Have you ever come across an image online that looked too good to be true?
Or maybe you saw a photo that was used in a misleading or false context?
How can you tell if an image is reliable or not?
Here's a Cool Tip. Use Google's New About This Image feature.
Google recently launched a new feature called About This Image that can help you find more information about the images you see on the web.
This feature can help you check the credibility, context, and origin of an image, as well as whether it was generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence.
Here's how to do it.
From the three-dot menu in Google Search:
When you come across an image on Google Images or Google Search page, tap the three-dot menu on the top right corner and select About This Image.
Google will then tell you the background of the image so that you can check its credibility and context1.
fig. 1 - Google About This Image
The About This Image feature provides you with four types of information about an image:
When did Google first index the image and similar ones: This can help you determine how old the image is and whether it was published before or after a certain event.
Where it may have first appeared: This can help you find the original source of the image and whether it is credible or not.
Where else it’s been seen online: This can help you see how the image has been used on other websites, such as news, social media, and fact-checking sites. You can also compare how different sources present the same image and whether they are consistent or contradictory.
Image metadata: This is information that image creators and publishers have added to an image, such as the title, description, author, date, location, etc. It also includes fields that may indicate whether AI has generated or enhanced the image. All Google AI-generated images have this markup in the original file.
fig. 2 - Google About This Image Results
The ‘About This Image’ feature has several benefits for users:
It can help you spot fake images and misinformation by providing you with more context and sources about an image.
It can help you verify the authenticity and accuracy of an image by showing you when and where it was first published and how it has been used online.
It can help you find more information and related content about an image by showing you other websites that have displayed it.
It can help you give credit to the original creator or publisher of an image by showing you their name and website.
About This Image can help you find more information about the images you see on the web.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if an asteroid hit Earth?
What would happen if an asteroid hit where you live?
Here's a Friday Funday Cool Tip. Find out with the Asteroid Launcher at Neal.Fun!
This interactive simulator lets you launch asteroids of different sizes and compositions at Earth, and see the devastating effects of their impact.
It's a fun and educational way to learn about the dangers of asteroids, and to see how different factors like size, speed, and angle of impact can affect the severity of an impact event.
Choose the size, composition, and speed of your asteroid.
Adjust the impact.
Select ground zero and click to select an impact location.
Click the Launch Asteroid button.
Watch the destruction unfold!
fig. 1 - Launch an Asteroid - Washington DC
The Asteroid Launcher is a fun and educational way to learn about the dangers of asteroids and how different factors can affect the severity of an impact event.
It's also a great way to destroy the world (or just play around)!
Do you want a greater, more inclusive, set of emojis to select from?
Here's a Cool Tip. Use the new Inclusive Emoji picker in Google Gmail.
Google recently released a new inclusive emoji picker in Gmail, making it easier to find and use the emojis that best represent you and your audience.
Here's how to do it.
Click on the emoji icon in the bottom toolbar of your email draft.
To select your emoji preference, click the arrow in the bottom right corner of an emoji.
Choose your skin tone or gender preference for that specific emoji.
Click the emoji to add it to your email.
fig. 1 - Google Gmail Inclusive Emoji Picker
The new emoji picker includes a wider range of skin tones and gender options, making it easier to find and use emojis that represent you and your audience.
The new inclusive emoji picker in Gmail is a great way to make your emails more expressive and engaging.
Just be sure to use emojis sparingly and in a way that is appropriate for your audience.
Are you tired of having to adjust your AirPods' noise cancellation settings every time you want to talk to someone?
Or maybe you're worried about missing important announcements because your AirPods are blocking out the world around you?
Here's a Cool Tip. AirPod Adaptive Audio.
Apple's new Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness features for AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are here to help.
These features automatically adjust your AirPods' noise cancellation and transparency settings based on your environment and what you're doing.
Adaptive Audio
Adaptive Audio uses machine learning to automatically adjust the noise cancellation and transparency levels of your AirPods based on the ambient noise around you.
For example, if you're in a quiet room, your AirPods will use more transparency to let you hear your surroundings.
But if you're in a noisy environment, your AirPods will use more noise cancellation to block out the noise.
Conversation Awareness
Conversation Awareness is a sub-feature of Adaptive Audio that automatically lowers your media volume and enhances voices in front of you when you start talking.
This makes it easy to have conversations without having to remove your AirPods or adjust the settings manually.
Here's how to do it.
To enable Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness, follow these steps:
Make sure your AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are connected to your iPhone.
Open the Settings app.
Tap on AirPods Pro.
Under Noise Control, toggle on Adaptive.
To enable Conversation Awareness, toggle on the switch next to Conversation Awareness.
fig. 1 - Air Pods Mode Selection - Adaptive
fig. 2 - Apple Air Pods Audio Setting
Additionally, Conversation Awareness can help you to stay connected to your environment and avoid missing important announcements.
