Due to the global pandemic, Google lifted the 60-minute group video call restriction for free Meet users over this past year. Now, anyone using a standard, non-Workspace Google account will no longer have that benefit. Starting just a few weeks ago, anyone who isn't paying per month for a Workspace … [Read more...] about Google Meet now restricts free users to one hour group video calls
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At long last, Google Play Books is bringing user-created bookshelves out of beta
I'm a big Google Play Books advocate. Whenever I don't have a physical book at the ready, and sometimes even when I do, I opt for an audiobook or an ebook. With Google Play, you own 100% of the Play Books content you buy and can export it via Google Takeout whenever you'd like in the most common … [Read more...] about At long last, Google Play Books is bringing user-created bookshelves out of beta
Pokemon Go Fest 2021 and Google are giving away 3 free months of Youtube Premium
Pokemon Go Fest 2021 begins in just a few days (July 17th and 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm local time), and if you're into the game at all (or as much as my son is), then you'll be happy to hear that Google has partnered with Niantic and The Pokemon Company to offer three free months of Youtube … [Read more...] about Pokemon Go Fest 2021 and Google are giving away 3 free months of Youtube Premium
Your Chromebook is getting a new and improved wallpaper picking experience
The standard experience for changing your Chromebook's wallpaper has been unchanged for many years. We've been watching a new update to the Wallpapers app for quite some time now, and not until recently did it mature enough to discuss. Instead of being a built-in application, the new experience is a … [Read more...] about Your Chromebook is getting a new and improved wallpaper picking experience
Chrome Tab Groups and Bookmarks may become one and the same which makes sense
As I've previously said, Chrome users will no longer need to rely on extensions like Toby Tab Manager to collapse and save tab groups for later. After having introduced the feature and included several ways to automatically collapse and recall previously created Tab Groups, Google is now adding a … [Read more...] about Chrome Tab Groups and Bookmarks may become one and the same which makes sense
Chrome is getting a dedicated screenshot tool via its new share menu
In the Chrome browser, one can take a screenshot via the standard system keyboard shortcuts - though they differ on Chrome OS, Windows, macOS, and Linux, they are baked directly into the operating system. Interestingly enough, I never really thought about the fact that Chrome itself didn't have such … [Read more...] about Chrome is getting a dedicated screenshot tool via its new share menu
Samsung TV Plus is free, and you can now watch it on the web and via Chromecasts
Have you ever heard of Samsung TV Plus? I won't fault you if you hadn't, because neither had I until recently. It could be because I'm a Pixel user at heart, and am not really into Samsung products, but that's a topic for another day. Anyway, the company's free, global television streaming service … [Read more...] about Samsung TV Plus is free, and you can now watch it on the web and via Chromecasts
Your Chromebook Files App will soon be able to natively open many more archive formats
The Files app on your Chromebook continues to be developed in new and surprising ways. What started as simply a way to access your local and Drive files has become quite well-rounded as of late. A while back, a new zip file manager was able to be activated using several developer flags on the Canary … [Read more...] about Your Chromebook Files App will soon be able to natively open many more archive formats
Google Play Games ‘Play as you download’, new game dashboard, more announced
During the Google for Games Developer Summit today, Google announced a few new features that those who enjoy Android games use to take their experience to the next level. With the explosive growth of Android (3B active monthly devices) and Google Play (2.5B monthly active users), the company's … [Read more...] about Google Play Games ‘Play as you download’, new game dashboard, more announced
Google Play Pass gives parents over $150 in games to entertain the kiddos this month
Whether you're a Chromebook owner or you simply have an Android phone or tablet, Google Play Pass has become a behemoth of value. Whether or not many would prefer to acknowledge it, Google's subscription service, which will run you just $4.99 USD per month or $29.99 USD per year always adds a little … [Read more...] about Google Play Pass gives parents over $150 in games to entertain the kiddos this month
Google Keep will now let you use designer-created background images for your notes
Google Keep is arguably the best Google service in existence, but I'm extremely biased. Obviously, Gmail, Search, Maps, and so on are core to the user experience for the company, but Keep has become something I use daily for practically everything. Some people even use it for tasks as well, in place … [Read more...] about Google Keep will now let you use designer-created background images for your notes
Chromebook launcher app sorting may actually be on its way, and it’s about time
We've written several articles about the need for Google's Chromebook launcher to evolve with the times. With the introduction of the Google Play Store to devices years ago and the new hotness of Progressive Web Apps (PWA), the 'app drawer' on our laptops has become a cluttered mess. Yes, you can … [Read more...] about Chromebook launcher app sorting may actually be on its way, and it’s about time
