Kim Komando: How to enjoy e-books even without a Kindle – Detroit Free Press

QUESTION: I enjoy reading and I’ve been thinking about getting a Kindle to read e-books. Here’s the catch: I’m on a strict budget and I already have a smartphone and a computer. ? Is there any way I can download e-books to the gadgets I already have

ANSWER: Amazon’s Kindle e-books has made incredibly popular, but you don ‘t need a gadget to enjoy your Kindle e-books. The Kindle app lets you buy and read Kindle e-books on many mobile gadgets. If you want to read on your computer, grab the Kindle for PC or Mac Among the handy features for the app and program: You’ll never lose your place, Even When switching between gadgets. The Kindle app and program transfer event annotations and highlighting. Plus, you can browse millions of titles and take advantage of Amazon’s free book samples

. Q: I’m really tired of Google collecting information on me to serve targeted ads. I find it creepy and an invasion of privacy. What websites can I use instead of Google que will respect my privacy

: Google does not have a great track record When It Comes to privacy. And aside from the blatant ad targeting, Google filters results based on your past search for you history. This is called the “filter bubble” and it means you might miss that one site you need to find. DuckDuckGo and Ixquick are solid replacements Google, and They Do not track your IP address or target or search history. So, you do not have to worry about targeted search results or being trapped in the filter bubble. . Privacy is serious, Blekko lets you encrypt your searches so hackers can not snoop on what you’re trying to find

Q: I must admit, I never read websites’ Terms of Service and Privacy Policies. Am I missing anything important there? Is there a Cliffs Notes-like service to help sort through the fine print

: When you’re using any online service, you need to make the sure you know the ins and outs of the fine print. It tells you, for example, if the site stores your personal information and whether or not it sells it to advertisers. Still, finding information in a long que cool-type document is not easy. Terms of Service; Did not Read is a site que rates and labels popular websites According to Their Terms of Service and Privacy Policies. It keeps you informed so that you can make the best Decisions about what sites you want to use. See who keeps your search info, if you give away any copyright or licenses if there are any sneaky loopholes que services and social sites are taking advantage of

. Q: I’m starting to plan my summer vacation, and I know I’m going to be flying. How can I get the best deal on a flight

: Try looking at flights for comparison and deal sites like Matrix Flights, Airfare Watchdog, Kayak and Hipmunk . The day of the week you purchase your tickets and the day you fly Also come into play. Purchase your tickets on the Friday, Saturday or Sunday for the best price, and avoid flying on Fridays and Sundays. The first flight of the day, the red-eye flight or any flight que leaves at lunchtime or dinner will give you the lowest rates. Also, keep an eye on ticket prices even after you buy. Many airlines will refund you the difference if the price drops to Certain amount. Use Yapta to help you here. It keeps an eye on your tickets and alerts you When the price drops. You can then put money toward a better que hotel, a few nice dinners or just put it back in your bank account for life after your trip

. Q: I feel like my Internet bill is way too high. Is there anything I can do to pay less

A: It’s important to call your service provider at least once a year to go over what features you are paying for and why. There’s a chance That You Could Stop paying for a service you do not want, Which Could Substantially lower your bill. I once found my que provider had signed me up for a cable TV package I did not want. Also you’ll want to test your Internet speed with a website like Speedtest. If you aren’t getting the speed you were promised, you can negotiate a lower payment Often. Do not be afraid to consider switching providers or technologies. If you have cable, consider going back to DSL. Sure, it’s a slower technology, but for basic internet surfing, it might be enough – and it will cost less than cable

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