Google Sheets -- Mapping Sheets App

I read a very interesting article about the Mapping Sheets App for Google Drive Sheets.  Essentially, you can input a list of addresses into worksheet cells and then the Mapping App will display the addresses on a map.  I can see the app very useful in a variety of education settings.  For example, in nursing, you could input the addresses of hospitals, healthcare providers, diagnostic testing centers and pharmacies to display for a community assessment.  The app is very easy to use.  The first thing you want to do is to open a Google Sheets worksheet.  Then select Add-ons > Get Add-ons from the menu.  Search for Mapping Sheets.  Afterwards, activate the Mapping Sheets Add-on.  Afterwards, the Mapping Sheets menu will display on the right side of the window.  You can click a demo video and/or download sample data. 
A YouTube video displaying how the app works is online and displayed below.  

Case Studies for Teaching in the Sciences

I attended the Teaching and Learning Conference in Athens, Georgia last week.  One of the handouts had a link for the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/

The resource is excellent.  The site has case studies for all science disciplines, including nursing.  There are case studies for all levels of education.  If you are an educator, the site is worth exploring. 

Apple Update 8.3

The newest version of Apple OS for iPad and iPhones was recently released.  The new version provides choices of skin color and hair for male and female emoji icons.  It also allows user to change Siri's voice.  From what I read on a CNN article, Opps Apple's Diverse Emoji Turn into Aliens, if you do not upgrade, the male and female icons turn into aliens. I prefer not having to make an extra step and select the type of female icon each time - wish it would "remember" my preference.  Who knows what the future will bring with new updates. 

Visa New App to Help Prevent Fraud

Look forward to the release of a new app, Visa Mobile Location Confirmation for your phone if you use a Visa credit card.  The app is designed to help prevent fraud. The software company where it is being developed in Finsphere.  CNET has an article with the details.

In short, it is designed to verify your location using GPS on the phone - where you are making the transaction.  The idea is that if you are purchasing something with the Visa card, you will have your phone with you.  The app is an opt-in service.

You can read more with the CNET news article at http://www.cnet.com/news/visa-says-new-app-will-cut-credit-card-travel-troubles/

Microsoft Office Clip Art - gone

I read several weeks ago that Microsoft Clip Art was going to disappear  - and it has.  If you are using Microsoft Office 365, you will notice it is no longer a choice on the insert menu. 
You can read more about it in the article, Microsoft is Killing Off Clip Art in Favor of Bing Images

The article, How to Find Images for Office Documents Now that Microsoft's Killing Clip Art provides information on how find copyright free images with the Bing search engine.  Bing does have images that are licensed with Creative Commons (CC) licensing, however, there are 6 different CC licenses.  If you want to use an image for a commercial product, like a book, you need to verify that you have permission to do so. 

Outlook App Finally Available

I read in the New York Times today that the Outlook app was released last week.  It is available for iPhones, Android phones, and the iPad.  The app is free.  I was using OWA as an Outlook app, but it did not have the robust features of Outlook.  If you use Outlook, try out the app. 

To learn more, go to http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/outlook/to-go

Adding YouTube Videos to iBooks Author

I am creating an eBook on the history of bioethics for nurses while also learning more about using iBooks Author.  I did not see an iBooks Author widget for YouTube videos, so I did a web search.  I found a free EASY to use website entitled Bookry.com with lots of neat widgets including one for YouTube. Bookry has a short video demonstrating the process.

Adding a YouTube video to an iBooks Author ebook is a four-step process - but it is quick and easy!

1. First create an eBook - just a title with a placeholder for widgets.
2. Add the YouTube widget to the Bookry ebook - name the YouTube video the subject of the video, add the name of the video, and the YouTube URL.
3. Save the YouTube video to your Mac downloads folder.
4. Drag the widget from the Mac downloads folder into your iBooks Author ebook.  From there you can use the Inspector to format and title the video.