Last Week I Learned... In Berlin

As it always is, the ADE Institute was full of opportunity to learn new things and build on existing understandings of the world. One of the highlights for me was getting to learn some tips and tricks from one of the product managers for Keynote.

1. Hold the CONTROL button on the keyboard when executing a screenshot to copy the image to your clipboard (rather than adding a PNG image to your desktop). Makes for quick and easy accessing and flow.
2. Right click (control + click) on the tool bar to customize it. Add icons for those actions you use regularly but always go to the menu to find because the keyboard shortcuts are too complicated to remember.
3. Select an image on a slide and go to Format -> Image and find a icon which you can drag out of the project if you need a copy of an image you had used but cannot find the original source.
4. When having multiple objects move in from off the stage into view, use the Fibonacci sequence to arrange the position of items for a more natural-feeling entry.
5. There are tons of ways to design things using Keynote's shapes and the Format -> Shapes and Lines options. Also paste and match style AND drag a preset style to the Format pane to save it.

Two other things I am jotting down here so I remember: 1 - to explore the Flex Time option when recording live instruments in Logic or Garageband; 2 - check out Hype for making html5 animations that can autoplay in an multi-touch book made with iBooks Author.