Google has added new features to celebrate 10 years of Chromebooks as part of Chrome OS 89. These include:
Chrome OS is currently the second most popular operating system, according to Google.
A full list of Chromebook keyboard shortcuts may be found here.
Neverware, which develops CloudReady, announced in December 2020 that it will be soon be part of Google. CloudReady is an operating system based on the open-source Chromium OS that is free for home use.
Gmail Go is a lightweight mail app that was previously available only on devices running the Android Go operating system, but now it is available for all Android users. Not all features in the Gmail app are currently in the Gmail Go, such as Google Meet.
Downdetector shows outage information and status for widely used websites and services such as mobile and internet service providers, social media sites, banking and financial services, etc. This includes:
Android custom distributions (ROMs) are replacement operating systems for Android smartphones and tablets. This allows users to customize older devices that may not have available Android updates and extend their service life. This may erase data and void your device’s warranty. Available security updates are usually based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). More information is at
Google’s Chrome OS is a secure choice for an operating system, but older devices may no longer be supported. When a Chrome device reaches its Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date, automatic updates from Google will no longer be provided.
IFixit has instructions on how to convert a working Chromebook past its expiration date to use CloudReady.
Google, Microsoft and Facebook all announced changes or updates to their video meeting tools in April 2020. These are alternatives to the popular Zoom video chat software.
Video meeting tool Google Meet is now available free of charge for all users. This will be a gradual rollout within the next few weeks. Users must sign in with their Google account, but Meet works entirely in a web browser and does not require downloads first.
Skype Meet Now is a different video meeting tool which does not require a sign-up or installation. A unique Meet Now link can be requested from Skype or a web browser. Meet Now appears as a Windows 10 TaskBar icon.
Facebook has also announced its new meeting tool – Facebook Messenger Rooms. Invited attendees do not need a Facebook account to attend the video meeting and downloads are not required. Rooms is not end-to-end encrypted. This is in addition to their Facebook Workplace and Facebook Work Groups services.
Google experienced some outages on March 26th 2020 that were tracked on its G Suite Status Dashboard. This included Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs and other services.
Apple, Google, and other tech companies have announced the formation of a new project to set up new common communication standards for smart home devices. Project Connected Home over IP will allow smart home devices from different manufacturers to communicate with one another using an open standard with built-in security.
Google accounts start with 15 GB of total storage spread across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. Once this limit is exceeded, users have the option of upgrading to a Google One plan.
You may check the total amount of storage currently used for your Google account at google.com/settings/storage. Google also provides instructions on how to free up additional storage.
