Have you ever wanted to write a paper, work on a spreadsheet or even work on a presentation, only to discover that the computer you are using does not have the necessary tools you need. You may be using a public computer or may be using a computer that does not have the latest version Microsoft Office. Or all you have to work with on the computer is a stable connection to the internet.
Well Google has thought about this and part of Google’s work to expand its usefulness beyond being the best online search engine has developed many tools for online users. Google Docs is Google’s online solution to Microsoft Office.
Google Docs provides three of powerful applications for free named Document, Spreadsheet and Presentation. It also provides users with the option of sharing documents with other users who can also be allowed to edit them. This allows for faster work on group projects that require many people to edit documents.
Document is similar to Microsoft Word allowing a user to type and edit documents. It even allows the user to save as a Microsoft Word format or even upload Word documents to be edited in Google Docs.
Spreadsheet is similar to Microsoft Excel allowing users to work on spreadsheets from excel files or from new files created on Google Docs.
Presentation is similar to Microsoft Powerpoint allowing the user to make PowerPoint style presentations. Users can upload there existing PowerPoint files or even make new ones with some of the templates that Google Docs has.
Form is another tool that works differently from Microsoft Office tools allowing the user the ability to make customizable forms that can be shared or used in conducting surveys easily.
The best part about using Google Docs is that all the documents are stored online and can be downloaded if needed. Because they are stored online they can be easily shared with others or can be accessed from any device that has access to the internet. Another good thing about Google Docs is that because it is a free online program there are online communities that work to help people. Google Docs Community is an online resource that has usefull youtube videos about Google Docs.
Also because Google Docs is online many user created Templates exist making it easy to get work done.
The new Microsoft Office 2010 builds upon its predesesor but the biggest news to come out of Microsoft is that it will support a lighter version that is online only, that can be acquired for free.
So far they have previewed the software version but will be showcasing the online version soon.
USB/Flash memory drives are very useful for storing information. But did you know you can expand the use of a USB drives by adding programs.
Portable programs are designed with one thing in mind, the ability to run from portable devices like USB drives or flash memory without installing itself on the computer it is connected to.
PortableApps.com is one of my favorites tools to have on a flash drive. As described on there site: a portable app is a computer program that you can carry around with you on a portable device and use on any Windows computer. When your USB flash drive, portable hard drive, iPod or other portable device is plugged in, you have access to your software and personal data just as you would on your own PC. And when you unplug the device, none of your personal data is left behind.
Once I installed the ProtableApp menu here are some useful things to have on your USB flash drive:
Web Browser and Email: Mozilla Firefox Portable is currently my favorite web browser. Having a portable version with me allows me to have all my bookmarks and Firefox settings with me everywhere I go. Any extension and add ons installed will also be available on any computer the USB drive plugged into. Mozilla Thunderbird Portable is my first choice for email program. It functions like outlook but has the added support of add ons and extensions, allowing you to customize it.
Scheduling/Calendar: Mozilla Sunbird Portable is a great calendar and scheduling program and you can even get an add on that displays Sunbird information in Mozilla Thunderbird.
Office Suite: Open Office is a complete Office Suite offered for free from OpenOffice.org but available on PortableApps you can get a portable version to carry with you on your USB drive.
I will be highlighting these tools in more detail in the future as well as other portable applications available on the site PortableApps.com
We’re pleased to announce the opening of the new open/group study computer lab located at the Alexandria Campus in Room AA161 which used to be the old Math Lab. We had a vision to add an additional computer lab since we are usually over crowded with students especially during exam time. We also had an urgent need for a computer lab that will be accommodating for group study and group project work space for students. We noticed that the Math lab although very usefully to students, the current space and number of workstations was being underutilized. Abid Mahmood a Supervisor at the Open Computer Center of Alexandria campus came up with a great idea to convert the Math Lab to an Open/Group study lab for students.
The new setup would provide students an informal work environment where students could perform group work involving computer resources including scanners, receive tutoring, and use available network drops for use with their laptop computers. This newly created lab will also support wireless internet access for students. Thanks to Mr. Mahmood’s hard work and dedication, students now have a place to go to for group projects, group study and a place where they can also practice their group presentation. This room will also serve as an overflow backup computer lab during exam time and peak hours on first come first serve basis. OCC Staff
In this Insider's Secret, Molly Wood CNET's Executive Editor shows you three Firefox extensions that lead to faster, safer, and smarter Google searches using Firefox browser.
The three Firefox extensions are:
CustomizeGoogle CustomizeGoogle is a Firefox extension that enhances Google search results by adding extra information (like links to Yahoo, Ask.com, MSN etc) and removing unwanted information (like ads and spam).
GooglePreview Inserts preview images (thumbnails) of web sites into the Google and Yahoo search results pages.
McAfee SiteAdvisor When you search with Google, Yahoo!, or Live Search, SiteAdvisor's safety ratings appear next to search results.
Watch the CNET video below for more information and demonstration
Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go. Under the hood, they were able to build the foundation of a browser that runs today's complex web applications much better. By keeping each tab in an isolated "sandbox", they were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites. They improved speed and responsiveness across the board. They also built V8, a more powerful JavaScript engine, to power the next generation of web applications that aren't even possible in today's browsers.
This is just the beginning - Google Chrome is far from done. They've released this beta for Windows to start the broader discussion and hear from you as quickly as possible. They're hard at work building versions for Mac and Linux too, and they’ll continue to make it even faster and more robust. They owe a great debt to many open source projects, and they’re committed to continuing on their path. They've used components from Apple's WebKit and Mozilla's Firefox, among others - and in that spirit, they are making their entire code open source as well. They hope to collaborate with the entire community to help drive the web forward.
The web gets better with more options and innovation. Google Chrome is another option, and they hope it contributes to making the web even better.
Features
Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier
• One box for everything • New Tab page • Application shortcuts • Dynamic tabs • Crash control • Incognito mode • Safe browsing • Instant bookmarks • Importing settings • Simpler downloads
You can also watch short video clips by following the link below to learn more about the new Google Chrome features.
