Google

Google Updates: Chat sidebar revamp, TV streamer feedback, and Messages redesign

Published

5 months ago

November 21, 2024

Google has rolled out several updates across its services, including a revamped Google Chat sidebar, a feedback survey for Google TV Streamer users, and an upgraded interface for Google Messages. These updates aim to improve functionality, customization, and user experience across the platforms.

Google Chat: Sidebar Customization with Custom Sections

Google Chat’s web interface now includes custom sections in the sidebar, offering users more control over organizing their conversations. This redesign introduces a unified navigation experience and flexibility for users to structure the interface as per their preferences.

Key Features of the Sidebar Update

Custom Sections Creation
- Users can create new sections by navigating to Direct Messages or Spaces, hovering over the three-dot menu, and selecting Create new section.
- Conversations from Direct Messages, group chats, and Spaces can be moved into these sections using drag-and-drop or the Move conversation option.
Enhanced Navigation
- All sections are unified into a single scrollable list, allowing smoother navigation.
- Users can view top conversations, expand sections to access older chats, and use a new “Show all” option for browsing conversations.
Additional Sidebar Features
- Adjust the size (height) of sections.
- Reorder sections by dragging them up or down.
- Toggle an Unread filter to focus on messages requiring attention.
- Quickly start new messages from the three-dot menu.
New Default Section: Apps
- A dedicated section for app integrations has been added to the sidebar.

Mobile and Rollout Details

While these features will be reflected in the Android and iOS versions of Google Chat under a “Sections” tab, creating and managing custom sections remains exclusive to the web. The update will roll out gradually to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and personal account users in the coming weeks.

Google TV Streamer Survey: Gathering User Feedback

Google is reaching out to users of the Google TV Streamer (4K) via surveys to better understand their experience. The survey focuses on usability, design, and performance, highlighting areas for potential improvements.

Key Survey Questions

User Satisfaction: Participants rate their likelihood to recommend the device on a 0–10 scale.
Purchase Decision: Google explores why users chose the TV Streamer over competitors like Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire Stick.
Common Issues Reported:
- Problems with Wi-Fi setup or remote functionality.
- Difficulties in adjusting settings via the Home App.
- Slow navigation, casting issues, or insufficient storage for updates.
- Voice control or “Find my remote” features not working.

User Insights

The survey also gathers feedback on how users perceive the design and ease of using the device, as well as their satisfaction with features like smart home integration and storage capacity.

Google Messages: Merged Camera and Gallery Interface

Google Messages is testing a new design for its media picker, merging the camera viewfinder and gallery into a single fullscreen interface. This update is also rolling out the ability to send media in Original quality.

Changes in the Media Picker

New Fullscreen Interface
- Tapping the Gallery icon now opens a fullscreen UI with the live camera viewfinder at the top and a gallery section below.
- Users can swipe to expand the gallery into a full grid or access the system photo picker through the “Folders” option.
Simplified Media Quality Settings
- Users can select between two quality options before sending:
  - Optimize for Chat: Reduces size for faster sending and less data usage.
  - Original Quality: Sends images and videos at full resolution, marked by an HD+ icon.
- The “Send photos faster” toggle in Settings will be removed once this feature is widely available.
Streamlined Media Sending
- After selecting or capturing media, users can preview it in a new interface with options to write captions and confirm the recipient.

Current Rollout Status

This redesign is currently available in beta (version 20241118_03_RC00) and will be gradually rolled out to all users.

Conclusion

Google’s recent updates focus on empowering users with more customization, improved design, and better functionality. Whether through Google Chat’s flexible sidebar, TV Streamer feedback surveys, or Messages’ enhanced media-sharing options, these changes aim to deliver a seamless and user-friendly experience across platforms.

Related Topics:Google Google Chat Google Messages Google TV News update

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Google

YouTube Music adds new feature to keep song volume steady

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Carter

YouTube Music is rolling out a new feature called “Stable volume” to make your listening experience better. This option helps keep the sound level the same across all songs, so you won’t have to turn the volume up or down when switching tracks.

Sometimes, songs are louder or softer depending on how they were made. This new feature fixes that by adjusting each track so that all music plays at a similar volume. It’s especially useful when you’re using headphones or listening in the car.

You can find this option in the YouTube Music app by going to Settings > Playback & restrictions, where you’ll see a switch for “Stable volume.” It works for both free and Premium users, and it’s now appearing on Android devices (version 7.07 or later). iOS support may come soon, but it’s not available yet.

This is a welcome update, as many streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music already have similar volume balancing tools. It helps make playlists and albums sound smoother and more enjoyable without constant volume changes.

So far, the feature is being released in stages, so you might not see it right away, but it should show up soon for everyone.

Android

Android 16 beta adds battery health info, Pixel Fold gets better at detecting opens and closes

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Carter

Google has released the Android 16 Beta 1 update for Pixel phones, and it brings some helpful new features. One of the key additions is battery health information, which is now available in the settings. Pixel users can now see the battery’s manufacturing date, charge cycles, and overall health score. This can help people understand how well their battery is holding up over time. While this feature is currently hidden under developer options, it might be fully added in a future update.

At the same time, Google is also working to improve the Pixel Fold. With Android 16 Beta 1, there’s a new system that better detects when the phone is opened or closed. This new method uses the hinge angle to more accurately understand the device’s position. Unlike older systems that could be affected by software bugs or slow response times, this new one seems to be more reliable and faster.

These changes are important for people who use foldable phones like the Pixel Fold, as better hinge detection can lead to smoother app transitions and fewer bugs. And for all Pixel users, having detailed battery info can help with managing phone performance and deciding when it’s time for a battery replacement.

Overall, Android 16 Beta 1 focuses on giving users more control and smoother experiences, especially for those with foldables.

Android

Android 16 could bring colorful always-on display to Pixel phones

Published

6 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Carter

Google is working on Android 16, and it looks like the update could bring more color to the always-on display (AOD) feature on Pixel phones. Right now, the AOD mostly shows white text on a black screen. But a new setting found in the Android 16 Developer Preview hints at the ability to add colors to this display.

The new feature is called “AOD Preview,” and it includes a switch labeled “Color AOD.” While this setting doesn’t work yet, it suggests that Google might be planning to show colorful content even when the screen is in low-power mode.

This change could make AOD look more lively, maybe by adding color to the clock, notifications, or wallpaper. So far, it’s not clear exactly what will change or how customizable it will be, but the feature seems to be in early testing.

Samsung already has more colorful AOD options on its Galaxy devices, so this update could help Pixel phones catch up. Google often introduces new features first on Pixel devices before making them available to other Android phones.

Android 16 is still being developed, and many features are not ready yet. But if Color AOD becomes part of the final release, Pixel users could get a more vibrant and useful always-on display in the near future.