A proper media player inbound.
what you need to know
- Google is rolling out Chrome OS 97 to Chromebooks.
- This update improves the Gallery app with a new audio player and multi-window support.
- Chrome OS 97 also brings offline, on-device grammar checking.
Hot on the heels of Google’s major Chrome-related CES announcements, the company is now pushing the Chrome OS 97 update to some of the best Chromebooks around. This update brings some notable changes and upgrades to the Gallery app, full-screen magnifier, and more.
Perhaps the most notable change comes from the Gallery app. With Chrome OS 97, users can now open and edit photos with different images in multiple windows, which should come in handy if you want to compare and contrast. It’s a pretty basic feature, but we’re glad it’s finally on the OS.
Additionally, the dedicated audio player is a significant upgrade from the hitherto small pop-up player. For masochists who like audio files on their device, Chrome OS will open up a full-screen player with a large cover and an easy preview of other audio files.
9to5Google posted photos of the two players, and you can see the before and after photos below:
In terms of accessibility, the full-screen magnifier has a new option to move the magnifier with the mouse. Some users may find this easier to navigate than the previous option, which only moved the magnifying glass when the mouse touched the edge of the screen. You can also move the screen while keeping the mouse centered.
Chrome OS 97 also introduced offline grammar checking, which should come in handy since it doesn’t rely on an internet connection to function.
ChromeUnboxed also highlights features like opening the camera app with Google Assistant and Take photos or videos. This was introduced as a beta feature of the Chrome OS 96 update.
Google has now moved the update schedule for Chrome OS to 4 weeks, which means we should see more bug fixes (and hopefully features) come to the platform at a faster pace, in line with the Chrome browser’s release be consistent.The latest upgrade should arrive on your device automatically, but you can also perform a manual check by navigating to Settings > About Chrome OS > Check for Updates.
everything you need
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i
$445 at Amazon $436 at Lenovo
very flexible
It doesn’t take much to make a good Chromebook, but if you’re looking for a great Chromebook, look no further than Lenovo’s Chromebook Flex 5i. Not only does it have a bright 13.3-inch 1080p display, but it offers great speakers and more RAM than a Chrome OS machine needs.
Leave a Reply