How to change when your Windows 10 machine goes to sleep.

If you would like to change when your Windows 10 machine goes to sleep try the following:

• Select the Windows icon (bottom left)
• Settings gear
• Power and Sleep
• Adjust when you would like it to sleep on battery as well as when plugged in
• For additional settings - select Additional Power Settings and adjust to fit your needs
• When you have made your adjustments make sure to select Software Center
• Options (top right)
• Power Management
• Make sure to select Do not apply power settings from my IT department

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 38 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

How to add and edit Google's new shortcuts on the home page

If you would like to utilize Google's new shortcuts on their home page make sure to select a new tab or select the three dots on a previously created tab.

Embedded below is a GIF as well as a 36 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

How to add audio to your Google Slides presentation

If you would like to add audio to your Google Slides presentation, try adding the extension Audio Player for Slides.

Once you allow the permissions, make sure you right click on the slide and select manage audio. You will then see the options you see below in which you can record or upload (must be an MP3 in Google Drive).

When uploading audio it could be a perfect time to discuss copyright laws and rules. To make sure you do not violate any of these, try some free files in Internet Archive.

When adding audio you have the option to play the audio on selected slides, or throughout the whole presentation.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 2 minute YouTube tutorial. Big thank you to Layla Lyons for sharing this with me!

Take care,
Brad

How to find what version of Windows your computer is running

If you need to know what version of Windows your computer is running simply type in winver (short for Windows version) in the search box on your computer. In the example I show below my coputer is currently running on version 1803 (Windows 10).

If you do not see a search bar make sure to right click in an open area on your toolbar (bottom of screen). When you right click make sure to select Cortana - show search box.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 30 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

Time saver when want to open a new Doc, Sheet, Slides, Site, or Forms in Google

The other day I had some fellow teachers ask me for some quick ways to create a doc, sheet, or slide and I blogged about it here - using the Google Docs quick create extension.

Yesterday (10/26/2018) Google announced a number of simple ways to access Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, or Forms.

• Docs
• doc.new
• docs.new
• documents.new
• Sheets
• sheet.new
• sheets.new
• spreadsheet.new
• Slides
• slide.new
• slides.new
• deck.new
• presentation.new
• Forms
• form.new
• forms.new
• Sites
• site.new
• sites.new
• website.new

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 5 second YouTube tutorial as well as Google's GIF.

Introducing a ✨ .new ✨ time-saving trick for users. Type any of these .new domains to instantly create Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites or Forms ↓ pic.twitter.com/erMTHOsdyH

— Google Docs (@googledocs) October 25, 2018

Take care,

Brad

Give Wikipedia a new look with the extension Wikiwand

The extension Wikiwand gives Wikipedia a whole new look. Makes it more appealing to the eye and easier to search.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 1 minute and 9 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

Simple way to quickly create a Doc, Sheet, Slide, Form, or Drawing in your Chrome Browser

If you utilize Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Drawings and would like a simple way to quickly create one, try adding the Google Docs Quick Create extension.

Once the extension is added, simply select the extension and choose what you would like to create.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 47 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

How to Sync information across devices in Chrome - great for when your tech department needs to update your computer 😉

If you would like to sync information across the devices you use Chrome in, make sure to select the icon next to the three dots (upper right).

Once you select the icon, make sure to follow the directions and sign-in when prompted. You will then need to verify it is you and then Linc Data. Give it a few seconds and you will then see your information synced (bookmarks, addresses, and saved passwords included).

This is great for seeing the same information in Chrome at home that you do at work, as well as for those times that your technology department needs to update your computer! 😉

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 2 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

How to use sound level in Classroomscreen.com

If you would like to set a sound level in your classroom - try using Classroomscreen's sound level.

A few bits of advice:

• Use Chrome or Firefox
• Allow the microphone access (a pop-up window will come up)
• Adjust the scroll bar according to your specifications
• Adjust the sensitivity 
• Decide to turn on the bell (right side)
• If do not use the bell the bar will turn from green to red

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 12 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Add 1,200 additional fonts to your Google Docs using the extensis fonts add-on

If you use Google Docs and would like access to more than 1,200 additional fonts, make sure to add the Extensis fonts add-on.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 1 minute and 40 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

How to quickly find all available fonts in Google Docs.

If you would like to search for all available fonts in Google Docs make sure you select fonts and then select.

