Summary
- ChromeOS 134 brings Slow Keys for enhanced typing accuracy for users with motor issues.
- The latest ChromeOS release also replaces Assistant with Gemini for assistive experiences in Chromebooks.
- Quick Insert gets an upgrade and directly supports inserting GIFs into chats and documents.
ChromeOS may not grab as much attention as Android and other popular operating systems. Still, its development team inside Google consistently delivers updates on schedule with meaningful changes and improvements, following a reliable 4-week release cycle. This trend continues with the release of ChromeOS 134, which is now rolling out to the stable channel. Along with introducing some useful new features, this release also marks the start of Google’s transition from Assistant to Gemini on Chromebooks.
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It’s too important to mess with
Google is introducing a new accessibility feature in ChromeOS 134 called Slow Keys. It enhances typing accuracy for users with limited dexterity, particularly those with motor challenges or arthritis, by introducing a delay before registering key presses. You can jump into the Accessibility menu in ChromeOS 134 to tweak the delay time based on your preference.
ChromeOS 134 will also improve Quick Insert by adding GIF support. This will allow you to directly add GIFs to your chats and documents from the Quick Insert menu.
The standout feature of the latest ChromeOS milestone release is the introduction of Gemini on Chromebooks. In its official announcement, Google says that Gemini will power the assistive experiences in ChromeOS 134, replacing Assistant. The change comes within days of Google announcing that it will replace Assistant with Gemini on mobile and across its other devices this year.
The next time you trigger Assistant after installing the latest ChromeOS build, it will open Gemini’s PWA (Progressive Web App). The experience would be similar to what you get when using Gemini on the web, with access to features like file uploads and deep research.
ChromeOS’s battery limit feature gets delayed
Google was slated to introduce a new battery charge limit policy with ChromeOS 134. As seen on phones, the feature would have helped extend the lifespan of your Chromebook’s battery by letting you set a maximum charge limit. Sadly, Google has pushed back the release of this feature to ChromeOS 135.
Lastly, ChromeOS 134 introduces a new content transfer tool that will make it easier for students to migrate their data, including Docs, Sheets, and Slides, to another Gmail account.
As always, ChromeOS 134 will roll out in batches, so the update might not appear instantly on your Chromebook.
