Technology - Google News

Google Just Gave Millions Of Users A Reason To Keep Gmail - Forbes

Posted: 18 Jul 2020 04:50 AM PDT

07/18 Update below. This post was originally published on July 16

Gmail users have every right to feel frustrated right now. In recent weeks, Gmail has had problems with Windows and suffered a serious spam filter flaw which sent potentially malicious emails straight to users' inboxes. But now Google has announced a massive overhaul of the service which should convince potential deserters to stay.

Google, Google Gmail, Gmail update, new Gmail, Gmail guide, Chrome browser, Chrome update, — Google has announced radical changes to Gmail
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In an official blog post, Google has announced the most radical redesign of Gmail in its 16 year history. In a transformative move, Google has integrated messaging, video chat, shared file access, virtual meeting rooms, real-time collaboration and more directly into Gmail, turning it into an all-in-one productivity suite. Gmail now stands apart from any rival email service.

07/18 Update: I have been tipped off that the delay for everyday Gmail users to receive all these new features is likely to be longer than expected. While the new service is rolling out for G Suite subscribers, I understand that while Google may drip feed aspects of this overhaul to regular consumers, they are unlikely to see a full redesign before 2021 at the earliest. Google is prioritizing businesses with these upgrades, which is understandable. That said, the global Coronavirus pandemic has forced an unprecedented amount of home working for businesses big and small, as well as the self employed who may not be G Suite users, so hopes were high that the changes would be reflected for all Gmail users sooner rather than later. Needless to say, road maps can change but this looks set to be a long wait.

"One thing we've heard again and again from our users is how switching between apps interrupts their flow—and their focus," said Google vice president Javier Soltero. "That's why in this new integrated experience, we've been thoughtful about how to help you work more fluidly."

In practice, what this means is Gmail will now integrate Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs/Sheets/Slides, and Tasks as well as Rooms, which become a full-on Slack/Teams competitor. Users will be able to share and collaborate on documents in-real time while having a live video chat all without leaving their email. It's potentially revolutionary and should aid everyone from big business to amateur football teams.

Google also confirmed these changes will roll out to Android and iOS apps soon, but there's one big caveat. Out the gate this massive redesign will only be available for G Suite users (sign up for access here). That said, in this era of home working, I'd be amazed if it does not become available to all before long.

Following these changes, Google now describes Gmail as an "integrated workspace". It's a fundamental change to the world's most used email service and anyone thinking of jumping ship, might now want to stick around.

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If your iPhone feels slow or dies fast, you may need a new battery — here's how to check - CNBC

Posted: 18 Jul 2020 07:15 AM PDT

iPhone SE

Todd Haselton | CNBC

If your iPhone feels like it runs a bit slower than it used to, or if you notice that the battery life doesn't seem to be as good as when you bought it, it may be time to replace it.

That's because the batteries in the gadgets we use get slowly worse as they age. Apple's iPhone software tries to compensate for this: If your phone shuts off unexpectedly, it can will slow your phone down to preserve battery life and try to prevent unexpected shutdowns, which are an annoying surprise for most people.

But a better solution is to replace the battery entirely.

There's a way to quickly check if your phone is slowing itself down, which means you should probably send it in (or take it to an Apple Store if one around you is open) to get a new battery.

Here's what to do.

How to check your iPhone battery health

Checking the health of my iPhone battery using iOS 11.3

Todd Haselton | CNBC

Open Settings on your iPhone.
Choose Battery.
Tap "Battery Health'"

Now you'll see the "Maximum Capacity." The lower it is, the less battery life you'll get. Apple's battery site says a "normal battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity" and that a one-year warranty includes service if your battery is defective.

But a one-year old iPhone should generally be fine.

My iPhone 11 Pro Max bought in September (not quite a year ago) has a 96% maximum capacity right now. You may want a replacement if you see your peak performance capacity around 80% or lower, though.

Next, check the next area down the page. If it says "Peak Performance Capability," that means your iPhone is running at full speed and you're probably OK.

But if it says "Performance management applied," that means your iPhone experienced at least one unexpected shut-down due to battery life, and Apple's software is now throttling performance to prevent that from happening again.

You can turn this off to get your iPhone running at peak speed by tapping "disable" at the end of the warning message, but the best option is to replace your battery instead.

You may also want to replace your battery if it says "Performance management turned off," "Battery health unknown" or "Battery health degraded."

How to replace your battery

You might see this option if your battery is aging.

Todd Haselton | CNBC

You can replace your battery by either making an appointment at an Apple Store or by sending it in for Apple — just visit Apple's website to see what works best for you.

The good news is, a battery costs lot less than a new phone. If you have AppleCare+, which you buy when your phone is new, it's free to replace the battery.

If not, it's $69 to replace the battery on an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro/iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone X/XS models. Or it's $49 for the iPhone SE, iPhone SE 2, iPhone 6/6s/7/8 and their larger "Plus" counterparts.

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