Catching Up with the Latest from Google for October 2018

Google is a company that seems to always be one step ahead of the crowd when it comes to producing the latest technology and unlocking innovations. In the last few years, we've seen the Google Cloud Platform evolve with disruptive solutions spanning all the way from machine learning and artificial intelligence, to integrations with IoT (the Internet of Things).

The sheer speed of evolution within Google is enough to delight any forward-thinking Apps Admin. However, it can also be challenging to keep track of everything that's changing within the Google Cloud. To make sure that you don't miss out on any of the most significant announcements, upcoming transformations or solutions delivered through Google and the G-Suite, we've put together this quick overview of the latest updates to take place this fall.

Missed Google Cloud Next '18? We've Got You Covered

Worried that you missed out on the biggest transformations to Google this year, because you couldn't get a ticket to Google Cloud Next? Don't worry. You can check out our top announcements from the Cloud Next Conference here, or you can explore the countless videos taken from the event and shared by Google online. Some of our favorite videos include:

• How Google's IT Team Empowers Google Cloud Workers (27 minutes)
• Welcome to the Age of the Cloud Worker (36 minutes)
• Chrome Enterprise 2018 and Beyond (27 minutes)
• Google's Vision for a Safer Web (ideal for security admins) (28 minutes)
• A Day in the Life of a Googler (using Google to empower the workforce) (37 minutes)
• Work Smart and Stay Safe with Google (34 minutes)

Alternatively, Google has plenty of great blogs you can catch up on too, including a guide to the 5 things you can do with your Chrome Browser to improve the productivity of your workforce. If you ever need an instant insight into the recent changes in the Google Cloud Platform, the Google blog is a great source of information. Remember, if you're worried about missing Cloud Next, you can also check out announcements from Google at Google Cloud Next in London between the 10th and 11th of October.

The Latest Google Updates for Enterprises: Chrome Browser

There's plenty of exciting things happening at Google this Fall. For instance, IT teams now have the opportunity to manage their Chrome Browser instances from the cloud, and across multiple operating systems at the same time. The recent Chrome Browser update means that companies can handle more than 300 Google policies at once across multiple different platforms within one cloud-native portal.

You don't have to worry about managing your browser policies separately for Chrome OS, Mac, and Windows users anymore. Instead, everything is easily accessible within the cloud. You can also get more visibility into your browser deployments too. For instance, IT admins can see everything from user reports to inventory information, to better understand how people are using their tech.

Speaking of the new Chrome Browser release, IT teams will be able to enforce new policies to secure their digital workforce too with the updated "Password Alert Policy." The password alert policy is based on a popular Chrome extension, and it allows enterprises to set up rules for preventing corporate password use on websites outside of the control of the business. Users in your Chrome network will be alerted whenever they use a corporate password on a site that isn't allowed within the organization. You can also decide whether you want to apply this service only when your users put a password into a site that Google believes to be a phishing site.

Managed Google Play for Apps Admins

Much of the excitement around the latest Google updates comes down to the company's recent release of the beta release 69 of Chrome which emerged a couple of weeks ago. For IT admins, this update brings some significant changes to the things supported by Chrome so that you can enjoy a more secure and stable experience for all of your users.

Another exciting update that's sure to capture the attention of Apps Admins is Managed Google Play, which is now finally out of beta mode. Managed Google Play provides employees with more app choices to help them enhance their digital productivity levels. Additionally, it also helps Apps Admins with more secure and straightforward app curation.

Google Play was delivered to support Chromebooks for the first time in 2016, and since then, the popularity of the service has grown. For Enterprise Customers, the ability to use Google Play out of beta is a huge upgrade. After all, over 50 different models of Chromebook now support Android apps. What's more, there are plenty of fantastic developers out there like Adobe, Cisco, Citrix, Atlassian and VMWare that have their Chrome book applications.

With managed Google Play, admins will be able to curate their applications and deliver them according to user group, as well as customizing additional functions and policies like remote uninstall and blacklisting for specific apps.

Introducing Google Grab and Go

If you've ever had the nightmare of dealing with an employee who accidentally spilt coffee on their Chromebook, or you've needed to give someone a temporary machine to work in, then Grab and Go is the perfect Google update for you. The service announced as part of Next 2018, allows administrators in the enterprise to equip employees with the Chromebook technology they need, whenever they need it most.

The Grab and Go solution is a self-service program where people in an enterprise can quickly and easily borrow and return devices, pre-equipped with all the tools they might need to use on a daily basis. According to the Google blog, the company has already seen significant success with their grab and go strategy around the world.

Want to stay up to date with the latest from Google? Make sure you keep track of our blog for all of the best Apps Admin news! Alternatively, if you're looking for help setting up your app strategy, reach out to Coolhead Tech today!