Google Drive is an excellent tool for managing and storing files. Integrated with the rest of Google’s G Suite – soon to turn into Google Workspace for free users – Google Drive on the web has a lot of potential for productivity if managed right. This guide will take you through how to use search chips the right way in Google Drive.
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Like email, the experience of searching through files can always benefit from improvements. For its part, Google Drive is in the process of beta testing search chips to “help users refine their search and locate files faster.”
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One of the first major announcements at I/O 2021 was Google’s initiative to offer a more integrated and interactive Workspace experience. The latest “Smart canvas” features are now here, including AI summaries in Google Docs.
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At the end of last month, Google officially detailed the “new integrated view” for Gmail on the web. This redesign is now rolling out for the first Gmail users, including those with personal Google Accounts.
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Besides events, Google Calendar is getting ever deeper task integration. The latest lets you “easily see and manage your overdue tasks” from a new “Pending” section in Google Calendar for Android, iOS, and web.
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Google’s latest move to boost Workspace targets businesses that have existing email systems, but do not have access to modern productivity apps. The big selling point of Google Workspace Essentials Starter edition is how it’s free with “no limited trial period.”
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After teasing last year, Google today finally detailed how the “new Gmail view” redesign is rolling out on the web over the coming weeks and months.
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The migration from “G Suite legacy free edition” continues today with Google quietly noting that it will offer the ability to transfer “your non-Google Workspace paid content and most of your data to a no-cost option.”
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Last week, Google announced that all G Suite legacy free edition users will have to transition and start paying for Workspace starting in July. This has upset non-business users that signed up for G Suite 16 years ago with their domain, and Google is now reaching out to these legacy personal users.
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Back in September, Google added support for uploading image watermarks in Docs and is now making it easy to create your own background text identifiers.
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In 2020, G Suite became Google Workspace as part of a mass reorganization of the company’s apps for the “future of work.” Various plans were migrated over, and Google is now finally getting rid of the G Suite legacy free edition.
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Back in June, Google previewed a second screen experience for video conferencing. Google Meet’s Companion Mode is now beginning to roll out “when joining a meeting using Google Meet hardware or the Nest Hub Max.”
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Back in 2019, Google introduced real-time video call transcriptions and has since added support for more languages. The next step sees Google Meet beta test live translated captions.
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Back in August, Google updated Tasks for Android and iOS with tabs that let you quickly jump between lists. The instance of Google Tasks that exists in the web sidebar of Gmail, Docs, and other Workspace apps now looks to be getting a similar redesign, as well as the ability to favorite items.
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Google Voice is primarily aimed at enterprise, and many of its new features are for paying Workspace customers. However, starting today, regular Google users in the US will also benefit from the addition of Voice “rules” for call forwarding and other custom actions.
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Google has “improved” the Calendar setting responsible for preventing unwanted event invitations from automatically appearing in your schedule.
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Google is making a text box/compose field tweak to the Chat mobile and web apps that sees the Workspace communication service look more like the consumer Messages client for SMS/RCS.
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While Google Workspace offers Sheets, people still use Docs to create inline tables. Google is now letting you better create and customize tables in the Docs web app with a handful of upgrades.
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Back in September, Google previewed how Chat will let you make one-on-one Meet calls without having to use URLs. Similar to classic Hangouts, this feature is now rolling out in the version of Google Chat inside Gmail.
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On Monday, Google made Workspace available “for everyone” with free, personal accounts able to turn on the integrated Gmail experience with Chat and Rooms — soon to be called Spaces. Alongside that, Google Workspace branding now appears on the Gmail web client.
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One way of making the endless torrent of personal and work video calls more palatable is by setting unique backgrounds. Google Meet on the web is introducing new “immersive backgrounds” that attempt to give your surroundings some life.
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Remote work is here to stay, and Google Meet is accommodating that by adding support for video meetings with up to 500 participants on select Workspace tiers.
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One aim of the Workspace suite for Google is to adapt to the “future of work,” including the growing popularity of hybrid working arrangements. As such, Google Calendar meeting invites will soon let you specify how you’re attending.
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In 2019, Google started testing a review and approval system for Docs, Sheets, and Slides. After the two-year beta period, “formal document approvals” are now rolling out to Workspace users.
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