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Google I/O 2022 took place last week and, as usual, it did not disappoint. Google announced a host of new devices there, including the Google Pixel 7 smartphone and the Pixel Watch. And for productivity, it introduced several improvements to its Workspace tools.
Automated Summaries for Documents and Spaces
Google Docs will soon have the keen ability to summarize a document using the power of Google’s artificial intelligence (AI). The feature will eventually come to Spaces, where you can identify the most relevant information from a conversation and assemble it into a summary, helping those who missed a meeting quickly catch up.
Few details are available about this new feature. Google didn’t say if there would be a document length restriction or how it would handle more technical documents.
Increase visibility on Google Meet
Video calls with Google Meet will now look better thanks to Portrait Restore and Portrait Light, which use artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve video calls’ image quality and lighting. These features mitigate some of the shortcomings of a poor connection and low lighting to ensure that everyone can be seen. The processing is done in the cloud so as not to affect the battery life of the device and does not require any action from the user. You can even adjust the position of the virtual light to illuminate parts of your face, similar to how you do it in Google’s mobile camera app. Additionally, Google Meet will also get an automatic meeting transcription feature.
Reverb reduction
Sound is an important part of a meeting and echoes can significantly interfere with understanding when a participant is using a loudspeaker. For situations where headphones aren’t used, Google is introducing de reverb to combat echoes in spaces with sound-reflecting surfaces.
Share live on Google Meet
Live Sharing will soon be available on Google Meet. This means that users will be able to share controls and interact directly within the meeting. Google demonstrated this group’s interactivity through YouTube videos and playlists. To increase support for direct interaction through live sharing, Google is introducing the Google Meet Live Sharing API for developers. The API is currently in preview, but has already been integrated into partner apps such as YouTube, Heads Up!, UNO! Mobile and Kahoot. Soon, Google hopes to enable co-viewing and collaboration for activities like playing games or exercising with others. Developers can get access to this feature through the Google Early Access Program.
The best malware protection for Google Workspace
Based on its zero-trust software design approach, Google Workspace will benefit from stronger security features. In response to the growing trend of embedding malware in common office documents, Google is improving phishing and malware protection in Gmail and Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Soon, these apps will be able to alert the user and guide them to a safe resolution when they detect malware or a phishing link embedded in a file the user is about to access.
The company also noted that Gmail now blocks more than 99.9% of spam and phishing attempts thanks to its intelligent security system that learns from every attack attempt.
The original article (in English) is available on the site IT World Canada sister publication to the computer address.
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