What is Windows 8, Windows RT & Microsoft Surface???

MICROSOFT WINDOWS 8 - Microsoft 8 is Microsoft's newest operating system which was released last Friday, October 26th...Designed with increased security, reliability and performance improvement.  Windows 8 is designed with touch screen tablets in mind, first thing you'll notice a very different start screen with "tiles" for your applications, instead of icons...and the tiles light up when new info (emails, photos etc) are available to keep you up to date.. It offers "picture passwords"; ability to go from full-screen video to your spreadsheets in one swipe, or snap them side-by-side for easy multi-tasking. Find and access files much more quickly; instant searches from any app you're in and open favorite programs in lightning speed!! Just a few of the many new features and Microsoft states on their website, that Windows 8 can be purchased and downloaded to any computer currently running Windows XP, Vista or 7.. although others don’t agree at all, unless you have a Windows 7 computer bought in the last few months..

MICROSOFT WINDOWS RT - Available as Oct. 26th, 2012 on one version of the new Microsoft Surface Tablet.. This is an operating system (formerly known as Windows on ARM*) - ARM is not acronym….  Windows RT is a version of the Windows 8 operating system for ARM devices* such as tablet and the Microsoft Surface that was released on October 26, 2012. Unlike other Windows operating systems, it will only be able to run software that has been certified by Microsoft and placed in the Windows Store. Windows RT will include additional applications such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote 2013 RT.

*ARM is designed for low-power applications because it's a less complicated microprocessor... These microprocessors are found primarily in phones, calculators and other hand held devices where less calls are made to memory so they quickly and efficiently. Windows has ARM in the Operating Systems for hand-held devices for sometime now....

The public can't purchase Microsoft Windows RT, it will be sold strictly to device manufacturers directly and is going to be used primarily for Microsoft's new tablet computer called Microsoft Surface that will be available in two versions: one will run with Windows RT system, and the other tablet computer will run with Windows 8..  Windows RT doesn't include Windows Media Player, but for free, will include Office 2012 Home & Student RT.  Those of us buying systems with Windows 8 will still have to purchase and install Office separately.  Also Windows RT will only run  applications that have been included in Microsoft's App store, on apps receiving Microsoft certification.. To most, this sounds a lot like the Mac Apple world of Apple products only... where Microsoft and Apple will both restrict what applications are available to their consumers...

MICROSOFT'S SURFACE.. Microsoft Surface Microsoft Surface is a series of tablets designed and marketed by Microsoft, the first version which includes Microsoft Windows RT became available October 26th, 2012.  The Microsoft Surface will be available in two versions, the first became available October 26th with Windows RT (price range $499-$699).  The newer Surface Windows 8 Pro 2, is still not available, but some say cost start about $899+. The Windows RT model will use an *ARM CPU, while the Windows 8 model will use an Intel CPU.  Both models will be able to install new applications via the Windows Store, however only the Windows 8 model allows the installation of traditional desktop programs

*So consider holding off getting one of the new Microsoft Surface Tablets with Windows RT – some suspect that what we create on them (using the Office Home & Student RT version) might not be compatible with other systems, so give it some time to get the kinks worked out..Windows

Word - How to Create NoteCards

For Word 2003:

For those of you with Word 2003, go to Menu Bar > Tools->Letters and Mailings->Envelopes and Labels. To do so:

1.      In Word for Windows, click the Labels tab

2.      From the menu next to "Label products:" or "Label vendors", choose the brand of your labels. Then, in the "Product number:" field, choose the label you need, for example:

ü         5315 for notecards

ü         5362 for nametags or badges

Note: If you wish to change margins or other settings, click New Label... . Enter a name for your custom label, and change the settings to your specifications. After you click OK, Word will show your label name in the "Product number:" field.

3.      Click OK to save your settings.

FOR WORD 2007/2010:

For those of you with Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010:

Open Microsoft Word 2007 OR 2010 and click on the "Microsoft Office Button" in the top left of the Ribbon.

1.          Click on "New" at the top of the menu.

2.          In the “New Document” dialog box, click on "More Templates" at the very bottom of the left task pane. In the middle task pane, click "Note Cards." The middle task pane changes to show a series of thumbnails for note card templates.

3.          Download the note card of your choice by double-clicking on the card thumbnail.

4.          Once you have downloaded the card of your choice it is yours – be sure to save it in a folder and name it as a “template”, so that as you make modifications you can then save it under the name of the event or person you are sending it to – but will have the blank original for future use

5.          You can make any modifications to the note card by clicking and typing text. You can also modify or delete graphics on the card by selecting the graphic to bring up the "Format" tab.

6.          Add clip art to your card by clicking on the "Insert" tab and then clicking "Clip Art" in the "Illustrations" group.

7.          When the task pane appears to the right of the screen, type an item to search for in the "Search For" field and click "Go." Add the graphic to your note card by double-clicking on the graphic.

8.          Click the "Microsoft Office Button" when you are done with your modifications. Click "Save" and give your note card document a name.

9.          Click the "Microsoft Office Button" and then "Print" to print out your note card.

 To print on both sides of a single sheet of paper check the "Manual Duplex" checkbox.

