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Office 2007, which has familiar programs such as Word and PowerPoint, looks and operates very differently from the ones you have used in earlier versions of Office. In particular, the toolbar and menu across the top of the screen operates differently. You may want to take some time familiarizing yourself with the program using Microsoft's online training.
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Opening Office 2007 files in earlier versions of Office If you have created a file on the Lenovo laptop using Office 2007, you will need to install a file converter program on your home computer in order to open the file in earlier versions of Office. Before installing the program, you must be sure that your home computer has all the critical Microsoft Updates for Office installed. If you run Microsoft Update on your home computer (not Windows update), it will take care of all necessary updates for you. We are installing the converter on computers in the two main faculty work areas, but it will be a while before the file converter is present on student workstations.
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The battery which comes with the Lenovo laptop offers many hours of use without the need to recharge. Ideally, you would like to charge the battery before the start of the school day and then run the laptop all day without having to recharge. It is NOT a good idea to run the laptop plugged into a power outlet for a full hour, or worse yet, the whole day. Batteries do not last forever, and such behavior can result in a battery which will cease to function earlier than it normally would. It is also not advisable to let a battery run out completely before recharging occurs. A full recharge can take 2.5 hours.
The standby or sleep feature is an excellent way to reduce power consumption when you are not actively using the laptop. Shutting the lid puts the computer to sleep. BE CAREFUL though; if you put the computer in standby mode overnight and don't actually shut it down, you can bleed off all the battery power. Then you will have to recharge before you have the freedom of going cordless once again.
Hibernation is another power saving feature, but it can be needlessly time consuming to bring the laptop back to life after a period of hibernation. It also can produce a less reliable wireless connection to the network resources. Hibernation is disabled on all of the school's desktop workstations. |
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GOOGLE DESKTOP If do choose to keep it, please do not use any of the Gadgets or Add-Ins which can impact the bandwidth on the network. This feature sends constant news or weather reports, among other things, to your desktop. TO REMOVE GOOGLE DESKTOP, go to Start – Control Panel – Add Remove Programs and find Google Desktop. Click on REMOVE. If at a later date, you wish you had not done this, it is very simple to download and reinstall Google Desktop from the Internet.
PICASA |
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When the laptops are configured, I am installing one or more network printers for your use. Usually, it’s Teacher Tech for Senior High teachers and FACJH PRI for Junior High teachers. In most cases, I have also installed another network printer in an area I think you are likely to want to print, such as the Library or JHLAB. One of the printers is marked the DEFAULT. When you just hit Print, it goes there – even if you aren’t near the printer! If you want to print to another printer, you must choose it. If you want to use some other printer on the network which I have not installed, I can give you the directions. |
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When you close the lid of the laptop, it goes to standby mode. Left in that condition for a very extended time, the battery will eventually go dead. It is, however, a great way to keep the battery from needing a recharge during the school day. Please note that if you press the off button but close the lid before the screen goes black, you are NOT turning the computer off but are merely putting it in standby mode. You may be stunned the next day to see that your battery has far less power than you expect. Another caution, don’t get in the habit of running a fully charged computer with the power adapter plugged in. This will shorten the life expectancy of the battery. |
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The following line appears on the Office of Catholic Schools Tablet PC Policies and Procedures sheet we all signed when we received out Tablets: “No software may be loaded on this machine without the expressed permission of the technology director at your school.” That includes ITunes and Yahoo messenger and other such Internet-available software. If you want to install something on the Tablet which you consider necessary, just send an e-mail with the name of the program. Obviously, academic software and textbook software will receive automatic approval, but I still need a request before installation occurs. It is also possible that you have some utility software which you have found particularly useful. For example, I use a freeware program called PrintScreen which I consider invaluable. Although such programs would not be considered clearly “academic” in nature, you will have no problem obtaining authorization. Software already approved for installation: ExamView, Geometer |
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CLEANING AND CARING FOR THE TABLET The Lenovo Tablet is a fairly sturdy device. However, just like a new car, it won't stay spotless and scratch free forever. If the Tablet is covered when you carry it from school to home, it will retain its initial appearance much longer. You don't necessarily need a separate computer dedicated bag to do that. When the outside gets dirty or the screen seems smudgy or dirty, you will find directions for cleaning these parts on pages 6 and 7 of the Service and Troubleshooting Guide which came with the Tablet. The outside can be cleaned with a slightly damp cloth. Squeeze as much of the moisture out as possible before rubbing the outside of the cover. Then wipe dry. The screen is a bit more delicate, but often it will come clean when wiped with a dry soft cloth. If that is not enough to remove the smudgy spots, you can use a slightly damp cloth on it; again, you should squeeze as much moisture out of the cloth as possible. If you find that your screen gets dirty often, you may want to get some pre-moistened lens cloths which are sold at Office Supply houses, Camera shops and Eyeglass distributors. You should NOT use household products normally meant for window cleaning. The cloth you use for cleaning should be soft and ABSOLUTELY clean. Don't just pick up any rag you have lying around. Paper towel is also not advised. AVOID placing magnets near the screen of ANY computer, including your Table. |
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Microsoft sends out security updates quite regularly. If you see the upright shield, click on it to see if you have updates ready for installation. Symantec, represented by the slanted shield, protects your computer against viruses. Double click on the slanted shield at least once a week to be sure your virus definitions have a date less than one week old. If not, ask for assistance from the Technology Office. (Pictures of UPDATE shields with further directions.) |
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Many of the Lenovo Tablet batteries have been recalled as defective. They do not appear to be a hazard, but the batteries eventually lose their ability to discharge and recharge. You can find out if your battery is in the recall list by going to the Lenovo website (Recall Website) with your laptop. Click where it says "You may click here to determine if..." If you do, then you are asked to fill out a form with name, e-mail address and mailing address. If you go to the website and order your own battery, please fill the name in with Cheryl Mire - cmire@rummelraiders.com and the school mailing address. Notify Ms. Mire that you have placed the order, and she will deliver your battery to you as soon as it arrives. Even if the website does not recognize that your battery has been recalled, you can still get a replacement if you get the defective or irreparable damage message. Contact Ms. Mire as soon as you get the message so she may initiate the process for replacement. |
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