Posting through my Google Apps Account

I created a Google Apps account and shared my blog.
Just testing.

Diigo

Diigo is a mutli-tool for knowledge management on-line.  Diigo allow you to bookmark and organize websites, images and notes which you can then share with others.  Students and Teachers can create group pages to collaborate. Here is an overview:

Learn even more here.

Create an account on www.diigo.com - you can create one with your Google ID if you prefer.

Then upgrade your to a free educator account at https://www.diigo.com/teacher_entry/educationupgrades

Then go to my page at www.diigo.com/user/doughmanr and follow me.  I will invite all that follow me to join a class and we will investigate the group features.

Next, log into chrome browser and search the store for the Diigo Web App and the Diigo Web Collector browser extension.  Install each.  Use the Web Collector extension to bookmark some sites.

We will build from there.

Enjoy!

Google Document

Now lets compare a Google Document to the Office 365 document.  The tasks will be similar, but the objective is to get a quick comparison between the two platforms.
This document is available for editing by anyone with the link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FlqP77f9pvI1lhkByNJl3od6_49K_3y68JCowch35WA/edit?usp=sharing

I need your email address in order to give you direct access.  I updated the Google form "Enter Blog URL Here" to include a field for your email.

Once I give you permission - the document will appear in your Google Drive (drive.google.com).  Open the document and edit away.

Hopefully this will start a conversation (comment below and on the document) about the pros and cons of each.

Enjoy!

Office 365

Lets learn more about office 365 through a bit of a scavenger hunt.

Open this Public View Only Document. It is an online Word Document that you will first view, then be able to open another link that allows you to edit and comment on the document.
When you have completed those tasks, return to this post for directions to open a document that shared to the test student accounts. The accounts are accessed through mail.mycomets.org and the usernames are studentXt@mycomets.org (X is any number from 1 to 25) and the password in Mason123. Access an account and open the link contained in the email from the Administrator that says he has shared a document with you.  Follow the directions on that document.
Enjoy!

ChromeBook

The ChromeBook is the next step in Google's attempt to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.

First, Google began introducing applications such as gmail, Google Calendar, Sites and then combined access to all these application through one single sign on - a Google Account. Google established itself as a rising star when it purchased YouTube in 2006 for a whopping $1.65 Billion! In a nutshell, you can now log into YouTube using your Google account information.

The next step toward world dominance was to create Google's own browsing experience - enter Google Chrome.  Chrome can be installed on any device and when logged in with a Google account, settings, favorites, search history (etc.) are shared among those devices.  Once logged into Google Chrome, the user is also logged into any Google application that they access through the browser.  Along with Google Chrome, came the Chrome Web Store. The Chrome Web Store, similar to Apple's App Store, offers Applications (Web Links) and Extensions (small downloads that usually add a button to the Google Address Bar). The primary advantage to the applications (along with a richer user interface) is single sign on, meaning the user can sign up for these apps using their Google account information.  So once signed into Google Chrome, the user can gain immediate access to the applications - and many of the applications allow the user to store associated files right into their Google Drive (online storage).

The latest portion of the takeover bid is the Google ChromeBook. The ChromeBook is basically a device that allows user access to the Chrome Browser.  While there are a limited number of Google programs that can be installed and accessed while offline, the primary function of the device is through the Chrome browser with internet access.  Learn more about all of the ChromeBook features. Single sign on is again the primary benefit.  While the user could choose to use the ChromeBook in Guest mode and log in individually to the Chrome browser or individual application - it is best to Log into the ChromeBook itself, which automatically logs them into the Chrome Browser and all Google (and 3rd Party) applications.

I suggest logging into ChromeBook with your personal Google account and buy (most are free) some web apps (get some ideas here). Try out Google Drive, YouTube, Blogger and some of the items listed in the Epic BYOD Toolchest. Also access mail.mycomets.org and try out the online Microsoft Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote) by logging in with your test Office 365 Account. 

Please add your Comments and Questions about Chrome and ChromeBooks.