Google Docs is a great resource that many people use. One feature that has been lacking is pagination - the ability to see the pages visually on your screen. Up until now, you would have to do a print preview to see how your document will layout on pages. Now, Docs has pagination and the printing in Docs has been improved also. 


It is rolling out today and should be available to everyone by the end of the day. I do not have it as of this writing, but I'm looking forward to it.


With pagination, you will have visual page breaks while editing documents, so you can see how many pages and how the text formats onto each page. Headers will appear at the top of each page and footnotes will appear at the bottom of the proper page. 





To set up pagination, you go to View > Document View > Paginated. You can also select "Compact" if you want to go back to the old view. 

Along with pagination, Google Docs can now natively print from Chrome (will work with other browsers if those browsers implement the "same web standard" that Chrome is using.)


In the past to print, Google Docs would convert the document into a PDF and then that would open and print. Now, you will be able to print directly from the browser and the printed document will be formatted just like you see on the screen. 


These improvements are great features that continue to improve Google Docs and make Docs even more useful. 


They also show that Google is continually improving their products, which is great news for those of use that use their products. 


UPDATE: As of 3:30pm, I have these new features in my account, so the roll out is going nicely.




(images from Official Google Blog since I don't have this function yet.)

READ MORE - Pagination Comes to Google Docs! (and native printing)

Splashtop OS is a free, Linux based operating system that allows fast startup and access to the internet. I equate it to Chrome OS. It is based on Chromium, the same system Chrome is based on, and actually looks similar too. 

It is pre-installed on many netbooks from Acer, Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo, and more as a quick start OS that can run as a dual-boot option with Windows. 

The download is only 2MB, but then when you run that file it downloads a 350MB file and then runs the installer. I installed it on my Acer Aspire One Netbook last night. Once it installed, I restarted the computer and after the start screen for the Bios, it gives me the option to start Windows or Splashtop OS. I selected Splashtop OS and it finished the install and started. The first start was a bit slower, but the second startup of Splashtop OS was much, much faster than starting Windows (took about 90 sec to start up completely. Windows takes much longer.)

It looks very similar to Chrome OS. It opens to a browser window. It defaults to Bing search, but you can change that to Google, Yahoo, and a few others. I changed mine to Google.

The start page and browser are just like Chrome. The omnibox is there, as are extensions and the new tab page has a link to Chrome apps and extensions, shows recent and most visited pages, and has a search box. Adobe Flash is pre-nstalled and works well. I was able to access all of the websites that I wanted to last night. I will continue testing and using it and update any issues. 

It doesn't affect any of your Windows settings or files either. Downloaded files while in Splashtop OS 

You can import your existing Windows bookmarks and Wi-Fi settings from Windows into Splashtop OS. There is a status bar that allows you to check the status of network connections, battery and power supply, volume, and the configuration panel. You can also quickly exit Splashtop and boot to Windows at any time.

I love Chrome OS because it is so fast and Splashtop OS offers the same fast start up and operation. This is definitely useful on any computer, especially a notebook or netbook, for fast access to the internet. As more and more people work in the cloud, they only need access to the internet. Splashtop OS allows you to have quick access to the internet without waiting for Windows to boot up. 

This would also be a great option for schools (just like Chrome OS is). Students can quickly start up a computer and get online. They can use all of the great Web 2.0 tools and not affect the computer itself. Their files and work are all in the cloud, all of the apps they need are free, and there is no software or other installs needed. It makes startup and shutdown of the computers faster, leaving more time for students to actually use the computers for learning. It can also be used on older computers as it runs faster than Windows, making the older computers seem newer. 

Check it out.

READ MORE - Splashtop OS - free, fast loading, Chromium based OS

I received my Google Chrome OS CR-48 notebook computer last December and have been using it for different task at home and school since then. But, lately, it's become indispensable to me.

This past weekend, I attended and presented at Teachmeet NJ. I only brought the CR-48 to use. I knew that there would be WiFi available, plus the CR-48 came with Verizon 3G service and my Palm Pre+ can act as a hotspot if needed. I had all my presentation materials on Google Docs and projected my presentations right from the notebook. I also used Google Docs, the browser, and Evernote to take notes throughout the conference. I never even plugged the thing in the whole day and the battery lasted from 7:30am until 4pm (and still had 45%) left in it. It was nice to just close the top when moving rooms, and then it would instantly start up again when I got to the next room. It easily connected to the projectors. It is nice and light and thin.

Jason Bedell, who was running the event, was walking around with his CR-48 organizing things. This was another example of how cloud computing can work anywhere.

This week (and next week) is State standardized testing. We are in the test room from 8am until 10:30 am and I am not in my room. All I bring with me each day is my CR-48. No power cord, no papers, nothing else. I already work from the cloud, so it is very easy to work this way. Student work, lesson plans, lesson resources, everything is available online. And, since I use Google Chrome and apps on my desktop and they sync with my Google account, as soon as I start up the CR-48, all my data is there and ready to be used. I see other teachers lugging laptops and bags of papers and materials with the to the testing rooms. Not me. I did notice one other teacher only carrying her netbook, which was nice to see.

It's also nice that I can access all of this stuff from my smartphone and it is then also available and updated on my computer and CR-48.

