Tech Tips and News for September 13, 2019

Flickr/Dennis Skley

OK, so now that the school year is well underway, I can come back up for air and resume the tech blog. Some of these bits of news and tips are a little old, but hopefully still helpful. As usual, some are cautionary tales, and some are useful tips. Hopefully there is something here to help you further your tech knowledge and comfort level. Happy Friday the 13th, my friends, don't let those paraskevidekatriaphobia superstitions get you down!

• Tricky Scam Plants Phishing Links in Your Google Calendar
• 7 Ways Hackers Steal Your Identity on Social Media
• Say Goodbye to In-app G Suite Training
• How to Properly Clean Your Gross Laptop
• Why Do Phones Explode? (And How to Prevent It)
• 5 Helpful Gmail  Features for Teachers
• Google Docs Help:  How To Restore Your Original Version After Collaborators Make a Mess
• Google Forms Now Has a Native Function to Import Questions From Other Forms
• How to Use Macros in Google Sheets
• How to Use Quillionz - Quiz Questions Automatically Generated from Documents

Tricky Scam Plants Phishing Links in Your Google Calendar

Tricky Scam Plants Phishing Links in Your Google Calendar, from Wired by Lily Hay Newman
This is truly tricky! It's too bad scammers can't use their skills for something good. The bottom line of this article, is that scammers are taking advantage of a default setting in Google Calendar to send a calendar invitation with with phishing links in it. This default setting allows any invitations you receive to automatically be put on your calendar, even if you haven't accepted the invitation. You then begin getting notifications about the event that look legitimate because they are coming from your calendar. To protect yourself, you need to change that setting in Calendar:  Settings > Event Settings > Automatically Add Invitations. Select "No, only show invitations to which I've responded".

7 Ways Hackers Steal Your Identity on Social Media

7 Ways Hackers Steal Your Identity on Social Media, from Make Use Of by Simon Batt
Social Media is a wonderful way to keep current with your real friends, but as with any other online activity, we must be careful.

Say Goodbye to In-app G Suite Training

If you were used to using the colorful question mark button in G Suite to get help while in an app, I'm sorry to break the news...it's going away. It was so handy to get Gmail training while in Gmail, or any other G Suite app. Instead, Google has unveiled their G Suite Learning Center. Yes, there's a bookmark for it in the magic ASA bookmarks folder. You can either follow along as a new user, or you can search for training modules by product (app). Of course, there's always the support button - the black and white question mark in a circle. You can click or tap the support button and select help or training. In both you can search for the topic you need help with.

How to Properly Clean Your Gross Laptop

How to Properly Clean Your Gross Laptop, from How-To Geek by Andrew Heinzman
A dirty, dusty or clogged laptop will not run well. Help it out by giving it a good cleaning.

Why Do Phones Explode? (And How to Prevent It)

Why Do Phones Explode? (And How to Prevent It), From How-To Geek by Andrew Heinzman
We've all heard the horror stories. How does it happen? Are we all at risk?

5 Helpful Gmail  Features for Teachers

5 Helpful Gmail  Features for Teachers, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
These features take very little time to set up, and will save you so much time.

Google Docs Help:  How To Restore Your Original Version After Collaborators Make a Mess

Google Docs Help:  How To Restore Your Original Version After Collaborators Make a Mess, from ZDNet by David Gerwitz
Not only does this post explain how to get back to your original version of a doc, there's also the suggestion for a best practice to make it easier to find your version.

Google Forms Now Has a Native Function to Import Questions From Other Forms

Google Forms Now Has a Native Function to Import Questions From Other Forms, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
If you ever reuse questions from one form to another, you've either needed to use an add-on to recycle the questions, or manually copy and paste the text. Google Forms has now built in the ability to recycle questions from your other forms. Read the post to see how.

How to Use Macros in Google Sheets

This video gives a quick demonstration of how you can record the common tasks you do when setting up a spreadsheet, so you don't have to do them manually every time. You can record a macro to handle any tasks you routinely do in a spreadsheet, such as sorting, freezing or formatting your column headings, etc.

How to Use Quillionz - Quiz Questions Automatically Generated from Documents

Tech Tips and News for May 31, 2019

If you read nothing else in this blog post, take some time to check out the new G Suite Learning Center. This is seriously overdue. Kudos to Google for finally getting there! Summer is coming, and it's the perfect time to enhance your G Suite skills. It will help you be more productive at school, and you'll be better able to help your students on their chromebooks. Start with week 1 or day 1 training and see how much you already know - you might be surprised by the information you didn't know! Then you might move on to the learn by product section, and learn all you can about Gmail, Drive, Docs, etc., to make things easier for you. If you're really feeling adventurous, maybe try learning a product you've never used before. The better you know how to use G Suite, the faster and more efficient you can complete all your work tasks. You'll also be able to pass your mad, ninja, G Suite skills on to your students. As far as reading nothing else goes, you will also want to take the time to familiarize yourself with the 7 signs of phishing and the upcoming Gmail Confidential Mode.

