Google Apps Update: Commands for Voice Typing in Google Docs

Google Apps update alerts

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Issue commands when voice typing in Google Docs Posted: 24 Feb 2016 11:33 AM PST In Google Docs, you don’t need to type to put words on a page—you can simply talk. But as any good employee knows, crafting an effective document takes a whole lot more than simply adding text. The process may involve bolding and italicizing, copying and pasting, inserting bullet points and tables, undoing and redoing formatting, and more. Until now, it was tough to take these types of actions using only your voice. With this launch, we’re changing that. Starting today, you can simply pause, issue a command, pause again, and resume dictating. To see a list of all commands, check out this Help Center article or say “voice commands help” when you’re voice typing. Please note that Voice commands work in English only. Watch the full video here. As an added bonus, we’re also making it possible to dictate in Docs on the web in dozens of additional dialects and accents. Please note that these features are only available when you’re working in a Chrome browser on your computer. Launch Details Release track: Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release (voice commands) Launching to Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming on March 7th, 2016 (additional languages) Rollout pace: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Help Center: Type with your voice Video: Type, edit and format with your voice in Docs—no keyboard needed Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Apps Update: New Gmail Security Features

Two new security features for Gmail coming soon

Posted: 16 Feb 2016 02:38 PM PST

On February 9th, Safe Internet Day, we announced two new security features to Gmail that will roll out to Google Apps customers in the coming weeks.

First, users who receive a message from―or are composing a message to―someone whose email service doesn’t support an encrypted connection (TLS) will soon see an open lock icon in the message. Users won’t see this icon when sending mail from one Google-hosted domain to any other, including gmail.com, since those emails are always sent over an encrypted connection. Gmail will always send and receive messages over TLS, unless the connecting service doesn’t support it.

Second, users who receive messages that aren’t properly authenticated with either Sender Policy Framework (SPF) or DKIM will see a question mark in place of their profile photo, corporate logo or avatar.

Change Management
It is important to note that both of these features are warnings only. They will not affect email sending or delivery. Unauthenticated emails, as well as those sent over an unencrypted connection, have always existed (though on a steady decline). The only thing that has changed is that Gmail will now warn the user when the security of a particular email is less than standard.

The two Gmail Help Center articles below outline the expected behavior and can be used to help effectively communicate this change to users.

• Email encryption in transit (TLS)
• Email Authentication

To see what percentage of traffic is received or sent from your domain that is either encrypted with TLS or authenticated with DKIM, SPF, or DMARC, the following tools are available for domain administrators:

• Postmaster Tools provides both encryption and authentication dashboards for domains which receive a sizable daily volume of email traffic (up to the order of hundreds). Learn more in the Postmaster Tools Help Center.
• The Admin console contains aggregate reports for your domain, including Gmail Inbound Email: Encryption and Outbound Email: Encryption reporting. Learn more in the Admin console Help Center.

Limitations for senders using custom ‘From:’ to send mail
If your users use custom ‘From:’ to send mail through a different domain’s mail servers, Gmail will only indicate the encryption status for the the receiving domain’s reputation. At this time, Gmail will not indicate the encryption status of the user’s custom ‘From:’ address.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to Rapid release in the coming weeks, with Scheduled release coming 2 weeks later.
Please monitor the launch release calendar for details.

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management strongly suggested. The Help Center articles below outline the expected behavior, and can be used to help effectively communicate these changes to users.

More Information
Help Center: Email encryption in transit (TLS)
Help Center: Email Authentication
Google for Work blog post
Gmail blog post

Google Apps Update: New Google File Sharing Feature

A simpler way to view teammates and sharing settings in Google Drive shared folders Posted: 16 Feb 2016 04:19 PM PST Google Drive users love to collaborate with each other, but if you've ever tried changing the sharing settings for a folder, you know that it’s not always easy to find out who the folder has been shared with or how to update the permissions.  In the coming weeks, we will be adding a new “people icon” to shared folders, which simplifies seeing who you’ve shared a folder with and whether they have View, Edit, or Comment permissions. With this change, we hope to reduce the amount of clutter for users and make sharing more transparent for folder owners. Hover over the people icon to see who a folder’s been shared with and with what permission level. Launch Details Release track: Launching to Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in 2 weeks Rollout pace: Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI More Information Help Center Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Apps Update Alert - Google Form Improvements

New Google Forms now the default option, with improvements to add-ons, script editing, and more

Posted: 10 Feb 2016 12:29 PM PST

Today, the new Google Forms will become the default option for Form creators. This follows our launch from last September, where a revamped Google Forms was released as opt-in-only until we could add additional features and functionality. Once launched, Form creators will be redirected to the new Google Forms whenever they create a new Google Form.

To opt-out, users may click the “running man” icon in the bottom left-hand corner.

Here’s a summary of the latest improvements:

• Form Add-ons and Google Apps Script now supported
  Form creators will be able to use add-ons and edit scripts in the new Forms editor. Popular tools like Form Publisher and g(Math) for Forms have helped creators extend the capabilities of Google Forms.

• View individual responses from the editor
  In addition to the summary of responses currently available in the Forms editor, creators will now be able to see individual survey responses as well. This will save valuable time when analyzing Forms. At the same time, if there’s so many responses that there may be performance issues, Google Forms will let users know how to visit the responses separately, instead of slowing down the editor.

• Use Templates from the Google Forms home screen
  Work and Education-related templates will become available on the Forms home screen to jump start your Form creation at forms.google.com.
• We currently have several templates for event feedback, event sign-ups, job applications, and more. Users can click on the Morel ink to start a form from any of the newly created templates.
• Your domain’s existing templates are still available and can be found at drive.google.com/a/google.com/templates.

• Get notified for every form response
  Form creators will now be able to configure Google Forms to send them email notifications whenever someone responds. The default is set to off, but users can enable it from the form’s settings menu. 

• Track responses to your Google Form
  Form creators will be able to see who they’ve sent their forms to and who still needs to respond. There will also be a new option to send out follow-up reminders as needed.

Limitations

• Responders will only see the new Google Forms for those forms created or edited in it.

To opt out and go back to the old Google Forms, simply click the running man icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the Google Form and follow the prompts.


Launch Details
Release track:
Form templates: Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release on Feb 10, 2016
Most features: Launching to Rapid release on Feb 10, 2016, with Scheduled release coming in 2 weeks

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center
Google for Work Blog Post


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Google Apps Update Alert: Google Avatar

Change to default avatar for Google account owners without Google+ Posted: 08 Feb 2016 11:08 AM PST In September, we announced some changes to the default avatar that Google account owners with Google+ enabled see when logged into their accounts. We’re now making those same changes for Google account owners who don’t have Google+ enabled. Starting today, if a Google account owner has not added a photo to his or her account, we’ll show a custom avatar with that account owner’s given-name initial (two-character given names will be fully displayed). In some cases where initials are not available, a plain colored avatar will be used instead. This change will be visible* in the Google Bar soon and will be gradually reflected across all Google products over the course of the coming months. *NOTE: Users with initials in scripts other than Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean will see this change later this year. Launch Details Release track:  Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release Rollout pace: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) Impact: All end users Action: Change management suggested/FYI Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Apps Newsletter

What's New in Google Apps newsletter - January 2016 Posted: 01 Feb 2016 02:14 PM PST Check out the latest "What's New in Google Apps"newsletter [pdf] for a roundup of all Apps launches from January 2016. Newsletter Archive & Translated Versions (coming soon for January issue) Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Launch detail categories Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates