After the debut of Chrome 88 on both PCs and mobiles, it’s Chrome OS’s turn to shine. Google is introducing Chrome OS 88 to Chromebook users, offering a whole host of new features, including faster sign-ups and personal lock screens.
The new features are expected to appear on Chromebooks in the next few days, as Google launches the new Chrome update. Some of the changes outlined by Google seem to be designed to make Chrome an attractive alternative to Windows.
Take the lock screen changes, which are definitely some of the more visually important changes that are happening with Chrome OS 88. According to Google, the lock screen of your Chromebook essentially becomes a smart screen with Chrome OS 88, since you can show the photo albums stored on Google Photos have splashed across the Chromebook screen. The lock screen can now display information such as the current weather, as well as what music is playing there. Better yet, you’ll be able to control playback from the lock screen without unlocking your Chromebook.
Accessing this lock screen feature is as easy as going to Chromebook settings and choosing Personalization> Screen saver. From there, it’s easy to turn on the features.
If you use your Chromebook for work or personal productivity, security is probably a high priority for you. This means you need to protect the passwords for your various online hangouts. Chrome already has different ways to use your stored passwords, but with Chrome OS 88 you can use your Chromebook as a second verification point. It achieves this by using the Web Authenticator (WebAuthn) API.
Normally, you should use your two-factor authentication phone to verify your identity when signing in to the Chromebook. According to Google, your PIN and fingerprint will not be shared with any of the required sites. Furthermore, Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) comes in a new Chrome OS version for added security.
Multiple Chromebook converters tend to use their typewriters for work or work, so productivity is equal. That’s why an enhanced auto-correction user interface is such an important and exciting addition to Chrome OS 88. The faster it can help you check your spelling and bring your words to the screen, the faster you’ll finish your assignment or whatever it is you do. Chrome OS 88 provides an important update to the auto-correction interface, as well as a new visual indicator that it has been applied. There are also a number of ways to proceed to undo the changes that autocorrection may have implemented if they do not meet your standards.
If you use your Chromebook as your main workstation, Chrome OS 88 offers huge improvements to the virtual desktop system. With virtual desktops you can set up multiple windows and desktops to separate projects and applications. Swapping between them has been a bit of a hassle in the past, but with Chrome OS 88, the frustrations associated with it have been eliminated, Google says. Using virtual desktops is a painless experience, so you can switch between them at will without worrying about animations slowing you down.
Chrome OS 88 will also provide a host of additional features when it finally launches. Keep an eye on the upgrade and use it to give your Chromebook a head start.