• 'Your Account Has Been Locked' - 7 Telltale Signs of a Phishing Scam
• How Not To Have 100 Browser Tabs Open
• How to Customize Your Icons in Windows
• How to Take a Video on a Chromebook
• How to Delete Contacts From Your iPhone
• G Suite Updates:  Update All Linked Content With One Click in Docs and Slides, Check Out the New G Suite Learning Center, Section Breaks Coming to Docs, Gmail Confidential Mode Launching June 25
• Three Lessons to Learn From the $9.2M Copyright Ruling Against Houston ISD

'Your Account Has Been Locked' - 7 Telltale Signs of a Phishing Scam

'Your Account Has Been Locked' - 7 Telltale Signs of a Phishing Scam, from Security Boulevard by Filip Truta
This article has some great details to watch for if you don't want to fall victim to a scam or ransomware attack. We can never be too prepared or vigilant - that includes you, Mac and iOS users!

How Not To Have 100 Browser Tabs Open

How Not To Have 100 Browser Tabs Open, from How-To Geek by Andrew Heinzman
This is a great way to speed up your computer and simplify your browsing habits. Yes, your device will slow down if you have too many tabs open.

How to Customize Your Icons in Windows

How to Customize Your Icons in Windows, from How-To Geek by Walter Glenn
Just as you would arrange your physical desk to make it the most efficient for you, you can do the same with the virtual desktop on your Windows PC.

How to Take a Video on a Chromebook

How to Take a Video on a Chromebook, from How-To Geek by Brady Gavin
Yes, it's possible, and here's how.

How to Delete Contacts From Your iPhone

How to Delete Contacts From Your iPhone, from How-To Geek by Adam Doud
There are several ways to accomplish this task, read the article for details.

G Suite Updates:  

Update All Linked Content With One Click in Docs and Slides

This is great news for anyone who spreadsheet data or charts into Docs and/or Slides. There will now be a Linked Objects sidebar, where you can updte all links with one button. Check out this post for full details and screen shots.

Check Out the New G Suite Learning Center

This is a HUGE improvement. You can basically go through self-paced G Suite training as a new user (day 1, week 1 etc.), by product (Calendar, Gmail, Drive, etc.) or by task (optimize your inbox, manage a project, get up to speed after a vacation, etc.). G Suite users of all comfort levels should check out the G Suite Learning Center. I've bookmarked it for all ASA users - it's in your "magical bookmark folder". There are also PDF versions of each help article if you prefer reading offline while you practice a new skill.

Section Breaks Coming to Docs

In about two weeks, in addition to being able to insert page breaks, you will also be able to insert or view continuous section breaks. By selecting the Insert > Break menu, you will be able to choose either page break or section break. Here are the full details.

Gmail Confidential Mode Launching June 25

Gmail Confidential Mode provides the ability for the sender to protect sensitive information by restricting the recipient from forwarding, copying, printing or downloading the message, and you can set an expiration date for the message. You can also revoke a recipients access to the message at any time. How does one use Confidential Mode? After opening a new message, in the bottom right of the message window, click to turn on confidential mode. You will then be prompted for the options you'd like to use. It's important to note that if you receive a confidential mode message from an outside email address (not ASA or DOGR), it will not be saved in Google's back up system, Vault. Internal confidential emails will be saved to Vault. While this tool can be useful for adults, I have turned Confidential Mode off for students.

Three Lessons to Learn From the $9.2M Copyright Ruling Against Houston ISD

Three Lessons to Learn From the $9.2M Copyright Ruling Against Houston ISD, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
If you are unfamiliar with this case, it involves a small company that sells study guides suing Houston ISD for routinely making copies of the study guides - and winning - big. School employees at HISD even went so far as to cover up the copyright notice on each page before copying and sharing. Take a look at this article, and think about it the next time you want to photocopy any books or other purchased materials. If you think no one notices, think again.

