Update June 6, 2023 at 2:32 PM EST: To clarify, Duet AI and Labs continues to roll out access to trusted testers, but this announcement by the company was meant to focus on a few new features that are being added based on user feedback. Docs: (NEW) AI automatically inputs smart chips and variables for […]
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How to turn any Google Smart Canvas Doc into a template for repeated use
Now that Google’s Smart Canvas tools are widely available, I’m realizing things about Google Docs that I’ve never really cared about before. Generally, I use it for writing out my thoughts and less so for business documents. Well, that’s true now, but before this year, I did quite the opposite – I used Docs for […]
Continue ReadingGoogle introduces the almighty blue checkmark in Gmail, and it’s already being exploited
Last month, Google introduced a Twitter-style blue checkmark for verified brands in Gmail. This means that anyone with the “Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) in Gmail” would have the trust of their users who would then know that the sender was, in fact, the real deal instead of an imposter. Strong email authentication helps […]
Continue Reading5 things Google Smart Canvas really needs to improve
I’m leaning all in on this Google Smart Canvas thing here, so as I said in previous articles, you’re going to see me talking about it a lot more often as I explore its capabilities and use cases. I recently talked about how you could inject a writing timer or stopwatch for your creativity or […]
Continue ReadingHow to set a writing timer or stopwatch right inside of Google Docs with Smart Canvas
Have you ever wanted to gain quick access to a stopwatch or a timer for your writing sessions? Many of you, especially if you’re a novelist or hobbyist writer, will know of the Pomodoro technique. This method of time management dictates that you think in tomatoes instead of hours (Pomodoro means tomato in Italian, by […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Contacts is getting Maps Location Sharing, user weather, local time and a new look
Google Contacts has undergone some significant changes over the past year. It’s not really a powerful CMS by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s much more capable than it was, and it’s becoming even more so with every update. Thanks to a user named @Nail_Sadykov on Twitter, we now have our first look at […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Keep reminders won’t show on Calendar anymore, the perfect productivity trifecta ruined
Google has begun the switch to its Tasks service in Calendar as a replacement for standard and Assistant-based “Reminders”. Previously, you could set reminders from Assistant or Google Keep for notes so that they would pop up at a pre-determined time or location. Now that both of these features are in the toilet though, I’m […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Chat gets “Quick reactions” so you can spend less time picking emoji for replies
Google Chat, Google’s replacement for Hangouts, has added a lot of features that help it and its sub-feature, Spaces, replace things like Google+ or “Currents” for Enterprise. It’s a different philosophy and approach to social, and acts more as an intranet than an open social network. A year ago, the company added emoji reactions to […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Docs picks up some new tricks: Custom block creation, expanding and collapsing content
Google announced a few new features for Docs this week over on its Workspace Updates blog. These tie directly into its Smart Canvas initiative, allowing you to make better use of the data you place in a body of text either for personal or collaborative reasons. While we’ve already gotten many things like the ability […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Calendar now works better with Microsoft Outlook and vice versa
Google is working to make Microsoft Outlook more compatible with its Calendar app, with several improvements already implemented for all Workspace users. This includes personal Google Accounts, and those with legacy G Suite licenses too. Essentially, it’s rolled out to everyone right now. These updates include the ability to receive Google Calendar invitations and RSVPs […]
Continue ReadingGoogle announces its response to Microsoft 365 Copilot as Duet AI for Google Workspace
Google’s event yesterday was a feast of artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives across its portfolio of apps and services. The integration of generative AI into its Search engine was the crowning reveal, but Google Workspace was no less impressive. This is now officially being dubbed ‘Duet AI for Google Workspace’. Duet AI is an evolution of […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Drive is getting a Spam folder
Google has gotten pretty good at helping users avoid spam emails and Drive files over the years. If you use Gmail, you might say that the spam filter is too good as you dig through the spam folder to find that email that you overlooked from your boss. Still, the automated nature of the Gmail […]
Continue ReadingUse this mass deletion trick in Gmail to declutter thousands of old and irrelevant messages at once
If you’re anything like me, you get so burnt out on managing your Gmail that you just let it pile up for years at a time. Not important messages from family and colleagues, but all of the things you’ve signed up for that you just have no energy or interest in deleting or clicking through […]
Continue ReadingI shouldn’t be this excited, but you can now react to Google Docs comments using emoji
In a post to the Workspace Updates blog today, Google announced a few new features for Docs, Sheets, and Slides that are primary quality of life. However, one feature that we’ll cover has me excited even though it’s quite simple and silly because I’ve been waiting for it for so long. First up, Sheets for […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Docs, Sheets and Slides receiving search bar for menu options to reduce overwhelm
Google is rolling out an “enhanced tool finder” for Docs, Sheets, and Slides, designed to streamline your experience and improve accessibility. Positioned at the top left of the toolbar, this feature serves as a contextual menu. When you select a specific element, such as a paragraph or a cell, the tool finder will display the […]
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