Chromebooks just got a lot more useful. Well, at least some of them. Google Assistant is now rolling out coinciding with the release of Chrome OS 77, the latest update to Google's operating system.
The update makes Google Assistant widely available to all platforms where Chrome OS 77 is supported. The assistant used to be exclusive to the first batch of Pixel phones, though some crafty hackers did find a workaround to enable it as a hidden feature if they're in one of Chrome OS' beta channels.
Google Assistant Now Available With Chrome OS 77
To be more specific, Chrome OS 77 makes Google Assistant available "on most Chromebooks." To trigger it, all users have to do is speak the familiar phrase, "Hey Google." Alternatively, they can click the Assistant logo from the launcher and summon it from there.
Audio Controls
In addition to Google Assistant support, the new update also lets users control their audio from a single place instead of going through screen after screen of settings to make adjustments. This should make it easy to, for instance, mute a tab if it suddenly starts autoplaying. Users can easily access these controls by clicking on the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Family Link
Parents now have more control over their kids' Chromebook usage. Now, it's much easier to add screen time for their children within the Family Link app.
Web Pages
The update also makes it a lot easier to send web pages to other devices, too, a feature that arrived with Chrome version 77 just this month. To share web pages, simply click on the address bar and choose "Send to your devices"
Battery Saver
Chrome OS 77 also comes with a number of new battery-saving measures, one of which switches off the device after three days of standby.
Camera
The camera app has also been updated to make it easier to take photos or capture videos. Selfies and other content are saved to the Downloads folder.
Automatic Clicks
There's also a new accessibility feature called Automatic Clicks. This lets users with motor challenges be able to use Chromebooks more easily. For instance, it fronts controls that allow them to hover over an item to left-click, right-click, double-click, drag, or scroll.
Thurrott notes that there are a number of other changes that Google hasn't documented yet, such as automatic shutdown support, improvements to device formatting, and a new virtual desktop feature called Virtual Desks. Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
