Does the new meeting icon bother you in the Gmail Android app? For a few weeks in Gmail, you can find a new option on its main screen, the “Meet” tab, which takes you to Meet meetings immediately.
It’s a pretty good feature, but the truth is that for some it can be annoying to have the icon there. Either because you don’t use Meet or because the icon seems to take up a lot of space, the good thing is that you can remove it. Find out how to hide the “Meet up” option in the Gmail app.
Google has integrated Google Meet into the Gmail app for Android
Google continues to push Google Meet as one of the best video calling apps in the world. Each time it gives greater prominence within other platforms, and the last was through the Gmail application.
Now in Gmail, you can access a Meet meeting without having to go to the main app of this service. It is a very comfortable option, which we also applaud because the integration of multiple platforms from the same ecosystem is great.
This is something similar to what Facebook Inc. has been doing for a few months, increasingly integrating WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Do we love it? Definitely yes, although in the case of the Gmail update there is a detail that may not be liked by everyone.
This is how you can hide the Meet meetings tab in Gmail
As we mentioned at the beginning, the new “Meetup” icon that appears in the Gmail app may not appeal to everyone. It certainly takes up a lot of screen space to be an option that you won’t always use, and there are also some users who don’t even use Meet.
Taking both cases into account, Google allows you to hide the meetings tab in the Gmail app and all you have to do is this:
Open the Gmail app on your mobile.
Access the side menu by sliding from left to right or by clicking on the three bars icon.
Select “Settings” to enter the application settings.
Click on your email to modify the properties of your account in the app.
Find and uncheck the option “Show the Meet tab for video calls. “
As simple as that, just 5 steps so that you never see the Google Meet meetings tab in the Gmail app again. Of course, you can always reactivate it by doing the exact same process.
How to activate the speedometer (or odometer) on your smartphone and Google Maps and also the display of speed limits on the streets
Google Maps becomes more complete, not only as an app to discover places and places but also as a satellite navigator, with new functions that are added continuously.
Among the information provided during a trip by car, we can view and check the traffic situation in real-time and also the location of speed cameras.
What was missing so far in Google Maps, which instead is a normal indication in every GPS navigator, was a speedometer that showed us how fast we are going precisely and always in real-time.
Now, this feature has been integrated into Google Maps, and finally it is possible to see on the screen, during road navigation, the odometer. Also, by installing an external app, you can add the speed limit indication on each road.
Activate the speedometer in Google Maps
In the latest version of Google Maps (tested on an Android smartphone, but also available on the iPhone), the speedometer should already be enabled by default.
If it does not appear in navigator mode, while driving along the recommended route, you can check whether the option is disabled.
Then go to “Settings” from the menu with three lines at the top left, then up Navigator settings, scroll down until you find the switch on the Speedometer, and for activating the odometer display, to turn it on.
After enabling this function, try to start navigating to a place to see the speedometer inside a circle at the bottom left, even if you are standing still, with a number indicating the speed in Km / h.
Activate the speed limit
The speedometer is very useful on its own and it is even more useful since you can also see the Google Maps speed limits of the roads, to check if they are not exceeding and with the speedometer that turns yellow and then red when the speed limit is exceeded.
There is also an external app to see speed limits in Google Maps on Android call Velociraptor. This free and open-source application is based on the free OpenStreet Maps data to show speed limits directly in Google Maps.
After installing Velociraptor it is necessary to provide all the permissions it asks for and then let it overlap on other apps, which can detect the position and which can start automatically with the Maps apps such as Google Maps and Waze (in the options you can configure which apps can automatically start Velociraptor).
If you want, you can configure other apps to bring up the speedometer on your Android smartphone, even without opening Google Maps.
In the Velociraptor settings, you can activate the speed limit and instead deactivate the speedometer which is no longer needed since it is already included in Google Maps.
The app also works with Waze and Here Maps, although these are applications that already provide this information.
It is certainly excellent to activate Google Maps. In the settings, you can activate or deactivate the audible warning, change the unit of measurement from miles per hour to kilometers per hour, and choose when to receive a speed warning for exceeding the limit.
At this point, you can close the application and open Google Maps where an image will appear with the speed limit sign detected on the road where you are. This image can be moved on the screen to the position you prefer.
