Facebook Is At It Again

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Facebook just changed your email address in your profile and replaced it with an "@facebook.com" address without asking you. How to easily fix it?

Facebook launched their email system in 2010, which was pretty much ignored by everyone. This morning, Forbes commented that they removed everyone's email addy from their profiles, and replaced it with an "@facebook.com" addy instead (not their internal email addy for notifications and password resets, just the one listed on your profile). Fortunately, it is easy to get your original email address back:

1. Click "About" on your profile and scroll down to your email address. Click "Edit" to change.
2. Click the circle next to your Facebook email address and change its setting to "Hidden From Timeline."
3. Click the circle next to your other email address and change the settings to "Shown On Timeline".
4. Click the Save button (Remember this step).

That's all it takes. Unless like me, you never migrated to Timeline. Still easy, just read the screens. Is an easy, quick fix, but it surprised me that Facebook did this without asking my permission or notified me that it was happening. And, I have a couple of Facebook accounts now to "reconcile." But, it is all good.

Navigating the New Super-Highway

Let's be honest, today's lifestyle is so fast paced that it surprises me that we don't get more speeding tickets. I'm not talking about how you drive you car, but how you deal with the speed of the internet and how fast we can communicate with each other. This entry is based on my own personal thoughts on keeping connected to your life.

A key concern that we all have, is how to keep the work life separate from the personal life, especially if we travel a lot for work purposes. A simple solution to that, based on my perspective, is to buy a hard drive disk that works with your work laptop chassis. For the low cost of about $50, I could pack my personal hard drive in my carry on luggage, and using a small Phillips head screwdriver, could get online in the hotel, check all of my PERSONAL emails, Facebook, and search for whatever I wanted, without my company tracking it. If they are going to provide me with the tools to do my job, why not take advantage of that for personal reasons when I have to travel? Unscrew one or two small screws, slide out the company hard drive, slide in my personal one, and not worry about "big brother" watching me. I didn't have to lug a second laptop around with me to get through the TSA.

English: McDonalds' sign in Harlem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The second largest concern we have, is how to "get online." Having a smartphone helps, since most cell phone companies have them, but I want to view things in a larger perspective, and keep my phone bill low. Free wi-fi is available all around us. You just have to find some close to you. Sure, most hotel chains offer it now, but what do you do when you are in the middle of nowhere? Go to a Starbucks or McDonald's or even local library. Sure, you might have to buy a horrible tasting coffee or burger, but you get access to the internet. If you live in an apartment complex (like I do), consider going "halfsies" with a neighbor on the bill. You can both set up your own profiles, but cut your costs in half.

So, it comes down to the last point, "I'm not a geek, I don't want to work that hard, what can I do?" See the Portable Apps entry. My first iPod is now nothing more than a USB drive. But I use it more now than I did for my music. There are ways out there, to expand your horizon, that don't impede you. Embrace life...live it...connect in any way that you can.