ASA Weekly Tech Tips and News for January 12, 2018

Pixabay.com

As with many security threats, more information comes to light as experts delve deeper into the program. The Meltdown and Spectre threats, caused by the Intel processor flaw is no different than previous events in that regard. This week it became apparent that it will not be an update and done situation. Some PCs did not handle the patch well, so Microsoft stopped pushing it out to those PCs, although many PCs did receive the patch. It's also evident that the patch will noticeably slow your PC down. Additionally, the latest advice is that we will all need to update our firmware, using a patch provided by the device manufacturer (HP, Apple, Dell, Lenovo, etc.). Some firmware patches are already available, some are coming soon, and many for older PCs will never come. The first article below explains in detail how check to see if your PC is protected, and what to do if it isn't. Mac users will need to wait for the next update, and most Android phone users may need to wait even longer - until the phone manufacturer and carrier push out updates. There will be more updates to come, with the permanent solution being that we will need to upgrade/replace our technology sooner than we would prefer - but only after a better processor becomes available and tech manufacturers start building devices that include it, which will take quite some time. In the meantime, every technology user needs to become more educated and concerned with secure procedures to protect their information. As we've seen over and over again, no tech device will ever be completely secure, and we all need to be aware of the threats and how to dodge them. Here is a good place to start for security tips. You can also search the archives of this blog in the right column, search the tags below for terms like security, phishing, 2-step verification, internet safety, online privacy, ransomware, etc., or simply Google "safe computing" or "computer safety". Finally, continue to stay tuned for further developments and advice. You do not need to be a tech expert to become an informed user. The more we rely on technology for pretty much everything the more important knowledge becomes. (End of lecture.)

• How to Check if your PC is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre
• Google's Online Tutor Turns You Into a Master of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and More
• G Suite Updates:  Search Within a Folder in Google Drive
• EDU in 90:  Engaging Parents & Guardians with G Suite for Education
• How to Quickly Copy Questions from One Google Form to Another
• 8 Tips for Making Movies with Google Photos
• Hundreds of Smartphone Apps are Spying on Your TV Watching. Here's How to Disable Them
• Three Good Sources of Fun and Interesting Math Challenges
• MySimpleShow - Create Explanatory Videos

How to Check if your PC is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre

How to Check if your PC is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre, from How-To Geek  by Chris Hoffman
In case you missed it, Meltdown and Spectre are the Intel processor flaws discussed in last week's blog. If you updated your anti-virus software, checked the list to see which AV programs have the necessary update, and ran Microsoft updates - well done! Unfortunately, there may be another step we all need to take, such as updating the firmware. If the maker of your PC pushes out an update, make sure you run it. This article outlines exactly what you need to do to at least check if your PC is protected against the Intel processor flaw uncovered a couple weeks ago. The steps are clearly spelled out and illustrated, but if you are uncomfortable trying it yourself, please contact the person or company who normally handle your PC repairs and have them take care of it. This is something that you will need to follow up on. Please make sure you back up your computer as well - either with an online service, or with an external hard drive.

Google's Online Tutor Turns You Into a Master of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and More

Google's Online Tutor Turns You Into a Master of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and More, from Make Use Of by Saikat Basu
I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. There is a built-in tutor for all the apps in G Suite in the form of a Chrome extension. This means you must be using the Chrome browser to use it. (Not Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge or any other browser.) All ASA user accounts (your @asagr.org account) already have this extension force installed in your Chrome browser. Read the article to see how to use it to learn Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and the rest of the G Suite apps as you use them.

G Suite Updates:  Search Within a Folder in Google Drive

You can now narrow down your search for files in Google Drive. It is now possible to search within a specific folder for a file, rather than searching your entire My Drive. Full details and demonstrations are available in the G Suite Updates blog. You should begin to see this new feature in the next two weeks.

EDU in 90:  Engaging Parents & Guardians with G Suite for Education

How to Quickly Copy Questions from One Google Form to Another

8 Tips for Making Movies with Google Photos

8 Tips for Making Movies with Google Photos from Tech & Learning by Lisa Nielsen
Wondering about the best way to share those classroom photos or document a class event? Don't just share the photos, make a movie with them. It's simple and free.

Hundreds of Smartphone Apps are Spying on Your TV Watching. Here's How to Disable Them

Hundreds of Smartphone Apps are Spying on Your TV Watching. Here's How to Disable Them, from How-To Geek by Michael Crider
Does it creep you out to think that game you play on your phone is listening to what you watch on TV? Some find this to be an invasion of privacy, while others don't really care and consider it the cost of using the app. If you do care, you can disable the permissions for that app.

Three Good Sources of Fun and Interesting Math Challenges

Three Good Sources of Fun and Interesting Math Challenges, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Give your students some math problems that relate to real world situations with these free resources.

MySimpleShow - Create Explanatory Videos

My SimpleShow - Create Explanatory Videos, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Have your students create a quick video explaining how something works, or demonstrating how to do something. This also incorporates writing, as a written script is required to complete the video.