Gboard, the popular keyboard app for Android, has just gotten a fresh update. This update brings new, more expressive hand emojis to your fingertips.

Unlike Apple’s emojis, which have a kind of toy-like appearance, Google prefers emojis that are more fun and lively. This update focuses on making hand emojis easier to understand and more expressive.

If you’ve recently updated to the Android 15 QPR2 Beta 3, you’ll notice these changes right away. But even if you haven’t, you might still see them because Google is rolling out these new designs to more users, including those on the Android 16 Developer Preview.

The new emojis have sharper outlines and shadows, making each hand gesture stand out more. Some fingers have been reshaped to make it clear what each emoji represents. For example, the “pinch” emoji now looks more like a real hand, with better-defined knuckles.

These changes make the emojis easier to understand, helping you express yourself more clearly when you chat or text.

However, if you’ve made custom emojis using Gboard’s emoji kitchen, don’t worry – your creations remain unchanged for now, though this might shift as the update spreads to more users.

So, next time you use Gboard, check out the new hand emojis and see how they bring a bit more life to your conversations!

ChromeOS 132 was released last week, and Google has now shared all the updates in a new changelog.

On Chromebook Plus devices, ChromeOS 132 brings a fresh look with rounded corners on all app windows. This change is part of a new design update. Here’s how it looks:

• ChromeOS 132
• ChromeOS 132

If your Chromebook has a fingerprint sensor, you can now use it to log into your Password Manager and fill in forms automatically with Chrome Autofill.

Another cool feature in version 132 is passwordless login. Now, you can use a PIN or a local password to sign into your Chromebook. This means your device password doesn’t have to be the same as your Gmail password.

From the settings menu under Accessibility, you can turn off the touchpad if you use a screen reader or if you often click by accident.

There’s also a new “Face Control” feature where you can control your device using your face movements and gestures.

Setting up your Chromebook is now easier. The setup process groups common tasks like adding a printer, connecting Bluetooth devices, or changing touchpad settings into one handy checklist. Plus, the old “Apps & Games” section has been replaced with a new website, discover.apps.chrome, where you can find apps and games.

This update makes ChromeOS 132 not only look better but also work smarter on Chromebook Plus.

Source

If you’re a Google One subscriber in the US, you’re in for a treat! Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy YouTube Premium at a lower price.

To get this discount, you need to be on the Google One Premium plan, which costs $9.99 a month for 2 TB of storage. Unfortunately, if you’re on the cheaper “Basic” ($1.99 for 100 GB) or “Standard” ($2.99 for 200 GB) plans, you won’t qualify for this offer.

This deal will save you $2 each month on YouTube Premium, bringing the cost down from $13.99 to $11.99. This discount is great because it undoes the price hike from last year. Note, though, this discount isn’t available for family or music-only plans yet. If you’re already a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ll need to cancel your current plan and sign up again through Google One to get this benefit. Check out more details at one.google.com/explore-plan/youtube-premium when it becomes available on your account.

But that’s not all! YouTube is also testing some cool new features for its Premium users. Now, you can try out several new features at once, rather than just one at a time. Here’s what’s new:

• Faster Playback: You can now speed up videos to 4x on your phone. Before, the fastest was 2x.
• Better Sound: Enjoy music videos with clearer, richer audio at 256kbps.
• Jump Ahead: Skip to the best parts of a video more easily when you’re watching on your computer.
• Shorts on iPhone: Watch YouTube Shorts in a small window while doing other things on your phone. Plus, these Shorts can automatically download for offline viewing.
• Ask for Music: If you’re in the UK or Ireland and use YouTube Music on Android, you can now ask for specific types of music like workout or jazz playlists.
• Ask Button: On the iOS YouTube app, there’s a new chat button under videos where you can ask questions or get suggestions for more videos.

These updates make YouTube even more fun and useful for its Premium members. Keep an eye out for these features as they roll out!