The 10 most useful Word shortcuts

How many Word shortcuts do you remember and use on a regular basis? Fifty? Twenty? How about just 10 solid go-to shortcuts like these?

When you go looking for a shortcut — one you can’t quite remember or one you know must surely be out there somewhere — you’ve got plenty of resources: Help files, Google hits, and even comprehensive lists like those you’ll find in the TechRepublic downloads library. Comprehensive is great, but sometimes selective is more practical.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 10 Word shortcuts would you like to have with you? Here are mine.

Note: This article originally appeared as an entry in our 10 Things blog.

The shortcuts

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Use PowerPoint’s advanced animation to imply growth or movement

You can make your PowerPoint presentations far more engaging with a little animation sleight of hand. Susan Harkins walks through the process and shares a sample presentation to demonstrate the results.

An easy way to bring a presentation to life is to imply growth or movement. Insert a few AutoShapes, perform a bit of animation magic, and a simple graphic takes on a life of its own. Your message will stick with the audience long after you shut down the system and turn off the lights — and that’s what you’re after. Once you’re familiar with the process, you’ll find unlimited possibilities for adding a bit of life to your presentations.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download, along with the sample  presentation used to demonstrate this technique.

An overview

The process for simulating growth or movement is simple. You string together a number of frames, similar to the process that creates cartoons. The graphic in each frame changes just enough to suggest growth or movement. Animation properties string the frames together, allowing the graphic to morph from one frame to the next. The simplest animation can require as few as three or four frames. As a general rule, the slower the process, the more frames you need.

Suggesting movement

There are a number of ways to suggest change by using movement to make a point. You could help a flock of birds soar into the sky or send a rocket into space. We’ll work with a much simpler example — we’ll make a frowning face smile!

This example requires three frames: A frowning face, a neutral face, and a smiling face. You could add more to make the change smoother, but three is enough for our purposes and it keeps the example simple and easy to follow. To begin, use AutoShapes to create the frowning face. Specifically, use three circles from Basic Shapes and an arc from Lines. That’s the first frame.

The second and third frames are even simpler. Off to the side (in the same slide) create a straight line and a second arc to fill the neutral frame and the upturned smile frame, respectively. Keep in mind that the size of all three smiles must be relatively the same. The easiest way to create the upturned smile is to copy the frowning smile and rotate it. That way, the smile is the same size as the frown. When creating the neutral frame, you’ll just have to eyeball it.

Once you have created all three frames, as shown in Figure A, you’re ready to animate them. Notice that the second and third frames contain only the parts that move. That won’t always be the case. Sometimes, each frame contains a complete picture, but work with as few pieces as possible when you can.

Figure A

Use three frames to simulate turning a frown into a smile.

The animation settings determine how PowerPoint displays each frame. In this case, PowerPoint displays the frowning face as a whole picture. As the frown fades, PowerPoint fades to the neutral frame. As the neutral frame fades, PowerPoint displays the upturned smile frame. Complete this animation as follows:

1. Select the first frame, which in this case, is the frowning smile. (You can group the pieces that make up the face, but the only piece you’ll animate is the frown.)
2. Choose Custom Animation from the Slide Show menu.
3. Click Add Effect, choose Exit, and then select Fade. There’s no entrance property because we want PowerPoint to display the first frame and begin the animation as soon as it displays the slide.
4. Choose After Previous from the Start drop-down list.
5. Choose Very Fast from the Speed drop-down list.
6. Select the second frame (the straight line).
7. Click Add Effect, choose Entrance, and select Fade.
8. Set the Start property to With Previous.
9. Set the Speed property to Very Fast.
10. Click Add Effect, choose Exit, and select Fade.
11. Set the Start property to After Previous.Set the Speed property to Very Fast.
12. Select the third frame, the upturned smile.
13. Click Add Effect, choose Entrance, and select Fade.
14. Set the Start property to With Previous.
15. Set the Speed property to Very Fast.

