10 essential Chromebook keyboard shortcuts you need to know

Getting to know your Chromebook’s keyboard can save time and make you more productive.

If you’re one of those people who want to keep their hands on the keyboard when they’re sitting in front of a computer — I know I am — then you need to check out the keyboard shortcuts built into your Chromebook.

There are over 100 different things you can do with the keys alone. You can access menus, start apps, switch between things, check your notifications and do just about anything you would ever need in the browser using a combination of the modifier keys (Control, Alt, and Shift) combined with other keys. Some of them you already know because they are universal across most things with a keyboard, like copying text with the Control + c key combo. Others you might not know — like switching languages with Control + Shift + space bar. Even shortcuts you should never need to use, like Alt + Search for CAPS LOCK are there. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THE CAPS LOCK.

Of course very few of us will memorize all the different things we can do through our Chromebook keyboard or which keys we need to press to do them. But I do have a few I use every day, and I think you’ll benefit from knowing my top ten. Here they are, in no specific order.

• See all the shortcuts with Control + Alt + / (see a full keyboard overlay with Control + Alt + ?)
• Open the file manager with Alt + Shift + m
• Launch an app from your shelf with Alt + 1 through 8
• Open the browser menu with Alt + e
• Snap open windows with Alt + [ (snap to the left side) and Alt + ] (snap to the right side)
• Turn a word into a URL by typing it into the Ominbar then pressing Control + Enter
• Move the cursor by the word instead of the letter in a text field with Control + right/left arrows (highlight each word as you move through them with Control + Shift + right/left arrow)
• Open your notifications with Control + Alt + n
• Switch tabs with Control + 1 through 8 (open the last tab on the right with Control + 9)
• Reopen the last tab you closed with Control + Shift + T

Protip: If you use the same tab(s) day in and day out, drop it in the number one (furthest left) spot. I keep three tabs I always have open in positions one, two, and three. And none of them are Android Central because it stays at the very end at all times. With my pinky finger on the Control key, I can get to them without ever moving the cursor.

These are the ones I know by heart — my brain just can’t hold any more of them in memory — my RAM is full. I know there are shortcuts for changing screen zoom (Control + and – because I just looked. Again.) but I can never remember them when I need them. Instead, I know Alt + e opens the menu where I can click the tiny button to do it. Thankfully, you can bookmark a page that has them all at Google’s Chromebook Help center or just memorize the first one in my list.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets plenty of mileage from my keyboard. If you have any shortcuts you use every day, let us know in the comments!

Update, September 2017: Nothing has changed, so we can stay productive on our Chromebooks!

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Google Play is coming to Chromebooks
• Acer Chromebook 14 review
• Join our Chromebook forums

Become one with the virtual worlds with this PlayStation VR bundle for $300

If you haven’t already taken the plunge and picked up a PlayStation VR, today may be the day that changes. Amazon is currently offering a bundle that includes both the headset and camera for $299.99 when you use the coupon code PSVRSAVE at checkout. This is a great deal considering the headset itself normally runs $350, and the camera is around $50 as well.

Unlike the last time this bundle was available for this price, this one doesn’t appear to come with any extra games. Don’t worry though, you can take some of that $100 you just saved and pick up some great games to get yourself started. Our friends at VR Heads say that Eve: Valkyrie, Job Simulator and Star Trek: Bridge Crew are some of the best games out there right now.

See at Amazon

More from Thrifter

• Tips for becoming an expert eBay seller
• Skip the expensive pet store options and make your own dog bed at home

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

‘Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier’ multiplayer will test friendships

Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier is an entirely choice-based game. There are no real heroes or villains among the humans and apes you play as, and no right or wrong paths to take towards the conclusion of this choose your own adventure. Atypical of storytelling games, though, there’s a multiplayer element that’s almost meta. Not only do you have to resolve conflicts within the game, you also have to do it within your own living room, debating, persuading and occasionally forcing other players to accept your point of view to move the narrative forward.

The origin story of Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier is one of fortuitous timing. Former VP of Disney Interactive Martin Alltimes had planned to leave his post with the goal of setting up a nimbler, independent studio focused on narrative-driven games. Andy Serkis’ The Imaginarium, a production company specializing in motion capture, had finished work on Ryse: Son of Rome and thought an in-house video game arm would be a sensible expansion. A few pitches later and The Imaginati Studios was born, with Alltimes at the helm and a license from 20th Century Fox in hand.