You then will see filters that you see below

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 8 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Pixel Art in Google Sheets!

The other day my 6 year old son came home and begged me to go on to the computer to show me what he did in technology class. Of course we jumped on to Google Classroom (proof that 6 year-olds can use Google) and he showed me his project - Pixel Art in Google Sheets!

How awesome is that?!?!?!?! 6 year olds being introduced to the amazing world of spreadsheets in a fun and exciting way. Jack talked to me about what pixels are and how he could create whatever he wanted in this sheet! That deserves a huge shout-out to his technology teacher - (Liz Dowiak) , school (South Elementary), and school district (Perkiomen Valley)!

Once he went to bed I took a look and of course this was developed by Alice Keeler. If you would like to read more about Pixel Art - click here for Alice's blog post.

You can use Alice's sheet by clicking here - it will create a copy for you in Google Drive.

I have created a GIF followed by a 3 minute and 9 second YouTube tutorial in which I take you through the steps, how to alter some of the pixel colors, how to alter the size of your sheet as well.

GO!!!!

Brad

Deleted apps on your iPhone? Here is how to see what apps are no longer on your phone.

The other day I deleted an app by mistake and I could not remember what app it was (my phone was in my pocket). If you would like to see what apps are no longer on your iPhone, but once were, take a look below:

• Settings the app store
• Select your picture (upper right)
• Select Purchased
• My Purchases
• Top of screen select Not on this iPhone
• Scroll down and find that app

Embedded below is a 50 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Changed password in Outlook (or another email)? Here is what to do on your iPhone to change the password.

If you had to change your password in Outlook (or another email) - here is how you can place the changed password on your iPhone.

Select Settings
Passwords/Accounts
Select Exchange (or other services)
Add your new password

Embedded below is a 40 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

Certify'em - use this add-on to instantly send a certificate when someone fills out your Google Form

Certify'em is a Google Add-on that will instantly send a certificate to a user when they pass your Google Form. In order to pass a form, you will be able to set the parameters of what "passing" means.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 2 minute and 58 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad

Mathplayground - find fun math games, logic games, videos, and share to Google Classroom

Mathplayground is a great website for finding fun math games, logic games, as well as math videos to introduce topics.

What is relatively new is the option to share instantly to your Google Classroom. This is a great option as it focuses the students to the specific "game" you would like them to use.

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 55 second YouTube video.

Take care,
Brad

Want to animate your photos and "bring them to life"? Try with the Enlight Pixaloop app

The Pixaloop app  is one in which you can animate photos from your camera roll. The app is pretty simple to use.

One recommendation (mentioned in the embedded video below) is to make sure that when you want to animate your photo you use the anchor options to "lockdown" parts of your photo you do not want to animate. An example in the video below is my Bitmoji - I did not want my Bitmoji to animate but wanted the "fire" to. I made sure to select anchor and made a number of anchor points to "lockdown" the image.

This is a fun app to animate your photos to stand out for friends, students, etc.

Take care,

Brad

Time-saving emoji keyboard trick for iPhone

If you would have a text that is ready to send but want to see what possible emojis are available to take the place of the text, try this.

• Once the text has been written, select and hold down the globe (bottom left next to 123)
• You will see keyboard options available
• Select emoji
• You will then see the text be "scanned" and text that is available in emoji form will be orange.
• Select the orange text and select the text that you would like to replace as an emoji

Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 54 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

TV App on your iOS device. How to search to find a show and see which apps you can view it with.

The TV app on your iOS could be one of those apps on your device that you seldom use. When you launch the app you will see options at the bottom of the screen that includes:

• Watch Now - suggestions on what to watch (lots of trending shows/movies, sports, etc.
• Sports - see what is live now based on categories
• Library - shows your library of purchased shows and movies
• Store - launches the store where you can buy/rent shows, takes you to hulu, prime video, etc
• Search - type in a show and then see where you can rent/buy/watch

Embedded below is a 55 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

ReadWorks - Student view as well as how to see results from assignments from a teacher point of view.

In yesterday's post, the website Readworks was discussed.

In today's post you will see what an assignment looks like when it is assigned to a student in Google Classroom (including the options available to students) as well as how students can easily see their results when they take a quiz.

Embedded below is a GIF as well as a 3 minute and 2 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,
Brad