Gmail

If you are currently using another email service, you may want to check out Gmail’s features and see if it has any advantages over your current provider.

In our tutorial you will learn about:

• Gmail features such as Priority Inbox, Conversation View, Gmail Chat and Call Phone
• How to set up a Gmail account and import your contacts and other email accounts to Gmail
• The basics of composing, responding to and managing emails with Gmail
• How to use Gmail on your mobile device

If you are already using Gmail, then peruse our tutorial to see if you are using all of its features to your full advantage. Learn how to apply labels to organize emails or how to use convenient chat and mobile device features to save time.

Signing up for Gmail also automatically signs you up for a Google Account which allows you to access other Google services like Google Docs, Google Calendar and the Google Reader. See our Google Accounts topic to learn more.

Access Gmail from a Google Account home page

Finally, this tutorial is also for those who are new to email. We are currently updated our Email Basics topic and will be replacing it with a subject page that includes Email 101, Gmail and more. With Gmail, new email users can learn the basics of how to:

• Sign up for a Gmail account
• Navigate and become familiar with the Gmail window
• Compose and send emails
• Respond to received emails

So there is a little something for everyone in this tutorial. Visit Gmail to get started and please note that the accompanying videos will be added to this topic in the next few weeks. Up next: Google Docs 101 coming in June!

In our Google Accounts tutorial you will learn the following:

• An introduction to Google and all of its apps and services
• How to create an account
• How to customize an iGoogle page with Google services and gadgets
• An overview of Google’s Privacy Tools and settings
• An overview of Google’s Dashboard that allows you to view and manage how your data is collected from using Goggle services

As we begin launching our new topics on Gmail and GoogleDocs, Google Accounts will be the perfect complimentary tutorial, especially since it shows you how to collectively manage the Google services that you choose to use.

To learn more, visit Google Accounts and keep an eye out for our new Google topics, including Gmail launching this May.

The most appealing thing about online calendars is their flexible interface that allows you to view and manage events with ease. As seen in the image below, you can:

• Quickly add, move, delete events on your calendar
• Easily switch back and forth between day, week, month and custom views of your calendar
• Use color-coding to help you focus on specific events or calendars
• Block out multi-day events
• Conveniently search for events
• Set email or pop-up reminders that won’t let you forget an event
• Display repeating events to avoid conflicts
• Add contact information, map directions and other useful information to events

Online calendars also allow you to create and view multiple calendars for various tasks all in the same interface. The image below shows you that you can create and color-code calendars for various tasks. You can also show or hide any of your calendars based on which ones you would like to view. In addition, you can share a calendar with other people and even give them access to add and edit events.

Most online calendars also have  task list features that can help you get things done. Many also have tools for sorting, grouping and prioritizing tasks.

Finally, one of the best features of online calendars is their on-the-go access. You can sync calendars between your computer and mobile devices, so you are always able to view and update events no matter where you are.

If this sounds like a great way to get organized, then check out a few of the popular online calendars listed below and get started.

• Google Calendars
• 30 Boxes
• Yahoo Calendar
• Windows Live/Hotmail Calendar
• Cozi

]]> http://blog.gcflearnfree.org/2011/01/get-organized-with-online-calendars/feed/ 6 http://blog.gcflearnfree.org/2010/06/google-yourself/ http://blog.gcflearnfree.org/2010/06/google-yourself/#comments Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:04:46 +0000 lauren http://blog.gcflearnfree.org/?p=3025 Do you know how much anyone can find out about you by doing a simple web search? You may be shocked to discover just how much of your personal information is quickly and easily accessible to anyone online.

While this information may not be harmful, in some situations you could put yourself at risk by not knowing what is out there. For instance, someone can find out your name, address, and directions to your house just by entering your phone number in a simple web search. If you are selling something in a newspaper or on Craigslist and you give your home phone number to a potential buyer, be aware that they could easily find your house.

Another thing to consider when looking at your public web content is its impact on your reputation. Are you applying for a job or to a university? Most institutions will search for information about you on the web when reviewing your application. You will want to know if your friend’s blog still has those old Spring Break pictures of you posted, and kindly ask him to take them down!

Google yourself to find out what is out there. To get the most accurate and complete search results, enter search terms such as your name, email address, home and work address, and phone numbers in a variety of ways. Also, put quotes around your search terms. This tells the search engine to find a specific phrase just how you wrote it, and will make your search more efficient.

