Weekly Tech Tips and News for March 16, 2018

Piggybacking on last week's posts about technology basics, there are three more posts this week about backing up your computer, using Gmail more efficiently, and protecting your Mac from malware - yes, even Macs can become infected with Malware. Remember, the more you know the easier it becomes. I can't begin to count the number of conversations I've had with people who are desperately trying to get their information off a computer that has just died. My friends, that is not the time to think about it. Sometimes you can restore your files, but often you cannot. You do not want to gamble with the kid's baby pictures, videos of those first steps, wedding pictures, tax files, or your entire music library. You need to make sure you are backing up those files so when (not if) your hard drive dies, your phone falls into the toilet, or the spouse or child using your computer becomes a victim of malware, your data is protected. You can even automate the back up process so it's not one more thing you have to remember to do. Knowledge is power and will save you money and tears.

• What's the Best Way to Back Up My Computer?
• How to Protect Your Mac from Malware
• G Suite Updates: Changing How You View Photos in Google Drive
• 6 Gmail Tips to Transform You Into an Email Genius
• EDU in 90: Apps that Work with Google Classroom
• 12 Alternatives to Google Image Search - Comparison Chart
• Aquation - A Game for Learning About Global Access to Clean Water
• The Cat In That Hat Knows a Lot About That - Educational Activities Inspired by Dr. Seuss
• ViewPure Now Offers Curated Playlists

What's the Best Way to Back Up My Computer?

What's the Best Way to Back Up My Computer? from How-To Geek by Chris Hoffman
If you are not backing up the files, photos, videos and music on your computer (or any phone, tablet, etc.) you are taking a huge gamble. At some point, your device WILL fail - they all do with time. When that happens, you will be panicking because you could lose everything that is stored on your computer. There are many ways to back up your data, and it is not difficult. You can even set up the process to automatically back up any new data on a routine basis, so you don't have to remember to do it yourself. Don't wait until it's too late!

How to Protect Your Mac from Malware

How to Protect Your Mac from Malware, from How-To Geek, by Justin Pot
Yes, your Mac can also become infected with Malware - Macs are not immune from infection. Find out how to protect your Mac.

G Suite Updates: Changing How You View Photos in Google Drive

This week the old Google Photos tab in Google Drive disappears. To see your Google Photos in Drive, you will need to enable them again, and create a Google Photos folder within My Drive. It's a very simple process - you simply turn it on in Drive Settings. Full instructions and screenshots are available in the G Suite Updates blog. Once you turn this on, instead of accessing with the link in the left column of Drive, the folder will appear within My Drive. Having this link to your Google Photos in Drive makes it much more convenient to access them - and they'll be available in Google Drive Stream from your computer.

6 Gmail Tips to Transform You Into an Email Genius

6 Gmail tips to Transform You Into an Email Genius, from Mashable by Nicole Gallucci
These are well explained tips to help you take control of your email so you can find things, and clean out the old stuff. The Gmail add-ons mentioned in this article will allow you to send personalized bulk messages and schedule messages to be sent later.

EDU in 90: Apps that Work with Google Classroom

How does it help you to have apps that work with Google Classroom? You can share assignment, activities, quizzes, etc. with one or two clicks. Your students don't have to create a separate account on the app interface. Watch and see.

12 Alternatives to Google Image Search - Comparison Chart

12 Alternatives to Google Image Search - Comparison Chart, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Google Image search isn't the best place to find royalty-free or public domain images. Provide your students with a list of other sites so you won't have to worry about copyright infringement.

Aquation - A Game for Learning About Global Access to Clean Water

Aquation - A Game for Learning About Global Access to Clean Water, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
This free game is intended for students in upper elementary or middle school grades, and teaches them about balancing global water resources and the distribution of clean water.

The Cat In That Hat Knows a Lot About That - Educational Activities Inspired by Dr. Seuss

The Cat In That Hat Knows a Lot About That - Educational Activities Inspired by Dr. Seuss, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
This PBS for Kids site has both online and printable activities for your students.

ViewPure Now Offers Curated Playlists

ViewPure Now Offers Curated Playlists, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
ViewPure is a free website that allows you to enter a video URL and it will "purify" it of all ads, suggested videos and comments. You can then use the ViewPure URL to share with your students. Now ViewPure also has a new teacher resources section so you can search for videos by grade level and topic, and create your own purified playlist.