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Last week, Chrome OS 88 started rolling out to users around the world. This update contained some very useful front-end features for users, but the most talked about is without a doubt the new Chrome OS screensaver. Formerly known as Ambient Mode, the screensaver feature has been around for over a year and a half and is now available in the Stable channel of Chrome OS.
Before we dive into Chrome OS’s new screensaver, let’s talk a bit about what it isn’t. A number of posts have referred to the new feature as a way to turn your Chromebook into a smart display. While the screen saver offers some useful information, it doesn’t give you the functionality of devices like the Nest Hub or Lenovo Smart Display. In its current state, the screen saver does a few cool tricks. First of all, it gives you the option to customize the images that appear on your screen when the display is idle for a certain time. Like a Chromecast, users can choose between images from art and photography albums selected by Google or you can activate your Google photos and select from your personal photo albums.
In addition to the customizable images, you’ll get basic weather information, the time, and a ticker at the top right of the screen that shows the media you’re playing when the screen goes idle. All of this is very useful and gives your Chromebook a real sense of personalization. That said, you can say “Hey G” and expect your Chromebook to turn into an Assistant-compatible smart display. You won’t be able to control your home devices or ping the Assistant with a request on your favorite team’s scores. That’s not to say it’s not on the roadmap for the Chrome OS screensaver. It’s just not there right now and I don’t know if it will ever be. Personally, I’m not sure if I want my Chromebook to turn into a smart display when the screen goes inactive. I guess with Voice Match it wouldn’t be a big deal as long as there was a way to prevent others from interacting with my device. Either way, it’s not a thing so it’s not a problem at the moment.
Good. If you want to enable the screen saver on your Chromebook, it’s as easy as 1,2,3. Go to the Chrome OS settings menu. You can do this by clicking on the quick settings menu at the bottom right of your screen. At the top of the settings, you should see a gear icon. Click on it. You are now in the settings menu. In the left menu, click on the “personalization” tab. The last parameter in the list should be “screen saver”. If not, you may still be using Chrome OS 87. To check, click the “About Chrome OS” tab in the left menu, then select “Check for updates.” Return to the screen saver. You can switch between Fahrenheit or Celcius according to your personal preference. To set your photos for the screensaver, click Art Gallery if you would like to receive artwork and photography from Google. That’s all. When your screen goes inactive, you’ll see pictures like the ones you see on your Chromecast or smart screen.
If you want a more personal experience, you can select “photos” and choose the album in which you want to see the photos on your Chromebook. You can choose as many albums as you want. If you want to show a specific set of photos curated just for your Chromebook, just go to Google Photos and create a new album just for that task. Click on the Albums tab, then on “create an album”. Name it whatever you like. Next, find the photos you want to use for your Chromebook and add them to the new album. Once you’re done, go back to the screensaver on your Chromebook and your new album should be available as an option for ambient display. That’s all we can say about it. Hope you found this useful. I love the new screen saver option and think it’s a great addition to the ecosystem.
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