Newsletter
Google has released ChromeOS 110 in the stable channel. The update brings a host of new features and functional improvements to Chromebooks. The new version should be available to eligible devices globally over the next few weeks.
ChromeOS 110 improves the audio quality when using Bluetooth headsets. Since microphones on these devices have limited bandwidth to transmit, audio is a bit muffled. The latest version of ChromeOS uses an ML (machine learning) model to “reconstruct the high-frequency parts of the audio signal from the low-bandwidth source” to enable clearer audio. Google calls it Super Resolution Audio. This platform-level upgradation of audio from Bluetooth microphones works on all apps.
With the arrival of ChromeOS 110, your Chromebook will show the ChromeOS version number and channel. Non-stable channels get unique icons and are also color-coded: blue for Beta, green for Dev, and yellow for Canary. Channel labeling (icons) appears next to the battery icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You will find the version number at the bottom of the Quick Settings panel, along with a shortcut to the Feedback tool. Clicking on the version number will also let you change your channel.
Google has also improved Launcher Search with the new ChromeOS version. The feature is now more robust with autocompletion for mistyped and misspelled queries. Search results are also categorized in a better way, while keyboard navigation makes the result selection experience more intuitive. Speaking of the keyboard, the Diagnostic app gains a keyboard test that lets you check if every key is functioning properly. A new Crosh command (printscan_debug) helps with debugging and diagnosing printing and scanning issues.
ChromeOS 110 makes text-to-speech more accessible
The latest ChromsOS update also makes text-to-speech more accessible. You can now have your Chromebook read out the selected text from the context menu. Simply right-click on the selected text and click on the new “Listen to selected text”. You no longer need to click on the status-tray icon. Select-to-speak can also now automatically switch languages to match the content. Settings for Select-to-speak have been moved to a ChromeOS settings page as well.
Along with these new features and improvements, ChromeOS 110 also contains several bug fixes and security patches. There may be some hidden changes as well, like new features that Google didn’t mention in its official release notes. If you’re a Chromebook user, watch out for a new ChromeOS update in the coming days. To check for updates manually, go to Settings > About ChromeOS and click on Check for updates under Google ChromeOS. If an update is available, it will start to download automatically.