Looking for other iOS15 updates? Check out these iOS 17 Cool Tips:
Have you ever found yourself struggling to manage multiple windows on your screen?
Have you ever wished for a more organized workspace on your computer?
Here's a Cool Tip. Windows 11 Snap Layouts.
Windows 11 introduces a feature that might just revolutionize your multitasking experience: Snap Layouts.
Snap layouts are a new feature introduced to improve productivity by allowing you to easily organize and manage your open windows.
Here's how to do it.
Using Snap Layouts
Hover over the Maximize Button: Move your cursor over the maximize button of the window you want to snap.
Select a Layout: A box will appear showing different layouts. Choose the one that suits your needs.
Snap Your Window: Click on a zone in the layout where you want to snap your window.
Complete Your Layout: Use Snap Assist to add more windows to other zones in your chosen layout.
fig. 2 - Windows 11 Snap Layout - Side-by-Side Example
With Snap Layouts, you can view and work on multiple apps simultaneously.
You can choose from various layouts depending on your screen size and orientation.
For instance, if you’re working on a project that requires research and writing, you can have your web browser and word processor app open side by side.
You can easily switch between apps without having to minimize or maximize windows.
Windows 10 also has a similar feature known as Snap Assist.
Here’s how you can use Snap Assist in Windows 10:
Drag to Snap: Left-click the title bar on a window and drag it to the corners or left or right edges. You’ll see a transparent overlay indicate how the window will snap.
Keyboard Shortcuts: Use Windows Key + Left arrow or Windows Key + Right arrow to snap an app to the left or right halves of your screen. For the smaller quadrants, use Windows Key + Right / Left, and then Windows Key + Up / Down.
Unfortunately, Windows 10 doesn’t support vertical snapping.
You can’t use Snap Assist to put one window on the top half and another on the bottom half. You have to do it manually.
That's it.
Start exploring Snap Layouts today and take a step towards a more organized and productive digital workspace!
Have you ever wanted to make your Microsoft Word documents more engaging and interactive?
Are you tired of sending just links to videos in your documents?
Here's a Back-To-Work-Monday Cool Tip. Use the Insert Online Videos feature in Microsoft Word.
Insert Online Videos is a feature in Microsoft Word that allows you to embed videos from online sources, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and SlideShare.net, into your Word documents.
This can be a great way to add multimedia content to your documents, such as instructional videos, product demos, or engaging presentations.
Here's how to do it.
Insert Online Videos in a Microsoft Word document.
Open your web browser.
Navigate to the video you want to embed.
Microsoft Word supports inserting videos from a number of sites including Vimeo, YouTube, and SlideShare.net.
Copy the URL.
Open the Word document where you want to insert the video.
Click on the Insert tab in the ribbon.
Click on Online Videos in the Media group.
fig. 1 - Insert Online Video in Microsoft Word
In the Insert Video dialog box, paste the URL of the video you want to insert.
Click on Insert.
fig. 2 - Insert the Address of the Online Video
Your video is now part of your document.
Once your video is inserted, you can resize and reposition it as needed.
Select the video thumbnail (be careful not to select the Play button in the center).
Use the resizing handles to adjust the size of the video thumbnail.
You can also select different layout options to reposition your video.
fig. 3 - Holly with a Pearl Earring Essay
That's it!
Embedding online videos in Microsoft Word documents is a powerful way to enhance your content and engage your readers.
A Bonus is that the Insert Online Videos feature is also available in Microsoft PowerPoint.
Checkout this OneCoolTip video for Inserting Online Videos
Have you ever wanted to see what your pet cat would look like in a famous painting?
Here's a Cool Tip. Use Google Search's new SGE image creator.
With Search Generative Experience (SGE) image creator, you can now do just that.
SGE is a powerful AI tool that allows you to generate images from text descriptions.
Whether you're looking for a fun and unique way to immortalize your furry friend, or you're simply curious to see what a cat would look like in a different artistic style, SGE can help.
Here is an example of an image that SGE generated based on the prompt "Draw an orange cat drawn in the style of the famous painting 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'":
fig. 1 - Holly with a Pearl Earring
As you can see, SGE has done a remarkable job of capturing the style and essence of Vermeer's famous painting, while also adding a touch of whimsy and humor with the orange cat.
Here's how to do it.
Configuring Google Search Labs
The new Google SGE image creator is currently in beta, and is only available to a limited number of users.
To access the feature, you need to enable it in Google Search Labs.
The koala cam is available 24/7, but the best time to watch is during the day when the koalas are most active.
From 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time, you're watching the live cam while it's daytime in San Diego. While it's dark, from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. we rebroadcast that morning's stream.
The San Diego Zoo koala cam is a great way to learn more about these amazing animals and watch them in their natural habitat. So what are you waiting for?
