#84 Chrome - 3 Basic Troubleshooting Steps

Hi ya!

If you’re having issues with your Chrome browser, then I have three basic suggestions for you to try.

3 Basic Troubleshooting suggestions

(#1) Reboot your device.

Sometimes a minor glitch can cause Chrome to mess up.

This glitch can happen on any type of device. From mobile (Android, iOS) to desktop (Windows, Mac).

Other times, your device may have to update and you just don’t know about it! Restarting the device may trigger the update that could fix the issue.

(#2) Test it out on another browser.

If Chrome is messing up, seeing if you experience same issue on another browser is a good way to find out whether if the issue is just browser related or something deeper.

For example, is Facebook loading funny? The fonts  looking funny? Images not displaying correctly?

Well, let’s see if Facebook operates properly on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari (for Mac users). Those are just to name a few popular browsers. There’s more for you to choose from.

If the problem appears to be working fine on the other browsers, then the issue could be with only Chrome.

Now, if the issue occurs on the other browsers, then it could be something more troublesome.

In that case, here’s what I suggest:

1. If you’re a Windows user, ask the Windows Community.
2. If you’re a Mac user, ask the Mac Forum.

(#3) Try it out in Incognito Mode.

Sometimes your Chrome browser will work smoother in Incognito mode. Have you ever wondered why? The main reason that I can think of is usually, no third party apps / extensions enabled in Incognito mode.

These apps and extensions (usually, extensions added to the Chrome browser) may cause issues to Chrome.

Browsing Chrome in Incognito is a great way to tell if the third party add-on is the culprit.

To browse Chrome in Incognito mode, follow the instructions below.

1. Launch the Chrome browser.
2. Click the Control menu on the top right of the browser.
3. From there, click New Incognito Window.
4. And that opens up Chrome in the private browser. Now you can test and see if the issue still happens in Incognito mode. If it does, then it’s most likely an extension causing the problem. Uninstalling the extension > browsing the web in normal Chrome (non-Incognito) > is the issue resolved? If so, GREAT! If not, well, that’s another blog in itself...

And that is 3 basic troubleshooting steps for you to try and see if they fix your Chrome browser!

For further reference:

If you’d like to learn more, you can check out the Google Help Center.

If you have a specific question that the Help Center doesn’t cover, then you can ask your question on the Google Product Forum.

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully you enjoyed the read and learned something new.

If you did enjoy reading, then don’t forget to share your newly learned wisdom on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.

Is there anything that you’d me to blog about? If so, then post your suggestion in the comment section.

Best of Luck,

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W.C. Blitzy

#83 Google Top Contributor Program

Hi ya!

Do you know a little about technology?

Know how to fix browser issues? Know what to do when a printer doesn’t work?

Or do you have an issue with Gmail? Chrome? Google Drive? An issue that you just don’t know how to fix.

Or, do you have a passion for Google products? You may not be knowledgeable about geeky things but you’re eager to learn.

I could go on. But hopefully you understand where I’m going with this.

What I’m getting at is Google has a program. This program is called Google Top Contributor Program.

“What is the Top Contributor Program?”, you ask.

The Google Top Contributor Program is a program for people who are passionate about Google products. For people who may or may not be knowledgeable about certain Google products.

These people voluntarily answer questions at Google Product Forum (GPF).

All different types of Google product users come to GPF asking a question, sharing an idea, reporting a bug, etc.

And these Top Contributors (TC) reply to the users sharing their feedback, helping the user fix their issue, general discussion about technology things, etc.

For example, someone comes to GPF with the question “I’m getting redirects from my Chrome browser. How do I get fix it?”. A TC reads the thread and sees about solving the users issue.

That’s just one example. I could list a thousand more.

To summarize what a TC is:

• A person who is knowledgeable about Google products such as Chrome, Gmail, Google Drive.
• A  person who voluntarily answers user questions at GPF.

“How do I join the Top Contributor Program?”

Being a TC is fun. You get to go to annual TC Summits.

