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Google is making it easier to edit PDFs on Chromebooks

Google is making it easier to edit PDFs on Chromebooks

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Plus, a new basic video editor in Google Photos

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 PDF of a lease agreement is on the screen.It’s been highlighted and signatures have been added.
I am salivating over how convenient this looks.
Image: Google

Starting next week, editing PDFs on a Chromebook is going to be a breeze. Users will be able to highlight text, fill out forms, sign documents, and add text annotations directly within the Gallery app.

Gallery is the default photo editing app on Chromebooks. Similar to Photos on Windows, it’s where a batch of photos first appears when you open it. Most Chromebooks don’t come with a PDF editor by default, and while free third-party options exist, their features tend to be limited, and editing directly in Gallery seems like it would involve significantly less hassle.

This could be a big help for students, a demographic among which Chromebooks are widely used. Not only could they more easily mark up texts and assignments but also they can annotate handwritten notes from class (which can be exported as a PDF from the Cursive app in ChromeOS).

The upcoming Google Photos movie editor displays on the screen. In the center is a still from a video clip of two people bicycles, with an editing menu open to let the user adjust brightness, contrast, whitepoints and more.
Google notes that the UI is “subject to change.”
Image: Google

Google is bringing a number of other features to Chromebooks this fall, including a “new movie editor and video editing features” in Google Photos, which will come to Chromebooks first. Users will be able to, “with just a few taps,” compile a video out of the clips and photos that are stored on their account. It looks like you just need to select a theme (“Love Story,” “Pet Movie,” etc.) and subjects, and Google will do the rest.

Those who want more control will also be able to use a more advanced “movie editor” to arrange clips, apply filters, and adjust settings like brightness, contrast, and white point.

Other features coming to Google Photos in August include light and dark themes as well as wallpaper integration.