Tag: gboard

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Mobile Syrup

Google details new features coming to Gboard, Meet, WearOS

Android has announced that it is releasing new Gboard features today that would make it easier for users to express themselves with emojis.

The new update will allow users to ’emojify’ their messages, with intelligent emoji suggestions that come up when you hit the ‘Emojify’ button on Gboard.

“Just type your sentence, hit the ‘Emojify’ button to select your preferred layout and press send to add the right emoji magic to share with your friends,” says Google. The feature is available to use in the Gboard Beta app in English, with support for all Gboard English users coming over the “next weeks.”

In addition to Gboard, Google is also updating Google Meet with live sharing features. The new update would allow users to watch YouTube videos together, similar to the iPhone’s SharePlay feature, alongside the ability to play games like UNO! Mobile, Kahoot!  or Heads Up with up to 100 of your friends and family members directly from the Google Meet application.

Furthermore, Google Meet’s update would now allow multi-pinning, which means you can adjust your screen and pin multiple people that you want to remain visible on your screen.

On the safety side of things, Google’s 2020-announced Sound Notifications that alert you when your phone detects critical household sounds like fire alarms, running water and door knocks can now detect even more sounds. Simply record the sounds you want to be alerted about, like your oven beeping, and you’re good to put your headphones back on. Your device will alert you the next time it detects the sound.

Learn more about Sound Notifications here.

Lastly, your Bitmoji character would soon be able to greet you directly on your WearOS-running smartwatch. If you have a Bitmoji designed on either Snapchat, Bitmoji.com or the Bitmoji mobile app, you need to install the Bitmoji Watch Face on your WearOS-running smartwatch. Once installed, you’ll see your Bitmoji character on your watch, “where it will change expressions depending on the time of day, the weather and your physical activity.”


Learn more about these upcoming features here.

Source: Google 

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Mobile Syrup

Gboard’s split-keyboard view makes for better typing on Surface Duo

Last month, Google finally started rolling out a ‘split’ mode to its Gboard keyboard. The split-keyboard option is ideal for large screen devices, like foldables, allowing users to easily type using their thumbs.

An added benefit of the new split mode: Gboard on the Surface Duo is slightly less useless now. Before the change, Duo owners could really only rely on Gboard for single-screen use. If you opened the keyboard in an app that spanned both displays, Gboard would also span both screens. While that may sound find, the problem with the Duo is it uses two separate screens with a gap between them for the hinge — that gap blocked some keys on Gboard (see the pic below).

Of course, that’s not to mention the difficulty of actually typing on Gboard when spanned across both screens. Blocked keys aside, my thumbs can’t reach the middle of the screens when holding the Duo, rendering several of the middle keys out of reach.

Because of this, Duo users were stuck with Microsoft’s SwiftKey keyboard, which included several keyboard modes to work with the Duo’s various screens and typing positions right from the start. (As an aside, I don’t have any problems with SwiftKey on the Duo, and found it generally worked well — I just prefer Gboard because I’m used to it).

Duo users will be able to enjoy Gboard’s split-keyboard both in landscape mode and in the ‘compose’ mode — or, as I like to call it, Nintendo DS mode — when the screens are stacked on top of each other. You can see the new Gboard layout in action in the video above (courtesy of Shane Craig).

The bad news is Duo users may need to wait before they can actually use it. Split-keyboard is only available in the Gboard beta, and even then is only available to some users (for example, I don’t have it on my original Surface Duo, despite being enrolled in the beta and fully up to date). below, you can see the old non-split Gboard:

Surface Duo with non-split Gboard

Hopefully the split-keyboard mode rolls out to more users soon.

Header image credit: Windows Central

Source: Shane Craig Via: Windows Central, 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Nvidia updates its Shield TV to support Android 11

Nvidia has been testing Android TV 11 support for Nvidia Shield TV as part of a closed Beta program for a while now. Now the company has started rolling out its Software Experience Upgrade 9.0 to all Nvidia Shield TVs, including the original 2015-released model, which brings Android TV 11 capabilities to the masses.

Later released 2017 and 2019 models will also get the update and enjoy the quality of life changes along with Android’s September 2021 security patch.

