May was a fun month.  We got on the road and left Florida, first stop Sun City Hilton Head where we presented a Picasa seminar to the computer club.  They asked that we talk about making collages (like the picture at right), so we put together a whole new seminar.  It was so fun, and worked so well, that we will be presenting it at some of our other appearances this summer.  We will also be making a set of videos for our members just on collages.  If you are a paid member, expect a notice within the week for a 'Short-Course' on Collages.

After leaving Hilton Head, we traveled to NW South Carolina and a Thousand Trails park called Carolina Landings.  We are staying here for two weeks, doing lots of catching up on email and website updates, tutorial videos, and articles.  We also set aside a couple of days to be tourists in the area.  There is a fish hatchery nearby, one of my favorite types of places to visit!  There is also a gorgeous waterfall, just over the North Carolina border (pictured above.)  We visited it after a 6 mile hike... I'm so proud of us!  We actually got away from our computers for nearly a whole day!

Summer Schedule

To see everything on our schedule, check out our monthly calendar. In addition to RV Rallies we will also be at some computer clubs in upstate New York in July, and the Quad Cities area of Illinois / Iowa in August.

The next event coming up is a Good Sam RV Rally, called The Rally.  Check it out, The Rally's website has devoted a whole page just to Geeks On Tour!  We will be presenting several of our regular seminars as part of the Rally admission from June 21 - 24.  Plus we will teach two hands-on classes on June 20; Photo Editing with Picasa, and Smartphone Basics.  Bring your laptop or your iPhone / Android and see just how much you can learn in a Geeks on Tour workshop.  Pre-registration is required.

Forum Topics

The Q&A Forums on the Geeks on Tour website are a great place to discuss the topics we cover.  Anyone can read the forums, you need to be a member to post.  Our forum software has recently been updated.  Here's a tutorial video on using our forums.  Here are some topics of interest:

1. Google+ account names and how to contact Google.
2. Crash!?
3. What if I lose my Camera?
4. Using Windows Live Writer with Windows 7
5. Free FoxFi turns DroidX and Razr into WiFi Hotspots
6. The Best Smartphone for Travelers
7. Merging two Picasa Web Albums Accounts

Don't Fall for Timeline Removal Scams

by Jim Guld

Timeline is one of the latest changes in the ever-evolving world of Facebook.  It is a new way to view your profile.  It is different.

Every time change happens, a vocal segment of users wail and gnash their teeth, complaining that now they will be inconvenienced and their privacy will be compromised.

Whenever Facebook makes a change, scammers will try to capitalize on those resisting the changes, wanting to retain the "old way."

There are a couple "Timeline-removing" spam scams making the rounds on Facebook.  They are targeting users who dislike the recently introduced feature and are looking for a way to go back to the old look.  Users who take the bait are encouraged to install a browser plug-in that supposedly removes Facebook Timeline.  Security experts are still unsure what the plug-in does, but advise against installing it.

Another application is called "Facebook Timeline Remover."  This one does not install anything,  Users are invited to complete a collection of surveys for suspicious marketing affiliates.  Phishing.

I always check Snopes.com for info on potential scams.  They say it's not as dangerous as the fear mongers might have you think, but it is still ill-advised to click on any link promising to get rid of Timeline.  http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/timeline.asp.

A Facebook spokesperson said, "Security is a top priority for Facebook, and we devote significant resources to helping people protect their accounts and information. We've built numerous defenses to combat phishing and malware, including complex automated systems that work behind the scenes ... Security is an arms race, and our teams are always working to identify the next threat and build defenses for it."

Even if you could find a legitimate plugin that alters the look of your Facebook profile, you have just added another layer of complexity to your computer.  Next time you have a problem with your Facebook profile, you won't know if it's Faceboook or the plugin.  Just don't do it!  Rather than fighting the change, we recommend taking some time to learn more about Timeline and Facebook in general.  Here is Facebook's Help page on Timeline.  And, here's is Geeks on Tour's learning library page for Facebook.

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What happened to Picasa Web Albums?

by Chris Guld

Picasa Web Albums is still there, but with Google entering the social networks game with Google+, the Web Albums are caught in the middle.  Pictures are the number one things that people want to share using social networking sites.  Google is trying to transition from Picasa Web Albums to Google+ Photos, leaving Picasa Web Albums in tact for those who choose not to join Google+.   This transitional period is messy, and it's changing daily.

When I sat down to write this article, I was hoping I could make sense of it all and give you a nice, neat explanation of how it all works right now.  I can't.  There's just too much, and it's changing too quickly.

