How-to use Google Chrome Extensions

What are Chrome Extensions?

Chrome extensions are small programs that you add to your chrome browser which allow you to extend the capability of your browser and customize your browsing experience.

Where do I get Chrome Extensions?

Chrome extensions are available in the Chrome web store

Chrome Web Store - Extensions - Google Chrome

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions?hl=en

To add an extension, click on the Add To Chrome button 

Extensions Area - Search bar

When extensions are added, they will appear on the right side of the Search Bar.

How do I manage extensions in chrome?

Manage an Individual extension

Right click on an extension in the search bar

Manage all extensions

The puzzle piece icon - shown on right.

  

Clicking on the puzzle piece

causes the Manage extensions drop down menu to display a list of all extensions that have been enabled and installed in Chrome.

The push pin indicates if the extension is visible on your extension bar.  The pin is blue when visible and gray when not visible.

There are three categories of extensions, 

1. Full access 
   These extensions can see and change information on the site you are viewing
2. Access requested
   Click on the extension to give the extension access to the site.
3. No access needed
   These extensions do not need to see and change the site.

To see even more about the extensions, click on the Manage extensions at the bottom of the window.

More information can be found at the website:

https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/2664769?hl=en

Translating Slide Presentations using Google Docs

Now that you know how to translate Google Docs and PDFs, you may wonder how do I translate a slide presentation (Google Slides or Powerpoint).  

An add-on to Google Slides called Slide Translator is available.  This add-on will allow you to translate each individual text box in your presentation.  One by one.  Slide by slide.  Oh, did I mention that the text is translated but not installed into the presentation?  You have to do that yourself.  It sounds great in theory, but the execution of the app is not there.

Alternatively, you can download your Google Slide or Microsoft Powerpoint presentation as a PDF. Then upload it to Google Drive.  Then go through the steps in my last blog entry "Translating a PDF using Google Docs" to create a translated copy of the text.  

It's not a perfect solution.  You may lose some formatting and/or pictures.  However, all of the text will be translated in one step.  Much less work than using the Slide Translator add-on.

Translating a PDF using Google Docs

My last post talked about how easy it is to translate a Google Doc into more than 100 languages.  That is great, but what if you have a PDF that needs to be translated?  How can you quickly and efficiently translate that?

Translating a PDF can be just as easy as translating a Google Doc. 

 

1. Upload the PDF to your Google Drive if it is not already in Drive.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Right click on the PDF (1)
   
   
3. Select Open with (2)
   
   
4. Choose Google Docs (3) to open the PDF file in Google Docs.
   Google Docs will then convert your document from a PDF to a Google Doc file.
   
   
5. Once the file opens in Google Docs, you can use the same steps from my previous post, How to Translate a Google Doc.
   
   (Click the Tools tab, select Translate Document, then choose the language to translate your doc, and click Translate).

Note that some of the formatting may change depending on what your PDF looks like.  You can take the time to edit it and make it pretty if you would like.  

 

How to Translate a Google Doc

Translating Google Docs is easy and a great (and simple) way to share classroom information and resources with families.  Additionally, Docs can quickly be translated into more than 100 different languages.

HOW TO TRANSLATE A GOOGLE DOC

1. Open the Google Doc file that you want to translate in Google Drive.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Click the Tools top tab (1)
   
   
3. Select the Translate Document option in the drop down. (2)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Translate document dropdown will appear.
   
   
   
5.  Notice that the new document title will be preceded by the words "Translated copy of ".  A suggestion is to remove this text and add the words "Translated copy" + the language name at the end of the title.  This will allow all of your translated copies to appear next to the original version in your folder that is sorted alphabetically.
   
   
6. Select the language for which you want to translate your document.  There are more than 100 language choices for this translation.
   
   
7. Click Translate.  Your new translated document will keep all the same formatting of the original Google Doc.

URL Shortener?

Today, I went to shorten a URL for a Twitter posting that I was making and learned that Google's URL Shortener ceased to exist on March 30, 2019.  Since this was news to me, I thought it might also be news to you and I thought I would share my research on alternatives.

Bitly
With Bitly's free version, suggests a URL but you can customize the shortened URL and allows you to create up to 10,000 shortened URL's per month.  I'm sure that is more than enough for most of us.  The extension usually starts with the code bit.ly.  Often used by business to keep track of times the URL has been clicked.

TinyURL
With TinyURL, will suggest a URL but you can customize it.  The url will begin with tinyurl.com/.  Entirely anonymous with no tracking of the number of times the URL has been clicked.  No limitations on the number of shortened URL's created also the shortened links created never expire.

T2M
Or T2Mio Allows you to shorten your URL and also create a QR code.  Has the ability to check statistics on URL traffic.  But the free version allows for unlimited shortened URL creation.

Girls Who Code - Summer 2019

New from Girls Who Code!

2-Week Summer Courses

Girls Who Code’s newest summer program is Girls Who Code Campus!

Each Campus course, for girls ranging 10 to 18, is two weeks long to fit with busy summer schedules and explores new and exciting material, like iPhone App Development (ages 13-18) or Wearable Tech (ages 11-15).

View the full Course Catalog here.

Campus courses in the Boston area are at:

• The Winsor School in Boston
• The Meadowbrook School in Weston.

Explore the schedule here:

• 7/8-7/22 Wearable Tech & Fashion Design (ages 11-15) @ Meadowbrook
• 7/8-7/22 iPhone App Developmen (13-18) @ Winsor School
• 7/22-8/2 Intro to Computer Science (10-14) @ Meadowbrook
• 7/22-8/2 Wearable Tech & Fashion Design (11-15) @ Winsor

In Campus courses, girls will explore coding concepts, build fun and challenging projects, and join a national sisterhood of over 90,000 girls who code.

Registration is open (and your second registration is half off!)

Full scholarships are available for families that qualify. Email campus@girlswhocode.com with questions.

Redirecting First Class Mail to Gmail

Are you ready to make the switch from FirstClass to Gmail?

by Kathleen Grace and DJ Fikru

Are you concerned that by making the switch from FirstClass to Gmail that you may miss emails that people send to your FirstClass account?  The answer is no.  There are steps that you can take to insure that you get all of your emails. 

How to send your emails from your FirstClass email account to your new Gmail account.

1. Log into FirstClass
    
2. Click on Preferences

3. From the Preferences Window, select Messaging.

4. On the Mail Rules tab, find the section called Automatically forward.
   Set the fields as follows:
• Local Mail - Yes
• Internet Mail - Yes

5. Change the Method box to Redirect.

6. In the Forward to box, add your Winchester Gmail address.
   ( First Initial + Last Name + @winchesterps.org )
   For example, if David Ortiz worked here in Winchester, his email address would be dortiz@winchesterps.org.

7. Finally, click Apply and then OK.

After completing these steps, all new FirstClass emails will be redirected from First Class to Gmail.  Meaning that your emails will exist in both FirstClass and in Gmail.  

Before you start using your new Gmail account, please see the blog entry Making the Move to Gmail from FirstClass.  Here you will find important information to insure that your emails get delivered correctly.