GOOGLE SLIDES - Present in a Window

 If you PRESENT IN A WINDOW in GOOGLE SLIDES, you can move or resize the window while still in slideshow mode!

I think that being able to present in a window is a great feature in Google Slides because it gives you so many options. When a slideshow is in full screen it takes up your whole screen. If you present in a window, you still have the full screen view of the slideshow but it's in a window so you can see your other windows. You can also separate the window tab from the other tabs and move the window around while still seeing the full screen view. You can also resize the window to show other windows while you're viewing the slideshow. Whatever you do to adjust the window, you can still navigate through the slideshow just as you do in full screen. I have used all of these options and I find them really helpful whenever I'm presenting a slideshow in Google Meet.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - DECEMBER 2022

 Being able to PRESENT IN A WINDOW in GOOGLE SLIDES is a real GIFT!

GOOGLE CALENDAR - Appointment Schedules

 APPOINTMENT SCHEDULES will eventually replace Appointment Slots in GOOGLE CALENDAR so try it out now!

Appointment Schedules will eventually replace Appointment Slots. For now, if you don't have this feature, you can turn it on and try it out. I was really excited to see the new Appointment Schedules and I've been anxiously waiting to try it out. I kept wondering when it would show up on my Google Workspace account and I finally realized that I just needed to turn it on. It was worth the wait! Appointment Schedules has more options than Appointment Slots and has a cleaner, more polished look. The Booking Page button is a big improvement and the actual Booking Page has a great look that makes is so easy for someone to select a time slot. Appointment Schedules is a great new feature in Google Calendar!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2022

 I'm so THANKFUL that we finally got the new APPOINTMENT SCHEDULES in GOOGLE CALENDAR!

GOOGLE DOCS - Pageless Docs

A great new way to view GOOGLE DOCS is as PAGELESS DOCS!

Pageless Docs in Google Docs is a great new feature! Many Google Docs are only viewed online so making them Pageless makes them easier to view. Also, with Pageless Docs, you're not limited to what fits on a regular Google Docs page. You will have more width with Pageless Docs and there will be no page breaks. As an added feature, you can change the background color with Pageless Docs. If you like viewing all of your Google Docs as Pageless Docs, you can even make Pageless Docs the default setting.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2022

 The new PAGELESS DOCS feature in GOOGLE DOCS is a real TREAT (not a TRICK)!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Insert a Date Picker

 It's so easy to INSERT A DATE PICKER to enter dates in a Google Sheet!

If a date has already been chosen in a cell that has the Date Picker, you can still double click on the cell and the Date Picker will appear so that you can select another date. Also, when you insert a Date Picker, the default format for dates is like this example - 2022-09-02 for September 2, 2022. If you want a different format, you can format the cells while you have the cell or range of cells selected. Just click on Format, hover over Number, and click on Date for 9/2/2022 format or click on Custom Date and Time to choose a different format.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2022

 Dates will FALL into place when you INSERT A DATE PICKER in GOOGLE SHEETS!

GOOGLE CHROME - Link to Highlighted Text

 It's easy to get a LINK TO HIGHLIGHTED TEXT in GOOGLE CHROME and it's so helpful!

Getting a link to highlighted text in Google Chrome is the perfect solution if you want to direct someone to specific text on a website. You can provide the link and when someone clicks on it, the website will open right at the highlighted text. You can also paste the link in a blank web page and get the same results. This is great for teachers when they want to direct students to specific information on a website. You can be guaranteed that they will see the correct information because it is highlighted!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - AUGUST 2022

 It's as EASY AS ABC to get a LINK TO HIGHLIGHTED TEXT in GOOGLE CHROME!

GOOGLE DOCS - Dropdown Menus

 DROPDOWN MENUS in GOOGLE DOCS are a great new feature that can be used so many ways!

Whether you create a dropdown menu template or use a preset dropdown, there are so many ways that you can use dropdown menus in Google Docs. You can create a table with dropdown menus inserted, have them inserted in a body of text, or use them to select an answer to a question. Dropdown menus are perfect for voting, rating, choice boards, or rubrics. The possibilities are endless since dropdown menus can be used for anything that has a list of choices. Check out how easy it is to use this new feature in Google Docs!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JULY 2022

 DROPDOWN MENUS in GOOGLE DOCS are a new feature that will make you want to CELEBRATE!

