Weekly Digest From Chrome Unboxed

View this email in your browser The Chrome Cast 230: Pixel Watch 2, Apple Vision Pro, and ASUS Vibe CX34 This week on The Chrome Cast, we diverged into a bit of slightly-foreign territory. While the show starts with some new leaks that have surfaced surrounding the Pixel Watch 2, we switched gears on a bit of a whim to the new Apple Vision Pro and stayed on that topic for longer than we would […] Read More Google Passwords for desktop Chrome is getting biometric authentication On The Keyword blog today, Google revealed its plans to enhance the password manager in Chrome for desktop. These new features were previously only available on mobile devices. One of the standout additions discussed is biometric authentication. You’ll now have the option to use your device’s supported biometric methods, such as fingerprint scanning or facial […] Read More Google Keep is looking a bit more slick with the latest Material You design tweaks Google Keep is still battling with the new Google Docs Smart Canvas features for the top spot in my favorite apps the company has released over the years. It’s not often it gets updates as the tech giant likes to keep it simple for the large middle type of user, but when it does, it’s […] Read More It looks like Acer may be making a Qi wireless charging Chromebox, too Not to be outdone in the Chromebox game where Acer has had quite a bit of success, it looks like the prolific Chromebook maker may be aping another company in making a Chromebox with the added – and useful – benefit of wireless charging baked into the lid portion. Though Chromeboxes tend to be the […] Read More IDC study explores the acceleration of ChromeOS adoption, thanks to Virtual App Delivery The global COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the workplace permanently. As the hybrid work model has become the new standard for thousands of companies, cloud-first operating systems such as ChromeOS have taken center stage. The need for lightweight, cloud-centric infrastructures has led many companies to seek out virtualization solutions that can keep up with the every-changing […] Read More How to use the awesome, new Data Extraction Smart Canvas feature in Google Sheets There’s a ton to explore in the revamped Google Workspace apps. By adding dynamic and interactive Smart Canvas elements, Google is essentially rewriting Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail and more at their very core. Seriously, if you’re not using these features yet, you’re missing out big time. While not yet available to everyone, a new ‘Data […] Read More "I don't know, but I found these results": Google Assistant appears to be quiet quitting this year I’ve been on the offensive against Google Assistant this year, and I’m not ashamed of it either. The virtual assistant has gone from world class to dumber than a box of rocks. It consistently fails to respond, toggle lights, performs completely unrelated actions, and more. It’s just so bad that I can hardly express my […] Read More With only three weeks before arrival, all Pixel Fold variants are available for order again A little over a week ago, a shocking revelation came in the form of a version of the expensive Pixel Fold already being sold out at the Google Store. While I’m wildly excited for this device and have been waiting on it for a couple of years at this point, I tend to think that […] Read More Top 5 Chromebook deals of the week We’re just under two weeks away from Google’s highly-anticipated Pixel Fold smart phone hitting shelves and needless to say, we are excited. While we’re anxiously waiting, how about some much-needed distraction with some solid Chromebook deals that will save you some serious cash. Maybe you can take the savings and put it towards a new […] Read More You can now edit your clips with Google's web-based audio recorder Google’s web-based audio recorder is picking up a new trick – editing! First spotted by 9to5Google, you can now do more than just listen to clips you recorded on your phone via the app, read the transcripts that were automatically generated or organize them. A new ‘Edit recording’ button has appeared and looks like a […] Read More Minecraft for Chromebook has finally arrived Back in January, rumors arose that indicated that Mojang could finally be bringing an official build of Minecraft to ChromeOS. It didn’t take long for those rumors to be substantiated. In February, Mojang announced a limited access trial of Minecraft on Chromebooks that gave users in select markets a beta build of the game that […] Read More Don't miss this deal on the Pixel Buds Pro just in time for Father's Day As Father’s Day gifts go, tech-based presents always top the list for me when I’m trying to figure out what to buy. There’s not always a clear-cut gift path that fits my buying habits, however, and some years it just isn’t in the cards. I don’t know about you, but I’m not buying iPads, phones, […] Read More Google Chat now has Smart Compose to help you autocomplete your sentences I’m sure you’re all fairly familiar with the idea of Smart Compose now in Gmail and on your Android phone. Start typing and Google will make suggestions in a light gray color to the right of what you’ve already written. While not something I always use as my mind is already prepared to finish a […] Read More How to turn your phone flashlight or smart lights on and off like a true Harry Potter fan If you’ve ever wished to illuminate your surroundings with a single word instead of fidgeting with the touchscreen and quick settings of your Pixel or Android phone, I’ve got a fun trick for you. Just like Harry Potter did with his wand, you too can bring a little magic to your everyday life. By uttering […] Read More