Google Apps Update Alert - Google Hangouts

Guest access to Hangouts video calls without a Google account Posted: 19 Nov 2015 09:07 AM PST Last year, we introduced a new feature for Hangouts on the web allowing Google Apps customers to share links to Hangouts video calls so that external meeting guests may request to join if not explicitly invited. We completed the rollout of this feature across all platforms earlier this year. Starting today, we’re making this feature even more useful by removing the requirement that guests have a Google account in order to join a Hangouts video call. Here’s how it works: guests without a Google account who have been provided with the video call link by the organizer will be asked to provide their name and then request to join the call. Any attendee from the domain organizing the video call can then allow the guest into the meeting. We’re also making this easier for guests who do not use Google Calendar by ensuring a link to the video call is visible in the description of the event. This new feature is available now for guests joining with a web browser, making it easy for Apps customers using Hangouts to meet with anyone - inside or outside their organization, with or without a Google account. Customers with Chromebox for meetings will also have an even easier method for guests to present content in meeting rooms. Check out the Help Center for more information: Hangouts | Chromebox for meetings Launch Details  Release track:   Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release Rollout pace:  Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) Impact:  All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Help Center: Hangouts | Chromebox for meetings Google for Work blog post Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Apps Update Alert - A Better Google Plus

Google Apps update alerts

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A simpler, better Google+ Posted: 17 Nov 2015 02:05 PM PST Today we’re rolling out a few updates to Google+ that make it easier to focus on the features our Apps customers tell us they find the most useful. There’s a new homestream to quickly browse through content, Communities that make it easy to safely share ideas and Collections that enable organizations to curate their work and keep it in one easy-to-find place.  The fully redesigned homestream is built to be fast and simple. The new design makes it easier to use whether you’re at your desk browsing through posts or sharing an update on the go from a smaller mobile device screen.  Domain-restricted Communities are a popular way for organizations to share content and ideas amongst teammates, with the peace of mind that they’ll stay private. We’ve already seen how a global fashion brand uses Communities to inspire conversation about products and branding among employees across the world and how a Japanese startup is keeping their staff up-to-date as they build a vaccine. Collections let you keep all your related content in one spot and make it easier to discover and browse. For example, earlier this year we dedicated a week on the Google for Work G+ page to our awesome System Admins. In order to keep all that content together, we put it into a Collection.  For more information on the launch check out the Official Google Blog. The new-look Google+ is available on the web today and is coming to iOS and Android later this week. Launch Details Release track:   Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release today on the web and on iOS and Android later this week Rollout pace:  Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Help Center Official Google blog post Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Tech Tip Tuesday: 3 Helpful Extensions, part 6

Have you discovered extensions yet?  The purpose of an extension is that it will extend the functionality of a web page.  They are available in the Chrome web store, and most of them are FREE.  Once you install an extension, it will appear at the top right corner of the Chrome browser.  Each Tuesday, I will introduce three new extensions that I find helpful and I hope you do too.  

Boomerang for Gmail

This FREE extension will give you the capability to schedule emails, and reminders, from your gmail account.  

Boomerang Calendar

This FREE extension  identifies event information as you read your email. It automatically highlights dates and times in the message with information about whether or not you can attend. If the event text is green, you're all clear. Yellow, you have an adjacent event. Red means you have a conflict. No need to switch over to your calendar to check.

Save to Drive

This FREE extension will allow you to save any webpage to your Google Drive.  Simply click on the Drive icon extension, and you can save the image of the entire page, an image of the visible page, the HTML source code, or a web archive.  You can also, right click on links or images, and select save to Drive.