In a way, TCs represent Google itself. So, you have meet a certain criteria before you can be a TC. Here’s a

list of some of the criterias:

1. You have to sign an NDA.
   That means you have to be the age of 18. No less than that age - as I have come to realize.
2. You represent Google. So, that means you should follow GPF posting guideline.
3. Before you can become a TC, you have to become a Rising Star.
   Becoming a Rising Star (RS) is easier than becoming a TC. You can be any age to be an RS. You don’t have to sign an NDA agreement to be a RS. You still represent Google as a RS, so you should follow the posting guideline.
   To become a Rising Star, you should post in GPF frequently.
4. Interact with the Community Manager (CM), other Experts, and the users.
   Having a friendly chat with other TCs and RSes is a good thing. Communicating well with your CM (a Google employee who manages a forum in GPF).
   Answering users questions at GPF doesn’t have to be treated like work. GPF is volunteer work. If you be active on GPF because you have a job, then that’s A-Ok.
   With that being said, I see no reason why you can’t have a friendly chat with the user you’re helping.
5. If you want to become a TC, being active helps.
   The more active you are on GPF, the better.
   However, if you can’t be as active as you want to be, then reach out to your CM and talk to them about it.

That’s a good list to start with. You always reach out to your CM and talk to them about the the qualities of a good TC.

Now, prepare for tons of links!

• https://topcontributor.withgoogle.com/
• https://support.google.com/groups/topic/2546991
• http://www.google.com/get/topcontributor/?utm_source=googleblog
• http://www.google.com/get/topcontributor/join/benefits.html
• https://support.google.com/groups/answer/1649693?hl=en
• https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/docs/jqO8iF03WYQ

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully you enjoyed the read and learned something new.

If you did enjoy reading, then don’t forget to share your newly learned wisdom on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.

Is there anything that you’d me to blog about? If so, then post your suggestion in the comment section.

Best of Luck,

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

W.C. Blitzy

#82 Hangouts - Report Feedback on the Hangouts Extension

Hi ya!

If you’ve installed the Hangouts extension for Chrome,  and have a feature suggestion or found a bug with the extension, then you can report feedback.

How to report Feedback on the Hangouts Extension

1. First, make sure you have the extension installed (link to extension is above).
2. Then, make sure the extension is enabled and to check to see sure if it’s on the top right of the browser - where all the extensions are kept.
   
3. If you don’t see it on the browser control bar (that’s what I’m calling it), then type in the Omnibox chrome://extensions > Search for the Hangouts extension > and click the Show button box.
   
4. Now that you have it enabled and on the browser control bar, you launch the extension.
   
5. Click the drop-box on the right of New conversation.
6. At the bottom of the Hangout chat settings, click Feedback.
   
7. A new tab pops up giving you the ability to type up your feedback and submit it.
   Type what feedback you want to send the Google Hangouts team about their extension > click Send Feedback.
   

And that is how you send feedback on the Hangouts extension!

For further reference:

If you’d like to learn more, you can check out the Google Help Center.

If you have a specific question that the Help Center doesn’t cover, then you can ask your question on the Google Product Forum.

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully you enjoyed the read and learned something new.

If you did enjoy reading, then don’t forget to share your newly learned wisdom on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.

Is there anything that you’d me to blog about? If so, then post your suggestion in the comment section.

Best of Luck,

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

W.C. Blitzy

#80 Chrome - Report Feedback on the Chrome App Launcher

Hi ya!

The  Chrome App Launcher is a place where Google keeps all the apps you’ve installed from the Chrome Webstore.

If you have any suggestions for Google on how they could improve the App Launcher, or if you find a bug in it, then you could report it.

Report Feedback on the Chrome App Launcher [Text version]

• Launch the App Launcher
• Click on the settings menu (three horizontal line bar at the top right of the Launcher)
• Then click Send feedback
• Follow the prompt

Report Feedback on the Chrome App launcher [Image version]

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And that is how you report feedback on the Chrome App Launcher!

For further reference:

If you’d like to learn more, you can check out the Google Help Center.

If you have a specific question that the Help Center doesn’t cover, then you can ask your question on the Google Product Forum.

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully you enjoyed the read and learned something new.

If you did enjoy reading, then don’t forget to share your newly learned wisdom on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.

Is there anything that you’d me to blog about? If so, then post your suggestion in the comment section.

Best of Luck,

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

W.C. Blitzy