🎞️ Coming to (paid) Google Workspace in the next few days: Google’s AI-powered Vids app pops out presentations with just a prompt. Describe what you want, drop in files or documents, and Gemini does the rest. The app adds stock footage, generates a script and provides an AI voiceover. Will it make presentations better? Sitting through a PowerPoint presentation is like a mix between a root canal and a colonoscopy … but without the luxury of anesthesia to take the edge off.
Have a Google account you created years ago? Do this or it could disappear
Gmail is the most popular email service globally and has been so for some time. Though Google has been the topic of questionable privacy practices, people still love their Gmail accounts.
Some Gmail users recently received emails from Google saying that their accounts would be marked as inactive. The messages appeared legitimate and their accounts were active, so what was the problem? Tap or click here for our report.
Earlier this year, Google decided to start charging for legacy G Suite accounts by moving users to Google Workspace. To nobody’s surprise, the public reaction was adverse. Now Google says you can keep your old account, but you’ll have to do some work first.
The legacy ends
Google Apps (later G Suite) was a collection of services including Gmail and other Google apps like Talk, Documents, Calendar, Spreadsheet and more. From 2006 to 2012, you could use a free version of G Suite to create an email address with a custom domain of your choosing rather than @gmail.com.
G Suite was renamed Google Workspace last year and is now primarily a subscription service, with some exceptions for nonprofits and schools. Tap or click here to learn more about Workspace.
Google later announced that people using the free G Suite “legacy edition” were going to have to upgrade to a paid subscription service, as reported in 9to5Google in January.
Google gives in
The announcement caused an outcry from G Suite legacy users. Google responded by offering two options. “Business users will need to upgrade to Google Workspace, while non-business users can opt-out of the transition,” a Google support page on this topic reads.
Businesses using the G Suite legacy free edition will have their accounts automatically transitioned to a paid Google Workspace subscription after June 27 this year.
Individuals and families using a legacy account for “non-commercial purposes” can continue using it and opt out of the transition to Google Workspace by clicking here (which requires a super administrator account) or in the Google Admin console.
From there, you’ll have to confirm you’re using the account for non-commercial and personal purposes. You’ll be able to continue using your custom domain with Gmail, retain access to no-cost Google services such as Google Drive and Google Meet and keep your purchases and data.
A major change is coming to your Gmail inbox
In the age of texting, chat platforms and video conferencing, email is still king in many office settings. There’s no pressure to respond right away, and you’re not limited to one or two sentences at a time.
We’re human, and we make mistakes. How often do you send a message and wish you could take it back? One advantage of email over text is that you can unsend a message, and your recipient won’t be the wiser. Tap or click here to learn how to unsend a message using Gmail and Outlook.
This new warning in Google Drive means a scammer may be after you
Millions of people use Google’s suite of productivity tools. Unfortunately, that makes them big targets for hackers. Earlier this year, criminals used the comments feature in Google Docs to spread malware.
The company is now taking steps to clamp down on files that go against its terms of service. If files are in violation of Google’s terms of service or program policies, they may be restricted.
Update Chrome to get access to a bunch of time-saving new features
Storing online files and documents in Google Drive is incredibly helpful. Once uploaded, they are safe from accidental deletion, malware infection, or when you might run out of storage space. Tap or click here for nine things you didn’t know your Chromebook could do.
Use Google Drive on the go? You're going to love this new offline feature
Google Drive is a great online application to collaborate with people and keep documents in one place. Even if you don’t have Microsoft Office, Drive allows you to use Google’s similar tools. Tap or click here for 15 smart ways to get more out of Google Drive.
Tech how-to: Tips and tricks to get more out of Google Chat
During the pandemic, a number of video chat programs have skyrocketed in popularity. Zoom is the most obvious one, but competitors like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet aren’t too far behind.
Each video chat platform has its own benefits and drawbacks. Some are better for work while others are better for day-to-day chatting. Tap or click here to see how each of these services stacks up against one another.