Everything we say to the Google assistant and the voice commands is recorded and can be heard on the Google website
Many of us already know that Google keeps historical data on everything we do through its apps and its search engine: the key with which Google earns and therefore manages to offer its services for free lies in its great profiling ability, which is active on every Google service we use.
What is not surprising is that voice searches made on the search engine are also recorded on audio files, together with the voice commands to be translated on Google Translate or the voice commands launched to the Google assistant (from Android phone and/or from Google Nest).
In this guide, we will show you how to check the voice recordings left on each Google service so that you can decide whether to delete all or only part of it.
How to check Google voice history
All that we say verbally on an Android smartphone or in a Google service is registered in audio files, stored on Google servers; although this could make privacy fanatics turn up their noses, we can still listen to these files at any time and, if necessary, delete them.
We have full control of the recorded files even if we will never fully know how they are used by Google (in doubt, better delete them at regular intervals).
Check the history of Google voice commands from PC
If we have carried out searches on the Google search engine using our voice (by pressing the microphone-shaped button next to the search bar), we can view all voice search recordings from a desktop or notebook computer taking us to the page dedicated to Google activity management, we log in with the Google account we want to check then press on the item Change setting, present just below the section Web and app activity is active.
In the window that will open, make sure to tick the item Include voice and audio recordings, so that voice searches made on the Google search engine can also be displayed in the activity manager.
Once the check is activated, press on Close and scroll down the page until you find the voice recordings made; by clicking on the button in the shape of three dots next to the recording we can quickly delete it, as well as all the recordings made in a specific day or period (by pressing the trash can icon immediately at the top right of each period).
Alternatively, we can delete all recordings by pressing on the right side Delete activity for and choosing the period to be deleted (including the entry From the beginning, which erases everything Google has registered since we use the account).
In the same screen, we will find the voice commands launched by the Google voice assistant or the Google Home Mini / Google Nest; all we have to do is filter them, listen to them and decide which ones to keep or which to delete (we will often find gods Transcription not available for audio files started by mistake or with too much background noise).
Check Google voice command history from Android
If we have an Android smartphone or tablet we can access the same screen seen in the previous chapter by opening the app settings by clicking on the menu Google and clicking on the item Manage your Google Account. In the new screen, we press on Data and personalization and, in the section Activity management, we press on the voice Web and app activities.
In the new window, make sure to tick the item Include voice and audio recordings, then press on Manage activities to check all the recordings stored in the Google account associated with our Android smartphone or tablet, with the possibility of deleting them individually or in groups (by clicking on the icon with the three dots at the top right and choosing Delete activity for).
Check Google voice command history from iPhone / iPad
If we often use Google services on Apple products such as iPhone and iPad, we can manage and delete the history of voice commands by opening the app Gmail by tapping on the icon three horizontal lines, pressing on Settings, then on the name of our Google account (above) and finally on the item Manage your Google Account.
A screen similar to that seen on Android will open, where you just have to press on the menu Data and personalization and then on Web and app activities.
In the screen familiar to us, we place a checkmark on the item Include voice and audio recordings then we press on the item Manage activities to check the voice recordings saved on your Google Account.
Also, in this case, we can delete the single items that we find or delete blocks of recordings by pressing at the top right of the icon with the three dots and choosing Delete activity.
Conclusions
Google offers full control of all the voice recordings that we make from the site, from the app or the smartphone, to always let us choose what to delete and what to keep on the account (also to improve the response of voice commands).
In another guide, we saw how to verify these data in the Google Account online privacy control panel where you can also see the searches done on Youtube and the places we have been, registered by Google Maps on the smartphone, to keep under control every element useful to protect our privacy.
If we do not want to use the Google Voice Assistant and then disable the voice commands on our Android smartphone or tablet, we can do so by reading our article How to disable Ok Google and Narrator on Android.
Google Meet is a video conferencing service created by Big G, immediate but very powerful. On the internet we often talked about videoconferencing services during the lockdown for the pandemic, we have dedicated a study to the best services.
Google has developed a good video calling experience, first with the launch of Hangout and then of Google Duo. The first one has evolved to become Hangout Meet, and then only Meet, a professional video conferencing solution, Duo has become its counterpart for group calls with friends.