The Ryzen-powered ASUS Chromebook 14 is now available at Best Buy Last week, AMD unveiled the company’s latest processors designed specifically for Chromebooks. The 7020-C series is aimed squarely at the mid-range Chromebook market that includes devices in the $300-$600 price range. The first Chromebook to surface actually showed up prior to the announcement in the form of the Dell Chromebook Latitude 3445. That device is […] Read More ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip Review: a big step forward [VIDEO] When the new cloud-gaming focused Chrombooks arrived last fall, it was pretty easy to spot the one that didn’t quite fit in. While Acer and Lenovo launched devices with big, high-refresh screens, color-changing keyboards, and 12th-gen Intel internals, ASUS chose to show up with a regurgitated device that had an older processor, no RGB lights […] Read More Get the Pixel Watch for up to $70 off right now Even in its first iteration, Google did some impressive stuff with the Pixel Watch. From the look of the device to the performance and smoothness of the UI, there’s a lot to enjoy about Google’s first watch even 8 months after it was launched. And yes, we all know a Pixel Watch 2 is likely […] Read More Deal Alert: This 15.6″ 12th Gen HP Chromebook is half off today We frequently have conversations about $200 Chromebooks and the fact that it is rare to find a device in that price range that’s actually worth buying. Usually, it’s a super cheap device with an aging processor that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. So, when you find a solid laptop for under $200, it’s […] Read More New Pixel Watch 2 leaks: better processor, better battery, and more sensors It’s funny how we went from basically no details whatsoever on the Pixel Watch 2 to now getting a better picture of it by the week. The first set of leaks – and this new set, too – come to us via 9to5 Google’s internal sources, and if history is an indicator, those sources have […] Read More Don't miss this last chance to save $100 on NFL Sunday Ticket for this fall It was big news back at the end of 2022 when Google announced that they had secured the rights for NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2023 season. If you are a football fan, you know that service has long been with DirecTV and for those of us not interested in buying that particular satellite-based television […] Read More Google Chat may jump on the four-colored logo bandwagon, but could get convenient feature Many of you have repeatedly expressed your distaste with Google’s new Workspace design philosophy – take every logo and dip it in tie-dye. The four primary colors look great on many things, but when it comes to iconography, it makes it difficult to distinguish at a glance what apps you’re looking at. Despite this, Google […] Read More Google Docs, Slides, and Gmail are getting some exciting new features powered by Duet AI 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 […] Read More Grab the premium Pixel 7 Pro at mid-range prices Google’s flagship Pixel 7 Pro, in my humble opinion, is the best Android smart phone to come out of 2022. With its unique design, it stands out in a crowd of slab devices that have honestly become a little boring. No other phone harnesses the Android ecosystem quite like the Pixel family and that’s exactly […] Read More 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 […] Read More Google 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 […] Read More The Chrome Cast 229: Why the Pixel Fold's long development may make it special This week on The Chrome Cast, we begin our discussion by talking through the upcoming Google-made hardware that is set to release this month. The Pixel Tablet and the Pixel Fold are set to be unleashed on the world in the next few weeks, and both devices bring unanswered questions that won’t be addressed until […] Read More Google Play Books gets new tools for helping young readers practice comprehension My son is well past needing help with basic reading skills, but that doesn’t keep me from getting excited about new Google Play Books features for young readers. No matter what gets added to Google’s Kindle competitor, I’m stoked to talk about it, especially if it means it’s going to help families make the most […] Read More Steam for Chromebook is being readied for prime time in the Stable Channel The time might finally be coming where Steam games being played on Chromebooks is a standard, included feature of ChromeOS. After years in development at this point, it’s an exciting proposition that would see a bunch of different Chromebook models included in the Steam game revolution set to be unleashed on the market. In the […] Read More 5 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 […] Read More Google Wallet really wants you to ditch physical cards, will let you scan in (almost) all the things Google announced today on its Keyword Blog that Google Wallet is about to receive a few new features. First, you’ll be able to further cut back on what’s in your wallet (and alleviate scoliosis) by saving passes into the Wallet app from images. Let’s say, for example, that you have a physical gym membership card […] Read More Join our Patreon community and get access to things like behind-the-scenes footage, early access to videos, private Discord server access, an ad-free experience on the mobile and desktop versions of the website, your name listed on all our YouTube videos, and monthly live stream Q&A. CLICK HERE to be a part of our community.  Copyright © 2023 Unboxed Media, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Unboxed Media 111 W Dixie Ave Ste 200 Elizabethtown, KY 42701-1410 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.