Once you’ve animated each frame, stack them as shown in Figure B. That way, the three smiles fill the same space as the frames fade in and out. Now, save the presentation.

Figure B

Stack the frames so they seem to occupy the same space.

To preview the animated slide, press [F5]. The effect isn’t visible online so be sure to download the demo presentation for a complete picture.

The first frame (the frown) doesn’t have an Entrance effect, and the last frame (the smile) doesn’t have an Exit effect. That means the frown is present from the beginning — it doesn’t fade in. Similarly, the smile doesn’t fade. You can change both, if it suits your purposes.The fading entrance and exit properties and the speed between those fades simulate movement between the three faces. That movement creates mood. Make sure the mood fulfills or supports your message. You can alter the entrance and exit effects and speeds to customize the general mood of the animation.

The smiling face example uses a combination of With Previous and After Previous settings. There are three possible settings:

• On Click: You must click the slide to start the animation.
• With Previous: Animation begins as the previous item ends.
• With After: Animation begins immediately after the previous item is finished.

Remember, these properties determine how PowerPoint displays and subsequently hides each frame. The frown fades after its animation is complete. The neutral frame fades in as the frown fades out. Each frame repeats this structure. You can change those effects, slow them down, speed them up, and even combine them. You could also move several pieces in each frame. For instance, you could change the shape of the eyes or even let the face wink.

The one problem with this particular example is that PowerPoint can’t replicate a natural smile. That natural process is too smooth. You can add more arcs to make the process smoother, but you can’t truly blend one frame into the next. You can only give the illusion of doing so. Don’t try to imitate life, just allude to it You’re after the sentiment, not a realistic rendition.

Suggesting growth

The technique for implying growth is the same as for movement. Only the essence of the message and the result differ. This time, the example graphic, a red heart, grows a bit, making it seem to pulse.

First, you need the frames. The three hearts shown in Figure C increase in size. Use the instructions from the last example to apply the same animation scheme, except for the speed. Use Medium speed instead of Fast.

Figure C

Animating three different-size hearts suggests a growing and pulsing heart.

After applying the animation settings, stack the hearts in the center of the slide, as shown in Figure D. You can’t tell it, but the two smaller hearts are under the largest heart. To view the animation, press [F5]. The timing is a bit slower this time, but the frames fade into one another as the previous example did. The slower fades seem to give the heart a pulse.

Figure D

Stack the three frames and watch the heart grow.

To life!

Liven up a presentation with a little movement or growth. At first, the process requires some experimentation, but the more you work with animation settings, the more intuitive they will become. Remember, anytime you engage the audience in a fun and meaningful way, you influence those viewers in a positive way.

Determine how Outlook displays unread messages

By default, Outlook displays unread messages in your Inbox using a bold font. It works, but you might prefer another way of making unread messages stand out. If that’s the case, read on:

1. In Outlook select the Inbox.
2. Choose Arrange By from the View menu.
3. Select Current View from the resulting submenu.
4. Select Customize Current View.
5. Click Automatic Formatting.
6. At this point, several options are (probably) checked. Whatever options you leave checked will reflect the changes you make in subsequent steps. If you want to change the format only for unread messages, uncheck everything but the Unread Messages option.
7. Click Font.
8. Specify the formats you want to apply.
9. Click OK three times.

It couldn’t be easier — it’s just a matter of knowing where to look for the right option. Don’t settle for defaults unless they’re really what you want.

Create a Picture Link to keep an eye on Excel data

It’s hard to keep an eye on data in Sheet A while you’re working in Sheet B. You could jump back and forth between the two sheets, but that’s inefficient. An easier method is to take a picture of the data you want to watch and insert it into Sheet B. While you’re working in Sheet B, you can see the data in Sheet A.