In short, Google has decided to offer different services based on the type of users and optimized tailored to their needs.
What is Google Meet
As mentioned above, Google Meet is an excellent and powerful one cloud video conferencing service, which completes the G-suite. The G-suite is a collection of advanced tools that Google offers (for a fee) to companies or institutions.
The Google Suite is a group of services that consists not only of Meet but also of:
Google Docs, the group of cloud office programs, advanced and collaborative;
Google Drive, 30 GB are included with the basic plan and space is unlimited with the other plans;
a version dedicated to GMail businesses, without ads and with the possibility of using email with a personalized domain;
collaborative notes by Keep;
Google Calendar for business version and more.
Until September 30, 2020, Google Meet is available for free with no limits for everyone. Google, based on the evolution of the global pandemic, may decide to extend this term.
What are the features of Google Meet?
Google Meet as Webex, Jitsi, as Zoom would like to be, is a professional video conferencing tool. Its strength lies in being a cloud service, therefore no client on the desktop is needed to start and participate in conferences, the client is only necessary for use on mobile, and is available for Android and iOS (the system of iPhone and iPad).
As such it allows:
to have extended meetings with up to a maximum of 250 participants;
to be able to share your desktop, individual windows, and files;
the administrator to be able to silence and kick out any harassing participants.
Also, everything is integrated with other Google services, so collaborative editing, sharing of contacts and notes, and much more is possible.
Google Meet: the costs
To date, its use is free, Google, given the pandemic period, is trying to impose its video conferencing product. Previously, the use was free for non-profit organizations and, since the start of the lockdowns, it has also been made free for schools.
In any case, there is no Google Meet plan, the service could only be used through one of the floors for the G-suite to which it belongs. There are three, the basic one starts from € 4.68 per month.
It was not the cheapest solution for video calls, but the price for all the services of the suite is fairly fair, so much so that the solution was chosen by multiple companies especially during the smart working period.
Prerequisites for using Google Meet
If you have a user of the company G-suite, to access the Meet service you must request authorization from your administrator (there is a specific option in his administrative console).
To use the service, a device with a supported operating system must be available:
Windows;
macOS;
Chrome OS;
Ubuntu and other Linux distributions based on Debian;
Android (through the appropriate app, to be downloaded from Play Store);
iOS and iPadOS (via the client, to be downloaded from App Store).
On desktop systems, listed above with the numbers from 1 to 4, the service is supported on the following programs to navigate (browser):
Chrome;
Mozilla Firefox;
Microsoft Edge;
Apple Safari.
In addition to the software requirements, you also need hardware to use the service, specifically:
Sign up for Google Meet
The beauty of the service is that no need to register for a Google Meet account. To start using the service just go to This Page and log in with your Google account.
If you do not have a Google account, you can do so by registering a new one that can also be used as a Gmail email address. If you own an Android smartphone surely you already have a Google account as it is usually used for the first configuration of the device.
How to join a meeting
You can participate in a meeting on Google Meet even without a Google account, as no registration is needed, just click on the invitation via the link provided by the administrator and you can join the video conference.
Or you can join a video conference even by going to the service site and entering the code of the same in the appropriate box and clicking on the button “Participate“.
On a mobile device just download the app for Android or iOS and then press on the invitation link. Or open the app, press on meeting code, enter the code that has been provided to us and press the “Participate“.
Even from Gmail, you can now participate in a meeting, just enter your Gmail email, and, in the bar on the left of the screen, there will be the new section “Meet“. Here you can click on the item “Join meeting“, Enter the code and finally click on the button”Participate“.
How to start a meeting
Starting a meeting on Google Meet is simple, on desktop systems you can connect to the service page and click on the green button “Start meeting“. Then the browser will ask us if it can have access to the webcam and click on “Allow” To be able to use it in video meetings.
On mobile just start the Meet app and click on “New meeting“, Then you can share the link with our participants. The room code can be obtained by simply going to the card identified by the circular icon with an “i” inside.
On desktop just go to the site and press the button “Start a meeting“, Then you will have the link to share.
Always on desktop, you can also start a call using Gmail, just enter the Gmail page and in the bar on the left of the screen, there will be the new section “Meet“. Here you can click on the item “Join meeting“, Enter the code and finally click on the button”Start meeting“.