The new OS includes an updated Gboard app, Google Assistant voice search in all search boxes across the platform, and one-time app permissions that allow you to grant access to something like your location just once, during the initial setup. Further, if you’ve got an aptX compatible Bluetooth headphones, you can now start using them with the Nvidia Shield TV.

Other key updates part of the Software Experience Upgrade 9 include power saving options like automatic Bluetooth disconnection when your device goes to sleep and an energy-saving setting for power customization. Additionally, you can now set up Playstation, Xbox, or Nvidia controllers with pressable logo buttons to start Stadia when you push them along with support for the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller over Bluetooth and USB and Steam Controller over USB.

Lastly, Nvidia’s GeForce Now subscribers can now add additional Bluetooth peripherals to their device along with support for Twitch to stream high-quality live streams while you’re in-game.

For users in the United States, Nvidia is offering six months of NBCUniversal’s Peacock Premium for free with the purchase of a new Shield TV.

Learn more about Nvidia’s Software Experience Upgrade 9.0 here.

Image credit: Nvidia

Source: Nvidia

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Assistant-powered voice typing reportedly coming to Gboard with Pixel 6

Google announced a range of new Gboard features when combined with the Google Assistant for Pixel phones back in 2019, including advanced dictation features for easy texting. However, some of the dictation features shown off at Google I/O 2019 never really made it to the consumer’s devices. According to XDA Developers, that is about to change.

A new Assistant-powered voice typing feature has been spotted within the Gboard app, and it could be one of the new features to launch on the Google Pixel 6 series. The “Google News” channel on Telegram (via XDA) activated the feature by making a device appear as a Pixel 6 to offer a glimpse at the UI.

As visible in the images, the microphone symbol in the top-right corner is placed within a circle, and when you speak, a four-coloured ring pulsates as a visual cue that the device is listening to you. Further, the device also provides suggestions as to what to say to use the voice dictate feature, like “Clear,” “Undo,” and “Say.”

Additionally, you can activate voice typing by saying “Hey Google, type” or by double-tapping the mic icon.

All of the speech commands available in Gboard’s new Google Assistant-powered voice typing functionality, courtesy of XDA, are listed below:

  • Type and send

    • “Send” – Send your voice-typed text
    • “Stop” – Stop voice typing and close the mic. You can also tap the mic to stop
    • To keep the mic open – Double-tap the mic to continue voice typing until you tap it again, close the keyboard, or say “Stop”
    • “Delete” – Delete the last word or a selected word
    • “Clear” – Remove the last sentence
    • “Clear all” – Remove all text
    • “Undo” – Undo the last “Clear” or “Delete” action
    • To replace or correct a word – Tap to select it, then say or spell out the new word

  • Add emojis

    • “Lol emoji” – 😂
    • “Heart emoji” – ❤️
    • “Kissing emoji” – 😘
    • “Crying emoji” – 😭
    • “Smiling with teeth emoji” – 😁
    • “Heart eyes emoji” – 😍
    • “Thumbs up emoji” – 👍
    • “Happy face emoji” – 😊
    • “In love face emoji” – 🥰
    • “Thank you emoji” – 🙏

  • Forms and emails

    • “Next” – Move to the next text field
    • “Previous” – Move to the previous text field
    • “Set recipient” – Add a contact you’d like to send your email to
    • “Add Emma to Cc” – Add contact to CC on your email
    • “Set subject” – Add a subject to your email

  • Start hands-free

    • “Hey Google, type” – Start voice typing. To use this, Hey Google must be turned on.

At this time, there is no word on whether the Google Assistant improved typing function will be available on the Pixel 6. However, Google is touting its Tensor processor as capable of handling sophisticated AI and ML tasks, implying that the feature will most likely be available with the Google Pixel 6.

While we still do not know much about Google’s in-house Tensor chips, the Mountain View, California-based company is expected to fully detail the new devices during its October 19th event.

If you can’t tune in live on October 19th, make sure to follow along with MobileSyrup. We’ll have the latest news and updates from Google on our homepage, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Image credits: XDA Developers

Source: XDA Developers