Chrome 75 is rolling out to Android devices now and unlike the desktop variant, will bring at least two new user-facing features based on details released by Google alongside the rollout. Neither of those is entirely new, with both related to account security and the way Chrome syncs passwords after being launched some time ago on other hardware platforms. Namely, Google has now added deeper password management tools on Android for devices that are synced to an account. That includes password suggestions where appropriate as well as new autofill UI. The primary difference between how this works on Android, as compared to desktop platforms, is in the UI. Instead of being based on a card appearing with a tap on a password field, this will be tied to the keyboard and a new interface appearing just above that. When a user taps a password field during account creation, a gray bar will show options for 'strong' suggested passwords. Password management will be accessible from the same bar. … [Read more...] about Chrome 75 For Android Brings Desktop Security Features Mobile
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Another F for Alphabet: after abandoning Android tablets last year, Google retreats from Chrome OS Pixel notebooks
Editorial By Daniel Eran Dilger Wednesday, March 13, 2019, 05:14 pm PT (08:14 pm ET) After dumping support for its last remaining Android Pixel C tablet last spring, Google is starting off 2019 with another major retreat in its hardware lineup — including the cancellation of various concepts in development. Google devoted a lot of engineering work into products nobody is buying The unpredicted end of Android Tablets—and now Chrome OS notebook-tablets It was just one year ago that Google abandoned the last of its eight years of Android tablet initiatives. That span began with the official debut of Android 3.0 Honeycomb in 2011 and stretched to the abrupt end of support for Google's Pixel C running Android 8.0 Oreo last year. This week, Nick Bastone wrote for Business Insider that the search giant began reassigning engineers and program managers in its Create hardware division that builds its Pixelbook and Pixel State, both of which run Chrome OS. Pundits have been … [Read more...] about Another F for Alphabet: after abandoning Android tablets last year, Google retreats from Chrome OS Pixel notebooks
Android-Like Chrome OS Face Unlock Features In The Works
New evidence has surfaced in the Chromium Gerrit, reported by Chrome Unboxed, that suggests a face detection features previously seen in the commits point to incoming facial recognition on select Chromebooks. The commit points to the Intel Photography Vision Library, portions of which were spotted in the repository back in August. Exploring that library more thoroughly reveals that it serves a number of purposes, including both face detection and facial recognition. Facial recognition for security purposes also appears to be one of the primary uses of Intel's solution. Faces would be scanned when they enter a designated 'area', indicating that the face would need to be within a certain range of the camera's field of view. In effect, it recognizes ‘known users’ from a stored database of faces and grant access to a machine if a match is made. Testing to enable facial recognition-based security has been shown prior to the new commits for HP’s Chromebook x2, … [Read more...] about Android-Like Chrome OS Face Unlock Features In The Works
Chrome OS May Finally Let Users Manage Their Own Local Files
Chrome OS may be on the verge of getting a much more traditional file management system, based on a recent change noted by tech blog MSPoweruser in Chrome 72. In that version of the OS, a new flag can be found under the "enable-myfiles-volume" tag at the chrome://flags hidden settings menu. As its name implies and as it's described in the menu, enabling the flag allows the My Files volume to be used as a read/write volume. In effect, that allows users to create their own folders in the Files application under the My Files volume of the storage management tool instead of only in Downloads. Shifting away from cloud-only storage If activated by default, as some users commenting at the source have indicated it is in Chrome 73's Canary test channel, the new feature will be a step away from the cloud-focused storage currently employed in Chromebooks. In its present state, users can only manage and organize their files in a couple of places that are visible in the Files … [Read more...] about Chrome OS May Finally Let Users Manage Their Own Local Files
2018’s most important Chrome OS advice and analysis
Goodness gracious, 2018 has been one heck of a year for Chrome OS.Over the course of the past 12 months, Google's oft-overlooked "other" platform has evolved and expanded to the point where it's almost unrecognizable from its 2017 form. Chromebooks today boast a totally reimagined user interface, with more Android-like elements than ever and a strong focus on touch-friendly gestures and design. The software's current incarnation has a true tablet home screen, a phone-like floating virtual keyboard, and system-level integration of Google Assistant (in the midst of rolling out broadly right now).Beyond that, 2018 has given us the first slate-only Chrome OS tablets, the first of a new generation of always-connected Chromebooks, and the launch of a whole new category of desktop-caliber Chromebook-compatible apps. And the fast-paced progress shows no sign of slowing down soon.The best part? Whether you're a new Chromebook convert or a Chrome OS vet, the ecosystem's ongoing evolution means … [Read more...] about 2018’s most important Chrome OS advice and analysis