Just a month ago, a Chromium repository commit was discovered that revealed Google was working on a way to let users search for any cloud game across several cloud gaming providers right from their Chromebook launcher. Clicking one of these results would instantaneously launch into the game, getting them into the action without a download […]
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I kind of forgot I had an app launcher on my Chromebook and here’s why that’s a problem
I can’t tell you the last time that I used my Chromebook’s app launcher to well, launch an app. I mean, that’s not entirely true. I do use it to search for an app via typing and then tapping the result to open standalone PWAs, but what I really mean is that I have no […]
Continue ReadingHow to turn off Google Assistant on your Chromebook and why you may want to
Google Assistant is great…most of the time. It’s fantastic for over a million actions – many of those which can transform the way we obtain and utilize information. There’s no denying that its presence in our lives has completely transformed the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. However, just because […]
Continue ReadingAs Chromebooks continue to evolve, Google Assistant Discover remains absent
Google Discover is a fantastic and quick way in which most Android phone users (especially Pixel users) check what’s happening in the world around them. One swipe from left to right on their phone’s home screen produces a wealth of generated content both old and new without the need for them to open the Google […]
Continue ReadingChromebook Calendar widget now shows your upcoming events, adds useful, but hidden icon
Last month, I shared a first look at the new Google Calendar Chromebook Productivity Experiment which adds a glanceable Calendar widget into the quick settings of your device. Upon clicking the date in your system tray, you would be presented with this widget, and could easily see what day of the week a date fell […]
Continue ReadingNew Chromebook launcher will sort your apps and results into categories while you search
This past April, we reported on the new Chromebook Productivity Launcher gaining the ability to organize your apps and search results into categories in order to prevent information overload. Traditionally, searching with the ‘Everything button’ returns a wall of results that, while they appear in order, are not grouped or segregated in any meaningful way. […]
Continue ReadingChrome OS Productivity Launcher gets a slick new animation as it nears release
Google’s new Chromebook Productivity Launcher is a smaller, more compact way to access your apps and web apps among other things. By tapping the ‘Everything button’ on your keyboard, you can search all of your files, even in the cloud, along with your history, bookmarks, and so on. This new launcher is a clean and […]
Continue ReadingSmaller icons and folders give the new Chromebook launcher an air of maturity
I know I’ve been delivering a lot of updates lately regarding Google’s new Chromebook Productivity Launcher experiment, but that’s because it’s a truly exciting update. For years now, we’ve been using this awkward, full-screen app launcher, and I’ve convinced myself that it’s great. The problem is that it’s just not. I guess the ability to […]
Continue ReadingHere’s your first look at alphabetical launcher app sorting for Chromebooks
You asked, Google listened – alphabetical Chromebook launcher sorting is in development. We covered its introduction in the Chromium Repositories a few months back, but today, I’ve found it to be working, and I wanted to give you all a first look! Unlike my mock-up of what the design could possibly look like, the actual […]
Continue ReadingCrossOver 21 is now available: how to use it to run Windows apps on your Chromebook
It’s been a while since we’ve touched on CrossOver. It’s a commercial product from CodeWeavers, the developers behind Wine and Proton, which allows Windows applications and games to run natively on Linux and macOS. Thankfully the janky old days of CrossOver running on Chromebooks through limited Android integration is now behind us. They have moved […]
Continue ReadingThe Chromebook Calculator app will soon be replaced with a progressive web app
For those familiar with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), you’ll be happy to hear that a new Chrome developer flag in the Canary channel is set to test replace the aging Chrome Calculator app with a web-based alternative. For those who aren’t sure what a PWA is, you’re in for a treat! Progressive Web Apps are […]
Continue ReadingHow to open multiple instances of a web app in the same window on your Chromebook
I talk a lot about turning any website on your Chromebook into an icon so it can be easily accessed via your shelf or launcher with the ‘Everything button‘, and have even written a full tutorial on doing so, including the benefits that process offers. However, some of you may work a lot like I […]
Continue ReadingOpinion: Google needs to fix Android app auto-installs when logging into a new Chromebook
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. You open up a new Chromebook or sign into a friend or family member’s Chrome OS device to use it for a short time and upon getting logged in, you are bogged down by the installation of what feels like every Android app you’ve ever installed on any […]
Continue ReadingChromebooks are receiving native Google Calendar integration directly on the shelf
A few months ago, I created a mock-up showing what a dedicated Calendar widget would look like baked directly into the Chromebook shelf. This would allow users to have quick access to see what date falls on what day of the week, and even potentially see any upcoming events on their agenda. I also alluded […]
Continue ReadingChromebooks gain continuous dictation right from the shelf with Chrome OS 92 update
For anyone who is familiar with dictation software such as Dragon: Naturally Speaking, you’ll know that the ability to speak your thoughts and see them transposed to the screen is incredibly useful and equally awesome. Emails, documents, messages – you name it. On Windows and macOS, you’ve been able to use such software for years […]
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