The game is set between the events of the last two movies in the rebooted franchise. It follows a shrewdness of apes that left San Francisco after their chosen leader, Koba, was defeated by protagonist Caesar (the climax of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes). Fearing reprisal, they journeyed hundreds of miles to the Rocky Mountains to start their own community, arriving in spring. We join the story as winter is setting in and food is scarce, forcing the apes to come into contact with a human compound occupied by mid-western farmer types that are themselves most concerned with quiet survival.

Both camps have similarly messy internal dynamics, and it’s your job to decide how those take shape and, ultimately, how interactions between the groups play out. On the side of the apes, you assume the role of Bryn, one of three sons of troupe leader Kahn. On either side of him, you have the aggressive and warmongering Tola, and the fearful Juno, who has a genetic deformity that makes other apes see him as weak and expendable.

This simpler, high school-esque hierarchy is in contrast with the more political power struggle looming over the human camp. Jess’ status as leader is vulnerable, since she inherited the title from her late husband. She’s a relatively diplomatic member of the group, and must contend with more pragmatic views and manage the aggressive nature of trigger-happy, ape-hunter types.

By playing as both races, you are encouraged to empathize with each side, making no decision truly black or white. And Last Frontier is all about decisions. It’s more like an interactive movie in that respect, as choosing what road the story takes is the sole gameplay mechanic. When Last Frontier is released later this year (no firm launch details as yet), it’ll be priced to reflect that. I’m told around the $20-25 mark — somewhere in between the cost of a cinema ticket and triple-A title.

Alltimes was inspired to go all-in on the storytelling side of things by some of his favorite games, such as Until Dawn, Life Is Strange and particularly, Heavy Rain. “I thought what they did at Quantic Dream was really groundbreaking. They took a big risk. They put storytelling front and center, they didn’t rely on traditional game mechanics,” he said.

Setting a narrative game in the Planet of the Apes universe felt like a good fit. The Imaginarium already had a long relationship with 20th Century Fox, the technology to capture lifelike and emotionally engaging performances for the game, and it was an easy way for investors to understand how that expertise could be leveraged by an in-house development team. Importantly for Alltimes, though, it’s a compelling storyline.

“[Planet of the Apes] gave me a great basis for a choice-based game because it meant I could have legitimately interesting endings. So you’ve got this morally ambiguous universe where both sides of the story have good and bad sides to them and where there are legitimate reasons for their behavior — because bottom line, they’re both trying to survive.”

Keen for Last Frontier not to appear as merchandise, the game includes an all-new cast of characters and isn’t timed to coincide with anything from the film franchise. And by doing the exact opposite of sticking an ape on a horse, handing it a machine gun and turning into an action game, Alltimes hopes it’ll be judged on its own merit. Making you play as both sides of the conflict and toying with your loyalties is also key. “Otherwise, there’s no tension. There’s no drama.”

The sheer simplicity of the game design is precarious, of course. It relies completely on A or B decisions, mostly guiding the narrative but occasionally a real-time action that must be judged upon swiftly. The rest is just watching. Since there’s no ‘detective’ element to the game, The Imaginati felt adding manual character controls, just for the sake of running over to another character to spark an interaction, was unnecessary.

Alltimes hopes this simplicity will broaden the title’s appeal beyond the traditional console gamer. The yang to that yin is that there’ll also be plenty of pad warriors that’ll ignore the title for exactly the same reason, regardless of the price. At some point during the development cycle, The Imaginati realized that the straightforward mechanics presented an interesting opportunity. “If I’m not directly in control of this character, then other people can vote with me, and that’s what lead us down the route to multiplayer,” Alltimes recalls.

What changes during a multiplayer run is up to four people get to choose the next course of action independently. This part is blind, but when everyone’s made a decision, their names appear on-screen next to their preference. Only a unanimous choice will advance the story, unless one of the players spends their override token (my words) to force A or B through. This power-up resets when everyone has assumed the role of dictator once. On PS4, the game works with Sony’s PlayLink, meaning players can use their smartphones instead of a pad if there aren’t enough to go around. This feature is also very mom-friendly since the choices are mirrored on the smaller screen — you only need one finger to play, effectively.

