Peggy Ks Tips and Tricks

Classic Hangouts group conversations are migrating to Google Chat beginning December 3 . This is part of the larger migration from classic Hangouts to Chat (for conversations) and Meet (for video calling).  If you use Google Chat, either with your Google Workspace account, or because you have been added as an external user to a Room or Chat conversation, your Hangouts group conversations will start appearing in Chat as well. The group conversations should be available in both classic Hangouts and Chat. Note that if you are using a personal Google account your migration from Hangouts to Chat will be in the first half of 2021.   You will also be able to add and change members of new Chat group conversations. For Chat group conversations created before December 3, you can start an updated conversation with the same group of people, using the "Start a new chat" in the conversation settings. A couple of additional notes: First group Hangouts conversations will be available, follow

This week there are updates to classic Hangouts and Meet, new features being tested on YouTube, and more for YouTubers, business owners, web creators, and social media mavens. I posted a couple tutorials:  Quick tip: Blogger offers more than 1000 fonts for your posts. Learn how to use them (or watch the video ). Tutorial: How to use Google Meet video calling in classic Hangouts (or watch the video ). If you have been using classic Hangouts video calling, try Meet. I think you'll like it. YouTube YouTube is testing automatic video chapters . This uses machine learning to automatically create the chapters. You can opt out or send feedback using this form . YouTube is also testing a way to add automatic timestamps when you comment on a video . That way if you want to say “this is the awesome bit” people can see what you are referring to. Creator Insider answers 8 user questions about how YouTube’s algorithms work. You can now report bad YouTube ads on mobile , in addition t

  Google is replacing Hangouts video calling in classic Hangouts with Meet. Meet has some great features, but it doesn't work quite the same way as Hangouts video calling, so it's worth understanding the differences.   This is just one change coming to classic Hangouts, which is also  removing the option to place phone calls through the Hangouts app or website. On personal Google accounts Meet video calls can have up to 100 participants,  grid view with up to 49 people ,  closed captions ,  high-quality audio and video screen sharing , and  background replacement . You should see a notice in your Hangouts account when this change goes into effect. In group Hangouts conversations you will only have the option to share a Meet video call link.  In one-to-one Hangouts conversations you will have the choice between sharing a Meet video call link or starting a Hangouts video call.  There are several functional differences bet

You can add some character to your Blogger blog posts by using one of the more than a thousand fonts it offers. The fonts are the from the Google Fonts collection , which has open source fonts that can also use for your own non-Blogger website or blog.  The fonts can be classy, like Tangerine Or dramatic, like Bungee Shade Or fun, like   Butterfly Kids Or add some comic book style like Bangers There are fonts in more than 20 different language scripts, from Arabic to Vietnamese. Note: if you want to change the font of your entire blog, customize your blog's Theme instead. Click the Theme  tab on the left menu, then the orange Customize button to change how your blog's theme looks. Watch the video to learn how to quickly add fonts to your Blogger posts editor or read on for detailed instructions. How to add a font to the Blogger post editor Open the Blogger post editor:  1. Click the Font Type button 2. Sel

  As we head into the end of November, companies are working to release the last product updates for 2020. The next couple of weeks will be busy. This week there was a surprise YouTube Terms of Service update (with some controversial provisions), new Meet video call features, end-to-end encryption in Android Messages,new Twitter “Fleets” stories and more. Gobble Gobble Gobble This week is the Thanksgiving holiday in the US that focuses on gatherings of family and friends to feast and (at least theoretically) share thanks. It’s usually one of the busiest travel times of the year. This year, with c oronavirus cases sharply on the rise in the US , people are being encouraged to stay home . Companies are stepping up to help Americans (and people around the world) gather virtually. Google Meet is being made available in classic Hangouts, and if you have been using Hangouts video calling it’s worth giving Meet a try. You can host a call with up to 100 participants (rather than 10), and th

Yesterday YouTube announced an update to its Terms of Service . The changes went into effect on November 18 in the United States (immediately, in other words), and will take effect in countries outside the US in mid-2021.  There are three changes: a clarification that it's not allowed to harvest faces  a change in the classification of payments from YouTube as royalties with potential tax implications for non-US Partners  a new "right to monetize" videos on channels that are not in the YouTube Partner Program (with no payment to the channel owner) There will be additional information in 2021, as the terms come into effect outside the US.  Forbidden to harvest faces You are not allowed to ... collect or harvest any information that might identify a person (for example, usernames or faces), unless permitted by that person or allowed under section (3) above; The terms have always forbidden anyone to "collect or harvest any information that might i

If you are in a Meet video call with someone who is spamming, running a scam or otherwise violating Meet's acceptable usage policy , you can report them to Google.  As the world has shifted to online meetings, classes, and social events, so have spammers and scammers and other bad actors. With Google Meet taking the place of classic Hangouts, there is a greater chance you will run into someone who violates policy. While there isn't any option to block someone in Meet, you can report them to Google. Note that if you are a meeting host, the best first step is to prevent bad actors from joining your meeting:  Create a Google Calendar Event, and only invite people you know. If you create a meeting link, be careful who you share it with. If someone "knocks" and asks to join your meeting only admit them if you know them. Meeting hosts can also remove meeting participants by clicking the circle with a minus sign.  Anyone can report abuse in a Mee