Computer Chronicles
Version 8.6, Spring Update
Spring Reminders
- Please be sure your Chromebook carts are plugged in each night and that each Chromebook is accounted for and charging. (The list of missing/damaged Chromebooks is on the Google Team Drive)
- If a Chromebook is missing, please let me know ASAP so I can start to track it down.
- Please be sure to shut off your computer before you leave each day.
- Please be sure to turn off your LCD projector when not in use.
- Do *NOT* stack the Chromebooks. If you need to transport them outside of a cart, be sure you make multiple trips and do not allow students to pile them up. We've had two cracked LCDs this month already. Extra care will go along way.
Gmail turned 15 this month!
Gmail started as a limited beta release on April 1, 2004 and ended its testing phase on July 7, 2009. We were lucky enough to be part of their beta testing and were the first school in NJ to begin using Gmail. I sent the very first Gmail for our schools on April 24, 2006!
Keep an eye out for some cool changes coming to our email:
- Scheduled email - send emails when you want
- Smart Compose - suggestion and sentence completion
- Threading changes in Gmail conversation view
- Improved Sid Panel - access Tasks, Calendar and my personal favorite Google Keep
Basic computer tips everyone should know
Many tech issues can be avoided if users understand computer fundamentals and a few tricks of the trade. Over the next few issues I'll be giving you some tips from myself and other IT professionals that can help you avoid computer calamities.
Clicking on a link 50 times won't make it open any faster, either.
Having a happy finger might unexpectedly cause 50 windows to pop up once your computer decides to start responding again.
Add audio and customize theme colors in Slides
You can now edit the theme colors for your presentations in Slides, making it easier to set up a new theme, or apply bulk color changes to existing presentations. Previously, we only supported custom colors that were not linked to the presentation theme.
Now, users can easily customize the color palette associated with a theme. In any color picker dropdown, click the edit button for your Theme color palette. In the Theme color sidebar, select a color from the dropdown to begin editing.
We also now have the ability for users to embed MP3 and WAV audio files from Drive into Slides.
Magni Momenti Notitia
- Looking for a document? Be sure to check the Team Drive for the district and your school.
- Visit the Information Technology page on the district website for the latest news.
- "Think before you click."
- Got a tech problem? Please submit a help desk ticket here: https://sapublicschools.freshdesk.com/helpdesk (Be sure to use the Google button to login.)
- What season is it best to go on a trampoline? Spring time!
"An invasion of armies can be resisted; an invasion of ideas cannot be resisted."
Michael Elson
Book some time: https://melson.youcanbook.me/
Email: melson@sapublicschools.com
Website: http://www.sapublicschools.com/departments/information_technology
Phone: 732.387.3559
Twitter: @mjelson