Week 14 - 15

Google tools (2 parts)

Agenda

Last week: Holiday shopping

Lesson

Hands on activities included in lesson including:

Find all of the Google tools
Personalize your Gmail
Create and edit a collaborative document on Drive
Discover some of the tools with Google Photos
Use Gemini to improve your understanding of a topic
Use NotebookLM to create an extensive list of sources to help understand a topic

Quiz

Recording:

Week 1: Introduction to Google, Accounts and account management, Gmail and Drive

Week 2: Google photos, Gemini, NotebookLM and YouTube

Quick Links

Handout

Presentation

Quiz

Zoom classroom:

https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/9191959460?pwd=OXh0RE9ZTVZTWElTMUQ0ZzAxQzExdz09.

Passcode: emeritus

Google and Six Tools

Google is a powerful search tool that has branched out into many areas of productivity and entertainment. We will be looking at Google as a whole, and some of the Google apps and services offered.

After a brief introduction, we will be looking at 4 mainstream Google products and two new ones:

Gmail
Google Drive
Google Photos
YouTube
Google Gemini
Google notebook

A Brief History of Google

Started in 1995 by 2 Stanford students as an attempt to bridge links to pages on the World Wide Web. Initially called Backrub, it became Google (after Googol, the number one followed by 100 zeros). It was incorporated on September 4, 1998, and had its initial public offering on August 19, 2004.

Their code of conduct is “Don’t be evil”, which is included in the 2004 prospectus. In 2015, prompted by a desire to make Google “cleaner and more accountable”, Google was restructured, and Alphabet Inc became the parent company of Google and other Google subsidiaries. The corporate location of Alphabet is Googleplex, located in Mountain View California.

Today, in addition to the traditional uses that we have grown used to, Google is focusing on advancing artificial intelligence, developing self-driving technology through Waymo, and pushing into quantum computing. These efforts show Google's commitment to being at the forefront of technological innovation and shaping the future of how we interact with technology.

The many types of Google Tools and Apps

Google has an almost Googol number of tools and apps (OK, just kidding). But they do have a lot of them. Here are some of the Google apps and services available:

• Web tools (such as Chrome, Google Search, Google Assistant)

• Productivity (such as Maps, Waze, Google Earth, Google Wallet, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Translate, Find my device,)

• Media (such as YouTube, Android TV, Google Play, Google Photos, Google podcasts, Google Arts and Culture, Google Expeditions)

• Communications (Gmail, Duo, Voice, Google meet, Google chat, Google sites)

• Other:

- AI (Google AI, as well using AI in docs, sheets, and photos)(ai.google)

- Lab (Experiment with new uses of AI within Google)(labs. Google)

- Devices & support (Android Auto, Android OS, Chromecast, Chromebook, Pixel, Pixelbook)

Your Google Account

Your Google account is identified by an email account ending in gmail.com. (You may have an institutional Google account linked to a school, but these accounts are limited in what you can do. ) You can have several Google accounts. Each account links you to the various Google products and services, and each account provides you with 15 GB of storage. You can access your google account by going to: google.com and signing in. If you do not have an account, you will be prompted to create one.

On the google.com home page, you will see:

· Tapping Gmail takes you to your Gmail account.

· Tapping Images takes you to image search. (You will also see a search box in the middle of the page for general searches).

· Tapping on beaker will take you to Google labs where you can play with some of the new features

· Tapping on the picture provides you with all of the Google accounts currently on this browser. You can click “Manage my account” to make changes and modifications to the account in areas like personal information, privacy, security, payments and more.

· Tapping on the 9 squares will take you to all of the Google services.

· Go to Google Workspace for more apps to use with Google services

Gmail (mail.Google.com)

A powerful email service, offering the ability to send and receive emails, block spam, create an address book and perform other basic tasks. Other unique services of Gmail include:

• Spam filtering: Google uses advanced technologies to keep spam out of your inbox. Most of it is sent to a separate spam folder and deleted after 30 days.

• Conversation view: A conversation occurs when you send emails back and forth with another person or group of people. Gmail will automatically group these emails together by default, although you can change that in settings.

• Filtering and labeling: You can filter emails by sender, subject header or more. You would then assign a particular behavior (delete, move to, mark as important) to this string of emails. You can also provide labels, which will then allow you to organize topics (such as “trips 2022”).

