Sometimes you just have to slow down and take care of those little things in life…the stuff that’s not hard to do, but you just have to take the 30 seconds to Google the answer, and make it happen. For me, that was finally figuring out how to make my Mac show the extensions in my file names. Sure my desktop looks cleaner without them, but it does get confusing when I start having different versions Continue reading
Tech Tips
Easy Forms in U.osu
I use a U.osu site to organize tools, information, and training materials for the Digital Union student staff. Recently, I implemented a form in the site for staff to submit documentation to me in the event that we encounter a particularly unruly guest.
What I’m emphasizing in this post however, is not the topic of the form, but how to make a form, and a few of the really nice features of Formidable, the pre-installed WordPress plugin for building forms in a U.osu site. Continue reading
Map Your Mind With SimpleMind
I just downloaded SimpleMind, a free mind mapping tool for quickly creating branched diagrams useful for laying out your thoughts in a more dynamic way than the traditional tabbed outline allows.
Use it to easily create a diagram of anything with multiple levels of association, such as jotting down and organizing the points to hit when writing about a complex topic, laying out the structure of a website, or in my case, mapping out the “project” of setting up wifi for my dad. He lives a couple hours away, so unless I want to be stuck giving tech support on the phone across English and Cantonese, I better get it right the first time! Continue reading
Runners & Tabletop Nerds Unite!
Let’s just put it out there right now: I hate cardio. But knowing it’s something I need to do for my well being, I’ll take any ounce of motivation I can get. On Kickstarter until April 17, Run An Empire is an app that turns running into a super simple game reminiscent of Fences and Risk. Like other Continue reading
My Favorite Healthy Desk Snacks
No disappointing vending machine runs for you! Save your time, save your health, and save your wallet by stocking up on healthy snacks to keep at the office. Here are 3 of my favorites to keep at the office.
Roasted low sea salt whole almonds
My very own bag pictured here, you can usually find this big green zip-top pouch on a shelf somewhere in the Giant Eagle produce section. They’re tasty, crunchy, toasty, and have mystical powers to control appetite. These are also great tossed into a salad with leafy greens, apple slices, and a touch of balsamic. Continue reading
Image Sizing Explained
This image demonstrates what happens when you upsample an image.
At some point, you’ve probably tried to make a Twitter icon, a handout, a web banner, or image for your presentation, and just got frustrated with all the weird image sizes and how things just don’t quite size up. This pic looks great on my phone but it prints blurry, or tiny! I want to make this image my twitter icon but it’s huge! How do I find the right size image for my Powerpoint slide? What’s all this business about pixels, resolution, dpi, and ppi anyway? What does it all mean, and how does it translate between cameras and web and print? Well good news; today is the day you understand all that Continue reading
Where to Print Denman Posters
With just 18 days until the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum on March 26, 2014, I hope you’ve got your poster done! No? Well, come on over to the Digital Union so you can get that out of the way. Continue reading
Host a Successful Conference Call
The experience of being in a conference call will settle any doubts you have that a significantly large portion of communication is in fact, non-verbal. Exhibit A: this video…
The situation of bringing in a group of people of various tech savvyness and state of mind in a virtual environment pretty much creates a recipe for disaster…but there are things you can do to make your session successful. There are three parts to a successful conference call: technology, content, and Continue reading
Record Powerpoint w/ Quicktime Player on Mac
Most people just use Quicktime Player to watch videos, but did you know it can also make videos?The program comes free on Mac computers, and I just tested out its screen recording capabilities. Easy peasy and exports excellent quality video! Complete instructions are available online under “Record Your Screen.” To record a Powerpoint presentation for instance… Continue reading
Making a Video @ OSU
My grade school teachers always said, “For every person who raises their hand, there are probably 10 people who have the same question.” So when 3 different people in a week emailed me asking how to make a video, it’s time to write an article for you all!
Plan
- Zoom out and think about the arrangements you’ll need to make. Read 12 Steps to Making a Video.
- Create a storyboard or some sort of simple outline of your video as a whole. This is essentially a map of your video, and will guide you in deciding what you need to shoot and record. Continue reading