The first notable feature is Help Me Typing, which works in any text field. Select text in any text box and right-click – you will see a box next to the standard right-click context menu. You can ask Google’s AI to rewrite selected text, rephrase it in a specific way, or change the tone. I tried using it in a few sentences in this story, but I didn’t like any of the suggestions he gave me, so your mileage may vary. Or maybe I’m a better writer than Google’s AI. Who knows?
Google is bringing the same generative AI wallpaper system you’ll find in Android to ChromeOS. You can access this feature in your ChromeOS wallpaper settings and generate images based on certain parameters. Oddly enough, you can also create them in the video calling app. When you’re using the microphone and video camera, a menu option will appear next to the system tray – tap it and click “Create with AI” to generate a background image for your video call. I’m not sure why I would have a “surreal pink and purple flower bike” background, but there you go. AI!
Here’s something more useful: Magic Editor in Google Photos. Yes, the same feature that debuted on Google Pixel 8 smartphones is now available on Chromebook Plus laptops. In the Google Photos app, you can click Edit on a photo and the Magic Editor option will appear. (You’ll need to download more editing tools to get started.) This feature allows you to remove unwanted objects from your photos, move the subject to another area of the frame, and fill the background of your photos. I managed to erase a can of paint from the background of my dog’s photo and it worked pretty quickly.
Then there’s Gemini. It’s available as a standalone app, and you can have it do almost anything. Write a cover letter, describe complicated topics, ask for tips on traveling to a specific country. Just, you know, check the results again and make sure he’s not hallucinating. If you want to take advantage of the Google Gemini Advanced model, the company says it’s offering modern Chromebook Plus owners 12 months free until the end of the year, so you have some time to take advantage of this offer. Technically, it’s an update to Google One that brings Gemini for Workspace, 2 terabytes of storage, and a few other benefits.