An App You Should Get: Google Keep

The time has come. I'd like to introduce you to Google Keep and tell you why you should use this new Google product.

Google Keep was announced in March and made available to smart phone users in the following months. I have personally been using Keep for a little over a month. I admit, I was skeptically at first. I currently use Evernote, Dropbox, Google Drive, Tasks, Pinterest, Blogger, and even Gmail drafts as options for saving and storing information. I wasn't sure if there was a place for another program in my life. I've been trying to streamline where I store information and figured Keep would prove to be just another distraction. That is not the case. I currently choose Keep above every other option. And let me say, Keep is actually an entirely different tool. Keep is a tool I use each and every day to stay organized, record random thoughts or ideas, manage a to-do list or shopping list, save recipes on the go, and many other things. I use Evernote as a more long-term database for a lot of information and records. For any overlap between Keep and the other tools I listed above, well I think Keep is a much better option.

Things I Like About Google Keep

Android Widget
I love the widget on my Samsung Galaxy S3. It allows me to easily scroll through my past notes or quickly add a new one. I can also attach photos and add to existing notes. This is all available right now my screen. I love being able to see it all right there.

Syncs to Google Drive/Other Devices
Anything I type on my phone, tablet, or computer will sync to my other devices. So I have access to that information no matter where I am. Like other Google products (Hello, Gmail), you can archive notes but still search for them. All notes are organized into your Google Drive, plus Keep even has an offline options. (For example, I have written blog posts on my computer while I'm without internet access. Those posts sync once I'm reconnected.)

Photo/Voice Notes
Your notes can be composed of photo or voice. Or both. That's great.

Checklists
Yes, checklists. I love my checklists. This is actually a feature I didn't find until recently. Ok this week. I had actually found myself thinking, "Man, I wish I could make checklists with Keep." And magically, I seemed to find the feature. It's the best thing ever. I currently make a checklist each day. And have a checklist for each week. And have a checklist for the month. I love it.

Reminders
You can attach a reminder/alarm to any note. You will receive a notification or alert via Google Now. This stuff is cool.

Customize Options
Pick the colors you want, rearrange the notes how you'd like. Make this app your own. Use it to simplify your life.

I suggest downloading Google Keep now and putting the widget on your home screen (or a main screen...). Make it an option and explore how you can use it.

Tutorial: How to Share a Doc on Google Drive

Today I'm doing a quick tutorial on sharing a document in Google Drive. Google Drive is an online (or cloud-based) program connected to your Google account that allows you to store, access, share, and collaborate on a variety of files. And you can access these files anywhere, at any time.

The main thing to note in this tutorial is that Google Drive can both STORE (upload) files and CREATE files. You might store files in Google Drive to access them anywhere, from any computer. Just as you go to "My Documents" to find files, you would go to Google Drive to find the files you saved there.

When you store a file on Google Drive, you can also choose to share that file with others. Sharing a stored file is like e-mailing an attachment with others. You are essentially duplicating the file.

The main part of this tutorial focuses on how to convert an existing document to a collaborative Google Doc.

How to Convert a File to a Collaborative Doc

First of all, a collaborative document is one that multiple people have the capability to edit and save.

Step One. Upload the document to Google Drive. Click the underlined arrow on the left side of your window. Select the file from your computer files that you wish to upload.

Step Two. Once you upload the document, you will see it show up in your list of documents in "My Drive." Please note the different icons that show up by your files. If you uploaded a Word document, you'll see the "W" icon shown to the right. (The blue square means the file is a Google Document.)

Step Three. Click the box next to the file you uploaded. Click "More," scroll over "Open with"and select "Google Docs."

Step Four. Go back to "My Drive" and now find the new document with the Google Doc icon next to it. Click on the name to open the new file. (It will still have the same name as the original file.) If you are concerned with organizing your files, you might delete the original file that you uploaded since it is backed up on your computer. 

Step Five. Find the blue "Share" button on the top right of the page.

Step Six: Type in the e-mail address of anyone you'd like to share the document with. If you have Google Contacts, type names. You can also make the doc accessible to anyone by changing the privacy status.

5 Steps to Export Your Google Reader Data

You've heard the news. Google Reader will officially say "So, long" Monday. If you are a procrastinator like I am, you probably haven't taken any action on your Reader account. But now is the time! You don't want to lose your info!

Today's "How To" shows how to export your Google Reader data. This is a great option to have on hand if you don't know what program you want to use quite yet but want to make sure not to lose feeds. (If you DO know what program you'll use, you'll likely have the option to switch the data directly, i.e. go to the program site and see if there's an obvious "Import from Reader" option. I just don't know if that option will be available after July 1.) I'll go over basic steps for some programs tomorrow

OK, here goes:

If you don't know what program you want to use as a replacement for Google Reader:

Step 1: Sign into Reader and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Then click Reader settings.  (Gear icon = )

Step 2: In settings, click the "Import/Export" tab.

Step 3: Under "Export your information," click on the "Download your data through Takeout" link. (You can also go to https://www.google.com/takeout/#custom:reader directly.) Remember, you will have to enter your Google password again. 

Step 4: Once Takeout shows 100 percent, click the "Create Archive" button.

FYI Step: Takeout also provides these services for any Google product. Just click "Choose services" and select what information you'd like to export. 

Step 5: Takeout will prepare your data for download, and you'll see a screen like the one below. Click "Download" (and know where'll you save your file). You now have this data to upload later if needed.

Sometimes Google is deceiving

Tuesday morning I woke to a cricket chirping as the sun began to shine in through the window.

This scene almost seems like a fantastic way to start the morning...right?

Well, that chirping very quickly became distracting and unsettling. Why do I hear a cricket in my apartment?

I needed to get up anyways, and as I walked from my bedroom through the kitchen and living room, I tried to get an idea of where this chirping was coming from. I didn't actually KNOW the sound was a cricket, but it was my best guess. I quickly decided that the sound seemed to be the loudest by my refrigerator. But the sound would start and stop, and since I needed to head out to teach a Zumba class, I ate breakfast and left with the decision to just see if the sound continued later on.

That afternoon I studied for my AFAA certification test in my apartment and unsurprisingly didn't notice the lack of chirping. Until it started again that evening. At this point I investigated my refrigerator area once again...but was the sound coming from the appliance or some insect in my apartment?

Like any technology-loving individual, I turned to Google, the all-knowing source that has the answer to any question. After searching a couple phrases related to crickets, chirping, and refrigerators, I found that chirping is actually a common sound for fridges to make when fan motors go out. Hmm ok. That's probably a bit more likely that my having a cricket in the apartment...a sneaky one that stops making noise when I open the fridge door or nudge the appliance.

I decided to call my landlord the next day to have her check out the fridge. But the chirping continues. And continues. And continues. I finally decide to completely move the fridge away from the wall. 

Guess what I found?

A cricket.

Yes, a cricket. I quickly got rid of the creature and then googled my search terms again because I was baffled at how common a chirping refrigerator seemed to be.