GOOGLE SLIDES - Speaker Spotlight

You'll be the star of the Slideshow with SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT in GOOGLE SLIDES!

What's the difference between Speaker Spotlight and the new Record feature in Google Slides? They're closely related and they're both new features but I'll explain the difference. Speaker Spotlight is designed to show the presenter on the slide when you're in Slideshow mode. It's most useful when you're presenting remotely. You can put the Speaker Spotlight on all of the slides or you can put it on just specific slides. The shape does not have to be the same on all of the slides and it can be in a different place on any of the slides. You don't have to be recording to use Speaker Spotlight. However, you can use the Record feature to record when you're using Speaker Spotlight. The Record feature will not override the design of the Speaker Spotlight shapes that you have set up and will follow that design. The Record feature is to record your presentation with a camera view of yourself. The Speaker Spotlight feature allows a camera view of yourself on specified slides while you're in Slideshow.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MAY 2024

 Life is ROSY! GOOGLE SLIDES has an awesome new SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT feature!

GOOGLE DRIVE - Lock & Unlock Files

 This is no joke! Look how easy it is to LOCK & UNLOCK FILES in GOOGLE DRIVE!

It's so helpful to be able to lock a file in Google Drive and it's so easy to do. Locking a file prevents anyone, except Owners or Editors, from editing or commenting. You can lock a file in Google Drive by right clicking on the file or by clicking the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner when in the Grid View of Google Drive. Then, hover over File information and click on Lock. To unlock a file, repeat the same steps but it will say Unlock instead of Lock. Click on Unlock and the file will be unlocked. This is all done in Google Drive. When a file is locked, you can open the file and you'll see a little button that says "Locked" in the upper left hand corner. You'll also see that there are no editing tools. You can still view and present the file when it's locked. You can also unlock the file when you have it open. Just click on the button that says "Locked" and you'll have the option to Unlock the file, if you're the Owner or an Editor.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - APRIL 2024

If you don't want people to FOOL around with your GOOGLE DRIVE files, you can easily LOCK & UNLOCK FILES!

GOOGLE DOCS - Auto Summary

Let Google do the work for you with AUTO SUMMARY in GOOGLE DOCS!

Click on the Outline symbol to find Summary. (If the Outline symbol isn't there, click on View and Show Outline.) After you click on the Outline symbol, a panel will open on the left side of your Google Doc and you'll see Summary at the top above the Outline. Click on the + sign next to Summary, and an Auto Summary will be created for you. If you don't want to use the Auto Summary, you can ignore it or you can type over it. If you want to use the Auto Summary, click on the Tab button to accept it. After you have accepted it, you can still edit the Auto Summary. You can also go back and edit the Auto Summary anytime later by clicking on the pencil in the upper right corner of the Auto Summary. Whether you want Google to do the work for you or to just get you started, you should check out Auto Summary!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2024

Try your LUCK with AUTO SUMMARY in GOOGLE DOCS! It's amazing! 

GOOGLE SLIDES - Record Slideshow

 Lights, Camera, Action! Get ready to RECORD SLIDESHOW in GOOGLE SLIDES!

All you have to do to access this great new feature in Google Slides is click on the Record button that now appears in the upper right corner of every Slides presentation and then click on Record New Video. After you enable the camera and microphone on your device, you'll see yourself in the camera view in the bottom right corner of the presentation. Click on the big red button to start recording. Google will display a window for you to click on Allow and then the countdown will begin before the recording starts. When you're done, click on the big red button again and recording will stop. You'll have the option to save the video to Google Drive or to re-record. The video will also be saved in the Google Slides presentation. Just click the Record button in the Google Slides presentation and you'll see the video listed.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - FEBRUARY 2024

 You're going to LOVE the new feature to RECORD SLIDESHOW in GOOGLE SLIDES!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Column Stats

 You'll be amazed at what COLUMN STATS in GOOGLE SHEETS can do!

Column Stats is an amazing feature in Google Sheets! All you have to do is select a column and then click on Data and Column Stats. The rest of the work is done for you! You'll see a Column Stats graph appear on the right in a panel. The graph will give you a great visual representation of the information in the column. You can also scroll down below the graph and see a count breakdown of the items in the column. All of that work is done for you! In the Column Stats panel above the graph, you can select the number of rows that you want to ignore and you can change the column, if you want. When you change the column, the Column Stats in the panel will change to match the new column that you've selected. Column Stats really is amazing!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JANUARY 2024

 Start the NEW YEAR off right by using COLUMN STATS in GOOGLE SHEETS! You'll be amazed at what it does!