It’s hard to believe Chrome OS has it has been around for a decade, but to vier the Chromebook’s 10th birthday, Google is launching a slew of new features to improve productivity, connectivity and more.
Similar to the way Handoff works on macOS, Google is upgrading the synergy between Chromebooks and Android phones with the new Phone Hub. With Phone Hub, you can pair your Android phone with a Chromebook to create a new window with several handy shortcuts that allow you to remotely control your phone. This means you can do things like turn on your hotspot, mute your phone’s call, or turn on the phone function without getting up.
In addition, you can also respond to messages from the Phone Hub, look at your phone’s battery life and cell phone signal, and open the last two Chrome tabs you’ve looked at on your phone to make it easier for you to stop switching between devices.
Google has also upgraded its Wi-Fi Sync feature to allow Chromebooks to sign in automatically in to Wi-Fi networks that you have previously signed in to on your Android phone or other Chrome OS devices. And somewhere in the next few months, Google will also bring the Nearby part feature to Chromebooks, allowing you to transfer files more easily wirelessly (via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) between compatible devices.
G / O Media can get a commission
Meanwhile, to help Google do just faster work, Google has added a new screenshot tool to the Chrome OS Quick Settings menu, which can only take screenshots or screenshots by selecting the content on the screen. Tthe Quick Settings menu now has built-in media controls, and to make accessing screenshots and pinned files easier, Google has created the new Tote space available on the Chrome OS shelf.
Even the Chrome OS clipboard gets a boost, as it can now store the last five items you copied, which can be easily viewed by pressing the + V button.
The Desk feature has also been redesigned to allow you to rearrange tabs and windows across different workspaces to better hold information for different projects, and now there’s a new section for quick answers to everything you right-click in your browser that has short definitions or unit conversions.
For parents trying to better manage their children’s devices, Google has also redesigned Family link so it’s easier for them to get permissions and personal vs. school accounts on the same devices.
Lastly, in addition to new icons for apps like Canvas and Explore, Google has also reduced the amount of clicks it takes to share content and new controls at the Choose to speak feature that allows users to slow down, speed up or interrupt text-to-speech playback.
Aside from a nearby section, most of the new Chromebook features should start rolling out today. If you haven’t got it yet, come check back soon for updates.