5 Must Have Chromebook Apps

I’m 5 days in and I already have 5 “must have” Chromebook apps. Keep in mind that apps in the Chromebook are basically shortcuts to websites but it is ingenious how they are wrapped into the system. As former Mac and Windows users we are used to having programs or apps. Google knew this and took it into consideration when they built this brilliant operating system. I’m starting to sound like a fanboy. Let’s get to the list!

tweetdeck for chromebook1) Tweetdeck

Twitter is such a valuable resource for me and the Tweetdeck app is perfect for what I use  it for. I’m a chatter and Tweetdeck allows me to chat in real-time with no refreshing.

 

evernote for Chromebook2) Evernote

I had a hard time finding a use for Evernote. I love to write stuff down on real paper with real pens but this year I decided to go a little greener. I started trying Evernote out and it is so cool how it syncs across all devices. I took notes at the bookstore on my iPad and used them to write a blog post on the Chromebook later.

 

Google Remote Desktop Chromebook3) Remote Desktop

I manage a network of over 1000 users all on Microsoft’s Active Directory. Unless they release a Chrome app for managing Active Directory this is my only option on the Chromebook. Something that is neat is that I can access the servers anywhere, anytime. Huge value.

 

Google Drive for Chromebook4) Google Drive

This one comes installed by default but deserves a mention because of the how valuable it is. If you want the Chromebook to be more than just a “netbook” you need to embrace Google Drive. Before I made the jump I transferred all of my important documents to Google Drive. I haven’t had an issue with document management since.

 

Pandora app for Chromebook5) Pandora

I don’t wall to be all work and no play. Streaming Pandora while I write this post is seamless. That is a beauty of a low overhead machine. It just works.

 

This is just a start. You don’t need a Chromebook to enjoy these apps. Check out the Chrome Web Store while I collect my commission from Big G.

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Chromebook Experiment – Day 4

A few Chromebook tips and tricks I have found so far

Remember how I was only going to use the Chromebook and say goodbye to my MacBook Pro?

Letting go of my macbook for the Chromebook

Yeah, that photo is a little bit embarrassing.

The reality is that reality happens. I have used my Macbook to the minimum but I have had to edit some video for a student and I use iMovie for that. I have found some great resources to help me on this journey.

1) Keyboard Shortcuts

There are a lot of them! I printed this out and put it up on my wall. Valuable stuff!

2) chrome://system/

Type that in your browser and you can get a lot of info about your device. Play with the wrong ones and you might just brick it.

3) Find your IP address

This one can be useful for admins.

Click the clock on the lower left corner of the screen (equivalent to the Windows systray)

From the configuration/info popup, click the right arrow on the network section (where it shows what network you are connected to)

The window switches to a network window, showing available networks and connection status.

The header bar of that window has three icons: WiFi, 3g (on my Samsung Chromebook), and an “i” in a circle.

Click the “i” to get your current IP address and MAC address (labeled “WiFi” on the information box)

4) Open a terminal window

This one is another for the admins or hackers out there. CTRL-ALT-T.

5) Loading Java on your Chromebook

Don’t get excited yet. This one is a bigger hack and I failed getting it into developer mode. On top of that there are no “F” keys on the Samsung Chromebook. I’ll probably figure it out but this one is for the not-so-light-of-heart.

How about you? If you are reading this you probably have a Chromebook or are looking to get one. If you have one, what tips and tricks have you found?

 

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30 Days with the Chromebook – Getting Started

chromebookI have been talking a lot lately about the Chromebook that we bought for testing purposes in our district. Despite the talk I haven’t actually been using it a whole lot. For the past 3 months it was with a student (see my previous post) and since I got it back from her it has pretty much sat on my desk.

If you preach it you better be ready to live it. So I will! Here are the steps I have taken to insure an easy transition.

1) Copied all of my important files to my Google Drive.

boxofapps-eduUsing Google Drive is so easy. If you haven’t already go to http://drive.google.com and download the software. Just like DropBox, it creates a folder on your computer and then it is just a matter of copy and pasting your documents in. Once you have them on your Google Drive you can read them but you will need to convert them if you want to edit the documents. Not a big deal either. Open the document in your Google Drive, then choose File -> Open with -> Google Docs and it converts the document for you.

2) Setup Remote Desktop Chrome app on a windows computer

google_chrome_remote_desktop_icon_by_brebenel_silviu-d5d9pxnThis one may not be necessary for you but I manage a network of over 1,000 users and I need to have access to the management tools that I use. Shutting myself out of those tools for the sake of science would not be a wise choice. Setting up the Remote Desktop Chrome app happens on both sides. I setup Google Chrome on the Windows Server that I am using, logged into Chrome, added the app (I’m pretty sure if I had been a little more patient it would have automatically loaded because I already had it on my account), and enabled remote access.

