Another Minor Update to Chrome OS Stable Channel Released

A small, minor update is currently rolling out to the Chrome OS Stable Channel this morning.  The update is build 64.0.3282.190 or 64.0.3282.192 (Platform version: 10176.76.0 or 10176.77.0 or 10176.80.0).  Which build you will  get depends on your device.

The update, as you can tell by that build number, keeps the platform in Chrome 64.  The Chrome 65 build is next expected until next week on March 13th.  This rather is a midstream bug fix and security update build.  This is also the third Chrome 64 release for the platform.

Chrome for Android Update Brings Chrome 65 to Everyone

A new update of Chrome for Android has been released to the Play Store, bringing the mobile browser up to Chrome 65 along with a few new features.  The new version is build 65.0.3325.109 for those keeping score at home.  It will take several weeks to reach everyone.

This Chrome 65-based build has been through four beta builds in that version of the browser, with the last one coming just last week.  That build from last week is the exact same build that has now been promoted to the stable version for everyone.

Android Commit Suggests Your Phone Could Become Your Bluetooth Keyboard

An interesting new commit has been found in the Android code review Gerrit that could allow your phone to become a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse for your computer.  There commit has two parts to it.  The first enables the HID (Human Interface Device) Profile in the Bluetooth stack while the second adds Profile Proxy to the HID stack.

In theory, by enabling these features, your Android phone becomes another HID and allows it to perform functions of those devices.  Any Bluetooth keyboard, mouse or trackpad that you connect to your computer or phone is a HID.  This commit turns your phone into one.

Google Lens Now Broadly Available in Google Assistant

Google Lens, the AI-driven feature that allows for objects to be identified, has now begun broadly rolling out to Google Assistant on Android.  The feature, once available for your phone, can be accessed by opening up Google Assistant (long press the Home button) then tap the Lens icon in the lower right.

Using Google’s Artificial Intelligence, Google Lens allows you to tap an object on your display while it is active and that object will be identified.  It works on everyday things but increasingly can identify plants, trees and soon flowers too.

Gboard for Android Update Adds Korean and Chinese Support

A new update to Google Gboard is rolling out over the next few days that will bring support for 20 new languages to the keyboard.  Those language additions include two of the most requested of Google:  Korean and Chinese, both traditional and simplified.  The addition of the languages brings the total languages supported by the app to over 300, covering 74% of all of the world’s languages according to Google.

Google has a comprehensive list of all of the languages supported by Gboard.  You will note in the list that there a few that do not have an available dictionary to download.

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