Google finally facilitates the transfer of files and data between Android and Windows, with Nearby Share, a proximity sharing function comparable to the famous AirDop from Apple… but for PC! It was time !
One of the advantages therefore benefit users of the Apple ecosystem is the communication between their devices thanks to the AirDrop function, which allows you to quickly send and receive photos, videos, documents, geographical positions or other content wirelessly between multiple devices. On the Android side, however, it’s a little more complicated. There is a Nearby Share function, which allows data to be transferred via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but this is more limited, although Google is trying to improve it. Normally, the recipient must accept the file before it can be sent, in order to avoid receiving unwanted files – with malware for example. The internet giant, however, removed this restriction in September 2022 to make trading easier. Instead, the Self Care function automatically accepts files from Android devices – smartphone, tablet, Chromebook – connected to the same Google account. But the company intends to go further! As she just announced on his blogit is launching the Nearby Share app for Windows PCs in beta to enable easy file sharing between devices, provided you install the new app.
Nearby Share: easy transfers between Android and Windows
To be able to use Nearby Share, you must have a mobile device under Android 8.0 minimum, and a PC under the 64-bit version of Windows 10 or under Windows 11. In addition, both devices must activate Bluetooth, be connected to the same Wifi network or Ethernet and be within 5 meters of each other. You must install the application on your computer so that it can detect and be detectable by compatible surrounding devices. Then, the user only has to drag and drop a file into the Nearby Share window on Windows or select the share option from the right-click context menu for it to start automatically. AT Conversely, just use the function on his Android device so that an option to share the content to the Windows PC appears on the screen. In addition, if the two devices are connected to the same Google account, the sharing of an item is automatically accepted by the other device.
Nearby Share is available in the United States and most parts of the world except France and some European countries – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Donbass, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary , Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. You will therefore have to be patient before you can enjoy it!
Google: full of new functions
As a reminder, when Google announced the new functions for Nearby Share in September, it also announced on his blog a whole series of novelties. Thus, the Gboard keyboard should now allow emojis to be automatically integrated into messages via the Emojify function. For example, if we are talking about a cake, the T9 offers to integrate the corresponding emoji. No need to rummage through the emoji library to illustrate your message! In addition, the company had announced for Google Meet the possibility of group watching Youtube videos and playing games – classics like Uno! And heads-up – with a maximum of 100 correspondents. To do this, simply press the three small dots at the bottom right of the screen, and select “Activities” in the overlay menu that opens. It remains only to choose what to do from the list. Also for video meetings, users can now pin a person – whose video then appears larger at the very top of the screen – in order to focus their attention on them – which can be very useful for keeping their boss in touch. eye for example.
Google had also rolled out new features to make its operating system more accessible. In association with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, the firm has developed a system capable of identifying surrounding sounds. A way to alert the user to events they might not have noticed, such as a fire alarm, someone knocking on the door, or a frantically barking dog. For this, the system sends a notification to the screen of the smartphone or connected watch, vibrate the device or activate the camera flash.
In the same vein, Google has decided to make television shows and movies more accessible to people who are blind or partially sighted. For this, the audio descriptions on Google TV will now broadcast visual information so as not to miss anything of what is happening. A library of movies with audio descriptions will also appear. To access it, just call the Google Assistant and say “Search for movies with audio description”.