We've been so focused in on when we will finally see a proper dark mode on Chromebooks that we never really saw the need for a light mode. I found a commit for this weeks ago, but I wasn't completely sure what to make of it. Android Police published an article and made some mock-ups of what light … [Read more...] about Chrome OS ‘light mode’ shows up in the Canary Channel
New & Upcoming Features
Rich search results are on the way to the Chromebook launcher
The humble Chrome OS launcher has become quite the hub for activity on Chromebooks in the past few years. From adding Google Assistant to getting a complete overhaul for both desktop and tablet modes, the launcher is slowly becoming the centralized starting point for users on Chromebooks. With the … [Read more...] about Rich search results are on the way to the Chromebook launcher
We just used Nearby Sharing on a Chromebook
It has been quite a while since Google's Nearby Sharing feature snuck its way into the Chromium repository. While Nearby Sharing hasn't been live for Android users for very long, it looks like the Chrome OS team is hard at it getting the file-sharing feature working for Chromebooks. The Nearby Share … [Read more...] about We just used Nearby Sharing on a Chromebook
New abilities are coming for Chromebook stylus buttons
As we've watched USI pens become more standard in 2020 and finally started seeing some of them actually begin shipping, it is beginning to feel like we'll have a ton of Chromebooks in the next generation that will have pen support baked in. As we've already reported, those devices will all have to … [Read more...] about New abilities are coming for Chromebook stylus buttons
First Look: New Chrome OS “Holding Space” feature in action
Our pal Dinsan over at Chrome Story recently discovered a new feature that's headed to Chrome OS called "Holding Space." According to the commit, this feature will give users quick access to recent screenshots and downloads via a quick menu that will reside on the Chrome OS shelf. Enables quick … [Read more...] about First Look: New Chrome OS “Holding Space” feature in action
Google Meet is getting a Zoom-like 50-person grid view and blurred backgrounds
As the pandemic rages on and working from home is still top of mind for millions and millions of individuals, it feels like two services have bubbled to the top of the video chat heap: Zoom and Google Meet. Zoom's insane skyrocket to the most-used video conferencing platform came with a few early … [Read more...] about Google Meet is getting a Zoom-like 50-person grid view and blurred backgrounds
For new Chromebooks, USI pen support is the rule going forward
A couple weeks ago, we had the pleasure of interviewing Pete Mueller - President/Chairman USI - on The Chrome Cast. The episode was a ton of fun to be a part of and the story behind the emergence of USI pens is not only interesting, it is pretty important to the entire laptop industry moving … [Read more...] about For new Chromebooks, USI pen support is the rule going forward
With this upcoming new feature, I’ll actually use Chrome Tab Groups
As the Chrome Tab Groups feature has evolved, I've been pretty vocal about the fact that I don't see much use for it in my personal workflow. I'm not prone to leave dozens of tabs open at a time, so grouping the 7 or 8 tabs I currently have open isn't really that beneficial. At my worst, I'll have … [Read more...] about With this upcoming new feature, I’ll actually use Chrome Tab Groups
Upcoming Chromebook keyboards to get a new ‘snapshot’ function key
As we've talked about at length before, Chromebooks generally have the same keyboard layout regardless of the manufacturer. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 I'm typing this on has the same exact keyboard layout as the HP Chromebook Pro C640 that is on the next desk over. Apart from a handful of … [Read more...] about Upcoming Chromebook keyboards to get a new ‘snapshot’ function key
Chrome OS “Phone Hub” appears: Enable hotspot, task continuation and more
Google's new project that will create a "phone hub" on Chrome OS has only been in development for a couple of months but work is coming right along at a very steady pace. The latest update to the Canary channel has inserted another placeholder into the Phone Hub menu that gives us a slightly better … [Read more...] about Chrome OS “Phone Hub” appears: Enable hotspot, task continuation and more
Chromebooks are getting a revamped screen capture UI with native screen recording
As it is right now, Chromebooks and screenshots are a pretty simple pair. Hitting CTRL + OVERVIEW will snag a full-screen grab and CTRL+SHIFT+OVERVIEW will allow the user to select a portion of the screen to capture. There's no UI, no real guidance, and little that can natively be done to the … [Read more...] about Chromebooks are getting a revamped screen capture UI with native screen recording
Stadia will soon be a pre-installed web app for Chromebook users
Chromebooks come with a small handful of different apps installed out of the box. Apart from the different selection of bundled Android apps we see on the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, nearly all Chromebooks come with the same out of box experience across the board. The obvious things we've all come to … [Read more...] about Stadia will soon be a pre-installed web app for Chromebook users
