Yesterday, the Google Chrome team announced that a new update to Chrome OS was being distributed. The stable channel of the operating system has now been updated to version 54.0.2840.79, with compatible systems set to receive the upgrade over the next several days.
The new build contains feature enhancements as well as bug fixes and security updates. Three Chrome OS devices will not receive this build for the time being, according to the blog post announcing the new version. These systems are the HP Chromebook 13 G1, the Acer Chromebook 14 for Work, and the Thinkpad 13 Chromebook.
The update bring various tweaks to the user interface. Alt-tabbing between different windows now has a different visual appearance, and the interface for removing users from the start screen has been improved upon.
The new build also allows users add an Input Method menu to their Shelf, the Chrome OS equivalent to the Windows taskbar. This functionality will be particularly useful for anyone who switches between using their mouse and keyboard and touch input on a regular basis — users can opt in via the Settings menu.
The Files app has also received a new Quick View feature that allows users to preview files without opening another piece of software. There’s also a new read-only policy for USB drives and SD cards, which should help prevent malicious content being transferred to users’ systems via external storage.
This update is being distributed via the stable channel, which means it will go out to the majority of Chrome OS users. Anyone interested in testing out new features before they’re ready for the masses can instead sign up for either the beta channel or the dev channel — head to the Settings page and find a button labelled “more info” on the About Chrome OS section to do so.
If you have an older MacBook or Windows system somewhere around your house, there’s a chance you might that the device might be “too slow” or isn’t getting security or major operating system updates anymore.
Microsoft’s fading out of older Windows versions, strict requirements for Windows 11, and Apple’s allowing newer MacOS versions to run on select Macs might have your computer in the dust. Even in the enterprise space, it is very expensive to replace older devices.
In the near future, Chromebooks could borrow one of Windows’ best multitasking features. Currently, Chrome OS users might feel a bit envious of Windows 11’s robust split screen menu that allows vertical, horizontal, three-way, and four-way divisions.
A recent developer flag suggests Google is at least exploring the possibility of adding more versatile instant splits.
Google posted a security update for its Chrome browser that fixes what’s known as a zero-day bug. The problem affects Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Android. The flaw can lead to arbitrary code execution, a serious security vulnerability, so it’s best to download and install the latest version immediately. Zero-day bugs mean that this is a known weakness and, in this case, Google said that the flaw is already being exploited by hackers.
Google did not post a detailed explanation of how the exploit works, but will do so when the majority of people have updated, making the danger of further attacks less severe. The most severe bug is identified as CVE-2022-2294 and the update also patches CVE-2022-2295 and CVE-2022-2296.
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