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Filed under: Productivity, Web services, Google, Education

Google Docs goes back to school with new features

Google must have been reading our back to school series, because the Google Docs interns have added a bunch of new features designed specifically for students. There's something for everyone, whether you're writing papers or doing problem sets. Although Google is highlighting thiese improvements as useful to students, some of them could definiteltly come in handy in a nonacademic situation.

For those of you taking math classes, there's an equation editor, so you can actually take math notes on your laptop without a special app. Chemistry students will be happy to note the addition of superscripts and subscripts, making it easier to put the 2 in H2O.

Google Translate is now available from within Docs, which is of general interest, but should appeal specifically to language students. For students conducting surveys, there's now an option to proceed to a different question depending on a participant's answer. If you're just writing a paper, you can take advantage of additional bullet styles and the ability to export footnotes as endnotes if necessary.


Filed under: Features, Social Software, Education

Back to school with Facebook: 5 apps to make your classes easier


Some of you are headed back to school this week, and I want to let you know that we at Download Squad feel your pain. We've all been there at one time or another, and it's not always easy. While I'm not volunteering to do your homework (don't want to get you in trouble, you know), the least I can do is offer some helpful applications for everyone's favorite (formerly) collegiate website, Facebook. I hope these five apps make your school year a little bit easier. Good luck in the new school year, DLS readers!

Notely

Notely is a comprehensive system for to-do list, homework planning and events. The Facebook app is just one way to keep track of that: there's also a web version of Notely, and an iPhone app. It's all available with a free account at Notely.net.

Courses

Courses is a beefed-up version of a feature you might remember if you're a long-time Facebook user. It lets you list your current course list on your profile and find other people in your classes. What's more, it works as a class discussion board, video chat, place to put your weekly assignment schedule, and place to store files.

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Filed under: Social Software, BlackBerry, iPhone, web 2.0, Lists

Online tools to fight the freshman 20 - Back to School



Off to college and dreading the inevitable 20 pounds or so of fat that comes with drinking binges, lack of exercise, all you can eat dorm food and late night snacks? Hate the thought of not being able to wear your favorite jeans come winter break? Relax, here's a round up of good online weight management tools which might be able to help you stay on track.

1. The Daily Plate - A calorie tracking tool from LIVESTRONG.com, this site helps you track your calories and burn rate via your personal online food diary. Once you register, you can input the foods you eat and the database will automagically provide the calories. Nice interface and there's even an iPhone and iPod touch (Blackberry too) app for $2.99 if you want to track on your mobile.



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Filed under: Business, Fun, Internet, Utilities, Productivity, Web services, Mozilla, Search

Firefox Campus Edition download for students

Firefox Campus Edition download releasedMozilla is jumping on the 'back to school' bandwagon to ensure that students get the most out of their online experience with a new "Firefox Campus Edition" download.

Announced last week, the Campus Edition of Firefox comes bundled with a few extras including:
  • FoxyTunes - allows you to control almost all media players, find videos, CD covers, videos, band bios all within Firefox.
  • StumbleUpon - browse the web and find websites, videos, images all based on your interests.
  • Zotero - collects, manages and cites research sources from within Firefox.
All these tools help students with productivity and mostly allow them to engage more with their favorite web browser. Check out the Firefox Campus Edition download here, and get set to get those computers ready. And hey, if you are already in school, download away and get on with the rest of your semester with Mozilla's help.

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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