Monday 3 June 2013

Feedback on Google tools

This is my last blog entry, which will be a reflection on the different Google tools I've used for my other project after attending the different training session done by my classmates. Moreover, is it part of the project requirements to demonstrate what I learned from each session and each tool through screenshots and obvious evidence of applying them through my daily life.  

I believe that the different Google tools were very helpful and useful since each tool helped me perform my daily tasks in an easier and simpler way. My favorite Google tools were: Google blogs, Google sites, Google Picasa, Gmail and Google searching.  Below are the different reasons and benefits of each tool:

Google blogs
My favorite Google tools was blogs, it is a nice way to keep in touch with my friends and family and let them know about my daily routine and updates since my blogs is my diary. My favorite part about blogs is that I can add my friend’s blogs using the Add option, and then I can read their updated posts whenever I enter my blog without having to visit their individual blogs. I may still use my blog even after this project and graduation.

Google sites
I always find it really hard to create a website from scratch and I believe it requires information technology knowledge and skills. However, with Google sites I completely changed my mind since it is a much easier and simpler way to start creating a website. At First, I had no idea what is Google sites but since it was my topic for the tanning session I had to know all about it and at least be somehow an expert while using it. What I liked the most about Google sites, it that it’s a free service provided by Google and it allows a use to create different website using the same G-mail account. Plus, choosing a template, theme and a name for your website is done all at one easy step. I've created my own Google sites for two different topics one is an explanation of how to use and create Google sites and the other one is everything I've learned about Google tools and how I used them. I also recommend any business owner to create his business official website using Google sites. Click here to visit my Google site.  

Google Picasa
Google Picasa is simple software to edit photos and create movie clips. I usually use it to edit, add effects and texts on any image I want and then either post the image in Instagram or my own blog. I liked using this software since it is much easier than Photoshop and it’s not complicated at all. However, one thing I must keep in mind while editing the picture is that to save it I should make a copy so I don’t lose the original photo.

G-mail
Mostly the entire world use G-mail as their main email server since it is a free service provided by Google. At first, I used Hotmail to send and receive emails from my official E-mail account. However, after creating a G-mail I totally switched to use my G-mail account as my main and only account since its features are much attracting for users. Such features include filters which helped me organize my email according to the sender. Plus, without my G-mail account I won’t be able to use all of the other Google tools.

Google searching
This tool is the most beneficial tool since it helped me a lot while searching for different articles and websites to finish my projects and reports. By using Google searching techniques I am now saving a lot of time and effort while searching. Since each technique help me find exactly what I’m looking for with a simple trick performed. For example, if I wanted to search for a PDF file I will simply type the topic name between (“”) and then write filetype:pdf.  

Additional tools
All of the above, are my favorite and most beneficial Google tools, however I also use Google Calendar, Google Maps and Google chrome. Google Calendar helps me create events and reminders for my specific appointments or obligations. Google Maps helps me find any location on the world with different views and also help me create a route plan and notifies me of the time it’s going to take to reach my final distention. Lastly, Google chrome is of course my main web browser since it is faster, easier and has many helpful techniques and features, which prevent wasting my time. There are other Google tools that I didn't find very helpful or let’s say I didn't like them much  or use them as often as the others, and they are: Google drive, drop box and Social bookmarking. Social bookmarking (delicious) is a tool provided by Google to help send and share useful links and resources. Instead I usually use Google Docs and my G-mail account to share any document either via Email or Google Docs.

Ranking
Below is my ranking for each tool out of 10.

Blogs: 10/10
Google Sites: 10/10
G-mail: 10/10
Google Searching: 10/10
Google Calendar: 10/10
Google Maps: 10/10
Google Chrome: 10/10
Google Picasa: 9/10
Google Reader: 9/10
Google +: 8/10
Facebook: 8/10
Social bookmarking: 6/10
Google drive: 6/10
Drop box: 5/10  
Google translate: 4/10

Summer Vacation!

