UW-IT continues to expand the core UW Google Apps service (Email, Calendar, Docs, Sites, and Talk) by enabling new apps you can choose to activate. Those added recently include Chrome Sync, FeedBurner, iGoogle, Latitude, Map Maker, News, and Places. Earlier this year, Blogger, Google+, Google Code, Picasa, Voice, YouTube, and more were added. All undergo a UW enterprise risk review process first. These apps are not covered by the existing UW contract with Google that ensures certain student data protections. Support is provided by Google. Get more information.

Coming soon: Revamped UW faculty/staff and UW Today Web pages will feature a variety of changing stories, videos, news feeds, and events; highlight current date and weather; and be refreshed more often. A beta release of the Faculty & Staff Insider provides standing links to key newsletters (HR Resource and IT Connect), the Red Square Cam, selected lectures, and other content of interest to faculty and staff. The new UW Today page (launching soon) will encompass the entire UW, with feeds for news, sports, KEXP, KUOW, Twitter, and Facebook, plus videos, community photos, and more.

In response to the recent Japanese disaster, AT&T is offering billing relief for their customers calling and texting family and friends in Japan. From March 11 through March 31, credit will be given automatically to postpaid wireless customers for international long distance charges for calls and text messages from the U.S. to Japan. Residential wireline customers can seek credits for up to 60 minutes of direct dial calling to Japan.

UWTV's new YouTube channel provides access to UWTV's best programming in YouTube's familiar format, and makes it easier to watch on your mobile device. For iPhone users: Bring up http://m.youtube.com/UWTV on Safari, tap the plus sign, and tap Add to Home Screen to add UWTV's YouTube site as an app. For other smart phones, bring up and bookmark the same Web page.

Want to save money on your cell phone plan? UW Technology has negotiated discounts with AT&T and T-Mobile that range from 15-18% for UW employees and 10-15% for UW students, depending on the carrier. As part of a larger, long-term mobile strategy that includes closer partnerships with these carriers, they will be investing in the infrastructure to increase cell coverage at UW Seattle, UW Medical Center, and Harborview Medical Center.

Help the UW save trees and money; send email instead of print. The Office of University Advancement and Creative+Communications are partnering with UW units to send professional-looking email messages to large lists of people, using a centralized Web-based tool called Convio. To learn about options for using this tool, contact UW Marketing's E-communications Marketing Manager.