Google Apps Update Alert - Enhancing Functionality for Docs/Sheets for Android

Google Apps update alerts

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Enhanced commenting, charts, and font functionality in the Google Docs and Sheets apps for Android Posted: 12 Nov 2015 02:31 PM PST Commenting is crucial to collaboration amongst your employees. This launch makes it easier for them to work together—even from their mobile devices. In the latest version of the Google Sheets app for Android, users can now add new and reply to existing comments. In the newest Google Docs app for Android, they can now see comments and suggestions in Print Layout view—and then resolve, close, accept, or reject those comments and suggestions—making it simpler to move between their desktop and mobile devices. This launch also helps users better create and edit charts in the Sheets app for Android. For instance, if a user a selects a single cell and inserts a chart, we’ll automatically expand that data selection to include the immediately surrounding cells. This will make it easier for users to create robust charts with relevant information. In addition, when an employee creates a new chart, they’ll now see three recommended chart types, which we’ll suggest based on the data they’ve selected.            As a bonus, when your employees download the latest version of the Sheets app for Android, they’ll be able to view the more than 400 new fonts added to Sheets on the web earlier this week. For more information on these new features, check out the Help Center articles below. Launch Details Release track:  Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release Rollout pace: Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Google Play Store Add comments to documents and spreadsheets on Android Add a chart or graph to a spreadsheet Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Apps Update Alert - Restore Calendar Feature

Restore deleted events in Google Calendar web Posted: 05 Nov 2015 09:15 AM PST Ever deleted a calendar event by mistake and wanted to get it back - just like you can in Gmail and Drive? Now you can: today we’re adding Trash functionality to Google Calendar on the web, providing an easy way for users to view, permanently delete, or restore individual and recurring deleted calendar events. Trash puts calendar users in control by letting them quickly reverse any event mishaps, and limits escalations to Google Apps admins. Trash is accessible from the calendar's dropdown menu in the "My calendars" section as well as from Calendar Settings. This functionality is available for both primary calendars and secondary calendars for which people have edit rights. Admins can track events restored or removed from Trash within their domain using Calendar Audit logs in the Admin console. Check out the Help Center for more information. Note: The first time a user deletes an event from a shared calendar after the launch, a one-time email notification will be sent to them from Google Calendar, explaining the Trash options and details around sharing settings. Launch Details Release track:   Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release Rollout pace:  Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) Impact:  All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Help Center Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Tech Tip Tuesday - 3 Helpful Extensions, Part 5

Have you discovered extensions yet?  The purpose of an extension is that it will extend the functionality of a web page.  They are available in the Chrome web store, and most of them are FREE.  Once you install an extension, it will appear at the top right corner of the Chrome browser.  Each Tuesday, I will introduce three new extensions that I find helpful and I hope you do too.  

Split Screen

It will allow you to display two or more websites in one tab.  This will allow you to watch a video in one window and take notes in the other window.  I use this extension often and I find it very helpful.

Share to Classroom

This extension is awesome!  It allows you to push any website to your students who are in your Google Classroom class.  This extension saves times and directs students to the website easy!

Hangouts

This extension will allow you to perform a one to one conversation or a group conversation through instant message, or video call.  

Google Apps Update Alert - Gmail Search is Improved

Find ‘missing’ emails more easily in Gmail Posted: 09 Nov 2015 11:44 AM PST Sometimes emails are mistakenly marked as spam or put into Trash, and they can be difficult to discover via search. To help address this issue, Gmail will now search in both the Trash and Spam folders (only Trash was indexed previously). If a match is found, a footer at the bottom of search results will indicate the match and direct the user to view the messages. In addition, if a search query is too general to return useful search results, a different footer will now be shown guiding the user to try refining their query using Gmail advanced search. Launch Details Release track:Launching to Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in two weeks Rollout pace: Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Help Center

Integrating Ozobot into Middle School Science

I recently integrated Ozobot into a Science classroom at the +William Davies Middle School.  Mrs. Zaremba, a 7th Gr Science Teacher, and I worked together to integrate Ozobot, coding and the states of matter into her class.  We wanted her students to use coding to make connections to what they were learning in class,  the states of matter, which is about the movement of molecules to form a liquid, solid and gas.  

