Learn how to use familiar keyboard commands to collaboratively draw and work with Jams in your browser.
Jamboard is a combination of hardware and software that provides a collaborative space for teams to draw and share images, documents, and notes. The Jamboard device serves as the service's featured physical drawing board, while the Jamboard apps on the web and mobile devices allow people to view and draw on "Jams" almost anywhere. Together, Google and BenQ deliver the system and serve the Jamboard community.
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In late January 2019, Google announced a few improvements to Jamboard on the web. The first three features will be available to all accounts with Jamboard access some time in February 2019. The last one--a way to find Jamboard files--has been available for awhile, but is something few people know.
1. Keyboard Ctrls (or Cmds)
Select an object, press the standard key combination to copy it, and then select another spot and press the standard key-combination to paste the object. For some people, keyboard controls make it easier to work with objects in Jams.
On macOS, reach for the standard Command-C to copy, Command-V to paste, or Command-D to duplicate objects. On Windows or Chrome devices, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V, and Ctrl-D similarly serve to copy, paste, or duplicate selected items, respectively.
2. Draw + press Ctrl/Cmd to select
When drawing on a Jam frame on the web, you may use your finger on a touchpad, screen, or mouse. Now, you can draw, and then hold a key down to quickly switch to Selection Mode to select an object that you can then move, resize, duplicate, or otherwise manipulate. Release the key to revert to drawing. As with the keyboard controls, press the Command key down on macOS, and the Ctrl key on Windows or Chrome OS devices.
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3. Manage frames
At the top of the Jamboard display on the web, you'll see small, horizontally arranged rectangles. Tap or click on the set to Expand The Frame bar. You can now add, duplicate, or delete frames from your Jam on the web as needed.
Want to re-rearrange the order of frames? Reach for the Jamboard tablet app or switch to a Jamboard device. Either of those will let you change the sequence of frames (as of late January 2019).
4. Find Jam files
You can access all of your Jamboard files from within the Jamboard app, Google Drive, or the Cloud Search app. To search for your Jams, type any keywords along with type:jam to narrow the results to Jam files. This search term works on the web and when you search in the Google Drive or Cloud Search mobile apps.
Upcoming features
Google also plans to allow people to add images to Jams on the web. So if you're reading this after February 2019, look for the ability to drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, or upload images into a Jam frame, as well.
If you've used Jamboard--on the web, mobile devices, or on the Jamboard device--what has your experience been? How has a shared Jamboard helped you collaborate with other people? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter (@awolber).
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