New features in email and chat/hangouts

Google have introduced some new features to Email, Hangouts Video and Chat. 

Email interface

Email, Calendar, tasks all in one window... 

The new Gmail interface, brings features like an expandable email window that organises your apps side-by-side, the ability to snooze emails until later and to save emails as tasks.

Two useful tips to get the best of these new features include:

1. Under the settings cog, select density display and choose the 'comfortable' option (the default setting includes displaying all your attachments and is much busier).
2. To the right of your email window you will notice a panel that has a small calendar icon at the top, select this and your calendar will appear within your email window.

For more information take a look at the Google support pages.

Hangouts Meet

Hold video meetings with up to 25 people inside or outside your organisation, using any device...

Shortly 'Meet' will replace the Hangouts service we currently use in G Suite. But you can start using it now by selecting the app behind the grey grid icon, in the top right of your window.

It is very similar to Hangouts but brings with it new features like adding conferencing to a calendar event, for up to 25 people. After you save a Calendar event, a meeting video link and dial-in number* are added to the event.

It also works seamlessly on mobile devices and within a browser. 

More about Hangout Meet on the Google support pages.

*Currently the dial-in feature is only available for USA or Canadian phone numbers.

Hangouts Chat

A team can all chat together while uploading shared documents to a 'chat room'.

Chat provides the ability to have 1:1 chats, or collaborate with teams. In addition to this, Chat integrates with other G Suite apps allowing you to manage Drive documents, schedule meetings and tasks in a single location. 

Chat also gives you the option to create ‘rooms’ to collaborate more efficiently in teams, including video. Chats within rooms are organised into different conversation threads so you can discuss multiple subjects at the same time. It also provides the ability to edit/delete comments. Can share documents in the ‘room’ as well - good for collaboration

You will find the new Hangouts Chat behind the grey grid icon, in the top right of your window. 

More about Hangouts Chat on the  Google support pages

Training drop-in sessions

IT Training are running regular drop-in sessions in the Lloyd building IT training room. Please check the calendar for dates and times.