Weekly Digest From Chrome Unboxed

View this email in your browser You can now create AI images with text in Search thanks to Google Search Generative Experience If you’re not yet familiar with artificial intelligence-created images using nothing but text, it’s a real thing. In fact, it’s taking the world by storm right now, and while I know how important the ethics concerns tied to these tools are, I have to admit they’re getting really impressive. While Bing was one of the […] Read More The best small Chromebook tablet is only $269 right now While I surprisingly enjoyed the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 a bit more than I expected when Lenovo’s two current ChromeOS tablets launched, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Duet 3. At 11-inches, this little tablet gets so much right in this space and is an absolute pleasure to use. Versus the original Chromebook […] Read More Google may be working on ChromeOS Flex for older Chromebooks after all Right up front, I need to warn you that this is all in the very early stages and there’s no way to be even close to certain that Google will even make any of this a reality. For now, very basic tests are being run to get what looks to be a version of ChromeOS […] Read More Samsung joins Google in pushing Apple to adopt RCS for iMessage In a blend of a bit of tech activism, Samsung – the world’s #1 Android manufacturer – recently unveiled an interesting video that aligns the tech giant with Google’s #GetTheMessage campaign. If you’re new around here and don’t already know, #GetTheMessage is a call for Apple to embrace RCS (Rich Communication Services) in iMessage to […] Read More Massive deals on 3 non-branded Chromebook Plus models: save up to $250 As I said in a prior post, the devices included in the group of 8 new Chromebook Plus models that were already technically on the market (the HP Chromebook x360 14c, HP Chromebook 15.6″, Lenovo Flex 5i, Lenovo Slim 3i, and ASUS CM34 Flip) are all going to be pushed off the shelves to make […] Read More Good news: Google Assistant with Bard is likely coming Pixel 6 and 7 series phones as well According to 9to5Google, who did a deep dive of the latest Google app beta version 14.41, code strings for Assistant with Bard point to support for more than just the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. In fact, this revolutionary new revamp for the ridiculously useless Assistant may be coming to both the 6th and 7th […] Read More Google has quietly launched a Pixel Buds PWA for Chromebooks in the Play Store Basically by accident today, I found a new Pixel Buds PWA in the Google Play Store that looks to be meant for Chromebooks. It all started as I was sitting down to write while on this cruise ship (fall break vacation) and wanted to adjust my earbuds a bit. You may wonder why I didn’t […] Read More Some websites pretend your Chromebook has a virus. Here's how to get rid of the notifications Back when I was a Chromebook Expert in Best Buy, I can’t tell you how many customers came to me and told me that their Chromebook had a virus. Now, I probably don’t need to tell you that Chromebooks don’t get viruses, but just as a reminder, ChromeOS isn’t affected by the same privacy and […] Read More Why the new Chromebook Plus commercial for Best Buy matters Here’s the brutal truth: Chromebooks have suffered from the beginning from pretty poor overall marketing. Unlike tablets or smartphones, Chromebooks simply don’t get the same face time with potential buyers by way of more-standard marketing techniques. TV commercials, YouTube commercials, etc. tend to only feature Chromebooks here and there, and every time we’ve thought that […] Read More Google Meet adds 1080p video prompt for group calls, likely as a part of Chromebook Plus efforts In a recent Keyword blog post, Google just announced that Meet will prioritize 1080p Full HD for group call resolution going forward. Of course, this will only occur if your camera supports 1080p, which most do. Before today, this was only automatically toggled for those in one-to-one calls. Here’s how it works – upon joining […] Read More Acer's $999 Chromebook Spin 714 packs in premium upgrades [VIDEO] One of Acer’s latest Chromebook releases is a higher-end version of their quite-excellent Spin 714. While many consumers may balk at the idea of just about any $1,000 Chromebook, it’s clear that Acer is aiming to add in some great, additional features to their wining formula in the Spin 714 to take things fully to […] Read More The Pixel Watch 2 does not support wireless charging Google’s Pixel Watch 2 might bear an uncanny resemblance to its predecessor, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. The new smartwatch from Google includes some solid upgrades this year, like better performance from a quad-core CPU, three new sensors to capture better activity data, longer battery life, and even a new Safety […] Read More Google Shopping kills Saves and Price Tracking, wants you to use Collections and the web instead I was browsing Google Shopping on the web from my phone yesterday when I realized a new banner was showing at the top of the page. It read, “We’re making changes to saves and price tracking. Learn how you can still access these features.” However, upon further inspection, I was pleasantly surprised at Google’s approach […] Read More Google wastes no time restoring speaker group features for Nest devices after Sonos lawsuit verdict After a rather tangled affair in court due to Sonos’ patent infringement allegations, which led to Google forcing your Nest speakers, displays, or Chromecasts to pair only to one speaker group at a time, I have some good news for you. Google just won in litigation, and is immediately rolling out updates to reverse some […] Read More Move Over Prime Day: Best Buy Launches 48-Hour Flash Sale As the holiday season looms closer and closer, retailers are getting a jumpstart on sales to draw consumers’ attention, and the shoppers’ wallets. While Prime Day often steals the show, this year, Best Buy wants you to know that Amazon isn’t the only place to score a good deal on tech and has launched its […] Read More Don't miss the lowest-ever price on the excellent Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3: only $149 Right now, Best Buy is running a Flash Sale for today and tomorrow where they are slashing prices across the board on everything from laptops to watches to washers and dryers. The savings are pretty awesome, and of course there are a few Chromebooks thrown into the mix as well. Though some of the deals […] Read More Google's 7-Year commitment to Pixel 8 is for both software and hardware alike On October 4th, Google unveiled the much-anticipated Pixel 8 series with a boatload of new features and advancements that have a lot of us pretty excited about Google’s latest hardware. Among the highlights of the announcement, one particular commitment by Google really made a splash – the promise of seven years of OS and security […] Read More How to transfer ownership of your Google Domains to another Google Account Though Google has sold off its Domains service to Squarespace, and users will be automatically transitioned over to the competition in due time, I wanted to cover something important – transferring your domain from one Google Account to the other. I figured that while you can transfer ownership of domains to other email addresses on […] Read More Don't miss this awesome Chromebook Plus feature on your device Yesterday we covered the fact that Chromebook Plus was arriving for all certified devices in the Beta Channel of ChromeOS 118. The move to the Beta channel is an easy one and if you follow the directions in that post and are on a supported device, you’ll have all the new Chromebook Plus goodies at […] Read More Crushed dreams: a Lenovo Chrombook Duet 5 sequel is no longer certain Go ahead and call me officially bummed out. While the evidence I found today doesn’t specifically state that we won’t see a follow-up sequel to the very popular Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5, the one clue I had that alluded to that device being in the mix is now demolished; and along with it go my […] Read More Google Sheets gains more Smart Canvas features and joins Docs in adding emoji reactions If you’ve enjoyed the addition of emoji reactions to Google Docs comments that were added earlier this year, then you’ll be happy to know that Google Sheets is now on board with the same feature. While they’re not for everyone, diversifying communication and simplifying responses in line with cultural evolution has seen emoji take over […] Read More Save $200 on this non-branded HP Chromebook Plus model while it lasts There was never a good time for Google to pull the bandage off with Chromebook Plus, and some of the resulting branding alignments should result in a lot of deals we’ll begin seeing now that this launch is fully underway. With Chromebook Plus (arriving for certified devices already), users will get access to all sorts […] Read More Deal Alert: Chromebook Plus users can get 3 free months of Adobe Photoshop Web, more Yesterday, Google officially launched its Chromebook Plus initiative, an advanced standard set by the company that’s meant to ensure specific devices are optimized for performance and so you get the most out of them for an affordable price. Plus devices have faster processors, more RAM, a storage capacity of 128GB, superior Full HD IPS displays, […] Read More Chromebook Plus is rolling out to certified devices right now: how to try it We had official word arrive from Google this morning and are already hearing murmors of Chromebook Plus showing up for certified devices that happen to be in the Beta Channel of ChromeOS 118. As we highlighted previously, there are quite a few devices on the market already that qualify as Chromebook Plus, and the date […] Read More The Chrome Cast 243: New Chromebook Plus models, software features, and AI tools Today on The Chrome Cast podcast, we get into all of the hardware and software details from the Chromebook Plus announcement that we didn’t have time to cover in our episode last week. If you listened to that episode, you know that the Chromebook Plus certification represents the biggest change to Chromebooks we’ve seen since […] Read More How to use the Emoji Picker on your Chromebook Emoji has woven its way into the fabric of our culture, and not everyone is happy about that. Despite this, it’s no surprise why they’re so prevalent, given their ability to convey emotions and ideas in a concise, visual manner. Google, understanding this, has incorporated them as a means of communication across its services like […] Read More 6 new Chromebook Plus models arrive for purchase today Though we were hoping for all 8 new Chromebook Plus models to show up today, it looks like we’re not getting every model in stock at this point. Still, we have 6 of them now live and ready for purchase if you have been waiting on one of these new devices to make a purchase […] Read More We have almost every new Chromebook Plus model: some early thoughts [VIDEO] It’s been a little over a week since the official launch of Chromebook Plus, and we’re still reeling a bit from all that was unveiled at the event. From new hardware specifications to new software inclusions, Chromebook Plus is one of those changes to the Chromebook ecosystem that will likely reverberate for many years to […] Read More Silent Hill: Ascension coming to Android, is interactive and episodic, but it's hardly a game If you love psychological horror games, and you’re already getting your fix this month with Google’s new content for Play Games and Google TV, then you’ll be happy to hear that everyone’s favorite horror game, Silent Hill, is coming to Android soon! However, you may then be disappointed to hear that it’s hardly a game […] Read More Google Drive gets new 'Activity' tab so you can quickly manage file changes Over on the Google Workspace Updates blog today, Google announced that it’s adding an ‘Activity’ tab to the left-hand side bar of Drive. This new tab will help you quickly access and track comments, approvals, and access requests. It’s actually split into separate groupings once you click on it. 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