GOOGLE SLIDES - Add GIFS and Stickers

 Check out this great new GOOGLE SLIDES feature - ADD GIFS AND STICKERS!

Amidst all of the debate about how to pronounce "GIF", Google Slides has added a new feature to be able to Add GIFs and Stickers. It's so easy to insert GIFs and Stickers into your Slides presentations. All you have to do is click on Insert, hover over Image, and click on GIFS and Stickers. When the navigation pane opens, type what you're searching for and you'll have a good selection to choose from. After inserting, you still have edit options. You can move the GIFs and stickers around, resize them, and even crop them. In the example, I cropped my GIF to a shape (circle). Check out this great new feature. It's easier than figuring out if you pronounce GIF like "Jif" or like "gift”!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - DECEMBER 2023

 The new feature to ADD GIFS AND STICKERS in GOOGLE SLIDES is a real GIFT!

GOOGLE DRIVE - Mix Folders and Files

Now you can MIX FOLDERS AND FILES to organize your GOOGLE DRIVE in a new way!

This new feature in Google Drive is awesome! It's great to have the option to "Show Folders" in a different way by mixing folders and files. If you have your Google Drive organized a specific way, you should select "Mixed With Files" to see what it does to your Google Drive. You might like having your folders and files mixed and it might make your Google Drive even more organized. If you don't have your Google Drive organized (you know who you are), you should also select "Mixed With Files" and see if it helps you get more organized. If you don't like the way your Google Drive looks with folders and files mixed, you can always go back to the default setting of showing folders "On Top". All you have to do to choose either option is click on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of your Google Drive and make your selection.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2023

 I'm so THANKFUL that we have the option to MIX FOLDERS AND FILES in GOOGLE DRIVE now!

GOOGLE DOCS - Custom Building Block

 You can create a CUSTOM BUILDING BLOCK in GOOGLE DOCS now! This is a great new feature!

Building Blocks are a really useful feature in Google Docs and now you can save your own content as a Custom Building Block. This is a great new feature in Google Docs! You can save custom blocks of text, tables, and chips and then reuse them over and over again. You save the content as a Custom Building Block with a name so that you can insert it again using the name. After you save the Custom Building Block, you can insert it using Insert > Building Blocks > Custom Building Block > click on the Saved Name. You can also insert it using the @ symbol. When you type @, a list of Building Blocks appears and below it is a list of your Custom Building Blocks. Just scroll down until you see the name of your saved Custom Building Block and click on it. There's also an edit feature (pencil icon) and a manage feature to edit and manage your saved Custom Building Blocks.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2023

 Being able to create a CUSTOM BUILDING BLOCK in GOOGLE DOCS is a great TRICK and a real TREAT!

GOOGLE SLIDES - Annotate

 You can ANNOTATE now in GOOGLE SLIDES! Check out this new feature!

Annotate is a new feature in Google Slides and it's awesome! When you're in Slideshow, you can annotate over any slide. This can really add to your presentation and it's so easy to use. Once you turn on the Pen and click on it, you have 4 colors to choose from. After you select the color that you want, you're ready to annotate on the slide. You can add multiple annotations to a slide or just one, depending on what you need. If you want to erase the annotations, just click on the Eraser and click on Erase All. The annotations will be gone but you'll be free to annotate again on the slide or annotate on any other slides in your presentation.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2023

 Just in time for BACK TO SCHOOL, now you can ANNOTATE in GOOGLE SLIDES!

GMAIL - Confidential Mode

GMAIL has a CONFIDENTIAL MODE for emailing sensitive information.

If you have to email sensitive information, using Confidential Mode in Gmail is a great option. The recipient will not be able to forward, copy, print, or download the email that you send. The printer icon does appear in the received email but when they click on it, the recipient will get a message that the email can't be printed. You can also set an expiration date so that the email will no longer be available to the recipient after the expiration date. Also, if a sender deletes a Confidential email, the recipient will no longer have access to it. For even more protection, you can require a passcode. If you require a passcode, you (the sender) will need to provide a cell phone number for the recipient. When you click on Send, you will see a window asking you to enter the recipient's cell phone number. When the recipient receives the Confidential email, they will see a message that says a code will be sent to their cell phone. They will have to enter the code before they can open and read the email.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - AUGUST 2023

 Sending an email in CONFIDENTIAL MODE is as EASY AS ABC with GMAIL!

GOOGLE DOCS - Insert A Timer

 This is amazing! Let's celebrate! You can INSERT A TIMER in GOOGLE DOCS now!

One of the newest Smart Chips options is being able to insert a timer in a Google Doc. This can be done by typing the @ symbol and selecting Timer in the list under Smart Chips or by clicking on Insert > Smart Chips > Timer. Inserting a timer is an awesome feature and can be used so many ways. It's really easy to start, stop, and reset the timer so it can be used over and over. I really like being able to format the timer with a different font, font size, and font color. You can even use a highlight color. All of these things can make your timer really stand out. If you want to use any formatting, you just have to set your formatting first before you type the @ symbol or click on Insert > Smart Chips > Timer. Then, when you insert your timer, it will have the formatting that you chose.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JULY 2023

 You can INSERT A TIMER in GOOGLE DOCS now and it will make you want to CELEBRATE!🧨

GOOGLE SLIDES - Publish to the Web

 Make your GOOGLE SLIDES presentation visible to anyone with PUBLISH TO THE WEB!

