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Ryan Kovatch

ryank_43

Ryan is a writer and researcher for 9to5Google specializing in web-related research. When he’s not working, he likes tinkering with old devices and listening to Taylor Swift.

You can contact him at ryan@9to5mac.com or on Twitter at @ryank_43.

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Dropbox integration with Google Docs, Sheets, & Slides is changing

Dropbox Google Docs Sheets Slides

In an email sent out early Sunday morning, Dropbox revealed that its native Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides integration is coming to an end, with files being replaced by shortcuts. Anyone with Google Workspace files in their Dropbox accounts will have to migrate their files to Google Drive within 30 days of receiving notice, or they will be automatically converted to Microsoft Office files.

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Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro getting new ‘Motif’ wallpaper collection [Gallery]

As the launch event for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro grows nearer, Google continues to put finishing touches on the user experience. A new batch of “Motif” wallpapers, which feature floral and geometric illustrations that play to the strengths of Dynamic Color in Android 12, will be available on the Pixel 6.

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Google quietly released the official Pixel 4 and 4a promo wallpapers

google pixel 4a wallpaper leak

Starting with the Pixel 3, Google has prepared special-use wallpapers for its phones that can be seen in renders and other promo materials, displaying the generation of the device in large type. But despite only being used for marketing purposes, the backgrounds have been highly sought after by fans. Some artists have gone so far as to create near-pixel-perfect copies in the absence of their official versions. Now, Google has made some of these promo wallpapers available to Pixel 4 and 4a users.

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YouTube Music adds new ‘Replay Mix’ for your most played songs

Google Pixel Buds and YouTube Music

YouTube Music has been putting more focus on its algorithmic auto-playlists as of late, having renamed its iconic “Your Mix” playlist and introduced seven new daily mixes in the past year. In addition to these, a new “Replay Mix” is now appearing for many YouTube Music users that includes their most commonly played songs from the past “few weeks.”

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Google sets timeline for deprecating ‘classic’ Google Sites

After Google’s acquisition of JotSpot, the launch of Google Sites in 2008 brought easy wiki-style website creation to many users. Eight years later, a new Google Sites was introduced to the masses to replace the withering shell of classic Sites and become a part of G Suite — allowing for easy integration with Docs, Sheets, and Slides. In an email sent out today to users, Google notified that the service would be sent off in 2021.

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Google shutting down Area 120’s hyperlocal social network Shoelace on May 12

Google Shoelace

In July 2019, Google’s experimental project incubator Area 120 launched a new local meetup app that would connect users in New York City. Shoelace began as an invite-only beta for iOS and Android, allowing users to plan and attend various activities around town, and potentially make new friends in the process. Unfortunately, as meetups became a thing of the past, Shoelace was forced to hit pause on its operations. Now, an email sent out this morning announces that the project will be shutting down completely.


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Google Search adds sorting for dictionary definitions by topic

Google Search

When you’re looking to define a word quickly, Google Search’s dictionary feature often comes in handy. Pulling its data from Oxford‘s Lexico service, users often look to Google for fast, reliable definitions. But because the English language is so complex and flexible, some words have come to have many definitions that are difficult to distinguish. Google has added a filter to the dictionary card in Search that remedies this, allowing users to sort the definitions by topic.


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YouTube Music adds new dynamic homescreen backdrops [Gallery]

The YouTube Music home screen displaying the "Party starters" backdrop.

As Play Music nears the end of its life, Google has been amping up development on YouTube Music to prepare for the influx of new users. In recent weeks, we’ve seen music uploads roll out on the web, as well as lyric support landing on Android. This week, Google has quietly rolled out a new set of backdrops for YouTube Music’s web app that accompany the homescreen carousels.
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Google Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max

Google tweaks Word Clock to be more colorful on Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max

When you’re not using the Nest Hub for household smarts, it’s designed to blend into the background of any setting. This naturally comes with the option for users to choose how they want their idle Hub to present itself, and the device’s ‘Word Clock’ screen tends to be a popular choice. It would seem that Google has pushed an update to the Word Clock that alters its color scheme, bringing a more vibrant appearance to the previously black-and-white layout.
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Lenovo Smart Display 7-inch review: The middle child the Nest family never had

It’s been almost a year since I got my first Assistant-enabled smart display, the Google Nest Hub, and since then, it has been at the center of my daily routine. I loved it so much, in fact, that I got another one.

I mainly use my Google Home devices to listen to music, get news briefings, and control lights, so the concept of the smart display fits perfectly in my workflow as the control center for everything happening in my home. Naturally, when Lenovo asked me to take their new Smart Display 7-inch for a spin, I was eager to get it up and going.


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Advanced Protection users can still get a free Nest Mini with referral

Starting in late November, Google began offering free Nest Minis to users of their Advanced Protection Program, which promises “Google’s strongest security” through physical security keys. This afternoon brings an extension to the previous deadline, which gives users an additional two and a half weeks to refer friends or family.


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Here’s everything Stadia won’t be able to do at launch

google stadia app

As we near Stadia’s imminent launch, more is becoming clear about how it will work and what we can expect on the first day. Yesterday saw the release of the Stadia mobile app on the Play Store, and since then we’ve been digging into it for info on the highly anticipated cloud gaming platform. Google has commented on what we’ll be able to do with Stadia, but info on what Stadia features aren’t ready for launch is scarce. Here is a collection of evidence we found in the Stadia app that tells us what could come after November 19th’s launch.


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