Changing the default settings in your Office Programs

Default simply means “Standard” – the way in which a program will work each and every time you use it and you can change/modify many of the “default” settings on computer programs that we use daily, including our browsers and office programs…

This is a personal choice – certainly you can continue to use the default settings established by the provider that are built into the program.  But, changing the way your Browser or Office Programs work can make life so much easier.

Customizing your Office programs can impact the way in which documents print, how they are saved, the way they appear on the page, margins, paper layout/orientation – such as portrait or landscape, the font you use, whether the red & green squiggle lines appear as you type indicating spelling & grammatical errors - these are just a few of the many ways in which you can “customize” the way in which your Office Programs work for you.  Decide for yourself – making each program easier for you to use can be done as often as you’d like – some compare it to adjusting the seat position and rear view mirrors when you get into a car…

In Word 97-2003:

Click TOOLS, Then Click OPTIONS

You will see various options available for you to be able to modify to your liking

Click SAVE (set at 1 minutes – doesn’t affect your work, simply saves in the background)

Click SPELL (whichever options you’d like & Auto Text Entries and many others)

In Word 2007-2010:

Click on the Office Button or File Tab

At the bottom of the dialog box/page that opens, left click on “Word Options”

This opens the Control/Dialog Box, which lists on the left various categories which allow you to “customize” the software you are using to your own liking..

Special Note for anyone using 2007-2010 Office Programs it is very important to save everything you do as “97-2003 compatible” so that you can share your documents with others who may not have the newest of these software programs.  You can do this as you save each and every document, or do it once when you are in your Options Settings, under the Save category..

What is a “Template” and how can you use them?

Basically "templates" are pre-designed layouts for various items you might want to create on your computer using the various Microsoft Office Programs...

Using TEMPLATES in Word, Excel, Power Point and other programs allows you to open a pre-designed document in these and other various programs.  You can then use the pre-designed layout which is stored in the “Template Folders”.  Some templates are built into your Office Program, and if you can’t find what you need, you can go to Microsoft online for even more templates, just as we do with clip art.  

This means you don’t have to create the entire document, form, spreadsheet/budget or other, power point presentation - much of the design work is already done for you.  Once you find a “template” you want to use, you save it in whatever folder you choose, you can modify it to your own needs and use it however you would like…It is yours.

In 1997-2003 Word/Excel/PowerPoint:

• Go to the Menu Bar, choose "New" and the Template Dialog Box will Open, which has multiple tab categories across the top
• Select the category you want, and you will see various template choices to choose from
• Select the template you want and it will be on  your screen
• Now save the template as your own, finding or creating a folder to save it in and giving it a name that works for you.
• Now you can modify it anyway you would like.

In 2007-2010 Word/Excel/PowerPoint:

• Go to the Office Button in 2007 or File Tab in 2010, Choose "New"
• You will now see the various templates available
• Select the template you want, and "download it"
• Select the template you want and it will be on your screen
• Now save the template as your own, finding or creating a folder to save it in and giving it a name that works for you
• Now you can modify it anyway you would like.

What is a smartphone?

We are all hearing the phrase “smartphone” – but how is a “smartphone” different from a cell phone?

Typical cell phones allows us to make and receive telephone calls; text messages and to take, send and receive photos and videos…

Smartphones offer greater functionality than regular cell phones, so that you can...

• use a full “qwerty” keyboards for easier typing
• have access to the Internet to access your email, Facebook and Twitter accounts
• work with all your Office documents, such as word & excel,
• sync data with personal and business computers
• send & receive instant messages
• play music
• show streaming video
• edit photos
• get driving directions from the GPS
• play countless games and
• work with hundreds of other “applications referred to as “apps”

All of this is in addition to making phone calls of course.. And many of the smartphones have touch screens..

Smartphones are actually mini-computers with an OS-Operating system (such as the BlackBerry OS; Palm OS or Windows Mobile OS); Smartphones have internet access so that you can download countless applications, including GPS systems, you can link to your social networking & email accounts; many smartphones give you the ability to not only take photos but edit them; you can view, update & edit Office documents and they can be synchronized with your computer for all the updates you make, as well as synchronizing your address book, calendar and tasks list quickly and easily – similar to what a PDA used to do – only faster and more easily… And of course the applications allow you access, via the internet, to hundreds of games, music, video and other sites…

This, like all other computer related technology, is changing almost daily so no doubt, as soon as you buy a new “smartphone” it’s going to be outdated and topped with a newer version with more bells & whistles… leaving us all to wonder where it will end…

Keyboard Shortcuts for Outlook

Some great shortcuts when you are using Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft Outlook is one of the Office programs, which allows us to easily control contacts, calendars, email accounts, tasks, a journal and other daily functions that we maintain on the computer. It is a very popular program used by companies and individuals alike.

If you use keyboard shortcuts a lot like I do, you might want to use these keyboard shortcuts when you are working in your Microsoft Outlook Program, to easily switch from one Outlook pane (subject) to another…. So, if you were in any segment of your calendar, and you wanted to quickly go to your contacts, you would use CTRL+3..

Keyboard Shortcuts when using Outlook to change between Navigation Panes:

• CTRL+1 Mail Navigation
• CTRL+2 Calendar Navigation
• CTRL+3 Contacts Navigation
• CTRL+4 Tasks Navigation
• CTRL+5 Notes Navigation
• CTRL+6 Folder List Navigation
• CTRL+7 Shortcuts Navigation
• CTRL+8 Journal Navigation