Publish to the Web is in a new location. It used to have its own spot on the main File menu but now it's hiding under Share. Technically, Publish to the Web is a way to share your Google Slides presentation, so it makes sense that it's under Share. People who have used Publish to the Web before might have trouble finding it but it has definitely not gone away. It's such a great tool for making your slide presentation visible to anyone on the internet. Also, if you update your slides presentation after you've published it, the presentation will automatically be updated and you won't have to post a new link or get a new embed code. Look for Publish to the Web in its new location and try it out!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JUNE 2023

 It's NO SWEAT to PUBLISH TO THE WEB in GOOGLE SLIDES and make your presentation visible to anyone!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Conditional Formatting

 You have so many options when you use CONDITIONAL FORMATTING in GOOGLE SHEETS! Here is an example.

Conditional Formatting is a great tool in Google Sheets and has so many uses. This example was to find specific text and format it with a color. In addition to other options for finding text, you can also find empty cells, dates, and numbers that are greater than, equal to, or less than a specific amount. You can even use a custom formula. There are lots of options for the formatting, too. You can choose to bold, italicize, underline, or strikethrough cell contents. In addition to choosing a cell color, you can also choose a font color. The example showed the single color option but there is also a color scale option, where you can choose 3 different colors. There are so many possibilities when using Conditional Formatting!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MAY 2023

 Everything really is coming up ROSES when you use CONDITIONAL FORMATTING in GOOGLE SHEETS!

GOOGLE DOCS - Insert A Stopwatch

You can INSERT A STOPWATCH in GOOGLE DOCS now and even use formatting to make it stand out!

You have so many options when you type the @ symbol in a Google Doc. One of the newest options is being able to insert a stopwatch in a Google Doc. This is an awesome feature and can be used so many ways. It's really easy to start, stop, and reset the stopwatch so it can be used over and over. I really like being able to format the stopwatch with a different font, font size, and font color. You can even use a highlight color. All of these things can make your stopwatch really stand out. If you want to use any formatting, you just have to set your formatting first before you type the @ symbol. Then, when you insert your stopwatch, it will have the formatting that you chose.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - APRIL 2023

This is no JOKE! You can now INSERT A STOPWATCH in GOOGLE DOCS! Check out this awesome new feature! 

GOOGLE SLIDES - Eyedropper Tool

 The new EYEDROPPER TOOL in GOOGLE SLIDES makes adding custom colors so much easier!

I'm so happy that Google Slides has this new Eyedropper Tool feature! I always like to match my text color to the colors of my Google Slides presentation so I had to find another way to match custom colors before we got the Eyedropper Tool. I was using a Google Chrome Extension called ColorPick Eyedropper and it worked great but it wasn't as easy as the new Eyedropper Tool in Google Slides. First, I had to install the extension. Each time I used the extension, I had to copy the color code and then go into the custom colors and paste the code to use it. The Eyedropper Tool is so much easier. We don't have to install it because it's built right into Google Slides. We don't have to copy and paste any color code, either. You just select your text, click on the Eyedropper Tool, hover over the color you want, and click. The text is now that color and the color is saved in your custom colors!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2023

You're in LUCK! 🍀 GOOGLE SLIDES now has an EYEDROPPER TOOL for custom colors!

GMAIL - Create a Task

 Check out how easy it is to CREATE A TASK in GMAIL!

There are several ways to create a task in Gmail. In the example, I show you how you can create a task in Gmail in an open email by clicking on Add to Tasks. You can also create a task when you're in your Gmail Inbox by selecting the email (not opening it - just putting a check by it) and clicking on Add to Tasks. Finally, you can create a task if you're in your Gmail Inbox and you have the Task Pane open by clicking and dragging the email over to the Task Pane. In addition to the 3 dot menu for each task (shown in the example), there is also a 3 dot menu for the Task Pane. This additional 3 dot menu can be found in the Task Pane in the upper right next corner to the words "Add a Task". This menu allows you to change the sort for the list, rename a list, delete a list, and print a list. Last of all, it allows you to delete all completed tasks.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - FEBRUARY 2023

 I LOVE how easy it is to CREATE A TASK in GMAIL!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Dropdown Options

Check out the colorful new DROPDOWN OPTIONS in GOOGLE SHEETS!

These new dropdown options make it so much easier to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets. Instead of having to go through Data Validation and type the list with commas, you can just click on Insert and Dropdown and type each list item separately. This makes it so much easier to move the items into a different order, add items, and delete items. You also have the added feature of being able to give each list item a color. This really distinguishes each list item and helps list items stand out easily. For instance, if you make a certain list item red, whenever it is selected, it will really stand out so that you can see the item was selected.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JANUARY 2023

It's a NEW YEAR and there are new DROPDOWN OPTIONS in GOOGLE SHEETS to check out!