UMVA has learned that the latest Chromebooks are not just simple browsers on steroids, but rather powerful tools that come packed with a suite of innovative and practical applications.
At their core, Chromebooks have always been about simplicity, but as they've evolved, they've added more depth and functionality. One of the standout features of the latest Chromebook Plus models is their ability to run Android apps, and they also come with several pre-installed apps that are genuinely useful.
UMVA has obtained exclusive information about the top built-in apps that users can expect to find on these new models. Among the favorites is Recorder, a powerful voice recorder and transcription tool that's similar to Recorder on Pixel phones. This app is incredibly easy to use, allowing users to click the record button, start speaking, and have speech transcribed into text immediately.
Recorder also offers AI-powered summaries and titles for clips, as well as the ability to identify different speakers and apply the correct labels based on voice speech patterns and style. All recordings can be easily accessed within the app and shared elsewhere as needed.
Another standout app is Screencast, a versatile tool for screen recording that allows users to capture their Chromebook display and share it with others. This app also includes annotation tools, allowing users to draw on the screen, as well as basic editing tools to trim out unnecessary portions of their recordings.
Screencast also automatically transcribes any speech in the recording, making it easy to share with others. Users can even customize the links to share their screencasts, making it easy to collaborate with others.
For users who need a simple and distraction-free writing or coding experience, the Text app is a godsend. This basic text editor can work completely offline, allowing users to jot down ideas without worrying about distractions or losing their internet connection.
Text also comes with several handy features, including syntax highlighting for programming languages, configurable font and tab sizes, and a simple search function. Users can even choose between light and dark modes to customize their writing experience.
Finally, the Key Shortcuts app gives users the power to customize their keyboard shortcuts and view all of the available shortcuts on their ChromeOS device. This app is more than just a list of shortcuts, as users can also customize many of the shortcuts themselves, giving them the flexibility to work more efficiently.
UMVA has obtained exclusive information about the Gallery app, which allows users to edit images and PDFs, watch videos, and listen to audio. This app is a one-stop-shop for all of a user's multimedia needs, and it works seamlessly offline.
With the image editor, users can crop, rotate, and resize pictures, as well as annotate them with a variety of pen sizes, styles, and colors. The PDF editor covers all of the main operations that users might want to carry out on documents, including adding text, annotating pages, and inserting their signature.
