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Chromebook-to-Chromecast video? Yes, with Google Drive
As if Android apps hitting Google's Chrome OS wasn't enough excitement for Mountain View's operating system for one week. Now, you can play movies stored in Google Drive via the OS' video player app on your Chromecast. According to Googler François Beaufort, doing so is pretty easy too: simply open the Files app, select a video clip from Drive and hit the sparkly new Cast icon. Voila, cloud-stored videos are now viewable on the biggest screen in your house and even more media functionality for your Chromebook. Of course, since this is in the developer channel there might be a few bugs here and there -- if you spot 'em be sure to let the Chromium team know.
Google lets you use Chrome apps to open files on your Mac
Although Google has quietly been working to bring Chrome apps to the desktop, you've not been able click a file and have it open inside a browser extension. According to Chrome tinkerer François Beaufort, that's all about to change, after the search giant launched a new beta version of its Mac browser, which just so happens to add this kind of support for various file types. As you can see in the screenshot above, the Chrome extension Text can be assigned to edit (you guessed it) documents. Images are also supported, though it's not clear what other file types Google may allow extensions to access. Right now, it's limited to the Canary build of Chrome and requires a little bit of tinkering. Imagine a YouTube app that'll let you edit videos saved on your Mac while uploading them to the site: not something you can do currently, but Google could help make apps like that a reality.
Chrome OS scores a redesigned camera app that'll soon record video and upload to YouTube
You have a Chromebook, yes? Well, if you're webcam-inclined, Google has some potentially big news for you. The Chromium team has completely overhauled the Camera app's UI, and according to Mountain View's "Happiness Evangelist" François Beaufort, new functionality is in the hopper. Soon, the application will offer video recording, direct uploading to YouTube and Google+ as well as syncing captured pictures across all of your Chrome devices. (Handy!) If you want a look at the operating system's new camera interface sooner rather than later, you can head over to the Chrome web store and grab the update right now.