I have been able to easily create posts for my blog also, using Aviary to capture and edit graphics for it.

My current Chrome setup (which syncs with all instances of Chrome I use, including Chrome OS) is as follows:
home email, school email, gmail, Google Calendar, Evernote, Blogger, Tweetdeck, Google Docs, and iGoogle.

If you have been wondering if a web only system like Chrome OS is useable, I'm here to tell you it is! I also am even more convinced that Chrome OS is for education - a notebook computer like the CR-48 is light, easy to carry, has a real keyboard with the screen at the proper angle, and can do everything needed. If lost, no data is lost.

I figure if I was able to use a web based OS for an entire day at a conference and for two weeks at my school, then it should be good for other educators and students too. Imagine the cost savings of running a thin client like this without the need to support software or the OS by your IT department? No licensing fees of software. I truly see this kind of a device as much better for education than a tablet. The physical keyboard, large screen, web-based data, are all great for schools.


What are your thoughts? Anyone else using a CR-48 and finding it very useful?


UPDATE: Just in case anyone was hoping to get one - Google just announced on 3-12-11 that there are no more CR-48's shipping, but there will be commercial products from Acer and Samsung, running Chrome OS, coming this summer.

READ MORE - Google Chrome OS CR-48 coming in real handy lately

Chrome OS is all the rage right now in the tech circles. Google has released a very early version to certain people installed on their CR-48 laptop. Chrome OS basically takes everything to the web and, for all intents and purposes, turns an OS into a browser, and doesn't do much on the actual device. To be able to take advantage of this, you have to have a lot of your resources as web apps or web sites.

I'm hoping to be one of the lucky ones to get a CR-48 to test out and evaluate. I'm pretty well set in the cloud as it is now. The only thing I'm still using on the computer is PowerPoint. But, I'm moving most of my presentations to either Google Docs or Prezi.

Chrome Web Browser (currently running 9.0.597.19 beta)

1. Home email - my home email, through my cable internet service is web mail.
2. School email - web mail, through Microsoft Exchange
3. Gmail - secondary email and used for my Google accounts - love the fact that it keeps multiple email replies together in a conversation.
4. School student data system - attendance, information, gradebook - all web based (PowerSchool)
5. Evernote - notes, lesson plans, and so much more - web based
6. Blogger - web based blogging platform - this blog and my class blogs
7. Google Sites - class website and reference web site with links, resources, and files
8. iGoogle with Google Reader, Google Bookmarks, Google Notebook, Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Google Contacts...all web based.
9. Picasa - online photo storage
10. Google Chrome extensions and web apps:

1. Tweetdeck web app
2. Clip to Evernote
3. Aviary screen capture and edit
4. Google URL shortner
5. Bookmark to Diigo
6. Chromey calculator

11. Online scientific calculator

12. Dropbox - cloud file storage and sync to access my files

13. Google Docs - online office suite - uploading my PowerPoint files and videos to Docs and YouTube

14. Aviary - online graphics, photo and detailing suite.

15. Prezi - very cool, online, presentation program

That's just the main things I use on a daily basis. I really don't need to access a hard drive or have local storage of apps/software or files to be able to do my work. It also means I have access to all of my stuff no matter where I am: home, school, at a different computer in the district, or even on my Palm Pre+. I can access everything from anywhere. 

What I really like about Chrome OS is that it would be perfect for education. (I wrote about that here). 

What about you? Can you live in the cloud and still get things done?

UPDATE: Very interesting. I got home on Friday (the day I originally wrote this post) and UPS shows up with a Google Chrome OS CR-48 notebook for me. I will be posting a review this week, so stay tuned. So far, I really like it. 

Related Links and Posts
Technology I use on a daily Basis
Chrome OS homepage
Cloud File Storage, Backup and Sync
Backing up your Cloud/Web based Data
Operating Systems and Web Based Apps

READ MORE - Living in the Cloud - I'm ready for Chrome OS -Update

image from Engadget.com

Yesterday, Google debuted Chrome OS, their operating system for computers. Chrome OS is based on the Chrome browser. Your apps are available from the Chrome Web Store. There are already a lot of apps available. You will have the ability to work offline also.

What I like about Chrome OS is that this is a very lightweight system to use on devices, meaning that you should get more speed and power from less powerful devices, along with increased battery life. It also turns on instantly. No more waiting for a laptop to boot up. Also, since things are cloud-based and sync your account preferences automatically.

I already use cloud-based apps for 95% of my work during the day (most of which are Google products). Chrome browser, Evernote Web, Gmail, Google Calendar, Twitter, iGoogle, webmail for work, Google Docs, Blogger, Aviary, Google Sites and a web based attendance and grading system. I rarely need to use a desktop application anymore. This is also true for many of my colleagues and students. Since we are already so web-based, Chrome OS can work very well for education.

With the decreased hardware requirements and cloud-based services, I see Chrome OS as a great idea for education. No boot time, increased battery time, no need to worry about lost data if the hardware is damaged or lost, and the ability to do the things you need to do.

Chrome OS will be debuting on a variety of hardware in 2011.

Learn more about Chrome OS:
Ars Technica's Review
Engadget's review


What do you think about Chrome OS?


Related Articles:
Google Chrome OS in the works

READ MORE - Google Chrome OS - great idea for education!