What's New in Google - August 2019

By Eric Curts
published

The best Chromebooks in 2019 are not just more powerful than ever, but also more flexible and boast longer battery lives.

Illustration with Google G in yellow starburst and text: What's New in Google August 2019
(Image credit: Eric Curts)

Catch up on everything new in G Suite for Education from August 2019, and see great ideas and resources!

Below is the recorded video from our August 2019 Google User Meeting, along with the meeting agenda and all the awesome resources and G Suite updates from the summer months. This includes 60 new Google updates and 16 Google resources for your class.

The monthly meetings are hosted by the Google Educator Group of Ohio, but are open to anyone from any location. The purpose of these meetings is to:
The video from the meeting is recorded and available for later viewing for those who cannot attend or connect live. See below to view the recorded video, agenda, and all the resources from the August 2019 meeting:

  • Connect Google-using educators
  • Share the latest Google Apps news and features
  • Provide tutorials, demonstrations, and how-to’s
  • Share best practices of how Google Apps is being used within schools
  • Ask questions and get answers

Note: If you would like to see each of the agenda items with links directly to those spots in the video, open the video using the YouTube link below and then click “Show More” below the video.

 YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NByjSlwTmj0

You can view the full Google Document agenda with links to all the Google Apps updates from the last month, as well as all the resources covered in the meeting in the Google Doc linked below.

 View the agenda - Google Document link

What's New in G Suite (Summer 2019 Edition)

June 2019

  • Google releases the "Future of the Classroom Global Report", which examines research-based trends in classroom education - Resource Link
  • Chrome Remote Desktop now available on the web in place of the Chrome app - Resource link
  • Google releases new underwater Street View image collection - Resource Link
  • See changes in Google Docs over time with Compare Documents feature - Resource Link
  • Google Sheets gets option to view edit history of a cell - Resource Link
  • Google's "Game Builder" program lets you create 3D games, with or without coding - Resource Link
  • Google Slides gets new features in present mode including resizing speaker notes, keyboard shortcuts, and more - Resource Link
  • Google Earth adds third Carmen Sandiego game - Resource Link
  • Google Classroom launches beta for Rubrics - Resource Link, Resource Link
  • Gradebook in Google Classroom comes out of beta and is now available for all users - Resource Link
  • Google launches "Chromebook App Hub" to share ideas and tools for teaching and learning with Chromebooks - Resource Link
  • Google launches "G Suite Certification" for students - Resource Link
  • Google Forms updates - Locked mode for quizzes coming out of beta in August, new feature to import questions from other Forms, updated design - Resource Link
  • Google launching beta program for syncing grades from Classroom to school SIS - Resource Link
  • Google Arts & Culture releases "Art Zoom" with videos of musicians discussing famous artworks - Resource link
  • Google launches "Create with Google" site, including new "Audience Connect" add-on for Google Slides - Resource Link
  • Google Earth now works on non-Chrome web browsers - Resource Link
  • Google shutting down Hangouts on Air streaming option on August 1, 2019 - Resource Link
  • Google launching Beta to make non-Google files available offline through Drive - Resource Link
  • Google Home can now play sound effects and music as you read Little Golden Books - Resource Link
  • Book Creator adds Google's Autodraw integration - Resource Link
  • Google Expeditions is now compatible with Chrome OS devices - Resource Link
  • Google Images adding shareable GIFs for direct mobile sharing - Resource Link
  • G Suite Admin console interface updated with text links, dynamic title bars, and more - Resource Link