GOOGLE CALENDAR - Appointment Slots 2022

 APPOINTMENT SLOTS in GOOGLE CALENDAR make scheduling so easy!

I like to create a special Google calendar first and then create the Appointment Slots on that calendar. This makes it easier for me to check the appointment schedule because it's separate from my regular calendar. This also keeps my regular calendar from being too cluttered. If I need to see the appointments along with my regular calendar items, I can always select both calendars and view the calendars together. Also, remember that Google Calendar Appointment Slots can only be created and used by someone with a Gmail account. If you don't have a Gmail account, you won't be able to sign up for someone else's Appointment Slots in Google Calendar.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JUNE 2022

 It's NO SWEAT to create APPOINTMENT SLOTS in GOOGLE CALENDAR and it makes scheduling so easy!

GOOGLE CHROME - Share Button

Click on the SHARE BUTTON in GOOGLE CHROME to make a QR Code and more!

Did you know that Google Chrome has a built in QR Code generator? It's the Share Button! I've been using a Chrome extension to create QR Codes and now I can just use the Share Button. It's so easy! The QR Code it generates even has a cute dinosaur in the middle of it. How fun is that?!? With the Share Button, I can also quickly share any web page to Facebook, Twitter, reddit, LinkedIn, or Pinterest. Look for the Share Button in the omnibox on a desktop and try it out!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MAY 2022

 Using the SHARE BUTTON in GOOGLE CHROME to make a QR Code will make your life ROSY!

GOOGLE DOCS - Insert a Watermark

We've been waiting for this! You can INSERT A WATERMARK in GOOGLE DOCS now! Hooray!

It's great to have so many options with formatting a watermark in Google Docs. When you select a picture, you can scale it, fade it, resize it, rotate it, reposition it, recolor it, and adjust the transparency, brightness, or contrast. You can really make that watermark picture look exactly like you want! There are also some great options when you insert text. You can choose your font (my favorite thing to do), font size, font color, make it bold or italicized, select the transparency, and make it diagonal or horizontal. It's so easy to make any edits to your watermark, too. All you have to do is click on Insert and Watermark, just like you did to get started.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - APRIL 2022

 This is no JOKE! You can now INSERT A WATERMARK in GOOGLE DOCS with lots of great formatting options!

GOOGLE SLIDES - Slideshow Auto-Play

 Check out the new Slideshow button in GOOGLE SLIDES and see how easy it is to have your SLIDESHOW AUTO-PLAY!

Many times when people want a slide presentation that can be auto-played, they will use the Publish to the Web feature in Google Slides. This works great but it's not as easy as Slideshow Auto-Play. Using Slideshow Auto-Play eliminates having to create a separate link, which is what you get with Publish to the Web. Also, if you're presenting live and decide to Auto-Play, you don't have to stop and go through the Publish to the Web process. You can start Auto-Play right away while you're live in the presentation. It's fast and easy!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2022

It's your LUCKY day! Look how easy it is to have your SLIDESHOW AUTO-PLAY with GOOGLE SLIDES! 

GOOGLE CHROME - Search Open & Closed Tabs

This is a lifesaver! You can SEARCH OPEN & CLOSED TABS in GOOGLE CHROME!

The little down arrow in the upper right corner of Google Chrome is hard to see but once you use it, you will go back to it over and over again. Being able to re-open a tab that you recently closed can be a lifesaver but being able to easily find an open tab can be just as useful. I have two monitors so I always drag tabs to my other monitor and then I have multiple tabs open on both monitors. I also separate tabs all the time so there can be lots of "loose" tabs on both monitors. Now I won't have a problem finding any of my tabs!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - FEBRUARY 2022

 You're going to LOVE being able to SEARCH OPEN & CLOSED TABS in GOOGLE CHROME!

GOOGLE DOCS - Smart Chips

The new SMART CHIPS in GOOGLE DOCS can be used for so many things!

Smart Chips are such a great new feature in Google Docs because they provide information about people, files, and calendar events and a connection to them right in your Google Doc. They can be used in so many ways and work great in Hyperdocs. Typing the @ symbol, not only makes it easy to insert a Smart Chip, it also gives you easy access to insert lists, media, headings, page components, and more. Just type the @ symbol and see what pops up!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JANUARY 2022

 Celebrate the NEW YEAR by trying out the new SMART CHIPS in GOOGLE DOCS!