Gmail Quick Fix

Emails should be easy to use.

There are little things that can be irritating, not catastrophic, but still frustrating. It’s the kind of issue where you expect a simple solution but can’t figure out how to fix it.

1. The Left Sidebar Collapses Unexpectedly

What happened? I was replying to an email and clicked "Compose," then suddenly, without warning, the left sidebar expanded. I didn’t even realize it was possible for the menu to unfold like that.

Solution:

To restore the left sidebar to its original state, simply click the 'three-line' icon (also known as the hamburger menu) next to the Gmail logo.

2. Archive Confusion

Personally, I don't fully understand the purpose of the 'Archive' function. I often mistake it for the 'Move to Folder' option. Both icons look similar, with the only distinction being the arrow symbol. This similarity can be confusing, especially when you're trying to organize emails quickly.

When this happens, I lose track of where the archived email goes. According to Google, it's located in the 'All Mail' folder on the left sidebar.

However, finding the 'All Mail' folder can be a hassle. It's not immediately visible on the sidebar; you have to scroll down and click 'More' (the arrow-down icon) to reveal additional options. Once you do, the 'All Mail' folder will appear.

Archive or Move To?

When organizing emails, I prefer using the 'Move To' option over 'Archive.' Why?

Using 'Move To' is much more convenient. It lets you send an email directly into a specific folder you’ve created. To access it later, you simply click on that folder—quick and straightforward.

In contrast, retrieving an archived email is more complicated. First, you need to make the 'All Mail' folder visible. Then, open the archived email and click the 'Move To' button to transfer it back to the Inbox. (By default, the 'Move To' button in 'All Mail' is set to Inbox.) This extra step makes archiving unnecessarily cumbersome.

The Digital Companion

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When the kids have grown up and flown the nest, it's eerie how much you miss the chaos: their endless questions, unmade beds, loud music, and the inevitable pile of unwashed dishes in the sink. When the house is spotless but filled with a lifeless stillness, that's when you realize that noise is better than silence. Suddenly, even the repetitive questions and constant complaints seem comforting—because at least someone was there to answer when you spoke.

For a fraction of the cost of your children’s whims, an artificial intelligence gadget can bridge the gap between silence and social connection.  

A smart speaker offers more than just functionality; it can provide a sense of verbal companionship. With the knowledge of a thousand geniuses, it answers nearly all your questions, plays your favorite music, and can even pull up the tunes your kids loved—just say something like, "Play music for teenagers in the '90s." While it won’t do the dishes, it can help you order a dishwasher or even your favorite takeaway meal. Folding laundry? Alexa can’t lend a hand, but she’ll play “folding clothes” music to keep you entertained (yes, that’s a thing). It can handle countless digital tasks to keep you busy and stave off boredom.  

Still, part of me wishes there was a way to tweak its artificial intelligence—maybe to mimic a three-year-old or even an endearingly clueless personality. Imagine the fun of dealing with a bit of mischief or a "dumb" response every now and then, just to keep life interesting!  

This version streamlines your ideas, maintains a conversational tone, and strengthens the impact of your humor and insights.

The Cloud and the Chromebook

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It seems like everything is moving to the cloud. Emails, CDs, DVDs, programs, apps, and even money have successfully transitioned into virtual existence, making their physical forms increasingly optional. Who needs real money anymore when it can be lost or stolen physically? Well, I still do—but handling physical cash often comes with its own headaches, like counterfeit bills and human error. The digital form of things promises convenience and fewer mistakes. Or is that just an excuse to justify humanity's growing reliance on impersonal systems?

Cloud computing has been around for years, revolutionizing the way we use technology. It has driven prices down, much like it did with laptops. Programs, applications, and security are now centralized, eliminating the need for physical discs or concerns about compatibility with your device. This shift has also led to sleeker, lighter devices with improved battery performance—devices can now last 8 hours or more, thanks to fewer components consuming power. It’s hard not to see the benefits.

The backbone of this cloud revolution is high-speed wireless internet. With its increased capacity to handle megabytes of data per second, even modest devices can perform tasks that once required powerful local hardware. This advancement has allowed companies to create faster, more secure, and more affordable devices—a win for consumers.

Take the Chromebook, for example, an all-cloud computing solution steadily gaining ground in a market dominated by Windows and iOS. Although still a "David" compared to these "Goliaths," the Chromebook’s popularity is growing, especially among students and budget-conscious users. Its low cost doesn’t mean compromising performance or reliability. It simplifies the user experience—no need to buy additional software or security programs. With apps

How to Reduce Image File Size in Chromebook

I use free blogging platforms, which come with restricted data storage. To stay within these limits, I need to reduce every file to its smallest possible size. On top of that, I use a Chromebook, which has limited storage and application capabilities—unless you’re willing to spend extra on cloud storage or external memory drives.  

To manage image sizes, I use the Chromebook’s native **Gallery** application. It’s easy to use: simply click on the photo you want to resize, and it will automatically open in the **Gallery** app. From there, you can adjust the file size to make it suitable for your storage and blogging needs.  

This method is a straightforward way to optimize images without requiring additional software or tools.

In this example, I am going to reduce the file size of "walking with a stick" with 2.5MB size into a manageable chunk for my blog.

In the **Gallery** app, click the **Re-scale** button to display the image’s width and height settings.  

Make sure the height and width ratio is locked before adjusting the values. Once you're satisfied with the size, click "Save As" if you want to keep the original photo, or simply click "Save" to overwrite the existing image with the resized version.

The image has been reduced from 2.5MB to just 288KB. This smaller file size makes it easier to upload and allows my blog's limited storage to accommodate more files.