Your Chromebook Can Answer Simple Questions Without the Browser

Posted on the 21 April 2021 by Thiruvenkatam Chinnagounder @tipsclear
  • Google has released a Chrome OS update that can be used to answer questions from the launcher.
  • There is also a troubleshooting app that you can use to check your battery, CPU, and memory.
  • You can also scan documents directly to your Chromebook.

Google is rolling out a Chrome OS update that could make your life a lot easier if you have a quick question about your Chromebook.

A central function of the update provides answers to simple questions directly from the launcher on your Chromebook. There's no need to open a browser tab or run an app. You can ask your question by tapping the Everything button and entering a query, whether it's a calculation, weather, or word definition.

See also: The best Chromebooks for students

The update will also help pinpoint problems with your Chromebook. A diagnostic app can run tests and otherwise check the status of your system's battery, CPU, and memory. For example, if you think the battery is aging prematurely, you can check it out and save the results for a support session.

Live subtitles will finally hit Chrome OS in the "coming weeks," Google added. The option provides real-time subtitles for both audio and video to help out when you are hard of hearing or just need to keep the volume down. You can turn it on from the Accessibility section in your Chromebook's settings.

With a final update, you can send important paper documents to your Chromebook. You can now scan items directly from a scanner equipped printer. All you have to do is launch a scanning app, choose your settings and wait for the document to appear in a dedicated files folder. This does not currently work with bluetooth scanners, but it is compatible with both USB and Wi-Fi models.