• Options like snooze, add to tasks, archive and more

Tasks:

1. Personalize fonts, behaviors, images and more: settings>all settings>general

a. Set default text

b. Conversation view: On or off? Experiment

c. Desktop notifications: On or off?

d. Stars: Set preferences

e. Picture: Change profile picture

f. Signature: Create a signature

g. Vacation responder: How to set it up

2. View inboxes: Add more by going to settings>see all settings>inbox>categories

3. Accounts and inputs: Settings>see all settings>accounts and import

a. Make sure you have a password recovery option

b. Check your storage

4. Forwarding (forward email from this account to another): settings>more settings>forwarding and POP/IMAP>Add forwarding address

5. Create a label: Do you have mail which can be clumped into a category? Try applying a label. Click on the email, select the label icon, select one of the existing labels or create a new one. Choose nest if you want this label to be part of an existing label (“Nest label under”)

6. Create a filter: Do you receive too many emails from a company? Why not just delete them before getting them? In this case, you will be “filtering” your email. Here is how to do this:

a. Click on the box before the email you want to filter

b. Click on the 3 dots and choose: Filter messages like this

c. You can fill in any additional boxes if you like, or just accept what they have suggested and select “create filter”. Choose what you want (delete it), apply to matching conversations and “create filter”.

Google Drive (drive.google.com)

Includes working with Google Docs and Google Forms

Using Drive to create documents

Your Google account provides you with some excellent productivity tools. These can be accessed through any web browser or app, providing a way to create and view on many devices. Google Drive is the cloud storage part of Google, and is where you can save documents, photos and more. Within Google drive are a number of productivity tools including Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites and more. You can access all of these from the desktop version of Google Drive (drive.google.com). For your mobile devices, you will have to install the apps for each of these tools.

You can collaborate with others in many ways. Two suggestions are sharing folders and sharing files

Sharing folders on Google Drive: You can create a folder and allow anyone with the link to add to the folder. This can be helpful if you are working with many people who each have a role in your task.

Sharing files on Google Drive: You can also share files with others, allowing them to just view the files, or even allowing them to edit (in real time).

To demonstrate this, I first created a folder on a Google Drive account. I named it "Collaborative Drive". You can access it by clicking this link. You will have to sign into a Google account in order to edit this folder.

Next, I created a file on Google Docs. I called it “Practice document for Google Class”. To share it with everyone, I selected “share” and then clicked on the “restricted” tab. Then, change from restricted to “anyone with the link” and select “done”. Here is the link to this document.

Now, the file is saved so that anyone can access or edit. When you hover over share, you can see that it is public on the web and anyone can open (or edit).

When you go to open it, you may see a “sign in” button. You do NOT have to sign into a Google account to edit.

This document above was created for our class this week. Clicking on this link will take you to the document. Do not sign into your Google account. Instead, just click on the document itself and tell us what you did over the weekend. We will view your answers as a class so keep that in mind!

If you wish, open the folder (you will have to sign in with your Gmail to do this) and add a file or create your own file. We will demonstrate this in class.

Google Photos (photos.google.com)

Google offers 15 GB of storage for your account. You can enable all devices to automatically upload pictures to Google cloud, or you may choose to only enable some. You can also choose to just upload those which you want on the cloud.

Tasks to try

Modify settings: Go to photos.google.com , and click on settings to modify your account.

· How will you save the pictures on your device? Storage saver or Original quality

· Share photos with a partner,

· View suggestions

· group similar faces and identify yourself

· More: Memories, sharing, location, print history, draft reminders, etc.

Explore: See what you have in your photo library

· Search by person or pet

· To name someone, click on their picture. In the screen that pops up, select “Add a name” and put in their name. You can then search by name for that person.

· Scroll down under creations. What has been done by Google??? (AI is hard at work!)

Utilities: Create something: How can you create something on your own? Go to “utilities”

· Select something like “create animation”.

· Click on “search your photos and albums” and select someone

· Choose between 2 and 50 pictures and select “create”

· Another way is to open photos and select a number of them. Then click on the + sign and choose one of the options available.

Create a new album: Select “Albums”

· Click on Create Album

· Add a title and either “Select people and pets” or Select photos. (People and pets will find them out of your photos, while select will show all photos)

· Note if you select People and pets, new and existing photos will automatically be added to the album

· Select photos and then click on “confirm” in the upper right of screen. If you have selected “People and pets”, you will see a lot more pictures than you thought you had!

· To edit the album, click on the 3 dots and select “edit album”. (Note the other options, such as slideshow, download all, set album cover and delete album).

· Finally, you can share, add more photos or even purchase a photo book from Google!

