Deprecating web hosting support in Google Drive

Deprecating web hosting support in Google Drive

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 11:15 AM PDT

Beginning August 31, 2015, web hosting in Google Drive for users and developers will be deprecated. Google Apps customers can continue to use this feature for a period of one year until August 31, 2016, when serving content via googledrive.com/host/doc id will be discontinued.

In the time since web hosting in Drive was launched, a wide variety of public web content hosting services have emerged, and we think better options are available to people today. As a result, we have decided to discontinue this feature and focus on the core Drive and Google Apps experience.

For those who have used Drive to host websites, Google Domains can refer you to third parties for website hosting functionality. For those who use this feature to serve non-user content to web and mobile applications, Google Cloud Platform offers a solution for this purpose.

To identify active use of Drive web hosting in their domain, Google Apps admins can use the Account activity reports in the Admin console. These reports can pinpoint users who own items that are publicly shared in order for Admins to contact and assist them with alternate solutions.

Launch Details
Release track:
N/A

Rollout pace:
N/A

Impact: 
All end users
 
Action:
Admin action required

Download embedded emails in a message in Gmail

Download embedded emails in a message in Gmail

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 01:11 PM PDT

Some third-party email clients can embed a whole message as an attachment. This creates a MIME part of "message/rfc822" content type. The content disposition header on these messages can be set to display either inline, or as a downloadable attachment typically with a .eml extension.

Previously, if the message was set to inline, the Gmail web UI showed the contents of the embedded message after the message's main text, prefaced with "Forwarded." However, if the embedded message was marked as an attachment, it would not be shown and instead only a download link for "noname.eml" would be shown.

With this launch, if the content disposition header is set as an attachment, these messages can now be viewed both as an inline expansion and as a full downloadable attachment. Please note that this new functionality works only for new messages.

Launch Details 
Release track:
Launched 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

Save time planning business travel and more with events from Gmail on Google Calendar

Save time planning business travel and more with events from Gmail on Google Calendar

Posted: 25 Aug 2015 12:37 PM PDT

The Internet has made business travel―booking flights and hotels, reserving restaurant tables, buying event tickets, and more―infinitely easier. Adding that information to a calendar, on the other hand, has remained time-consuming and tedious, typically requiring people to copy and paste information from various confirmation emails. In the coming week, Gmail and Google Calendar will start working together to lighten that load for Google Apps customers, and make business travel planning even more seamless.

When an individual receives an email in Gmail with flight, hotel, restaurant, or ticketed event information, that event will be automatically added to their Google Calendar, complete with things like flight numbers and check-in times. Calendar will even update those events if plans change and a new email is received (for instance, when a flight is delayed or a reservation pushed back).

This feature will be enabled by default on desktop and mobile (both iOS and Android) for all Google Apps customers―with the exception of Google Apps for Government domains, for whom the feature is not available. Events from Gmail added to Calendar will be visible only to calendar owners by default (those with delegated access will not see these events). Calendar owners will be able to delete any individual unwanted events as well as adjust visibility settings, or disable the feature altogether, in their Calendar settings if so desired.

At launch, people using Calendar will see an in-product screen, either on mobile or web (whichever is accessed first), explaining that events from Gmail will be automatically added for their account, and indicating that the feature can be disabled in settings. 

Once the first event from Gmail is added, a one-time email notification will also be sent to the user from Google Calendar, explaining the settings and sharing details for events from Gmail.

Check out the Help Center for more information.

Note: this feature is not available for Google Apps for Government customers

Launch Details
Release track:  
Launch to Rapid release planned for next week, with Scheduled release following two weeks later (monitor the launch calendar for specific dates)

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

Impact: 
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

Hover over Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Share button to see warning if sharing settings are invalid

Hover over Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Share button to see warning if sharing settings are invalid

Posted: 24 Aug 2015 11:50 AM PDT

In July, we launched notifications in the Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides sharing dialogues that warn users when they attempt to share files with others but cannot do so due to their own or the recipient’s domain-wide sharing settings. Starting today, a similar warning will appear when a user hovers over the Share button in a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides file if that user is allowed to edit that file’s permissions.

As with the sharing dialogue, this warning will appear when:

§ a file is shared with a person outside of the sharing employee’s domain, but sharing outside of that employee’s domain is disabled,

§ a file is shared with a person outside of the sharing employee’s domain, but sharing into the receiving person’s domain is disabled, and/or

§ a file is shared using one of the “anyone” options, but sharing or publishing outside of the sharing employee’s domain is disabled.

This feature was specifically requested following the July launch and gives your employees increased visibility into how their files are being shared.

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

Head back to school with new features in Google Classroom

Head back to school with new features in Google Classroom

Posted: 24 Aug 2015 11:51 AM PDT

As teachers gear up for the new school year, we’re adding a number of new features in Google Classroom to help them save time, engage with students, and keep everyone organized. Most of these features are rolling out this week, with others coming soon.

Keep students engaged with question-driven discussions
Since Classroom launched last year, teachers have been using their class stream to host student debates, Q&A, and discussions. Starting today, they’ll be able to do this in a more collaborative way. They can post questions to their class and allow students to have discussions by responding to each other’s answers (or not, depending on the setting chosen). For example, teachers could post a video and ask students to answer a question about it, or post an article and ask them to write a paragraph in response. 

Reuse posts
Teachers can now reuse assignments, announcements or questions from any one of their classes — or any class they co-teach, whether it’s from last year or last week. Once they choose what to copy, they’ll also be able to make changes before posting or assigning it.

Calendar Integration
In the next month, Classroom will automatically create a calendar for each class in Google Calendar. All assignments with a due date will be automatically added to class calendars and kept up to date. Teachers will be able to view their calendar from within Classroom or on Google Calendar, where they can manually add class events like field trips or guest speakers.

And a few more improvements based on teacher feedback:

§ Bump a post: When teachers want to make sure an older item is easy for students to find, they can now move any post to the top of the stream. 

§ Due dates optional: For long-term projects or student-driven assignments, teachers will have the option to create assignments that don’t have due dates. 

§ Attach a Google Form to a post: Many teachers have been using Google Forms as an easy way to assign a test, quiz or survey to the class. Coming in the next few weeks, teachers and students will soon be able to attach Google Forms from Drive to posts and assignments, and get a link in Classroom to easily view the answers. 

Launch Details
Release track: 
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release this week, with the exception of Calendar integration and attaching a Google Form, which are planned for the coming weeks

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

Impact: 
All end users (teachers/students)

Action: 
Change management suggested/FYI

Reflections on a year of 1:1 in 6th grade

In this post, some of our 6th grade teachers reflect on their first year in a 1:1 setting. 

Please feel free to respond to their reflections and continue the conversation in the comments section below. 

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"In my 6^th grade Science class this year, the chrome-books enabled us to try some new projects using technology.  Students observe the life cycles of the Cabbage White Butterfly and the Wisconsin Fast plant each year. This year the chrome-books were a great tool in helping to do a long term project over a six week period. Students took pictures of each of the developmental stages of these organisms throughout  their life cycles. They also recorded data and observations on the chrome-book. The finished product was a Google presentation of the life cycle stages of each organism and examples of how they are independent upon each other in different periods of their development. The students loved using their chrome-books to take pictures and record data about these living creatures as they grew in the classroom!"

Gene Buck, Science Teacher

Thomas Grover Middle School

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"As a first year teacher, the idea of having CBs in my room was overwhelming. On top of learning a new school, new students, and a new lifestyle, I was encouraged to learn about a technology I had little prior knowledge of. During my interview process, I quickly faced this reality while participating in a demo lesson. When I asked students to design an irrigation system for the Nile River, they went right to their CBs. I knew then, that my thoughts of teaching and engagement would have to change.

This year the 1:1 initiative brought challenges and successes to my teaching. Though I cannot point to one particular app or procedure that worked well, as a whole the CBs allowed my students to interact with history outside of my room, without leaving their desks. Students were more confident and curious when the CB was utilized; a wealth of information was at their fingertips. Research assignments were more authentic because students were not just learning skills meant for a library- the skills could and would be used in everything they examined, each time they logged on. The CBs also allowed many of my students to have a voice in the room. Backchannels, video presentations, and blog posts allowed my quietest students to become active participants in daily activities. Now in June, these students are more confident both online, and in person.

Next year I hope to continue to explore uses for the CB. The 1:1 initiative has meant a lot of professional development goes on during my down time, as my chronic “pinning” proves evidence of. The students are always looking for new things to learn on their devices, and I am always looking for new ways to direct their learning. As technology continues to grow and new sites and apps are developed daily, I will continue to look to my students, colleagues and online communities for more. More than continuing to utilize a particular website, extension, or procedure, I would like to continue to make the time for earnest exploration and professional development."

Kaity Haley, Social Studies Teacher

Thomas R. Grover Middle School

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"A course that starts with the Big Bang and extends into the Common Era offers myriad opportunities to differentiate and give students freedom to select from a wide menu of topics to pursue. Symbaloo provides teachers with the ability to present many options on a single screen, allowing students to safely pursue their interests and even suggest websites to consider adding. The students love to share their discoveries. Symbaloo is colorful and user friendly, making it a delightful destination. Symbaloo has become a favorite of several of the foreign language teacher here at Grover, too. They use this software in the classroom as a key tool in their “carts.”

John Cochrane, Social Studies Teacher

Thomas Grover Middle School 

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"One aspect of the 1:1 Learning Initiative that I really appreciated was the help and support we received from administration.

In particular, I found it very reassuring that they encouraged us to explore the possibilities at our own pace. There was no requirement to use certain things or be at a certain place by a certain time. I appreciate the autonomy, and thus enjoyed trying some new things, and participating in the PD opportunities. 

I also felt very supported by Melissa. Whenever I had a problem or question, or just wanted to learn a specific thing, she took the time to sit down with me and explore the possibilities. She sent ideas and links for me to try on my own. I would have been lost without this personalized support. (OK … more lost). 

I mostly used the Chromebooks as research support for the students. It was great having access to the internet for them in everything from projects to extensions. The students enjoyed accessing websites like BrainPop, Engineering.com, and PBS’s DesignSquad for information and ideas. Right now they are using GoogleMaps to explore earthquake-prone cities. I hope to refine these experiences next year. I am assuming the students will be able to teach me a lot."

Mary Parker, Science Teacher

Thomas Grover Middle School 

New features in the Google Docs and Sheets mobile apps

New features in the Google Docs and Sheets mobile apps

Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:44 AM PDT

The latest releases of the Google Docs and Sheets mobile apps include the following new features:

§ Print Layout view in Google Docs for Android and iOS (Beta) - You can now select Print Layout from the overflow menu in the top right corner of the Docs app on Android and iOS to see a fully paginated, read-only version of your document. While you can’t make edits in that view, the document itself will be updated in real-time when collaborators make changes to it. This feature is currently in beta; additional functionality, including the ability to edit in Print Layout view, will roll out in the future.

§ Autofill in Google Sheets for Android - Using the autofill feature, it’s easy to repeat information or complete a pattern in a Sheets spreadsheet on the web. This launch brings that same functionality to the Sheets app for Android. Simply select the data you want to repeat, as well as the cells where you want to repeat that data. Tap the selected data again to open a menu, and then select Autofill to automatically populate those cells.

§ More intuitive keyboard functionality in Google Sheets for Android - Previously, when a user clicked into a cell, the Sheets Android app would automatically open the alphabetic keyboard—regardless of whether that cell contained text or numeric values. Going forward, the app will launch the alphabetic keyboard when the cell contains text and the numeric keyboard when the cell contains numbers or symbols. It will also offer an easy way to shift between the two keyboard options.

Download the latest Google Docs and Sheets Android apps on Google Play and the latest Google Docs iOS app from the App Store.

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

Launch desktop applications from Google Drive Preview in Chrome

Launch desktop applications from Google Drive Preview in Chrome

Posted: 12 Aug 2015 11:26 AM PDT

In November 2014, Google Drive added the ability to open files from Google Drive directly into the compatible application installed on your computer. Today, this capability will be extended to the Drive viewer as well, which means you can now launch apps from preview mode and more easily access your files. This includes apps like advanced image and video editing software, accounting and tax programs, or 3D animation and design tools. So, no matter what you keep in Drive, using the web to access and manage files doesn’t mean you’re limited to applications that only work in your browser.

To get started, install the latest version of the Drive app for Mac or PC (version 1.23+) and sync your files. Then, visit Google Drive in your Chrome browser. Open a file in Google Drive preview mode and click on the “Open with” menu on top to see a list of compatible applications on your computer that can open it, or simply select “Open” for the default application. For example, you can choose to open a PDF file with Adobe Reader, or a .psd with Photoshop, make your edits and save back changes to Drive which will sync across all your devices and other collaborators.

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

Custom status messages and more with the latest version of the Hangouts Android app

Custom status messages and more with the latest version of the Hangouts Android app

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 09:42 AM PDT

A new version of the Hangouts Android app is coming to Google Play this week. New features include:

§ Custom status messages: As launched previously for web and iOS, people using the Hangouts Android app can now add custom status messages and see the status messages of others in the Contacts view.

§ Accept or reject external guest requests: External participants to a Hangouts video call can now be accepted or rejected on the Hangouts Android app, just like on iOS and web today.

This brings support for custom status messages and the ability to accept/reject external participants to all platforms for Hangouts (i.e. Android, web, iOS).

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

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

Impact: 
All end users
 
Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

New owners receive all notifications in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

New owners receive all notifications in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:16 PM PDT

Currently, the owner of a document, spreadsheet, or presentation in the Google Docs editors receives an email notification when anyone adds a comment to the file, even if the owner’s name isn’t explicitly added to the comment. When the file’s ownership is transferred to someone else, this "all notifications" setting remains with the original owner, not with the new owner.

With today’s launch, we will change this behavior so that when files are transferred to new owners, the new document, spreadsheet, and presentation owners will receive all notifications for any comments added to their files, and previous owners, like any other collaborators, will only receive notifications if their names are explicitly added to a comment.

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

Host Google Slides presentations via Google Hangouts

Host Google Slides presentations via Google Hangouts

Posted: 05 Aug 2015 05:54 PM PDT

As previously announced, you can use the Google Slides app on your mobile phone or tablet to present to any screen with Chromecast or AirPlay. The latest version of the Slides app for Android allows you to share your work even more widely, by presenting to Google Hangouts. To get started, simply open your presentation and tap the Present icon. Join a meeting already scheduled on your calendar or choose to initiate a brand new video call. Either way, you’ll be able to see who’s on the call before you present and to advance your slides, view your speaker notes, and stay on time (with a built-in timer) right from your mobile device. Check out the Help Center for more information.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

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

Include hidden and filtered data in charts in Google Sheets

Google Apps update alerts

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Include hidden and filtered data in charts in Google Sheets Posted: 03 Aug 2015 03:48 PM PDT We’re making charts in Google Sheets easier to use and analyze. This launch introduces the option to include hidden and/or filtered data in Sheets charts. Going forward, if you create a chart in Sheets on the web and then filter or hide any of the source data, a small message will appear indicating that the data has been removed from your chart and giving you the option to include it. While this option will only appear on the web, any settings will be respected on mobile as well. If you opt to include that hidden or filtered data and then later want to exclude it from the same sheet, you can simply expand the chart menu in the upper right corner of the chart and select Advanced edit. That will open the Chart Editor, where you can choose Chart types and uncheck the box next to Include hidden / filtered data. The next time you hide or filter source data in that same sheet, you’ll see the message again. Not only will this give you greater control over the spreadsheets you create within Google Sheets, it will prevent Microsoft Excel spreadsheets that contain hidden data and that are imported into Sheets from being inaccurately displayed. 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 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