July 2019

  • Google launching Beta program that allows you to request and review formal approvals on Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides - Resource Link
  • G Suite Admins can now use Groups to control more settings including Drive sharing and Hangouts - Resource Link
  • Google Sheets gets option to remove or select a custom color for chart borders - Resource Link
  • G Suite Admin Console getting updates for whitelisting and managing domains - Resource Link
  • Google improving active account awareness when opening files with multiple sign-ins - Resource Link
  • Google Translate app gets updates including more languages, automatic detection, better translations, new look - Resource Link
  • Google adds AR version of Apollo 11 module to mobile search - Resource Link
  • Google adds several Google Earth tours to celebrate space exploration - Resource Link
  • Google adding 65 new emojis to Android Q - Resource Link
  • Google's "Arts & Culture" app adds new "Art of Color" AR experience - Resource Link
  • More controls and customizations for headers and footers in Google Docs - Resource Link
  • Google launches Gallery Go mobile app to organize and edit photos offline - Resource Link
  • Google updates Sound Amplifier app that assists hearing by boosting important sounds while filtering out background noise - Resource Link
  • Google’s new shortcuts can now create files in other signed-in accounts - Resource Link
  • Google providing free Transformation Reports for K-12 schools to track implementation of G Suite tools - Resource Link

August 2019

  • Google Sheets gets new features including Slicers, Scorecard Charts, and Themes - Resource Link
  • Google Measure app updated with smarter AR tools and Material Theme UI - Resource Link
  • Google Images adds side panel for selected pictures - Resource Link
  • Priority page in Drive now available for all G Suite editions - Resource Link
  • All Google Classrooms upgrading to Classwork page in September - Resource Link
  • CS First adds two ELA aligned coding activities - Resource Link
  • Google adds new fonts to help improve reading speed in Docs, Sheets, and Slides - Resource Link
  • "Originality Reports" for Google Docs help detect plagiarism and needed citations in student writing - Resource Link
  • Google launches "Assignments" to give Classroom features to LMS users and other non-Classroom users - Resource Link
  • Google's Socratic mobile app uses AI to help students get resources for subject matter questions - Resource Link
  • Google launching beta program to allow creation of shortcuts in Drive - Resource Link
  • Live edits in Docs help improve real-time collaboration for assistive technology users - Resource Link
  • Improved as-you-type spelling and grammar correction in Gmail - Resource Link
  • Grow with Google adds Spanish language resources to Applied Digital Skills, Google Primer, and more - Resource Link
  • Google Go app for Android provides easy access to Google Lens and text-to-speech reading for any webpage - Resource Link
  • Google Drive mobile app now has the ability to fill out and save PDF forms - Resource Link
  • Google launches Professional Collaboration Engineer certification for G Suite admins - Resource Link
  • Google Photos can now search for text that appears in images - Resource Link
  • Google Search adds elaborate ‘Wizard of Oz’ Easter Egg for film’s 80th anniversary - Resource Link
  • Google Slides adds presentation looping and auto advance options- Resource Link, Resource Link 
  • YouTube Kids coming to the web with age-specific filters - Resource Link

Show and Tell

  • Jake Miller's resources - Educational Duct Tape Podcast - GIF-a-Day
  • Digital Wellbeing - Tools to Balance Tech and Life - Resource Link
  • Learn your New Students' Faces, Names, and More with Google Slides - Resource Link
  • Google Slides template for "Year in Review" student reflection - Resource Link
  • Using Wakelet and Google Drawings to create and share PottyPD resources - Resource Link
  • How to install CloudReady on an end-of-life Chromebook to continue getting updates - Resource Link
  • Netflix Hangouts - Chrome extension lets you watch Netflix inside of a fake Google Hangouts window - Resource Link
  • Turn your Favorite Book into a Netflix Series - Resource Link
  • Workshop Sign up using Google Forms - Resource Link
  • Slide Reveal template - Resource Link
  • Google Innovator Project - Helping “THAT” Kid be Successful- DOK - Resource Link
  • Slide Translator - Google Slide Add-On - Resource Link
  • ConnectHub - Google Innovator Project - Instructional Coaching Tool - Resource Link
  • Using Google Forms and Quizlet Live for a "Getting to Know You" back-to-school activity - Resource Link
  • Student Voice and Choice with Digital Templates and Menus using Google Slides and Drawings - Resource Link
  • How to stop receiving spam events in your Google Calendar - Resource Link

To see the schedule for upcoming Google User Group meetings visit:

 Google User Group schedule - https://sites.google.com/view/geg-ohio/monthly-meetings

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.

Eric Curts