ChromeOS update helps you avoid distractions

Google has released ChromeOS M130 into stable release, meaning the update is now available for your Chromebook if you haven’t received it yet. The latest version of the OS comes with a long list of new features, starting with the Focus panel, where you can quickly turn Do Not Disturb on or off, create new or select from existing Google tasks, and play music with focus. sound or YouTube Music Premium if you have a subscription. Google is also making it easier to insert emojis, GIFs, and even Google Drive links with the new Launcher + f shortcut on the M130. Additionally, the physical shortcut key on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus will be available on other devices coming next year.

To reduce the time it takes to search for certain files, Google has added a Suggestions section to Tote, a place where you’ll find your most recently downloaded items and recent screenshots. You’ll also now be able to access all your tagged Drive files right on your ChromeOS shelf, even when you’re offline. And if you want to pick up where you left off every time you turn on your computer, you can turn on Welcome Overview in Settings, allowing you to preview and instantly restore apps and tabs from your previous session.

If you use a Chromebook to record video or audio, you can take advantage of the ChromeOS M130’s studio microphone feature, which adds “advanced balancing, fine-detail reconstruction, and room adaptation” to the noise reduction and reverb effects of the standard microphone feature. . You can also use Google’s AI-powered Recorder app, which debuts on the new OS and has speech-to-text capabilities that let you create transcripts tagged with each speaker, as well as summarize recorded content.

ChromeOS M130 also integrates appearance effects into the platform’s video call controls, adds support for multiple calendars, and lets you move picture-in-picture (PiP) windows to one side of the screen to free up space. Finally, if you have a Chromebook Plus, you’ll be able to access an AI feature called Help Me Read, which makes it easy to find information in any text you read, in the browser and gallery.