Here's what I can tell you:

1. Your photos are being uploaded to one physical location.  There are two interfaces to view that one set of photos: Picasa Web Albums and Google+ Photos  DO NOT delete pictures from one and expect them to still be there in the other - your online pictures only exist once, if you delete them using either interface, they're gone. Think of it like separate parents with joint custody. Both Picasa Web Albums and Google+ Photos have joint custody of your uploaded pictures.  When you're using Picasa Web Albums, you have all the PWA features like slide-shows which are not yet implemented in Google+.
2. If you haven't joined Google+ then you will only have the Picasa Web Albums interface available to you.  Nothing has changed except the button in Picasa 3.9 is now green and reads Share rather than Upload as it was in PIcasa 3.8.
3. If you have joined Google+ then your default interface will be Google+ Photos, but you can manually go to the Picasa Web Albums interface at www.picasaweb.google.com/home
   note: when I say you 'have joined' or 'haven't joined'  I mean that you're logged in with a Google account that "has joined" or "hasn't joined" Google+.  For example, I have several Google accounts - only one of them has joined Google+.  If I log in with one of the others then I "haven't joined" Google+
4. Using Picasa 3.8 on your computer, the button is called Upload and you will be using the Picasa Web Albums interface whether you have joined Google+ or not. 
5. Using Picasa 3.9 on your computer your options are slightly different.  If you have not joinedGoogle+, the button will say Share and you're using the Picasa Web Albums interface.  If you have joined Google+ the button will say Share on Google+ and you're using the Google+ interface to your pictures by default.  Remember - your pictures are being uploaded to the same physical location either way (see #1 above.) 
6. Using Picasa 3.9 and Google+ to create an album viewable by anyone with the link: If you don't 'Add circles or people to share with..' then you are just Uploading - not sharing on Google+.  The album created will be private. Then you can go to the album on Google+, click on Options and change to 'Share Album via Link.'  This is the equivalent of Picasa Web Album's visibility property of 'Limited, anyone with link.'  (see member tutorial video: Picasa 3.9 and Google Plus Sharing)  If you want to join Google+ but you want to keep managing your Web Albums the same way you did in Picasa Web Albums - by sharing links - then this is the technique for you.
7. Image Size and Unlimited Storage: Using Picasa 3.9 and the Share button, if you leave the image size at 'Best for Web Sharing', then you have unlimited storage for free on your Web Albums.  Specifically, any uploaded picture under 2048 pixels (aka'Best for Web Sharing') doesn't count toward your 1GB of free space.
8. Automatic Uploads from your Phone.  If you have Google+ installed on your smartphone, then it can automatically upload any photo taken with your smartphone to a private album called 'From Phone' or, in Picasa Web Albums 'Instant Upload.'

Removing Google+

If you've tried Google+ and you don't like it and want to go back to the way it was before Google+, you can delete your Google+ Profile.  Do not delete your Google account!  That will delete all your photo albums, email accounts, blogs, and whatever else you've created with your Google Account.  To remove Google+ from your Google Account:

1. On any Google product page, click on the dropdown arrow next to your picture in the upper right corner and choose Account
2. On your Google account page, click on Google+ from the left side menu, then scroll to the bottom where it reads, 'Disable Google+' and click the word 'here.'
3. Choose 'Delete Google+ Content' and then click the button Remove selected services.
4. That's it!  Any content you added to Google+ will be gone but your pictures will still be there.  Remember?  Picasa Web Albums had 'joint custody' with Google+.  If you remove Google+, Picasa Web Albums now has sole custody again.  For more details see member tutorial video Removing Google+ to use Picasa Web Albums.  This video takes an existing Google account and adds Google+, showing what happens to the Web Albums.  Then it removes Google+ and shows the results.

Conclusion

If you used Picasa Web Albums like I did - to house photos that I shared with friends via a link (or to embed in blog) - then there is no reason why you can't join Google+.  The text above, #6, explains the procedure I follow to maintain the same functionality.

Some people really like Google+.  It is a lot faster on my smartphone (an Android i.e. Google phone!) than Facebook.  I really like how it allows me to automatically share my Blogger (also Google) blog posts to all my Google+ friends.  And, the new Local feature I expect will be very handy for finding friends' reviews of favorite eating places and other businesses.

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Renew your Verizon Unlimited Data Plan Now

Last year, on July 7, Verizon ended the unlimited data plan for new customers.  This year (we don't know exactly when) they will end it for existing customers.  Meaning, if you have an unlimited data plan now, when you upgrade your phone and sign a new 2 year contract, you will lose that unlimited data - there will be no grandfather rights.  They will be implementing tiered and family sharing plans instead.  For more details, see this PCWorld Article.

So, if you are eligible for an upgrade, do it NOW.  I just upgraded my Droid1 for a new Droid Razr Maxx 4G (a great device!) yesterday, and they continued my unlimited data plan with no questions asked.  I now have unlimited Internet access for two more years, and I'm very happy to have the Razr Maxx -  I think it is the best smartphone for Travelers.

If you're wondering why an unlimited plan is such a good thing, read my article from last year where I go into much more detail.  But, check out the current plan costs.  For $30/mo now you only get 2GB of data per month.  Although that's enough for basic email and web-browsing on your phone, it's not nearly enough if you like watching videos on your phone, or if you like to share your phone's Internet connection with other devices like many of us RV travelers do.  See the forum post: Foxfi turns Droid X and Razr into Hotspots.

Current Verizon Pricing

Although I believe that an unlimited data plan is worth fighting for, it's not as important as it used to be.  It used to be that overages were charged at .25/megabyte.  That added up QUICK!  If you went over your allotment by just 1GB, your overage charge would have been $250!  Now, the overage fee is a flat $10/GB.  So, if you have the $30 for 2GB plan and you use 10GB in one month, your bill will be $110.  That's bad, but not heart-stopping like the per megabyte charge.

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