The supplies needed for this activity were, a science worksheet, black, red, green, and blue markers, the pre-made rectangular board, Ozobot, and the static code sheet. as shown below.  

                                        

Mrs. Zaremba used her creativity and wrote a story about Ozobot.  It was titled, "A Day in the Life of Ozobot".  It was a love story about Mr. Oz meeting the love of his life. This story was the science worksheet.  In the story she included, 3 rectangles, to allow students to use the correct static code to represent the states of matter and to program Ozobot.  A copy of the story is shown below.

Once they completed the static codes in the story, they transferred them on the pre-made rectangular boards, as shown below.  The pre-made boards are available in the Ozobot lesson 1.

After they transferred the static codes to the board, they were ready to use and test Ozobot. For example, one of the static codes the students used was a slow static code. Mrs. Zaremba referenced a solid state in the story and they needed to code Ozobot to move slow on the board.  In addition, Mrs. Zaremba referenced all of the states of matter and the students responded by using the correct static code to represent the molecules.  Each time Ozobot read a particular code, it flashed, and it responded accordingly.   The students were able to connect the states of matter to Ozobot's behavior. 

This lesson was extremely successful.  It demonstrated the use of Computer Science into the Science curriculum.  In addition, students worked independently, however, they did collaborate together to figure out any technical issues with Ozobot, which promotes problem solving and critical thinking skills. More importantly, they were able to make connections in the story with the states of matter and coding.  It was truly a great lesson and a great example of team work and collaboration between Mrs. Zaremba and I.  I truly enjoyed working with her on this lesson and look forward to working with her and other staff soon.

Google Apps Update Alert - New Features for Google Docs Android Apps

Do more on the go with new features in the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Android apps Posted: 28 Oct 2015 02:13 PM PDT The latest versions of the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Android apps include several new features that make it easier to work on your mobile device. You can now: View more content at one time in Sheets - Now, when you scroll down or zoom in on a spreadsheet, we’ll hide your toolbars and headers so that you can see more of your content on the screen at one time. To bring those toolbars and headers back, simply scroll up or zoom out.    View existing filters in Sheets - If you apply filters to your data in Sheets on the web, those filters will now appear in the Sheets Android app as well (previously, you might not have known that you were viewing filtered content). Paste only values, formatting, and more in Sheets - Already available in Sheets on the web, the Paste special feature in the Sheets Android app allows you to copy content and then paste only the associated values, formatting, formula, data validation, or conditional formatting. You can also paste everything but borders or paste your content in a transposed order.    Hyperlink text and shapes in Slides - You can now insert new and edit existing links in your presentations directly from the Slides Android app toolbar and context menu. Use superscripts and subscripts in Docs and Slides - Create superscript and subscript text in the Docs and Slides Android apps using the text formatting palette. Launch Details Release track:  Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release Rollout pace: Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Edit spreadsheets on Android Edit documents on your phone or tablet Edit presentations on your phone or tablet Add a link to a document

Tech Tip Tuesday - 3 Helpful Extensions, Part 4

Have you discovered extensions yet?  The purpose of an extension is that it will extend the functionality of a web page.  They are available in the Chrome web store, and most of them are FREE.  Once you install an extension, it will appear at the top right corner of the Chrome browser.  Each Tuesday, I will introduce three new extensions that I find helpful and I hope you do too.  

Auto Text Expander

This FREE extension will allow you to save commonly typed phrases into short keystrokes to save you time from typing.  I find myself using it all the time. It is easy to use.  All you have to do is type your phrase and assign it a shortcut, as shown below.  Simply add your keyboard shortcut to correspond to the phrase and click on 'Save'.

Techsmith Snag it

This FREE extension will allow you to take screen shots or recordings of anything that is on your screen.  It will integrate with your Google account and the screen shots or recordings will be saved in a folder on your Google Drive.

Adblock Plus

This FREE extension will block most ads that appear in your browser.  I highly recommend it!