The Google Meet interface
The interface is really simple and effective, if you have ever used a video chat program you will certainly be at ease, at the center, there are people connected with you on video.
At the top right there are the buttons to manage the participants (and invite them), to send text messages and finally a small corner where you can always see yourself.
Below from left to right, we meet:
the pulsating “Meeting details” From which you can get the link to invite new people;
the button to activate or deactivate the microphone;
the one with the red handset to end the call;
the one with the icon of a video camera to activate or deactivate the Webcam;
the “Present” button which allows other participants to view windows or our entire screen;
Finally, there is the menu button which is characterized by three dots, inside there are various very useful options such as that to change the layout (therefore the arrangement of the meeting participants on our screen) and to activate the automatic subtitles.
How to request a refund and return of money for apps purchased on the Google Play Store, Apple Store, Windows Store
Like any purchase, even that of applications and games on an online store is protected with the right of withdrawal, so we can always go back on our steps and get the money back.
In fact, we buy an app but, after trying it, we realize that it is not for us or does not turn well or it was a mistake or that was not what you wanted, you can always ask for a refund.
Since the thing is not so immediate and so intuitive, it is good to know how the refund procedure works for all the stores currently usable.
We will, therefore, show you in this guide how to ask for a refund for purchased apps on the Google Play Store, on the Apple App Store, and also on the Windows Store for Windows 10.
How to make a refund on the app stores
To request a refund, it is necessary to act as quickly as possible, since there are time limits for asking for money back (usually no more than 2 days).
If we let too much time go by, the window to ask for a refund may have passed and we will have to keep the app, without getting anything back.
Refund on the Google Play Store
The refund policy for the Google Play Store is really simple and clear: if we don’t like the app we just bought, we can immediately uninstall it and then ask for a refund of the money spent. The important thing is that a refund is required no later than 48 hours of installation.
To get a refund, open the Google Play Store app on our device, press on the top left on the three horizontal lines, press on the menu Account, and then let’s go to the form Purchase history.
In the screen that will appear we press on the order of the purchased app then we press on the item Request a refund. If the indicated item is not present, we can also press on Report a problem and indicate the most suitable item for our problem.
It is also possible to contact the specific app developer and get refunds on in-app purchases that were made in error.
Refunds on the Apple App Store
To obtain a refund for the purchase of an app on an iPhone or iPad we must act from a web browser such as Safari (integrated into all Apple devices) or Google Chome from a PC or Mac. Once the browser is open, let’s go to the page Apple Problem Reporting and log in with the Apple ID with which we made the purchase.
In the screen that appears, let’s go to the tab App and press on the item Report or Report a problem next to the app we want to ask for a refund; from now on, just follow the instructions on the screen to benefit from the full refund.
We remind you that Apple allows you to request a refund of the app within 14 days from the purchase date, but we must not abuse this functionality: Apple itself can block future refunds if it notices a fraudulent attitude, thus preventing us from getting the money back for an indefinite period of time.
Refund request for Microsoft Store
If we purchased an app from the Microsoft Store integrated into Windows 10 and want to make a refund, we open the Web Edge browser or Google Chrome on the same computer and go to the page reserved for Microsoft purchases and orders.
By logging in with the Microsoft account used for the purchase we will see all our orders in the foreground; now all that remains is to identify the order that contains the app on which we want to request a refund and press on the item Request a refund; if this button is not present, the purchase was not eligible for refunds or more than 14 days have passed since the purchase, therefore we can no longer claim the refund of the expenditure made.
How to cancel a subscription to an app or service
Some apps are provided by subscription, i.e. we pay every month or every year for their use; we are talking about apps dedicated to professional use but also apps for reading newspapers or apps for editing office files, which therefore require constant payment.
For these apps or services, we cannot request a refund of the amount spent so far but we can deactivate the subscription so that no further expenses will be invoiced to us; below we have collected the procedures for canceling active subscriptions.
To disable active subscriptions on Android we open the app Google Play, press on the top left on the three horizontal lines then click on Subscriptions and deactivate the subscription that we no longer want to renew.
To disable active subscriptions on iPhone or iPad we open the App Store, press at the top right on the image of our profile, and go to the menu Subscriptions so that you can deactivate the subscription to be removed.
