This week’s tech tip is a reminder to install updates to your software regularly. Hackers are constantly finding new vulnerabilities and trying to exploit them to access your computer or network.
This can also help protect your personal information and ensure that you don’t become a victim of cyber crime.
Save Files on Google Drive
If you have Google Drive, you can save files to it, which makes it easy to access them from anywhere. It can be useful for sharing files with other people, or just as a way to free up storage space on your device.
One of the best things about Google Drive is that you can upload and store a variety of file types, including documents, photos, audio, and videos. It also works with the other Google services, such as Gmail and Google Docs, so it’s easy to use.
You can use Google Drive to store files on your desktop computer as well as your mobile device. In both cases, you’ll need to be logged in to your Google account and either the Google Drive app or a modern browser.
To save a document to Google Drive, open a document in the Google Drive web app or your desktop client and click Save. This will save it to the default download directory of your browser, where you can find it later.
Once the file is saved, you can view it and edit it online, or offline. This feature can be especially useful if you’re out of the office and don’t have internet service, or if you need to access your files while on a plane or in a building that doesn’t have good Wi-Fi.
Another way to save files is through an extension for Chrome, “save to Google Drive,” which enables users to save content from the web to their Google Drive. This lets you save PDFs, images, and webpages to your Drive, which can then be accessed without an internet connection.
Finally, if you’re using the Google Drive app on your phone or tablet, you can download files to it. You can see the file in My Drive until you move it to a different folder.
You can also save Google Drive files to a USB flash drive, so you can have a copy of the file on your device for a backup in case you lose the Internet or your phone. This can be particularly useful if you’re out of the country or on vacation and don’t have a reliable internet connection.
Use Google Earth Voyager
Google Earth is an interactive 3D globe of the world that can be used on any device. It’s a great tool to use in a remote learning environment as it allows students to view the planet from virtually anywhere.
The software uses satellite imagery, topography, ocean bathymetry, and other geospatial data to display the earth in a three-dimensional form. The program has many layers, including a community layer of Wikipedia entries. It also features photos from Panoramio and Street View imagery.
It also has a variety of maps and videos. The application is free to download and can be accessed in various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, MacOS, and Ubuntu/Fedora.
While Google Earth does not include the same analytical capabilities of the GIS programs ArcGIS and MapInfo, it is much easier to use than those programs. In addition, the application is completely web-based, and can be viewed offline if the user has built a Google Earth cache for a particular area.
One of the best parts of using Google Earth is its Voyager feature, a showcase of interactive guided tours, quizzes, and layers that aim to educate users about the world. The program currently features curated stories from partners like NASA, the Jane Goodall Institute, and Sesame Workshop.
To access these curated stories, click the ship’s wheel icon on the Google Earth homepage. You can find places from around the world, ranging from the jungles of Tanzania to an Inuit igloo.
This is a fantastic way to help students learn about geography, history, science, and more. You can search for content that has already been created, or you can create your own by drawing on the map.
Another cool feature is Timelapse, which allows you to see how the world has changed over time. There are a number of timelapses to choose from, some of which have been recorded by Google Earth users and others that have been created by organizations, such as the National Geographic Society.
You can even take your students on a virtual journey through the world with Voyager Stories, which include a variety of guides to historical and contemporary sites. These are curated by World Explorers and include primary source visuals and video clips, as well as 360 street views of the location.
Quick Access in Google Drive
Google Drive is one of the best cloud-based storage solutions on the market. With 15GB of free storage available for every user, it’s a great place to store files and keep them accessible at all times. But if you don’t want to have to navigate through your Drive folders and search for the file you need, there are a few ways that you can access your files quickly on your desktop or smartphone.
The first thing you can do is download Drive for desktop (formerly known as Drive File Stream). It’s easy to install and will add Google Drive to your File Explorer app, just like you would add OneDrive or Dropbox.
Upon installation, you’ll see Drive listed in the left sidebar of File Explorer. Clicking on it will take you to Google Drive and automatically sync your files with it.
To help you organize your files, you can pin a folder to Quick Access. When you’re looking for a specific file or folder, just click the thumbtack icon next to it to find it easily.
If you have a lot of folders to sort through in your Google Drive, then pinning them will save you a huge amount of time. You can also move a pinned folder to another location if you need to.
However, if you don’t want to have this shortcut to your files on your computer, it is possible to disable it. You can do so by following these simple steps:
Disabling Quick Access on your Google Drive will eliminate the “Suggested” section from appearing on your homepage when you open your account. The suggestion section is based on your Drive usage history, which helps reduce the amount of time you spend searching for files.
It will also save you a lot of space on your Drive. However, if you do remove it from your Drive, you will lose any previously displayed files that are under the suggested section.
To remove the suggested section, all you need to do is uncheck the option in “Suggestions.” You’ll then need to relaunch your browser before the changes take effect. Alternatively, you can disable Quick Access in settings or restore your device from a backup.
Google Music Lab
If you’re looking for a fun way to create music, the Google Music Lab is an excellent option. It allows you to visualize sound, learn about chords, and play with rhyme and melody. It also works on all devices, and can be used in a variety of ways, from homeschooling to music lessons.
The Google Music Lab was created in 2016 by a team of coders and musicians who worked together using freely accessible web technology. They developed 13 interactive “experiments” that allow visitors to explore a wide range of musical concepts.
One of the most popular experiments is the Song Maker, which allows users to create melodies by clicking on color-coded boxes. Each box is associated with a different note on a piano or a percussion instrument.
Another experiment, Rhythm, is also a great choice for students who need to practice identifying and matching beats. It offers a series of grid templates with different numbers of beats. Each grid has cute percussion instruments that play along with the rhythm pattern you create.
Finally, the Spectrogram tool shows a visual representation of frequencies produced by a harp or other instrument. This is a great tool to show students how frequency and length are related, or how the spectrogram can change when you play a low or high note.
It’s also a good tool to introduce the concept of major and minor triads on a piano. Students can use this tool to play a major or minor triad on the piano, or they can create accompaniments for a song they sing or play on an instrument.
Chrome Music Lab is a free website that features 13 interactive music “experiments.” This website doesn’t have a lot of instruction or support, and learners will probably need guidance to make the best use of it. Teachers will be able to use the website to teach their students about music but they will need to plan their lesson accordingly.
Using Chrome Music Lab is an excellent way to help students get familiar with musical terms and to encourage them to play with music. The web app also has a gentle learning curve so even novices can create music without too much trouble.
