Find online promo codes to save money when you shop
— -- Question: I'm all ready to shop online this holiday season, but I like to save a little when I can. How can I find online promo codes than can save me money?
Answer: It's important to note that promo codes come in different shapes and sizes. Some offer a percentage off your total order or save you a specific dollar amount. Sometimes codes may give you freebies, such as free shipping. Check out Retail-Me-Not. It boasts coupon codes for 130,000 stores! Other great sites include CouponCabin, CurrentCodes and KeyCode. If you don't find your favorite retailer at one site, be sure to check the others. Visit http://www.komando.com/news for more about online promo codes.
Q: I'll be traveling over the holidays and prefer to use Wi-Fi instead of my cellular connection. How can I find free Wi-Fi connections?
A: Wi-Fi is definitely the way to go when you travel. You can kill time at the airport or on the road, and you can keep in touch with your family. But you need a good hot spot so you avoid those cellular data charges. There are some great programs and online services that can find the best free Wi-Fi. Try The Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory, JiWire (and the JiWire App), and Connectify. All three will help you connect for free to the Web.
Q: I have a Kindle app on my smartphone to download e-books from Amazon. Now, I'm looking at buying an e-reader. Will other e-readers be compatible with my e-books?
A: Not every e-reader supports the same e-book formats. E-readers are getting better — most support the e-book standard ePub, for instance. However, Amazon is mostly sticking with its proprietary, copy-protected AZW format. You can only use e-books in that format with the Kindle program and Kindle e-readers.
Q. The recent attack that put porn on people's Facebook profiles scared me. I'm afraid of what could end up on my Facebook page. What can I do about this?
A. You're smart to be concerned. Facebook recently got hit by a wave of pornographic spam. When users clicked on seemingly innocent video links, porn would post to their Facebook news feed. This happened partly because people weren't careful enough with their Facebook profile settings. Here's what you can do: Start by regularly checking your own Facebook privacy settings. Try to strike a balance between being open with your friends and family and yet not becoming a target for stalkers and identity thieves. For more guidance on privacy settings, go to http://www.komando.com/news.
Q: I'm going to be doing a lot of flying this season, and I really want to take advantage of the apps that I know are out there. What would be the best travel apps to add to my smartphone?
A: Holiday travel is rough, but I've selected some apps to help you make things a little more enjoyable. Point Inside can help you navigate unfamiliar airports. FlightTrack does just that, tracks the flight you're looking for. And Taxi Magic helps you hail the closest taxi and lets you charge your fare right from your phone! Visit http://www.komando.com/news for more ideas.
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Kim Komando hosts the nation's largest talk radio show about consumer electronics, computers and the Internet. To get the podcast, watch the show or find the station nearest you, visit www.komando.com. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com.