Create a photo book (or anything using photos): Select “Print Store”

· Select product (book, canvas, print)

· Select photos

· Set up and purchase

Google Gemini (gemini.google.com)

How can I explain Gemini? To get a response, I went to the source. I entered gemini.google.com into the address bar and asked it to describe what it is and how it works. Here is the reply:

Gemini is a powerful AI tool developed by Google. 1 It's designed to understand and respond to a wide range of prompts and questions, making it a versatile tool for various tasks. 2 By processing vast amounts of information, Gemini can provide summaries of complex topics, translate languages, write different kinds of creative text formats, and even generate code. 3 For older adults, Gemini can be a valuable companion. It can help with research, such as finding information on health topics or historical events. It can assist with writing tasks like emails or letters. 4 Additionally, Gemini can be a source of entertainment, telling jokes, sharing stories, or providing trivia. 5

See the numbers? Those are referring to the sources that it used to gather this information. This is a way to validate what you get from this AI model. If you were using it to support a professional idea or plan, you would follow up by checking the sources.

One fun feature of Gemini is to analyze photos or images. You can upload an image and ask what it means.

Here is the response sent by Gemini

The image you sent depicts the different facets of falsehood, or false information. It shows how misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and deepfakes all contribute to the spread of false information.

Here's a breakdown of each term:

Misinformation: False or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally.
Disinformation: False information that is spread intentionally to deceive or mislead.
Conspiracy Theories: Explanations for events that involve secret plots by powerful groups.
Deepfakes: Digitally manipulated media that appears to be real but is actually fabricated.

The image illustrates how these different types of false information can converge and reinforce each other, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

It might be able to explain a new concept which is shown in an image. In this instance, I used a photo from a recent Brain Fitness class and asked it to explain what the image was saying about Type 2 Diabetes. (Note that you would definitely want to double check the response from Gemini, as they may not always be entirely accurate.)

The image you've provided illustrates the process of type 2 diabetes. Here's a breakdown of what it shows:

Normal Glucose Metabolism:

Glucose Absorption: Glucose, a simple sugar, is absorbed from food in the gut.
Insulin Production: The pancreas, specifically the beta cells within the pancreatic islets, produces insulin in response to rising blood glucose levels.
Insulin Action: Insulin facilitates the uptake of glucose into cells, primarily in the liver, muscles, and fat tissue. This lowers blood glucose levels.

Type 2 Diabetes:

Insulin Resistance: In type 2 diabetes, cells become resistant to insulin. This means they don't respond effectively to insulin's signal to take up glucose.
Increased Blood Glucose: As a result, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to elevated blood sugar levels.
Pancreatic Compensation: Initially, the pancreas tries to compensate by producing more insulin. However, over time, the beta cells may become overworked and start to decline in function.
Insulin Deficiency: Eventually, the pancreas may not be able to produce enough insulin to overcome insulin resistance, leading to insulin deficiency.

Consequences:

High blood sugar levels over time can damage various organs and tissues, leading to complications such as:

Heart Disease: Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Kidney Disease: Damage to the kidneys, potentially leading to kidney failure.
Nerve Damage (Neuropathy): Tingling, numbness, and pain in the extremities.
Eye Damage (Retinopathy): Vision problems, including blindness.
Poor Wound Healing: Slow healing of cuts and sores.

Management of Type 2 Diabetes:

Managing type 2 diabetes typically involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medications:

Healthy Diet: A balanced diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Regular Exercise: Physical activity helps improve insulin sensitivity.
Weight Loss: If overweight or obese, weight loss can significantly improve blood sugar control.
Oral Medications: Various medications can help lower blood sugar levels.
Insulin Therapy: In some cases, insulin injections may be necessary to manage blood sugar.

It can also provide comparison tools, in case you wish to find the best product for your needs. In this case, I wanted to see how Gemini compares with Chat GPT.

Gemini vs. ChatGPT: A Free Version Comparison

Here's a simple breakdown of what you can do with the free versions of Gemini and ChatGPT:

Text-Based Tasks

Writing: Both can generate text, translate languages, and write different kinds of creative content.
Summarizing: Both can summarize factual topics or create stories.1
Coding: Both can assist with coding tasks, like explaining code or helping write it.2

Knowledge and Information

Fact-Checking: Both can provide summaries of factual topics.3
Question Answering: Both can answer a wide range of questions.

Creative Tasks

Storytelling: Both can create stories.4
Poetry: Both can write poems.5
Scriptwriting: Both can generate scripts.6

Key Differences

While both AI tools are powerful, there are some key differences:

Gemini:
- Often cited as more advanced in terms of understanding context and responding to complex prompts.
- Access to Google Search, allowing it to provide more up-to-date and relevant information.7
ChatGPT:
- Strong in creative writing and generating different text formats.
- Has a larger user base and more established reputation.

Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your specific needs. Both tools are constantly evolving, so it's worth trying both to see which one you prefer.

Gemini can also function as a way to improve yourself and your knowledge about other things. I wanted to see how Gemini could help students better understand technology.

Here are five unique ways older adults can use Gemini to understand new technology tools:

Personalized Tech Explanations: Ask Gemini to explain complex tech concepts in simple terms. For example, you could ask, "Explain blockchain technology like I'm five years old." Gemini can break down technical jargon into easy-to-understand language.
Tailored Learning Plans: Create personalized learning plans for specific tech skills. Ask Gemini, "What's the best way to learn how to use a smartphone for a beginner?" It can provide step-by-step guides and resources tailored to your learning pace.
Virtual Tech Assistant: Use Gemini as a virtual assistant to help with tech tasks. Ask, "How do I set up two-factor authentication on my email?" Gemini can provide clear instructions and troubleshooting tips.
Comparative Tech Reviews: Compare different tech products or services. Ask, "What are the pros and cons of different smart home assistants?" Gemini can provide unbiased comparisons based on your specific needs and preferences.
Tech History Lessons: Learn about the history of technology. Ask, "How did the internet evolve?" Gemini can provide a historical overview of technology, making it easier to understand current trends.

Remember, the key to using Gemini effectively is to be specific with your prompts. The more detailed your questions, the more accurate and helpful the responses will be.

Let's use one or more of the above to gain insight on technology.

Gemini versions

As of now, Gemini offers a few different versions with varying pricing and capabilities:

Free Version: Available to anyone, basic text-based interactions and information retrieval.

Gemini Advanced: Subscription-based, $19.99 per month

Gemini Pro: Pay-per-use model, designed for developers and businesses.

NotebookLM: A free (for now) do everything tool

What is NotebookLM?

Google's NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and note-taking tool designed to help users synthesize and understand complex information from their personal documents. By uploading sources such as Google Docs, PDFs, and web pages, users can interact with the content through summaries, question-and-answer sessions, and idea generation.

One of the best features enables the creation of podcast-style discussions based on the uploaded material, providing an engaging way to digest information.

NotebookLM is particularly beneficial for students, researchers, and professionals seeking to efficiently navigate and comprehend extensive data.

How can you use NotebookLM?

Here are five examples of how you can use NotebookLM in your everyday lives:

1. Organizing and synthesizing personal documents such as medical records, financial documents or family history notes. NotebookLM can summarize and help them quickly locate key information, making tasks like managing appointments or understanding financial summaries more efficient.

2. Learning and exploring new topics such as gardening techniques, travel tips or tech tutorials. You can upload PDFs, articles, or notes, generate summaries and ask specific questions to better understand complex topics.

3. Preparing for classes or discussions such as book clubs, group discussions or even topics covered in class. You can find summaries and generate key questions.

4. Creating personal projects or memoirs by organizing what you have, and using the tool to generate ideas, summarize what you have and even provide writing prompts for more creativity.

5. Managing community or volunteer work allowing you to streamline planning by summarizing meeting notes, drafting event agendas, or organizing important emails. It creates information that is accessible and actionable.

Caveats

Although it is using sources and information provided by you, you cannot be sure that all information is correct. Also, you will find that computer generated text may not be written in your voice. So always review and edit what is done by NotebookLM if you plan on sharing it with others.

Task:

Everyone is asking about passkeys. See if you can understand it better using Google NotebookLM.

Below are 8 links which explain passkeys.
Go to NotebookLM and create a new project.
Go to sources and click on the +
Add each source one by one
Use NotebookLM to summarize, create table of contents, answer specific questions or prepare a podcast.

Here are the 8 links. To add these as a source, click on the + source and add one by one. Make sure you add all 8.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2319566/web-login-without-a-password-how-passkeys-work.html

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/what-are-passkeys

https://www.dashlane.com/blog/what-is-a-passkey-and-how-does-it-work

https://www.passkeys.com/what-are-passkeys

https://developers.google.com/identity/passkeys

https://nordpass.com/blog/what-is-a-passkey/

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/use-passkeys-to-sign-in-to-apps-and-websites-iphf538ea8d0/ios

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/signing-in-with-a-passkey-09a49a86-ca47-406c-8acc-ed0e3c852c6d

Here is a video that I created to help explain how to create your own NotebookLM using these directions:

Summary

Try these different possibilities using your Google account. And don’t forget about the other services offered by Google, such as Chat, Translate, Voice, Password manager, Sites and more. Make the most of your Google account!

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