3) Shed a tear as I closed my MacBook Pro

cryingI’m not a fanboy but I like to have access to whatever I need when I need it. I won’t lie. I’m worried. But if I plan to put these devices in the hands of students I better be able to defend that choice. If I hate it, I know the students will most likely hate it.

I will continue to update over the next month on the highs and lows of the adventure.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. on Technology

I like to keep my blog focused on technology because it is what I know and do. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day seems like a good day to stay silent and observe what would have been his 84th birthday. Out of curiosity I looked around for anything that Martin Luther King, Jr. might have said about technology. I found a 32 second nugget of wisdom that all of us should take seriously in a world that morals are still being outpaced by technology.

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Student Review of the Chromebook

samsung-chromebook-frontviewOur district is investigating different devices for a possible 1:1 pilot next school year. One of the devices that is being reviewed is the Google Chromebook. If you would have asked me a year ago if the Chromebook would be a possible solution for 1:1 in our district I would have given you a resounding no. The price was too high and the operating system too immature. All of that changed this year when Google and Samsung introduced a $249 Chromebook. In early October we ordered a Chromebook and put it into the hands of a student. We didn’t just choose any student. We chose the presumptive valedictorian for the class of 2013. We chose her not just for her grades but for her discriminating taste. She lives in an upper middle-class home and has access to other devices. We wanted someone to test the Chromebook that would give us honest, critical feedback about the machine. After nearly 4 months I gave the student a survey to review the device so far. Here is her review.

In what ways has the Chromebook changed the way that you use a computer?

It is all done through my gmail and is online which unlike any computer I’ve used before.

Continue reading →

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8 Alternative Ways to Pay for Your Next Edtech Conference

06It happened again in the #MichEd chat on Wednesday night. Another educator saying that they won’t be at the 2013 MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning) Conference because of funding issues. The MACUL Conference is the de facto educational technology conference for the state of Michigan with over 4000 people attending the conference in 2012. The cost of the conference is $185 with an additional $280 for hotel. That is obviously too much money for most people to pay on their own but a worthwhile investment for any school district. With the push to use technology in the classroom, and the need for professional development to insure proper use of that technology, it should be a no-brainer to have attendees from every district in the state. Attendees are not just from the state of Michigan. I met a few from Ohio and Indiana last year as well. This conference is a big deal! So why can’t districts find funding for their educators to attend? Common Core has put even more pressure on districts to make sure that educators have proper training with technology. Not to mention that smart boards, iPads, Chromebooks, and social media are having a profound affect and change on the classroom. MACUL, ISTE and the other state counterparts provide an amazing experience for educators to not just learn how to turn something on but how other educators are using things in their classrooms.

Fortunately, the MACUL website provides a page for funding that has excellent ideas and resources for any conference. If you keep getting the “No” when you ask to attend that next conference try one of these out:

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2 iPads and a Smartboard = No Boundaries

An Addison Elementary student was hospitalized and his teacher, Sherry Ramsdell, wanted to find a way to keep him connected to what was happening in the classroom. It is this kind of stuff that teachers do that anti-teacher pundits don’t see or fail to mention. Her original idea was a good one. She recorded the class wishing him well on her iPad and then she planned to go up to the hospital and have him record a message back. I gave her my iPad and told her to give it to the student and we went over how to use FaceTime. The final product was a magical conversation between a hospitalized classmate and his class on the big screen.

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Death to the E-Reader!

Kindle-readers-1024x630My wife loves her Kindle. It is not a Kindle Fire, it is a Kindle. She takes it everywhere she goes and hasn’t purchased a “normal” book since I bought the device for her last year. The devices are cheap at $69 a piece and most books sell for $10. We even bought my oldest son one and he loves (loved, he broke it) his.

I’m a different story. I like to turn actual pages. I don’t use bookmarks, I simply fold down the corner of the page where I left off. I like the smell of a book which is probably why I spend so much time in bookstores. Despite the visual friendly screen I still find using an e-reader hard on the eyes. That is probably in my head.

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Who Are You?

“I’m a car guy. I love cars. I love all cars. And I especially love my 1989 Camaro RS, which I recently spent over $3,000 on to put in a sunroof. Now. You ask yourself: Why would someone spend $3,000 to install a sunroof in some old car from 1989? You wanna know why? Because I’m a car guy. That’s who I am. That’s what I care about.” - Brad Meltzer, The Inner Circle

Who are you? No, I’m not asking for your name, your twitter handle, or your job description. I ask myself this question often and remind my athletes about this question yearly. What defines you, when all the chips are down how will you act, what will you do? Do you save yourself or risk yourself for others?

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