Every summer I and my family plan a trip to a different country. Last year we went to Italy and I visited Rome, Venice, Como and Milano. I've loved the four cities, I experienced different things, visited many places and the best thing I loved about Italy was the food.

 In Rome, I've visited historical places and many museums. However, in Venice I enjoyed the taste of organic tomato sauce with the pasta and pizza cooked at different restaurants. In Como, the best thing was the big lake and the spectacular view of nature from the balcony of our room in the hotel.  Lastly, in Milano I mostly went shopping and bought everything that wasn't available in my country but I was a bit disturbed from the weather it was sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon, so I had no idea what to wear or should I get an umbrella with me or not!

This year we are planning to have a late vacation, since the holy month of Ramadan is soon and Aid is next. We decided to go either to China or Turkey; I’m excited to visit any of the two countries since it would be my first time.


Any other suggestions?

13 days left!

It is the end of the semester, the end of college life and the end of my final bachelor year at Dubai Women’s college. Only 13 days left and I’m really excited to start my career life yet I’m kind of sad to end my college life. I’m going to miss college, my daily routine, my friends and my teachers.

For college, I’m used to wake up at different hours every day and stay for my classes and leave with no obligation to stay until a certain hour! Plus, every break I usually leave college for an hour to go have breakfast at different restaurants nearby. I’m going to miss all of that and specially the late and long hours I spent with my group members and friends to finish and prepare for our projects while chatting and eating together.


However, I’m ready to start a new stage in my life, since I already applied for jobs at different companies and attended couple of job interviews and tests at different organizations. Hopefully, I’ll hear from them soon and get accepted in the best organization to sign a contract with them and start right way.

Sunday 2 June 2013

Photo-shooting

The other day I was really bored setting home doing nothing, so I decided to take photos of my favorite baby nephews Majid and Khalifa. Luckily, the two boys were wearing the exact same outfits of polo t-shirts and shorts, which made the pictures look nicer. I took random photos without them knowing that I’m doing it so they looked spontaneous and really cute hanging out together, playing and fighting.     








Hangover 3 !!

Since I’m a movie addict and I frequently go to the cinemas, I watched all three parts of the hangover movie. The last and the end of the movie is part 3 which is now showing in the cinema. It was good, funny and I enjoyed it, but to me the previous two parts were much better and the best was the first movie released on 2009. What was really funny is that I was really excited about the movie and I bought the tickets two days before the show, just to make sure I’ll have my best seating booked.  


Gallery visit

For my other project I had to visit two different local galleries, I chose AlSerkal Avenue since it has many galleries located in the same place; I visited all of them the art and photography galleries. My favorite two are the one I chose to write reports about them for the project are: Gulf photo plus and Emmanuel Catteau. Emmanuel is a photographer who took photos of portraits of people of different nationalities. Gulf Photo Plus is a gallery of different photos for different photographers. The best photo I've seen of all galleries is the one shown below, I liked it because it is of my own city Dubai and it has a reflection effect. It if taken by the photographer: Michael Cerendo.   

P.S: you can find more information about Alserkal Avenue and the different galleries there through this link


Birthday Cake!

This weekend I and my family celebrated my nephew’s birthday Ahmed and Abdulla, My sister was the one who chose the cake she made it look like boxing gloves. Since both my nephews are into sports, boxing and keeping fit and in shape. I really loved their cake; it was huge and looked really nice with 3D shape. So if you are looking for a 3D shaped cake I definitely recommend Wow Sweets in Jumeira, since they bake the best cake ever with many flavors such as: vanilla, chocolate crunchy and red velvet. The best one is chocolate crunchy because it has small pieces of French biscuit in it with makes the cake taste really good. However, if you were confused and didn't know which cake to choose the bakery shop Wow doesn't mind to mix two of your favorite flavors in one cake!

P.S: to have an idea about the different shapes, offers and flavors click here