Episode 11.1: Wacom Outta the Park

Hey GeekGirl Gang! Ever wanted to know what a graphic pen & tablet or WACOM tablet was? Wanna know how you can replace your mouse forever in an ergonomic and way cooler way? Check out this video to find out!



Hope you liked it! Email or Tweet at me with any questions or comments or post below! And here's a link to all those case studies I promised you: CASE STUDIES.


Keep checking back for more great news and brand spankin' new videos, sponsored by Roddenberry.com!

You can email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net

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Cheers,

GeekGirl

GeekGirl Quickie 3: Travel Gads!

Hey Geek Guys and Gals!

As promised, here is the QUICKIE that I shot right before I left on my trip to Bali, Indonesia. I didn't have time to finish editing & uploading it before I went, so I finished it this week, right when I got back! I talk about some fun gadgets that I call "travel essentials" that complement my high-tech, plugged-in life. Check it out and let me know your thoughts:




I'm working on Episode 7, a topic that I can proudly say was suggested by a GeekGirl blog buddy, and it's going to focus on the ubiquitous iPhone. If you have any gripes about the iPhone, either the previous versions or the latest & greatest, email them to me at geek.girl@earthlink.net. I'd especially love some VIDEO QUESTIONS emailed to me in any format as long as the file size doesn't exceed 7 MB (or, upload your question to YouTube and send me a link!) and I just MIGHT include your video question in the next podcast! (PS-the video question can be about ANYTHING that you think I might be able to answer for you!)

That's all for now, gang.
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 (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...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,

GeekGirl

Another Geek Girl Quickie!

Hey Guys!

I just got overly excited about some gadgets and decided to film another "Geek Girl Quickie" so that I could share with y'all! Stay tuned; it should post today or tomorrow (I'm putting the finishing touches on the editing and graphics now...!).

If you haven't checked out my two-part video podcast on Being Green yet, now is a great time to catch up. ;) Check both episodes out here:

Part 1:


Part 2:






Be green, friends! And don't forget to check back for a GGQ in the next two days!



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 (click HERE for my iTunes Podcast Home Page, and then click "subscribe")...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

Another Geek Girl Quickie-Episode 5.1: FlipCam Fun!

Hi Blog Buddies! So, I'm in production on some more exciting Geek Girl podcasts and have been busy answering your questions (thanks for sending them in! Remember that no question is too small or too big, and I'll always admit if I don't know the answer, but I'll help you find it!). Anywhoo, I was sitting at home after work the other night, and a friend/neighbor/co-worker of mine was going to come over for some 1-on-1 Geek Girl lessons on using his FlipCam with his brand new Mac (he JUST switched from PC--can we all say "Yay Bob!"?). The problem was that the FlipCam he had was made for use with PC's, and so was the software that came with it. Geek Girl to the rescue! I decided to do another impromptu Video Blog (notice the lack of my usual logo background and my Geek Girl glasses!) to share the process with all of you as well, just in case you're having the same issues! But don't worry if you're a PC user, understanding the basic principles in the process will be helpful for you no matter what platform you work on. So, here it is!





So make sure you email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net with your questions & comments!

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

Geek Girl Goes Green! (and needs you)

Hello Blog Buddies!

Here is some formal thanks/business/cross-promotion to tend to before the actual topic of this post is addressed:

It has been a while since I've posted a new blog and/or podcast, and I've missed you all! Thanks for all of the emails and support you continue to send me, especially when myself and the whole Tonight Show staff got laid off for a month and when we were off the air for TWO months due to the writer's strike that is currently going on in Hollywood. The Tonight Show is back on the air now, and all of our super-cool web-features are back up and running (that's what I'm in charge of there). Click HERE to check out the Tonight Show website and all the cool original web shows and content that's there (pssssst-especially The John and Ross Show, (click HERE), featuring Ross Mathews and John Melendez from The Tonight Show. I'm a producer on that show, it's great fun and you get cool never-before-seen behind the scenes footage of the magic that is The Tonight Show. Watch the Q&A sessions to see how you can send in a video question and be featured on the NBC website in and episode of The John and Ross Show!).

OK, and now for the GREEN!

I just got an email from a Geek Girl viewer who gave me a great idea. Rick sent in the following tip about Recycling DVR boxes:

"You know when you subscribe to DirectTV and they make you buy the DVR? Well, if you leave DirecTV, the DVR becomes useless, you can sell it, and even then the person will have to get a new card. Well, inside the DVR is a150 gig hard drive. You can pop it out and put it into your PC, not sure about Macs tho. Someday I'll get around to buyin' a Mac. You just have to reformat the hard drive and you have an extra 150 gigs to store media or backup you PC/Mac or whatever. They did make you buy it."

What a great idea, right? I don't have a DVR since I have Cable and TiVo, so I had no idea about this. Then I got to thinking...there MUST be tons of ways to recycle/reuse your gadgets when you are done with them (I already have a few tricks up my sleeve that I'll include), so I'm going to do a whole Geek Girl Goes Green video podcast with all of YOUR ideas! You can even send me videos of yourself talking to me and telling me your recycling idea, or even a video demo of you showing me how to do it! Anything goes here, even tips on traditional disposal-recycling of electronics equipment. Everyone say "Thanks, Rick!" for the great tip that lead to a great idea. :)

So make sure you email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net with your Green ideas! And keep the regular questions & comments coming.

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

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

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