Week of March 5 - 10

Kim's Club for just 99 cents!

You've been wanting to become a Kim's Club member! This is the perfect time! This weekend only you can join for just 99 cents! Don't miss this exciting opportunity. Go to the sign-up page now, but ignore those "normal" prices. Use promo code 99CENTS.

QUESTION

Hi Kim. I really trust your expertise on all things tech. I have a question about extended warranties - specifically AppleCare for my iMac. I bought the computer almost a year ago and need to decide soon whether to buy AppleCare and extend the coverage for another two years. I've heard great things about the longevity of Apple products, so I'm on the fence. What do you think about AppleCare?
-Marsha of Lima, NY, listens to my national radio show on WHAM 1180 AM.

ANSWER

I don't blame you for being on the fence about AppleCare. It's a tough decision. Maybe that's why Apple gives customers up to a year to think about it! As you know Marsha, all Apple hardware comes with a one-year warranty. You also receive free phone technical support for up to 90 days after buying a product. AppleCare provides an extra two years of hardware service and phone support for Macs and computer displays. The gadget plans provide an extra year of coverage for your iPod, iPhone, iPad or Apple TV.

Read on for more about the pros and cons of AppleCare for laptops, iPhones and other gadgets. >>

QUESTION

Dear Kim, I have been invited to sing in a 50-voice choir touring Europe. Singers are from Alaska, Texas, California and New York. Only one full rehearsal is scheduled - in Rome, Italy, at the start of the two week tour. I am looking for an inexpensive way for the singers to "attend" small group rehearsals online. This would enable us to learn the songs better and improve the quality of performance on the tour. I am also looking for your advice on the best camera to use on the tour. I have an old Nikon Coolpix 2000 and an old Nikormat SLR with a wide angle and telephoto lens. Would you recommend another camera for the trip?
-Bill from Whitesboro, NY, listens to my national radio show on WIBX 950 AM.

ANSWER

That sounds like a fantastic opportunity, Bill, and quite an honor. I'll do my best to help you get ready for it. I'm going to start with the camera, since that's the easiest part. You'll definitely want a new camera for the trip. A digital SLR will take the best photos, but lugging one of those around Europe isn't recommended. I'd recommend a compact travel camera instead. These balance good quality with easy-to-carry size. Make sure to bring along an extra battery and several extra memory cards. Travelers' cameras are among the most stolen items in Italy, so be sure to have a pickpocket-proof plan on how to carry it, too.

Now that the camera talk is out of the way, let's talk about ways to rehearse online. >>

QUESTION

Hi, Kim. A friend is giving me one of his computers to replace my current one. We want to erase all of his files, folders and personal information without erasing Windows. Please help.
-Sherman of Columbus, GA, listens to my national radio show on WSB Atlanta 750 AM/95.5 FM.

ANSWER

It's nice of your friend to give you his computer. And I'm glad you're protecting his personal information. But just deleting files using the Recycling Bin isn't good enough. Deleted files aren't actually gone; they're just hidden waiting to be overwritten. Hackers or computer repair technicians can recover that data. To permanently destroy data, wipe the hard drive with a program like Darik's Boot And Nuke, then reinstall Windows. But that won't work if you want to keep Windows. You'll have to delete and uninstall as much as you can manually.

Read on for a rundown of how to securely delete everything from a PC except the operating system. >>

QUESTION

I saw the iPad announcement on your site. I'm thinking about buying the latest model, but I'm not so sure. The iPad 2 might be enough for my needs and it's less expensive. What do you think?
-Clive from Wilmington, DE, listens to my national radio show on WILM 1450 AM .

ANSWER

Yes, Apple finally announced the long-awaited third-generation iPad. About that name - it really is "the new iPad," not "iPad 3" or "iPad HD," as late rumors said. Aside from the vague name, the important points are that the new iPad has gorgeous, high-resolution Retina display, a faster processor with built-in quad-core graphics, blazing fast 4G cellular Internet and a higher-resolution rear camera. Basically, it fixes virtually all of my frustrations with the iPad 2. In addition to the new iPad, Apple is still making the iPad 2. It's selling only the 16 gigabyte model, but now for $100 less than before. Depending on your needs, the iPad 2 might be a better option.

So, which one do you choose? Read on to find out my recommendation. >>

QUESTION

Hi Kim. I've installed two 42-inch TVs in a new building at church. I want the TVs to display the same content simultaneously from a variety of sources: laptop, DVD, cable and Internet. I plan to add a third TV later. I was thinking of getting an AV receiver and installing a speaker system as well. It would also be nice if one remote could control everything, because many different people will be using the system. What would you recommend? The church's budget doesn't allow me to hire an AV company. Thanks!
-Hollis of Guntersville, AL, listens to my national radio show on WGSV 1270 AM.

ANSWER

I'm always happy to help volunteers who give so much of their time to churches and service organizations. What you want to do is actually fairly simple. You just need a gadget called an HDMI splitter. A 1x4 HDMI splitter will split one HDMI signal into four, so you can run up to four TVs from the same signal. You can find these online for $50 to $80. You might be tempted to grab a less expensive 1x2 splitter. However, since you want to expand the number of TVs in the future, I'd grab the 1x4 now. The other thing you'll need to buy, as you already figured out, is an AV receiver. This will handle all the input signals from your various gadgets. It will be the heart and brain of your church's AV system, so choose one carefully.

Read on for more about choosing a receiver, hooking up multiple TVs and using a universal remote to control it all. >>

You Need to Know:

What's 'new' in the new iPad?

Apple hopes the new iPad might just be the end of the PC. From its new razor-sharp display to an improved camera and faster speed - I'll show you why they might be right.

Watch it now at TVKim.com! >>

Watch your online spending

It's easy to find great places to shop while you're online. What's much harder is curbing that shopping impulse.

Here are some ways to help you regain control. >>

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