e. "line spacing"), and it is called "leading." You can usually control both of these measurements depending on what type of software you are using.

KERNING AND LEADING IN PHOTOSHOP

While working with type in Photoshop, you have the option of increasing and decreasing both kerning and leading. To pull up the character window in Photoshop, go to the "Window" menu, and select "Character." A little box will pop up with lots of fun little ways in which you can edit and customize your type. The top two options will appear as drop-down menus, as shown in the screengrab below:

They are pretty self-explanatory, and the best way to learn is to experiment depending on the project and the space you have. For more technical info, here are the links to more info on kerning and leading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading

Cheers!

Geek Girl

Geek Girl is Coming!!

I am working on an exciting, new, FREE video podcast that will be debuting here soon! Stay on the lookout for it...it will be as fun as it is informative and entertaining.

Cheers,

Geek Girl

Here's a hint about the 1st episode:

"PodWhat?"