It feels unusual to see internet problems that aren’t related to someone trying to pre-order gaming equipment, but this evening users on the East and West coasts of the US experienced issues accessing Google services like Gmail, Google Docs, and even YouTube.

As noted on trackers like DownDetector, the issue seemed to peak at about 9PM ET. Eventually Google’s server status updated to note the issue, and said it was resolved fully by around 10 PM. In a statement to Engadget, a Google Cloud spokesperson said “We experienced a short service disruption affecting several products including G Suite, and are now recovering.”

Can’t send something on Gmail? If so then you’re in good company, ever since about midnight ET, people have been complaining about issues connecting to many of the G suite services, but especially Gmail.

The Google apps status page just updated to confirm they’ve received reports of an issue with Gmail and Google Drive, while a quick look at Twitter or on DownDetector shows thousands of reports over the last hour or so.

I’ve been able to send emails, but trying to attach a file shows a slow upload process that, if it completes, eventually leads to an error message saying that I need to check my network. It’s the same thing many others are experiencing, but at least it’s working a little. Oh, and if things weren’t bad enough for remote workers on this shift, it looks like Slack is having some issues too.

Back in July, Gmail users on Android started seeing a new tab at the bottom of the interface that gives them quick access to Meet video meetings. That tab bar could soon look a bit more crowded for G Suite users, now that the tech giant has started rolling out the workspace redesign it revealed back in July. The new design turns Gmail into a full-blown workplace collaboration suite with Chat, Docs, Rooms and Meet integration.

Users will get access to Google Chat and the company’s Slack-like group chat solution Rooms, aside from Meet, from within Gmail when they get the updated interface. They can simply switch tabs to go to the service they want to use. In addition, the workplace-oriented Gmail will allow them to open and co-edit documents without having to leave the application.

You’ll also have access to link previews in the same app. When you tap on one, you’ll see more details about what it points to, such as the title and thumbnail for a web page, or the owner and recent activity of a Google Drive file. A card with that information will pop up at the bottom of your screen. The feature is live for all iOS Docs users and it’ll hit Android starting August 12th.

Google

Also new are the ability to edit Microsoft Office documents without having to convert them, an option to vertically scroll through presentations in Slides (you can pinch to zoom in) and a revamped look for comments and action items. Perhaps even more helpful than those is the option to respond to and resolve comments from collaborators directly in Gmail. This dynamic email feature has been available on the web since last year, and you can now use it through the Gmail app on iOS and Android.

On top of all that, Google noted in its announcement that it recently added a dark mode to Docs, Sheets and Slides on Android. It’ll hit iOS later.

Google has announced a slew of security enhancements headed for G Suite services, including some we’ve heard about like admin changes for Google Meet, but one of the biggest announcements is all about Gmail. Last year Google announced it joined the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) group (Verizon Media, the parent company of Engadget, is also a part of the group), which is pushing an email spec that adds brand logos to authenticated emails.

In practice it seems a lot like the verified stamps that have proliferated across social media, but when you see them it won’t be a blue check, it will be the logo of the company the sent the email, as shown above with CNN. Emails are authenticated using the existing DMARC system and then there’s certification that applies the associated logo, which hopefully gives people trust an email came from the company or person it’s claiming to represent.

Google Meet for Education wants to prevent “zoombombing.” G Suite for Education meetings will block anonymous users by default, the company announced today. Users will have to be logged in to a Google account to join a call. This should keep trolls from crashing virtual classrooms and school meetings.

As you may remember, at the beginning of the pandemic, anonymous users were popping up on Zoom calls so frequently that it became known as “zoombombing” and turned into one of Zoom’s biggest security issues. At the time, trolls were guessing or sharing Meeting IDs. In response to zoombombing and other security concerns, several US school districts banned Zoom altogether. So, while it’s a good idea to prevent trolls from crashing any meeting, Google is likely trying to win over school districts who may be wary of Zoom.

Google is making it easier for G Suite users to add info to Calendar events without having to click “more options.” Now, when users create an event, more editable fields will appear directly in the pop-up dialog.

In G Suite, you’ll be able to grant guests permission to see the guest list, invite others or edit the event. You can add attachments to the event’s description or change an event’s visibility. You can choose an event color, customize notifications and set a free or busy status.

You can also now transfer calls using the Google Voice mobile and web apps. Google will offer suggestions of people to whom you might want to transfer a call. Alternatively, you can search for a contact or manually punch in someone’s phone number.

It’s not clear if or when other Google Voice users will have access to call forwarding or the option to handle calls in Gmail. However, Google has a habit of adding features to G Suite first before rolling them out more broadly later on.

The option is available to everyone who qualifies. It’s not a shock that Google would expand support. Both Safari and mobile Chrome are major browsers for their respective audiences — if you can use them to add a key, you might be more likely to use one (whether it’s a dedicated device or your phone) in the first place. That, in turn, should prevent some account hijacks and other intrusions.