A few weeks ago, Google held its annual event, Google I/O 2023, where they announced various new features for Android devices and unveiled products like the Pixel 7a. Today, Google is introducing seven additional capabilities aimed at enhancing productivity, user safety, and learning new skills.
Google Introduces New Features & Capabilities Around Productivity, Safety and Learning
One of these features is Reading Practice, which helps readers enhance their vocabulary and comprehension skills. Users can utilize this feature on their Android tablets or phones to access a vast library of books. Children’s ebooks are marked with a “Practice” badge, allowing users to listen to and practice pronunciations of unfamiliar words in real-time while receiving feedback.
Furthermore, users now have three new widgets that enable customization of their devices and the addition of desired shortcuts. These widgets provide personalized TV show and movie recommendations, headlines related to their topics of interest, and the ability to track selected stocks. These widgets are powered by Google TV, Google News, and Google Finance, respectively.
Google Unveils New Watch Face
In collaboration with Spotify, Google has unveiled a new watch face designed for Google’s Wear OS. This watch face enables users to access personalized music and podcasts, manage playlists, and perform actions like liking or skipping songs directly from their watch.
For commuters in Washington, D.C., and the San Francisco Bay Area, Google is providing SmarTrip and Clipper cards through Google Wallet on Wear OS. This feature allows users to conveniently tap and ride without having to wait in line.
On Google Keep for Wear OS, users can add a tile that grants quick access to a selected note or to-do list directly on their watch. Users can effortlessly swipe through these tiles to find the pinned notes they need immediate access to.
Furthermore, GBoard and Emoji Kitchen offer users the ability to remix their preferred emojis into stickers. With Emoji Kitchen, users can combine multiple emojis to create new and customized ones, which can be shared with others through messages.
Google is prioritizing user protection, particularly for those in the United States. They have introduced Dark Web Reports on the Google One website and app, enabling users to scan their email addresses and determine if their emails have been exposed on the Dark Web. Google One members in the US can also check other details such as their social security numbers and receive guidance on how to enhance their safety. Google has plans to expand this feature to 20 new countries in the coming months.