To copy the data from Sheet A as linked data do the following:

1. Select the data and copy it to the Clipboard by pressing [Ctrl]+C.

2. Move to the sheet where you want to paste a picture of the selected data. You don’t have to worry about existing values. Excel will paste the link as a picture object, which you can move around. It won’t overwrite existing data.
3. Hold down the [Shift] key and choose Paste Picture Link from the Edit menu. In Excel 2007, click the Home tab and choose As Picture from the Paste drop-down list (in the Clipboard group). Then, choose Paste Picture Link.

   

If you want to simplify the process a bit for users, add Excel’s Camera tool to a menu as follows:

1. Choose Toolbars from the View menu and select Customize.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. Select Tools in the Categories control.
4. Drag and drop the Camera tool to a menu.

In Excel 2007, add the Camera tool to the Quick Access Toolbar.

To use the Camera tool, select the existing data that you want to view as a linked picture and click the Camera icon. Then, click any other cell and Excel will automatically paste a linked picture object.

Animate text or objects

Go beyond static images by adding animation effects to your presentation! Read this article to learn how to increase the visual appeal of your slides by adding animation.

Create a "snake trail" animation effect

Do you want to create an image that “slithers” across your slide? Read this tutorial on PowerPoint Heaven on how two create a snake-like animation effect.

Free animated text effects template for PowerPoint 2007

Create stunning build slides, animated title slides, and professionally-designed logs using the examples and instructions in this template.

Mushroom Networks announces new wireless "Broadband Bonding" technology

Filed under: Misc, Accessories

Mushroom Networks has been in the “broadband bonding” business for quite a while now, but we’re guessing they’re going to find a few more fans with their new wireless broadband gear, which promises the fastest cellular-based internet connection to date. Like the company’s previous PortaBella device (pictured above, not exactly to scale), its new rig can combine up to four different cellular data cards into a single high-speed connection, but this one is fully portable (just over a pound) and, perhaps most importantly, it has an optional battery pack that’ll let you be truly mobile with it. That, Mushroom says, makes the device ideal for a whole range of applications that can be a bit tricky with a single modem, like mobile TV broadcasting or temporary offices set up in a disaster area. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing just yet, but it doesn’t exactly take much guesstimating to figure out that it’s likely not the most cost-effective solution around.

Mushroom Networks announces new wireless “Broadband Bonding” technology originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia 7510 comes to Rogers’ TalkSpot service

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Rogers Wireless, GSM, EDGE

In North America, Rogers has a reputation for getting the most cool GSM handsets the quickest (that’s not the only reputation it has, but we won’t go there right this second) — but this is one case where T-Mobile USA beat ‘em to the punch by a mile. The Canadian carrier is adding the Nokia 7510 to its TalkSpot-compatible lineup, meaning you’ll be able to offload calls to WiFi when you’re within range of a hotspot and transfer seamlessly to and from GSM. There’s no 3G, but the colorful flip does come with changeable faceplates, a concealed secondary display, 2 megapixel camera with flash, and microSD expansion. Look for it for CAD $49.99 (about $43) on a three-year deal.

[Via Unwired View]

Nokia 7510 comes to Rogers’ TalkSpot service originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’ll be a BlackBerry Tour without a camera, too

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Verizon Wireless, GSM, EDGE, EV-DO, HSDPA, UMTS, CDMA, BlackBerry OS

Only the most buttoned-up, high-security businessfolk still require phones without cameras these days — and seeing how the BlackBerry Tour is destined to become the new de facto choice for buttoned-up, high-security businessfolk, it stands to reason that a cameraless version makes a whole lot of sense. Sure enough, it turns out that Verizon will be offering a non-cam version right alongside the regular Tour when it launches on the 12th, but don’t think of this as a great money-saving opportunity if you don’t snap a lot of photos — Big Red wants to charge the same $199.99 on contract for this one that they’re charging for the regular version. CIA operatives, though, have to be pretty stoked.

[Via CrackBerry]

There’ll be a BlackBerry Tour without a camera, too originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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