Google Workspace announced its weekly update which includes an automatic volume adjustment feature in Google Meet.
Google Meet can now adjust participants’ audio to ensure everyone has the same volume.
Other features from this week’s updates include changes to Google Classroom notifications and the capability to insert Google Maps place chips into your Google Docs.
Google Meet Automatic Volume Adjustment
As a result of participants using different devices to join meetings, the volume levels can vary from person to person.
Google Meet’s new automatic volume level adjustment feature is now available and promises to create a “smoother meeting, with less disruptions”.
Participants wishing to take advantage of the technology must ensure that noise cancellation is turned on. Noise cancellation can be turned on or off before and during a meeting.
To turn on noise cancellation before a meeting, go to the Google Meet home page and select a meeting.
Before joining, click ‘More options’ in the top right-hand corner. Click on ‘Settings’ then ‘Audio’, turn ‘Noise cancellation’ on, and then ‘Join now’.
If you are in a meeting, you can turn noise cancellation on by clicking ‘More options’ followed by ‘Settings’. Next, click on ‘Audio’, and lastly, click to turn on ‘Noise cancellation’.
You can see how much noise is being cancelled out in the ‘Voice indicator’ in the top right-hand corner of your screen. The indicator shows the sounds that other participants can hear. Blocked sounds will not be visualised in the indicator.
Google Classroom Notifications
Google Classroom app users can now personalise their email notifications from iOS and Android mobile devices.
This feature follows the customisable preferences feature on Classroom push notifications.
To customise email notifications, tap ‘Classroom’ and then the ‘Menu’ icon. Scroll down and select ‘Settings’ followed by ‘Notifications’ and ‘Email Notifications’. Turn on ‘Allow email notifications’ and then tap the ‘On’ or ‘Off’ switch beside the notifications you do and do not want to receive.
Add Place Chips into Docs
The ability to insert Google Maps place chips into a Google Doc by copying and pasting a Maps link was introduced last year.
Place chips can now be added into Docs using the ‘@’ menu, enabling users to quickly open a location in Google Maps, view the location in the side panel of Google Maps, and find directions to a location.
The Rapid Release begins on August 22nd, 2022, and the scheduled release is launching on September 8th, 2022.
Previous Releases
Other recent announcements on Google Workspace include a new Dark Canvas theme being added to the Google Meet hardware home screen.
Digital signage can now be easily customised on Google Meet hardware via Appspace.
Emojis can be inserted inline with text into Google Docs, and Work Insights have reporting for Google Chat and Google Meet.
Google Hangouts is also due to be upgraded to Google Chat from November 1st 2022.
In August, Google added more features to Google Workspace, including making it easier for participants to unmute during a Meet.
Google Workspace Individual was also made available in Europe last month, helping solo business owners to reach new customers.