Multiplayer doesn’t alter the story one bit, but what it promises is as much action taking place off-screen as on-screen, with players debating, persuading and trolling each other with their trump cards to move the story forward. Alltimes calls it “a more intimate experience” that adds a thin layer of strategy to the mix. “You can’t underestimate what people bring to it, what their personalities bring to it. You can’t plan for that, you can’t design for that, it just comes out naturally.”

“We can have a social experience around the television, which used to be part of console gaming and has now largely gone away with online.” That social experience, of course, could mean having a nice time sitting through an interactive movie with your friends. Or it could mean a heavily charged debate that ends with you overriding everyone else and watching them squirm as an orangutan gets beaten half to death with a metal pipe on your orders.

In this way, there’s potential for the game to be a case of resolving conflicts between players, and not the apes and humans on the other side of the glass. “Some people are mischievous, some people are very collaborative and sincere, and that changes the dynamic every time you play it.” Replayability is something The Imaginati focused on during development. Removing any player-controlled movement keeps the pace consistent, making for a relatively bite-sized two-to-three-hour total playtime.

The upside of this — as far as the pitch goes, at least — is that you’re more likely to revisit it. There are three main conclusions you can arrive at, with another layer of endings beyond that depending on things like who you’ve killed along the way, you monster. Whether you’ll want to replay the story when your first attempt ended in a family shouting match is another matter entirely, of course.

Google wants to ensnare readers in its iOS search app

If you want to dive deeply into a particular topic, consider using Google’s app for iOS instead of your other browsers. The big G has made it much quicker to find and explore articles and other content related to what you’re looking at by adding suggestions at the bottom of page. Say, you’re reading one of our CRISPR or Cassini posts: when you’re done and scroll back up, a panel will pop up from the bottom with cards that link to related pieces marked “People Also View.” The cards could lead to Wikipedia articles about the genome-editing technique or the Saturn probe, they could link to NASA pages, scientific studies — anything related to the topic, really.

This sample shows it in action while on Mars Curiosity rover’s Wikipedia page:

The feature is now out as part of the app’s latest iOS update, but unfortunately, only in the US. If you also want to spend an inordinate amount of time in its search app, though, don’t worry: Google promises to make it available in other languages and other countries in the future.

Source: Google (iTunes)

Roku might be building its own smart speaker

Roku could be next in line to create its very own smart speaker. The company’s latest batch of job offers, and recent hires, have got Variety speculating that it may be prepping an Amazon Echo clone. Roku is currently advertising for multiple roles, with an eye on recruiting audio and voice experts. One open position for a senior software engineer claims the individual will be tasked with building the company’s “center of audio excellence.” It’s also on the hunt for a “voice user interface designer” who will act as its “expert on all things voice related.”

It comes as no surprise that another company may be interested in emulating the runaway success of the Amazon Echo, and (to a lesser extent) Google Home. After all, the likes of Samsung, Sony, and Sonos (to name a few) are all pushing or pursuing similar products. But, there’s also the possibility the flurry of vacancies could simply be linked to Roku’s existing line-up.

Some of its streaming devices already boast basic voice controls, which it could be looking to expand. The company’s software can also be found on a range of affordable TVs from TLC and RCA. These sets already collect your viewing data to serve up ads, and bolstering their voice capabilities could be another way for the firm to amass user info. It could also be chasing something akin to the Element Fire TV Edition, which packs support for Amazon’s digital assistant.

Still, Roku’s recent hires do little to hide its newfound obsession with audio. Variety spotted that it’s been busy recruiting individuals with a background in speech recognition. One such person is senior software engineer Jim Cortez, who is tinkering with “voice interfaces” for his employer. Notably, Cortez co-founded Ivee, a startup that produced “home voice assistants” such as the Ivee Voice and Ivee Sleek. And, there’s the fact that Roku has dabbled in audio in the past, courtesy of its failed SoundBridge internet radio player (pictured above).

We reached out to Roku for a comment, but seeing as it didn’t respond to the original report, it’s likely keeping quiet on the matter.

Source: Variety

Self-powered patch monitors glucose levels during exercise

Diabetics could soon have an effective, non-invasive way to measure glucose levels during exercise, thanks to a patch designed by researchers at the State University of New York. The paper-based patch sticks directly onto the skin like a Band-Aid, and wicks sweat into a reservoir where it’s converted into electrical energy, powering a biosensor that monitors glucose without the need for external power.

It’s a significant develop because glucose tracking traditionally relies on invasive measures, such as pricking a finger to draw blood or sensors under the skin, which then require additional kit to provide a reading. There are some devices that can monitor glucose non-invasively through sweat, but a recurring problem for these has been too much sweat rendering the kit unusable. Preventing hypoglycaemia during exercise, then, has been a big challenge, but the new patch could represent an effective and inexpensive means of overall diabetes management which, according to the researchers, “holds considerable promise.”

Via: phys.org

Source: Micromachines

Apple Opening New Store at Meadowhall in Sheffield on iPhone 8 Launch Day

Apple today announced that its retail store at Meadowhall in Sheffield, United Kingdom reopens Friday, September 22 at 9:00 a.m. local time.

Apple’s original Meadowhall store opened in December 2005
The store has been closed for renovations since November 2016, and when it reopens later this week, it will be nearly twice as large with an updated design, likely including large glass doors, sequoia wood tables and shelves, a large video screen for Today at Apple sessions, and light boxes spanning the ceiling.

The grand reopening will coincide with iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launch day. Friday is the first day the new smartphones can be purchased in stores.

Thursday will likely be the last business day for Apple’s temporary store at Meadowhall that has been open during the renovation process.

Apple has been a retailer at Meadowhall since December 2005.

(Thanks, Phillip!)

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
Discuss this article in our forums

Tim Cook Calls Today’s Launch of iOS 11 and ARKit ‘A Day To Remember’

Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared on Good Morning America earlier today to discuss topics surrounding iOS 11, taking place a few hours ahead of the software update’s launch later this afternoon. One of the major topics of the conversation Cook had with Robin Roberts centered upon augmented reality and ARKit, which will introduce advanced AR features onto compatible iPhones and iPads.

As he has in the past, Cook talked excitedly about augmented reality, explaining that the AR features of iOS 11 are a “huge” addition to the iPhone and iPad ecosystem and will be “unbelievable” for users.

“Well this is huge because it’s the first time that hundreds of millions of customers will be able to use AR for the first time. So we’re bringing it to mainstream, if you’ve got an iPhone 6s or later, you have augmented reality today.”

Roberts then pointed out that AR has been around for a long time before Apple began to work on the technology, and Cook responded by explaining that the company is “taking the complex and making it simple,” with the help of the ARKit developer framework.

Cook capped off the discussion of iOS 11 and ARKit by calling today “a day to remember.”

“This is what Apple is so fantastic at. We want everybody to be able to use AR, and so we’ve taken the complexity that developers would normally have to do in their apps, and made it simple for them to convert all of their apps to an AR experience. And the thing that is very different about Apple is that, in one day, we can make AR available for hundreds of millions of people. That will happen in a few hours from now.

The interview then shifted to the iPhone X and facial recognition, where Cook reiterated that user privacy and security are not an issue with the upcoming smartphone. “Once you place your face in the phone, it’s in the phone, and Apple doesn’t have it,” he explained, further pointing out that only those you allow access to your iPhone will be able to get the data.

“We’re very protective of our customers’ data. We believe that privacy is very important in this world, there are hackers everywhere trying to steal your information. We want it to be yours, it is not ours.”

In response to a viewer question, Cook said the cost of the iPhone X is a “value price” for the technology inside of the smartphone. He also said that “very few people” will actually pay the full price of the iPhone at launch, thanks to monthly payment plans that various carriers and Apple itself offers.

Other topics include Cook’s response to the potential end of the DACA program, as well as different user questions surrounding Face ID. You can watch the full nine-minute interview on Good Morning America’s Facebook page right here.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: Tim Cook
Discuss this article in our forums

Virchybike Lite indoor bike puts you in the heat of the race

Indoor cycling is a great way to get your cardio on without having to dodge traffic, but it can get a little boring. Still, dedicated spin-class bikes like Peloton are expensive (and there’s a monthly fee) and not everyone can experience the joys of cycling in front of a giant IMAX screen. Virchybike Lite, which launched on Kickstarter today, offers a different solution. It combines realistic course riding, indoor classes, a VR mode, a personalized workout trainer and more for just around $700 (the Kickstarter price, however, is around $400).