To deactivate active subscriptions on your Microsoft account, simply open the page Microsoft Purchase History seen in the previous chapter and deactivate the subscription that we no longer want to pay.
In this way, we will always have maximum control over the spending made with our accounts connected to smartphones, tablets, or PCs.
Conclusions
Even if the best apps to use on smartphones are paid, nothing prevents us from trying the paid app for a few hours and then ask for a refund, especially if it has not fully convinced us or does not start right on our device.
The only precaution is to always act within the limits established by the Store, to avoid finding ourselves with apps that we have paid for and that we no longer want.
Two days before the International SME Day that will take place on the 27th of June, we have compiled 5 simple tips on Google Maps to help small businesses during the pandemic.
Report a site as reopened and add useful information Small business owners may not yet have the time or resources to update their information online.
As cities and economies reopen, people are looking for new ways to support their favorite local businesses. Two days before Day SME International marked on the 27th of June we have compiled5 simple tips on Google Maps to help small businesses during the pandemic.
1. Report a place as reopened and add useful information
Small business owners may not yet have the time or resources to update their information online. If you know that a business has reopened to the public but remains marked closed on Google Maps or Search, you can report that it has already reopened.
Just click on the “Temporarily closed” tab that appears and choose the option “suggest an update” to let us know that the business has reopened. And for businesses that reopened at different times, you can also submit updates with the new opening hours.
2. Spread the word with reviews, ratings, and photos
Share your experience. Writing about the takeaway experience you had at that restaurant or adding photographs of the menu or dish you ordered to your review can help businesses you like to attract more customers.
3. Buy a gift card or make a donation
If the user has the means, buy a gift card or make a donation to help companies in their community. Doing this gives business owners the funds to support employees, assuring them that they will have their business in the future.
Not sure who needs support? If the user is in the U.S., UK, or Canada, just type “support local businesses” or a similar term in Google Search to see a list of businesses in your area that accepts donations or offer gift cards. If you’re in a large metropolitan area (like London or New York) by June 27, you can also click on the Google Maps app banner on your phone to find businesses near you looking for support.
Now companies from more than 20 countries can set up gift cards or donation campaigns through Google My Business.
4. Make a reservation for an upcoming appointment
Lost reservations and services rendered are understandable today but can be worrisome for local business people and employees. Consider rescheduling services and appointments to a future date to ensure that local merchants maintain their business. Many spaces and businesses accept bookings and reservations directly from Search or Google Maps.
5. Orders or deliveries
Many restaurants and bars that are closed for meals have take-away services. If the user is not in the mood to cook, go to one of the restaurants near him. Use Google Maps to find the restaurants and find out what services are available, such as takeaway service or another service that does not have contact with each other.
Having a voice assistant available and using artificial intelligence functions can be very useful and productive if however, you are among the users who for privacy reasons would like not to be listened to by the microphone, it is, fortunately, possible to completely disable Google Assistant on all Android smartphones and Chromebooks. Let’s see how to do it!
How to disable Google Assistant on Android devices
Android smartphone
Google Assistant is integrated and active by default at power on all systems that use Android.
The assistant is immediately ready for use and the advantages of having it at hand are practically innumerable, but if for any reason you do not want to use the digital help of the assistant on your Android smartphone, deactivating it is an extremely simple operation.
Here are the steps to do it :
Step 1:
Open the Google Assistant settings of your Android smartphone, go to Settings> Google> Account Services> Search, assistant and voice functions> Google Assistant ;
Step 2:
In the screen that opens, touch the Assistant tab and scroll down to the bottom of the page;
Step 3:
In the Assistant Devices section, touch your device;
Step 4:
In the opened screen, now deactivate the assistant toggle.
Chromebook
Over the past two years, Google has started releasing Google Assistant on recent and non- Chromebooks.
Just like on a smartphone, the voice assistant also facilitates actions on the computer. However, if you don’t want to use the Assistant even on Chromebook, you can quickly disable it through the settings.
On your Chromebook, open the Settings app. In the sidebar, scroll down and click on Search and Assistant. Click on the item to open the Google Assistant section. Then act on the first toggle to completely deactivate the assistant.
From now on, Google Assistant will no longer be active in the background and as a result, it will no longer be able to activate the microphone.
