Google announced 360-degree virtual backgrounds for video
calls in Google Meet last month and is now rolling it out to mobile phone users
of both iOS and Android.
The specialty of these backgrounds is that they move using
the device’s gyroscope. During video calls, the background will change
according to the position and movement of the device, hence making the scenery
appear more realistic.
Since the past year, Google has made quite some changes to its
office and communications software suite, Workspace. One of these changes includes
a major one that the company recently announced, which is the redesigning of
Gmail.
The redesigning of Gmail includes the option to “ring” a
person with Google Meet, within the Gmail app. This means that users will be
able to use Gmail for placing calls, and according to Google, the feature will
come to the Meet app in the future too.
By placing greater emphasis on Gmail, Google seems to be
showing how important of a service it is when it comes to the company’s Workspace.
In a way, Gmail is now Google’s equivalent to Microsoft’s Outlook, as it has
become a hub for multiple services like email, one-on-one chats, group chats,
videoconferencing, and even calls now.
Google is also making it easier to find Spaces, Gmail’s group chat feature, by allowing users to search for it as an option, and also adding full support for threaded messages.
Google is offering a new feature for Meet that allows you to
check your appearance and audio prior to a conference in a more convenient way.
The feature is called Green Room and it appears in the form of a pop-up window,
which shows your video image and allows you to view and change your microphone,
speaker, and camera settings.
The pop-up window will open when you click on a small button below your video that says “Check your audio and video.” There is also a “Next” button on that pop-up window, by clicking on which, you can record a short video sample of 6 seconds, which will help you check how you will look and sound to participants in the meeting.
The Google Hangouts app has been long criticized for its limited functionality that allows users to only make and receive video calls. The absence of a messaging feature in the app is something that users have particularly not been happy about. Now Google has announced replacing Hangouts with Meet where new video call options will be introduced to get rid of the out-of-date group video calls.
Users simply need to update their Hangouts app and the latest version will reveal all the newly added changes. One of the main changes you will notice is that of a notification banner that tells you to make a video call via Google Meet, where the video call feature will now provide a screen-sharing option, live captions, and more.
A ‘'raise your hand’' option will let you be noticed by the moderator if you want to say something but don’t want to interrupt the video chat experience. Furthermore, a ‘'join Google Meet video call through links’' option will also be available.
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Google's G Suit Status Dashboard recently reported some service disruptions that occurred in several Google services including Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet, Groups, Chat, Keep, and Voice. Google later reported that issues with Gmail had been resolved and that the service started to work normally as shown by its updated dashboard.
The disruptions were, however, ongoing as file uploads were failing across Google services including uploading attachments in Gmail. Moreover, some users reported errors in composing a new email or reply.
To make virtual education easier, tech giant Google just introduced several features that include an updated Google Meet service for conferences and a brand new homework helper tool.
Google Meet has been updated with a feature of a larger tiled view that will display up to 49 participants and it will be rolling out in September after being announced in June. The tiled view in Google Meet initially displayed 16 participants at a time when it was first introduced in April. The addition in the number of meeting participants that can be viewed at once will make the layout similar to Zoom's.
In addition to the updated tiled view, Meet will also be getting a 'Jamboard' which is Google's digital whiteboard product. Another option that users will be able to access on Meet will allow blurring or replacing the background.
Moreover, customers of the G Suit Enterprise for Education will have the option to create breakout rooms in Meet, that will break virtual classes into smaller group discussions. Teachers will also be able to keep track of attendance.
Google has just
announced new updates for stronger security in Gmail, Chat, and Meet. It has
also revealed new ways for IT admins to manage and secure devices conveniently
in the Admin Console.
The company is
currently working on a new standard: Brand Indicators for Message
Identification (BIMI). The BIMI pilot functions to allow organizations that use
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC), to validate ownership
of their corporate logos and transmit them to Google securely. After passing all
the anti-abuse checks, Gmail will start displaying the logo of the
authenticated emails in existing avatar slots.
The BIMI standard is going to ensure a more secure email ecosystem. The strong authentication requirement will allow users and email security systems to be more sure and confident about the source of emails. On the other hand, senders’ brand trust will increase too and they will be able to provide a better experience to customers.
According to Google, the company will start the BIMI pilot in the coming weeks. The company encourages organizations to start adopting DMARC to help secure the ecosystem.
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