GOOGLE SLIDES - New Templates

 Check out the NEW TEMPLATES in Google Slides! They're awesome!

When I first saw Templates on the right side in Google Slides, I thought that it was replacing Themes because Themes is usually showing on the right side when Google Slides opens. Thankfully, this is not the case. We still have Themes and now we have Templates, too! If you want to see Themes instead of Templates, just click on the word Theme at the top of Google Slides and Themes will open in the right side navigation pane instead of Templates. Also, if you want to see Templates but they're not showing, just click on the Slide tab at the top of Google Slides and then click on Templates. We have so many new templates to choose from that it might be hard to make up your mind. As you scroll through the new templates, you can click on any of the templates to see all of the slides in the template. You can click on any slide in a template to add it to your presentation or you can insert all the slides from a template into your presentation.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JANUARY 2025

 It's a NEW YEAR and Google Slides has some awesome NEW TEMPLATES for you to try out!

GMAIL - Create an Event

It will save you lots of time when you use GMAIL to CREATE AN EVENT and it's so easy!

Being able to create a calendar event from an email while in Gmail is such a great feature! It saves you time because you don't have to leave Gmail and open up your Google Calendar to create an event. This means that you don't have to go back and forth between Gmail and Google Calendar to transfer the information in the email to the calendar event. When you create an event in Gmail, Google transfers the message from the email right into the description for the calendar event. It also makes the subject line of the email the name of the calendar event and automatically adds the person who sent the email as an invitee. You can add additional guests and edit the guest list, if needed. The main thing that you need to do is edit the date and the time to make sure that they're correct. The default is the date and time when you're creating the event so you definitely need to make sure that you change the date and time to match the information in the email.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - DECEMBER 2024

 You'll be giving yourself the GIFT of time when you use GMAIL to CREATE AN EVENT!

GOOGLE DOCS - Document Tabs

 We finally have the new DOCUMENT TABS in GOOGLE DOCS and they're awesome!

Document Tabs in Google Docs are finally here! We've had tabs available in Google Sheets but we've never had them in Google Docs before. Now you can have multiple tabs (pages), each with a name, all in one document. If you use Headings in your Google Doc, they will appear in the tab list below the name of the tab that they're on. You can name a tab anything you want but the Headings will appear in the list with the same text as they have in the Google Doc.  When Document Tabs open, you'll see Tab 1 ready for you. You can add a subtab, duplicate a tab, rename a tab, choose an emoji for a tab, and copy the link for a tab using the 3 dot menu. You'll notice that there's no Delete option for Tab 1 in the 3 dot menu because it can't be deleted. When you have multiple tabs, you can delete any of them except one. When you have only one tab, you can't delete it. If you don't want to use tabs, you can just ignore Tab 1, but I think you're going to like using Document Tabs!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2024

 I'm so THANKFUL that we finally have the new DOCUMENT TABS in GOOGLE DOCS!

GOOGLE SLIDES - Import Theme

 IMPORT THEME in GOOGLE SLIDES is the perfect way to use saved theme templates!

The Import Theme feature in Google Slides is amazing! I'm always looking for great templates for Google Slides and one of my favorite sources is Slidesmania (slidesmania.com). The templates are free and they're saved in your Google Drive. With Import Theme, I can import a saved theme template and I can choose the slides that I want to use from all of the slides. This is instead of using the template and having all of the slides in my presentation and having to delete the ones I don't want to use. Also, this eliminates the possibility that I would accidentally use the template and then I would no longer have my template that I could use again. I could make a copy of the template and use the copy but then I would again have all of the slides in my presentation. Import Theme is the perfect solution. You have access to all the slides but you can pick and choose the ones you want to use. You will still have your template saved in your Google Drive and you will still be able to customize any slides that you use in your presentation.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2024

Using IMPORT THEME in GOOGLE SLIDES is a great TRICK and definitely a TREAT!

GMAIL - Offer Available Times

 Did you know that you can use GMAIL to OFFER AVAILABLE TIMES for meetings and events? Check it out!

If you've ever sent emails back and forth with someone trying to find a date that works for both of you, Gmail has a better way! You can use the Gmail feature to Offer Available Times! When you click the calendar icon at the bottom of the Compose window, you'll have the option to select Offer Times You're Free. Click on that option and you'll be able to select dates and times that you're available in a Calendar Sidebar that opens. After selecting a date, you can click on a time or click and drag to select a block of time. You can add other dates and do the same thing. You can even add a Google Meet and add a description. When you're ready, click on Add to Email. The body of your email will now have a list of time slots showing your available dates and times! When you send the email, the recipient will be able to select the time slot that works for them and the event will be added to your calendar and to their calendar.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2024

 It's FALL planning time and you can use GMAIL to OFFER AVAILABLE TIMES for all those meetings!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Pre-Built Tables

 See how easy it is to use the new PRE-BUILT TABLES in GOOGLE SHEETS!

When you open Google Sheets now, you'll see the new side panel for Pre-Built Tables open automatically on the right. You don't even have to look for this new feature! If, for some reason, the Pre-Built Tables side panel doesn't open, you can access it by clicking the Insert tab and clicking on Tables. The panel will now appear on the right side of your Google Sheet. You can also type @ and when the menu appears click on Tables. The side panel for Pre-Built Tables will open. Pre-Built Tables include smart chips, placeholders, and custom color palettes. There are categories listed and under each category are options to choose. Click the arrow by a category name to see the options. When you scroll over any option, you'll see a preview of the table in Google Sheets. After you decide on a Pre-Built table that you want to use, click the Insert tab shown right beside it and the table will be inserted into your Google Sheet.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - AUGUST 2024

It's as EASY AS ABC to insert the new PRE-BUILT TABLES in GOOGLE SHEETS!

GOOGLE DRIVE - Dark Theme

 It's finally here! We have DARK THEME in GOOGLE DRIVE now!

Many people like using a dark theme on their phones. If you're one of those people and you've been waiting to get Dark Theme in Google Drive, your wait is over. Dark Theme is finally here in Google Drive! All you have to do is click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of Google Drive, then click on Settings. When the Settings page opens, scroll down to Appearance and you'll have the option to select - Light, Dark, or Device Default. When you select Dark, the page will automatically have the Dark Theme. Click the back arrow in the upper left hand corner to leave the Settings page and go back to Google Drive. You'll see your Google Drive is set to Dark Theme! If you ever want to change back, just follow the same steps and select Light instead of Dark under Appearance on the Settings page.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JULY 2024

 If you've been waiting for DARK THEME in GOOGLE DRIVE, you can CELEBRATE now! It's here!

GMAIL - Snooze

 The SNOOZE feature in GMAIL will help you control you Inbox.

Snooze is a great way to keep down the number of emails in your Inbox and also make sure that you don't forget about an email. If you receive an email that you don't want or need to deal with right now, you can Snooze it. You can even select the date when you'll be ready to deal with it. Snooze will take the email out of your Inbox and put it in the Snoozed label on the left below the Inbox. It will stay there until the date that you selected and then it will appear back in your Inbox so you don't forget about it. If you need to look at the email before the date you selected, you can click on the Snoozed label and see the emails that are Snoozed. You can even Unsnooze an email there, if you need to.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JUNE 2024

 Don't want to deal with an email right now? NO SWEAT! You can SNOOZE it in GMAIL!

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!