You will no longer be able to give voice commands for internet research, send a message or anything.
If you had second thoughts, you can reactivate the assistant, going to the settings listed above, and reactivating the toggle on the relevant page.
Google Maps is one of the applications most popular on Android, in addition to being one of the most useful to users. One of the most recent changes in the application, which we can also enjoy in Portugal, is the new less robotic voice.
Google continues to make changes to its navigation application, like the one we’re going to talk about.
Google Maps starts showing the location of traffic lights on the road. This is something that is at a somewhat early stage, but we will start to have icons that indicate the presence of traffic lights when we are using the Google Maps application.
Google Maps now starts showing these traffic lights when navigating when driving. Note that the icons are small, it is necessary to zoom in to see them correctly. In navigation, they have a larger size, which makes viewing easier.
The application still doesn’t mention anything about traffic lights. The logical thing is that, in the near future, the application will allow you to plan routes and avoid as many traffic lights as possible, but it seems that this is not possible at this time. The introduction of traffic lights in the application is still at an early stage.
In fact, few users are able to see these traffic lights on Google Maps. Everything indicates that the company is testing the introduction of this function, but that it is not ready for everyone to use it.
The position data inserted in the photos taken with your smartphone can be useful to collect and quickly find certain images related to a specific place. Such sensitive information, however, may fall into unauthorized hands which are now not adequately protected.
Fortunately, you can disable the geotag of photos from the camera settings, in this guide we will tell you how to do it on Google Pixel and Samsung smartphones.
How to disable the camera geotag on Google Pixel and Samsung smartphones
Here are the steps to follow, to prevent the application of geotag to photos taken with Google Pixel and Samsung smartphone cameras:
Open the Camera app on your phone.
Then go to the camera settings;
On Samsung-branded smartphones, the relative icon is located in the upper left corner of the interface. On Google Pixel devices, you must instead touch the icon with the arrow pointing downwards, located at the top of the screen, then touching the gear icon, to open the settings page in the menu displayed;
Now turn off the location toggle in the camera settings menu. On Samsung smartphones, this is positioned at the bottom, while on Google Camera it is placed in the first position among the settings.
By deactivating the position, you will ensure that the geotag data will no longer be included in future photos taken.
Instead, you will have to manually remove the tag, in those photos taken that already contain the location information.
Unfortunately, humans began to build houses, buildings, factories, shops, roads, among other things; without considering that not all people can move with the same ease.
For whatever reason, there are many people in the world who depend on an instrument, such as a wheelchair, to get around on a daily basis. The problem that these people encounter on a daily basis is that the world is not designed for them, especially when they go to public places with high steps or narrow places.
Many companies and governments have already started to change this, providing transit facilities for people with motor disabilities.
However, there is another problem with this and that is that there is not much information on the Internet that allows users to know which public places are accessible by wheelchair. Therefore, celebrating the Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Google Maps is introducing a new function that allows highlighting places accessible by wheelchair.
You can now see the wheelchair accessible places on Google Maps
This new function of Google Maps comes through a switch that you will see in the app with the name of “Accessible places” that, when pressed, will highlight on the map the places where you can travel with a wheelchair.
In addition, all Google Maps users (including business owners) can add specific information about the accessibility of some places to help people with wheelchairs.
Of course, for now this function is only available in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, but Google hopes to extend it to all countries in the world in the coming years.If you are one of the lucky ones who can already try this new feature of Google Maps, you can activate it from Settings> Accessibility settings.
Wheelchair icons will appear in search results on Google Maps. Instead, details like entrances, elevators, and public restrooms; will appear in the site listings. In this way, people with wheelchairs will be able to know when they can go to a place by themselves and when they will need the help of another person.
At the moment, Google Maps has accessibility data for more than 15 million places.
Of course, there are certain places that, for historical preservation or other reasons, are not required by law to improve their accessibility for disabled people.
Therefore, you will not see many public sites highlighted on Google Maps with this function. Even so, we are facing a great initiative that we hope will quickly spread to more countries.
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Many of us already know that Google keeps historical data on everything we do through its apps and its search engine: the key with which Google earns and therefore manages to offer its services for free lies in its great profiling ability, which is active on every Google service we use.
