IT Ideas

So I bought a Chromebook Pixel - as a Chromebook user I just could not resist this device especially as it comes with a terabyte GDrive. There are lots of reviews online already - so this is my personal views on the device rather than another analysis of the specs. To consider buying this device you need to be sold on the idea of cloud based working and in particular Google Docs/Apps. I use it with my school Google Apps account and my private Google Account. I own a Samsung Series 3 ARM based Chromebook - after unboxing it I just logged on and got going. From turning it on to working with all my apps was probably less than a minute (most of that was typing in my WiFi key!). This is what I like about Chromebooks and Google Apps - log on and get going. If I had bought a new Windows machine, I'd still be installing software a couple of hours later. I've got to the point where I like an easy life! The Hardware Very solid construction - perhaps a tiny bit heavy. Keybo...

LucidCharts - for Mind Mapping I've mentioned LucidCharts before - but the mind mapping options are really quite good - so I've done a little video to illustrate them. If you have Apps for Education you can request the full version of LucidCharts for your domain for free.

Add back the Create from Template option. The new version of the 'Create' button in Drive makes it easier to make things with additional Apps. However, the 'Create from Template' can only be accessed by creating a document first then selecting the option from the file menu. There is an addon to add the option back. Just go to this site  and click the authorize button and the option will be back as below:

Using FOG to image Windows 7/8 machines. We have been using FOG to image Windows 7/8 machines for a while now. For information our procedure is shown below. It requires an appropriate unattend.xml file to work. To make this you will need to install the Windows Automated Install Kit (AIK). I can supply a basic one on request. You will need one for Windows 7 and a different one for Windows 8. We also have one for Windows 7 Thin.

Another interactive board space for Google Drive Conceptboard is an interactive space for users collaborate - sort of an interactive online whiteboard that works well with Google Drive. Done a little demo video below.

New Google Forms Just in case you have missed the news about the latest Google Forms - here are a couple of vids that have been posted around the web: