Google Reassures Users, Reaffirms Gmail's Robust Security Following Misinformation.

In a recent blog post, Google addressed and refuted inaccurate reports circulating online about a supposed major security flaw in Gmail. The company clarified that claims of a widespread Gmail security warning are false and misleading, reaffirming the service's strong and effective security measures.

According to Google, Gmail's protections successfully block over 99.9% of phishing and malware attempts from reaching users' inboxes. The tech giant stated that its security teams are constantly investing and innovating to protect users from evolving threats.

Google's Recommended User Best Practices.

Beyond its own system-level defenses, Google's statement also provides a clear call to action for users, outlining simple but effective best practices to enhance their own security. The company specifically encourages two key measures:

• Embrace Passkeys: Google strongly recommends that users move beyond traditional passwords and adopt more secure alternatives like Passkeys. This technology provides a more secure and convenient way to sign into accounts, offering greater protection against phishing attacks.
• Learn to Spot Phishing: The company advises users to be vigilant and learn the tell-tale signs of a phishing attempt. By understanding how to identify and report suspicious emails, users can act as a crucial first line of defense against cyber threats that manage to bypass automated filters.

Google's detailed response aims to not only correct the record but also to empower its users with the knowledge and tools needed to maintain a high level of security in the face of ongoing online threats.

How To Easily Turn Smart Compose On or Off in Gmail.

Google is constantly rolling out updates and features to its ecosystem, and keeping up with the changes can be challenging. One of the most helpful, and sometimes debated, additions to Gmail is Smart Compose. This AI-powered feature has been a game-changer for many, helping users write emails faster and more efficiently.

But what exactly is Smart Compose, and how can you take control of it? Whether you love the feature and want to ensure it's always on, or find it a distracting hindrance to your writing flow, this guide will walk you through exactly how to manage Smart Compose on any device.

What is Gmail Smart Compose?

Smart Compose is a feature within Gmail that uses artificial intelligence to help you write faster and more efficiently. As you begin to type an email or document, Smart Compose provides real-time, context-aware suggestions for words and phrases that it predicts you might want to write next. These suggestions appear in a light gray color, and you can accept them by simply pressing the "Tab" key on your keyboard.

Unlike older forms of predictive text that simply completed words, Smart Compose is powered by advanced machine learning models. This allows it to understand the context of your message, including the subject line and the content you've already typed. For example, if it's a Friday afternoon and you're drafting an email to a colleague, Smart Compose might suggest "Have a great weekend!" as you're finishing your message. It even learns your personal writing style over time to offer more tailored suggestions that sound more like you.

In essence, Smart Compose acts as a writing assistant, reducing repetitive typing, minimizing spelling and grammar errors, and helping you compose messages with a greater sense of speed and flow. It's a key part of Google's effort to integrate AI seamlessly into its core products to enhance user productivity.

How To Turn Smart Compose On or Off on Desktop?

The process for managing Smart Compose on a computer is straightforward and can be done from your Gmail settings. Follow the steps explained below:

Step 1: Navigate to Gmail Settings.

Once you're signed into Gmail, head to the top-right corner of the screen. You'll see a Settings gear icon (⚙️). Click on this, and from the dropdown menu that appears, choose See all settings to access the full list of options.

Step 2: Locate the Smart Compose Section.

After you open the settings, you'll be on the General tab. Scroll down until you see the section labeled "Smart Compose," which contains the options you need.

Step 3: Turn the Feature On or Off.

Within the "Smart Compose" section, you'll find a couple of options. Simply select the radio button next to "Writing suggestions on" to enable the feature, or choose "Writing suggestions off" to disable it.

Step 4: Save Your Changes.

To finalize your choice, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click the "Save Changes" button. Gmail will then reload, and your new settings for Smart Compose will take effect.

Personalization of Smart Compose.

In addition to the main Smart Compose setting, you will also see a "Smart Compose personalization" option. This setting allows the feature to learn from your unique writing style to provide more tailored suggestions.

• Personalization on: Smart Compose uses your past writing patterns to offer suggestions that sound more like you.
• Personalization off: The feature will provide generic suggestions based on common phrases and grammar, but it won't adapt to your personal style.

If you find that Smart Compose is constantly suggesting irrelevant phrases, you may want to turn this personalization off and see if the more general suggestions are a better fit for you.

How To Turn Smart Compose On or Off on Mobile?

Managing Smart Compose on your phone or tablet is slightly different but just as simple. The settings are tied to your specific Gmail account, so if you have multiple accounts on your device, you will need to adjust the settings for each one individually.

Step 1: Open the Gmail App and Access Settings.

On your mobile device, open the Gmail app. From there, tap the Menu icon (☰) in the top-left corner, scroll down the list of options, and then tap on Settings.

Step 2: Select Your Account.

Since the settings are specific to each account, the app will present you with a list of all your linked email accounts. From this list, simply tap on the particular account for which you wish to turn the Smart Compose feature on or off.

Step 3: Turn the Feature On or Off.

From there, scroll down the settings menu until you find the "General" section. Within this section, locate the "Smart Compose" option. You'll see either a checkbox or a toggle switch next to it; simply tap on it to enable the feature or disable it, depending on your preference.

Note: Unlike the desktop version, changes on the mobile app are often saved automatically. There is no separate "Save Changes" button.

The Pros and Cons of Smart Compose.

Before you decide whether to keep Smart Compose on or off, it's worth considering its key benefits and potential drawbacks.

The Benefits: Why You Should Keep It On

• Speed and Efficiency: It dramatically reduces the time spent typing, making email composition quicker and more fluid.
• Reduced Errors: By suggesting full words and phrases, it helps minimize spelling, grammar, and syntax mistakes.
• Context-Aware Suggestions: The feature goes beyond simple predictive text, offering contextually relevant phrases based on the subject line, previous email body, and time of day.

The Drawbacks: Why You Might Want to Turn It Off

• Loss of Personal Style: While personalization helps, some users feel that the feature can make their writing sound generic or "robotic."
• Distraction: The constant suggestions appearing on the screen can be a visual distraction and may interrupt your natural thought process.
• Intrusiveness: For those who prefer complete control over their writing, an AI assistant can feel intrusive or even presumptive.

Conclusion.

Gmail's Smart Compose is a powerful tool designed to streamline your communication. Its machine learning capabilities are impressive, offering a glimpse into the future of AI-assisted productivity. However, like any tool, its value depends on the user.

Whether you're a fast-paced professional looking to save every second or a writer who cherishes every word, the choice is now in your hands. By following these simple steps, you can tailor your Gmail experience to fit your personal workflow perfectly.

Chrome for Android Gets a Material 3 Makeover with Expressive Redesign.

Google is rolling out a significant visual refresh for Chrome on Android, introducing what appears to be a new "Material 3 Expressive" design language. This update brings the browser's interface into closer alignment with the look and feel of other first-party Google apps, while maintaining its core functionality.

The changes, which have begun to appear on devices running Chrome 139 and Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, are subtle but impactful. The most notable difference is a redesigned Omnibox, which now features a new segmented progress indicator with distinct rounded corners, replacing the older, continuous bar.

Image Credit: 9to5Google

Other key visual tweaks include:

• Circular Buttons: In the three-dot overflow menu, buttons for actions like "go forward," "bookmark star," and "refresh" have been placed inside circular containers, creating a more cohesive and visually appealing layout.

• Rounded Tabs: The 'new tab' button on the Tab Grid page is now housed in a rounded square container, and the tab, Incognito, and Groups switcher at the top of the page have also been placed within a similar container.

• Themed Tab Groups: The update introduces dynamic theming for unselected Tab Groups, adding a personalized touch that complements the rest of the interface.

Despite these changes, the overall button sizes remain the same, ensuring that the new design does not affect the usability of the browser. The update's rollout is not yet complete, but it signals Google's ongoing effort to unify its design language across its entire ecosystem, providing a more consistent and polished experience for users.

Also Read:

• Google Calculator Gets a Slick Material 3 'Expressive' Redesign.
• Google Keep Receives Fresh, Colorful Update with Material 3 Expressive Design.
• Google Clock App Gets a Major Material 3 'Expressive' Redesign.

Google Workspace Unlocks Deeper Data Insights with Daily Drive Exports.

Google has rolled out a major update for Google Workspace administrators, introducing the public beta of a new feature that allows for daily exports of Google Drive inventory reports directly to BigQuery. This enhancement significantly upgrades the existing weekly export option, providing organizations with a more frequent and granular look at their data assets.

The new functionality is designed to give administrators a powerful tool for improving data governance, enhancing security, and ensuring compliance. By exporting Drive data to BigQuery, organizations can leverage Google's robust data warehouse to analyze critical metrics in-depth, gaining a richer understanding of how data is classified, accessed, and used across their domain.

Why Daily Exports Are a Game-Changer.

While the previous weekly export provided a useful snapshot, the new daily cadence offers several key advantages for administrators:

• Proactive Security: The frequent data flow to BigQuery enables administrators to spot unusual access patterns, unauthorized file sharing, or potential data exfiltration attempts in a much more timely manner. This shift from a reactive to a proactive security posture can be critical in mitigating risks before they escalate.
• Enhanced Compliance: Many industries are subject to strict data retention and access regulations. With daily inventory reports, organizations can more easily audit their data and prove compliance by having a current record of how sensitive information is being handled.
• Deeper Analytics: The ability to export daily data allows for more sophisticated analysis and trend identification. Administrators can build custom dashboards in BigQuery that track data growth, sharing habits, and usage trends over time, providing valuable insights for resource planning and policy enforcement.

How to Enable the Feature.

The daily export feature is not automatically enabled. Google has confirmed that administrators must manually turn it on at the domain level. For organizations already using the weekly export, the transition is simple; they can switch to the daily schedule within the new "Export Schedule" section in their Drive inventory exports settings.

It is important to note that while the feature itself is a part of the supported Google Workspace editions, there are associated costs for storing and querying the exported data within your Google Cloud project's BigQuery instance. Google advises administrators to review the BigQuery pricing details and use the Google Cloud Pricing Calculator to estimate potential costs.

This feature is available to customers on the following Google Workspace editions:

• Enterprise Standard.
• Enterprise Plus.
• Frontline Plus.
• Education Standard.
• Education Plus.
• Enterprise Essentials Plus.
• Cloud Identity Premium.

This update solidifies Google's commitment to providing comprehensive and flexible data management tools for businesses of all sizes, empowering administrators with the data and insights necessary to maintain a secure and compliant digital environment.

Also Read: How To Audit File Sharing of Personal Google Drive.

ICC and Google Partner to Elevate Women's Cricket.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Google have announced a new global partnership aimed at enhancing fan engagement and accelerating the growth of women's cricket. This collaboration will leverage Google's cutting-edge technology to bring fans closer to the game, players, and key moments.

The partnership, a first of its kind with an exclusive focus on women's cricket, is designed to make the sport more accessible, dynamic, and meaningful for fans worldwide. By utilizing a range of Google products, including Android, Google Gemini, Google Pay, and Google Pixel, the initiative will expand on every stage of the fan journey from discovering highlights to celebrating team victories.

A Strategic Move to Capitalize on Growth.

This announcement comes at a pivotal time for women's cricket, which is experiencing significant growth in viewership and popularity globally. The partnership is set to play a key role in promoting two major upcoming events: the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 and the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026.

According to ICC Chairman Jay Shah, the collaboration will be instrumental in expanding the sport's global reach and inspiring the next generation of cricketers. The strategic use of Google's technology is expected to create new avenues for fan interaction and content consumption, helping to solidify women's cricket as a leading global sport.

What the Partnership Means for Fans.

The integration of Google's products will offer a more dynamic and personalized fan experience. For example, fans can expect to see enhanced features on Android, interactive content on Google Gemini, and seamless payment and engagement options through Google Pay. The partnership with Google Pixel will also likely lead to exclusive content and experiences that highlight the game's biggest stars.

By combining the ICC's commitment to the sport with Google's technological expertise, this collaboration promises to transform how fans engage with women's cricket, making it a more connected and celebrated sport on a global scale.

Google Home Adds Wi-Fi Presence Detection for Smarter Routines.

Google has introduced a new Wi-Fi presence detection feature to the Google Home app, enabling a more accurate and automated way to manage your smart home routines. This update, included in version 3.39 of the app, allows the system to determine if you are home or away simply by monitoring your mobile device's connection to your home Wi-Fi network.

This new capability enhances Google Home's existing suite of presence-sensing methods, which already includes using a phone's location data and triggers from smart home devices like motion sensors and voice commands.

How does it work?

The new Wi-Fi presence detection feature works by providing a simple, passive trigger for your "Home" and "Away" routines. For instance, when your phone disconnects from your home Wi-Fi, the Google Home app can automatically initiate an "Away Routine," a command that could turn off all lights, lock the doors, and adjust the thermostat to save energy. When your phone reconnects to the network, the app can then trigger a "Home Routine," which might turn on the lights, unlock smart locks, and set the temperature to your preferred comfort level.

This feature offers a reliable and seamless method for automating your home, as it relies on a consistent connection to the Wi-Fi network rather than the occasional location data updates from a phone's GPS. This could lead to fewer false triggers and a smoother, more efficient smart home experience.

Also Read: Google Acknowledges Home Assistant Glitches, Teases Major Gemini-Powered Upgrades.

Google Pixel 10 Users Report Wireless Charging Issues.

Early adopters of the Google Pixel 10 are reporting a series of issues with wireless charging, leading to inconsistent performance and slower-than-expected speeds. The problems appear to be related to the new device's compatibility with older wireless charging standards.

According to reports from early buyers, the primary issue is a failure to maintain a charge. Users are finding that their Pixel 10 devices will begin charging on a wireless pad, but the charging process stops unexpectedly after just a few seconds or a few minutes.

A second, related issue is a limitation on charging speeds. Many users are reporting that their phones are capping at a slow speed of around 5W, even on chargers that should be capable of delivering higher wattage. This has been observed on older Qi chargers, and even with the second-generation Pixel Stand, which was designed for previous Pixel devices.

The underlying cause for these issues is believed to be the Pixel 10's shift to the Qi2 Magnetic Power Profile (MPP). This new standard, which is also used in MagSafe chargers, may not be fully compatible with older chargers that use the Extended Power Profile (EPP). As a result, when a Pixel 10 is placed on an older charger that doesn't fully support the new standard, the device reverts to a slower, more universal charging speed or simply fails to maintain a connection.

For a reliable and fast wireless charging experience, the article suggests that users should use a Qi2-certified charger. This will ensure full compatibility and allow the Pixel 10 to charge at its maximum wireless speed.

Google has not yet issued an official statement or software update regarding these issues, but it's likely a fix or guidance will be provided as the company gathers more data from users.