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Gmail now supports multiple signatures
Gmail's support for just one email signature can be a pain if you don't always want to end your messages the same way -- you may not want to respond to a work request the same way you do an invitation to dinner. You won't have to fret about it much longer, though. Google is introducing support for multiple signatures on the web, with the option to make one of them the default. You just have to go into Settings > Settings > General to create a new signature, and a button in the compose window will let you choose and manage signatures while you're writing.
Google can add account security keys through Safari and mobile Chrome
If you're determined to keep your Google account airtight with a security key, you might have an easier time getting started. Google has made it possible for G Suite and Cloud Identity users to register security keys using both Chrome on Android devices (using at least Android 7.0 Nougat and Chrome 70) and Safari on Macs (13.0.4 and later). This includes both keys you've registered independently as well as ones from the Advanced Protection Program for enterprise users.
Gmail now allows you to share files from Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe has released a new Gmail add-on to make it easier for Creative Cloud users to share their work over email. The plugin allows you to attach synced files, libraries or mobile creations you have stored on your Creative Cloud account as links.
Google makes Hangouts Meet features free in the wake of coronavirus
With no end in sight yet when it comes to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Google says it wants to make it easier for people to work remotely. Starting this week through to July 1st, the company's G Suite and G Suite for Education customers can use Hangouts Meet's premium functionality for free. Those features mean individuals can now participate in virtual meetings with up to 250 people and live streams with up to 100,000 viewers. Additionally, they can save recordings of their meetings to Google Drive for free.
New Mexico AG sues Google over alleged child privacy violations (updated)
Google is being sued by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Balderas alleges that Google is violating COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) and New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act by collecting data on students who use Chromebooks through the G Suite for Education platform.
Gmail turns its inbox filters into clickable 'search chips'
Google has started rolling out a new Gmail feature that'll make looking for specific emails in your overflowing inbox much less painful. The feature, called "search chips," will help you narrow down the results you get. You can search for a colleague's name, for instance, and then click on the search chips the pop up under the search box to find that specific email you're looking for.
Google's latest stab at messaging may be an all-in-one business app
Believe it or not, Google might still be tinkering with its chat strategy. The Information sources say Google is working on a unified communications app for workers that would roll messaging and other features together, including Hangouts Chat, Hangouts Meet, Gmail and Google Drive. Effectively, it'd serve as a more direct rival to office messaging apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams. You'd still have to venture elsewhere for features like your calendar, but you wouldn't have to switch apps just to hold a videoconference or reply to a colleague's email.
Google blocks G Suite access for apps that only rely on usernames and passwords
A couple of years ago, Google starting warning users that certain third-party apps that access its business-oriented G Suite might not be secure. Now, it's taking that to the next level by blocking any "less secure apps (LSAs)" that try to access G Suite with only a username and password. Going forward, Google will only support the much more secure OAuth system, which it first adopted for Gmail way back in 2010.
Microsoft tests Gmail integration in web-based Outlook
Microsoft seems to be testing a new feature that lets users add Google services to their Outlook accounts, as revealed by Twitter user Florian B and reported by The Verge. If available on your account, you should see a pop-up that says, "Add your Google Mail and Calendar to Outlook and easily manage everything in one place." Doing so allows you to switch between your Outlook and Gmail inboxes (though this causes the entire browser tab to refresh) and browse your Drive files. It's not clear how Google Calendar is integrated into Outlook.
Google's redesigned 'My Devices' page now tracks computers
Google's My Devices page has largely been replaced by the Find My Device feature, but it's still widely used by G Suite users. Up until now, it's only worked with phones and tablets, but Google has finally updated the app with a fresh look and the ability to manage desktop computers, as well.
Google gives its Android office apps a fresher, more consistent look
Google is making it easier to juggle its productivity apps on your phone. The internet giant has released updated versions of Docs, Sheets and Slides for Android with a refreshed visual design that doesn't add any big features, but should provide an easier and more familiar experience. They all have more consistent controls, easier-to-read typefaces and reworked document lists. You won't have quite such a jarring transition as you move from editing a report to finishing a presentation.
Gmail AI will automatically correct your spelling slip-ups
Google Docs' AI corrections are spreading to Gmail. Google is rolling out a feature in G Suite that will autocorrect "common" spelling errors while you write Gmail messages. It won't catch every mistake, but it should save you the embarrassment of leaving a glaring typo in a company-wide email. You'll also see grammar suggestions, too, helping you avoid common mistakes like confusing "affect" with "effect."
Google unveils advanced G Suite protection for high-risk employees
Google is levelling up its security for businesses. The company unveiled a host of new protections for its G Suite, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Cloud Identity customers at the Next Tokyo summit. G Suite Enterprise admins can choose to enroll high-risk employees in an advanced protection program, automatically receive anomalous activity alerts and enable one-click access to additional apps.
Google cloud outage knocks out Gmail, Discord and Snapchat (updated)
No, it's not just you -- many of the internet services you use went down this weekend. Google has reported an outage with its Cloud Platform that made several sites and apps inoperable in some regions on June 2nd (they're still affected as we write this). Most of them are in-house services like Gmail, G Suite and YouTube, but this also affected Discord, Snapchat and other apps that depend on Google's infrastructure. The issues were mostly noticeable in the US and Europe.
Google stored some business passwords as plain text
Facebook isn't the only big tech company found to be storing passwords in plain text. Google has warned G Suite users that an "error" in a password recovery implementation left some of their passwords unhashed on its internal systems since 2005 until that method was discontinued. Other plain passwords had been temporarily stored since January 2019, Google said. All those systems were encrypted, and there was "no evidence" that someone had misused the info, but it still raised the possibility that an intruder could have direct access to logins if they cracked the encryption.
Your Android phone's volume key can unlock your Google account
Google just made two-step verification a little easier for Android users. Android phones running 7.0+ Nougat or newer can be used as a physical security key to confirm a user's identity when logging into a Google account with the Chrome browser. When prompted, users will simply hold the volume button on their phone to verify their log-in attempt. This isn't the only option for two-step verification, but it will likely be faster and more convenient than, say, using a physical key fob.
Google Assistant will finally work with business G Suite accounts
Google has been steadily rolling out G Suite updates like AI grammar suggestions in Google Docs, streamlined two-step verification, new Tasks features and shortcuts to make Google Doc and Sheet creation faster. Today, at the Cloud Next '19 event, Google announced its newest batch of G Suite changes.
Google Docs can now be edited inside of Dropbox
It's been more than a year since Dropbox and Google announced that they would partner to make their products (including Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Slides) work better together. The Gmail / Dropbox integration launched last summer, and now we're getting to the main event. Starting today, Dropbox Business customers can participate in an open beta program that makes Google Docs, Sheet and Slides work natively in Dropbox.
Google streamlines two-step verification with security keys
Google just made it easier to lock down your account if you're a G Suite user. The internet giant is trotting out a series of updates for two-step verification, starting with the interface itself. You'll see new instructions text and images to walk you through the process of setting up a security key, and the flow for that process now changes depending on the browser you're using. You'll get an experience unique to Chrome or Safari, for instance.
Gmail's expanded right-click menu makes it easier to manage email
You might not have known that you could right-click on emails in Gmail to bring up a short list of common actions that you might want to perform. Now is about as good a time as any to learn about the feature, though, because Google announced today that it will be expanding the options found in the context menu so you can quickly jump to any action that you may need.