By all appearances, Virchybike Lite looks like a normal indoor bike. But look a little closer and you’ll notice a few differences. Instead of just adjusting the seat’s height, you can also move the seat forward and backward, and the handlebars can be moved horizontally and vertically as well. If you don’t quite know where to align everything, Virchybike’s app will guide you through the bike fitting proces when you first get it. Like a lot of other indoor bikes, you can also adjust the resistance levels (the app also has programs that auto-adjusts the resistance for you) and there’s a heart-rate monitor as well.

Speaking of the app, that’s really at the heart of what makes the Virchybike Lite proposition a compelling one (the app is Android only for now, though Virchybike says an iOS version will be out next year). You can either select a mode where you’re cycling through real-world courses, or play it safe with a Studio setting that mimics the feel of a spin class. There’s also an interesting VR mode, where you can use an app called “rora”, slap the phone in a VR headset like the Gear, and cycle through virtual worlds like you can on something like the VirZoom.

No matter which mode you pick, Virchybike says that the app will monitor your progress and heart rate, and will suggest modes that will cater to your particular fitness level. Oh, and you can also enable “Multiriding” and race along with family and friends if they happen to have Virchybikes too.

Perhaps the most interesting bike mode is the one that has you riding through 70-plus different real-life courses around the world. As you’re cycling through the course, you’re not just watching the road; the topography of the map actually matches the incline of your bike as you cycle along. Plus, the faster you cycle, the faster you move through the map. You also have the option changing your “gears” as you race.

And if you decide to pay a little extra, Virchybike is also going to throw in an accessory called the VR Fan. Connect it to the app, position the fan towards you and it’ll attempt to simulate the wind blowing in your face as you breeze through the Tour De France.

I saw a demo of the Virchybike Lite at a booth at TechCrunch Disrupt, and it looks like a pretty well-made bike. The seats adjusted well, and the app looks pretty polished as well. It showed me data like the cyclist’s heart rate as well as the speeds and inclines of the entire course. It doesn’t look as cool as the Virchybike Pro, which was also there for demonstration, and it definitely doesn’t have the same tilting frame. A spokesperson said that the Pro is more for professionals and gyms, while the Lite is more for home use. Unfortunately, there was no VR fan in sight, as the Virchybike folks are still looking for manufacturing partners for it.

Virchybike was created four years ago by Jaehyun Shin, a self-professed sports lover who wanted fitness to be more accessible to the masses. Specifically, he wanted to alleviate the boredom and tediousness so often associated with exercise. The first bike Shin and his team created was the RX Cycle in 2015, which then evolved to the Virchybike Pro in early 2017. But as that was a little too expensive — over $1,000 — Shin decided to make a Lite version for what he calls “family use.”

The Virchybike Lite went on Kickstarter today with a $15,000 goal, and at the time of this writing, is already almost 80 percent funded. Virchybike hopes to deliver the bikes (and the VR fans) to backers by February of next year.

Source: Virchybike Lite Kickstarter

Amazon’s $150 Fire tablet summons Alexa hands-free

To date, Amazon’s devices with hands-free voice control have been decidedly static. At last, though, they can go where you do. The internet shopping giant is launching an updated Fire HD 10, and it’s the company’s first tablet with hands-free Alexa built-in. If you want to turn down the lights or check the weather, you don’t have to tap the screen or wander within earshot of an Echo. This is far from new in the mobile world (just ask anyone familiar with “hey Siri” or “OK Google”), but it’s definitely helpful if you want access to Alexa’s skills when your tablet is across the room.

There’s only one microphone versus the array you find on an Echo, but Amazon tells us the chipset helps the Fire HD 10 efficiently listen for your commands.

This isn’t the new tablet’s only upgrade. It finally has a 1080p display, and it packs both a speedier 1.8GHz quad-core processor (Amazon isn’t mentioning the chip by name) as well as a healthier 2GB of RAM. The expandable storage now starts with 32GB built-in, too, and the 64GB option is still around if you need more built-in space. You can also expect Dolby Atmos audio support for more immersive movie watching.

The biggest upgrade might be the price, though. Amazon is taking pre-orders for the updated Fire HD 10 today ahead of its October 11th launch starting at a modest $150 (£150). That’s considerably lower than the $230 for last year’s 16GB tablet, and it’s close enough to the price of a standard Echo that you might prefer to buy this if you’re more interested in a general-purpose device than music quality. Just be sure to check for a software update if you buy one: Amazon says hands-free Alexa support will require a patch that arrives in sync with the tablet itself.

Source: Amazon