• First name and last name: “Will Bolding”
• First, middle, and last name: “Will Edward Bolding”
• Last name followed by a comma and your first name: “Bolding, Will”
• Last name followed by a comma, your first name and middle name: “Bolding, Will Edward”
• Street address: “2521 Street Address Lane”
• Phone number (using no spaces or hyphens searches all instances of your number): “9195554444”
• Email address: “boldingsoccer@email.com”

If you do find any information that you do not want publicly available, you can ask the website to remove that information. Keep in mind that they are not always obligated to comply with your request. If you need help negotiating with a website, you can contact WiredSafety.org, and they will be able to advise you on your specific case.

You might feel comfortable with the information that is posted about you online, but as the web is constantly growing and changing, it is a good idea to Google yourself regularly and stay informed on what anyone can find out about you by simply searching the web.

17,100,000. That is how many results I received when I used an Internet search engine to search for a talking clock. The vague search terms I used resulted in too many off-target web pages. Obviously, I don’t have the time to look through 17 million web pages to locate the exact item I need, and I’m guessing you don’t have that kind of extra time either. That is why it is important for you to know how to use search engines effectively to increase the chance the search engine will display results that closely meet your criteria.

The following 5 tips will help you search the Internet more effectively:

1. Enter as many keywords as possible. Most users submit 1 to 2 words per search, which is not enough for an effective query. If you do this, you are likely to yield millions of results, just as I did while searching for the talking clock. Choose 5 to 7 keywords that narrow your search field.
2. Use nouns as keywords. Words such as “a” and “the”, pronouns such as “she” and “he”, and prepositions such as “over” and “to” slow down the search engine and often produce irrelevant results. Some search engines actually ignore these words. If it is important for the search, the search engine probably has an advanced feature that will allow you to include it. For example, in Google, if you need to include the word “the” in a search you can place a “+” in front of the word so that the search engine will include it.
3. Use exact phrases when searching. Phrases are a combination of two or more words that must appear in the documents you trying to locate. Quotation marks should surround each phrase. The ability to search for exact phrases can be extremely useful in locating material online.
4. Understand the Boolean Basics. “Boolean searching” is technique that can narrow your search results and increase the likelihood that relevant results will be displayed. This searching technique involves using Boolean commands, or operators. These commands are AND, OR, and NOT.
   • The AND command will only return documents that contain all the keywords listed. For example, if you search for “Paris” AND “Eiffel Tower” AND “Hours” the results displayed will include all of these terms. AND is the most commonly used Boolean command and most search engines use it without the user needing to type it into the search box.
   • The OR command will return documents that contain any of the keywords. If you search for “Nike” OR “tennis shoes” OR “Air Zoom Plus” the search engine will display documents that contain even one of these three keywords/phrases.
   • The NOT command will return documents that do not contain the keyword listed. If you complete the same search for Nike shoes, but this time included NOT “Air Complete Collection” the results displayed would not include any reference to the Air Complete Collection.

The key is to learn how each search engine will process Boolean commands. In addition to recognizing these three commands, some search engines automatically include the AND command in searches and process the plus (+) and minus (-) signs as another way to express AND or NOT.

5. Use the advanced search features. Most people use search engines by typing words into the query box, selecting the Enter button, and then scanning the results pages. This often results with millions of pages being displayed – most of which will not meet your criteria; however, most search engines do have an advanced search feature which can help you narrow the results.

Google, Bing, and Mahalo –these are a few popular search engines. I tend to use Google the most often because I like the advanced search tool and can usually find what I am looking for within the results it displays. Take the time to try several search engines and the advanced search tools for each. See which one you like the most and become familiar with how to use it.

There are billions of web pages and no formal system for organizing these pages. While search engines provide a vital service in helping you locate the web pages you need, they can only be as effective as the searches you submit. Successful Internet searches can take several attempts; however, if you use the 5 tips and take the time to learn how the search engine you choose works, you will be able to locate the information you need.

Effective Internet searches will not require you to comb through millions of web pages – the search engine should do all that hard work for you! So give several search engines a try and see which ones you prefer. Be sure to visit our internet basics topic for many more tips and tricks. Happy searching!