Google’s new G Suite addition ups the ante for videoconferencing

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Google is bolstering its online productivity suite with the addition of two apps: Meet and Keep.

The full title of the former app is Meet by Google Hangouts, and this is a videoconferencing solution aimed at providing businesses with meetings that benefit from HD video.

Just as with Hangouts, you’ll be able to make group video calls, although in this case with up to 30 people taking part (triple the number allowed in Hangouts).

Note that Meet hasn’t been officially launched yet – TechCrunch spotted the product via its website which is now online, but the mobile apps aren’t yet available. Even on the web page, there’s no option to initiate a video call yet; although you can ‘use a meeting code’ to join one.

It seems the iOS app did go up for a short time, during which TechCrunch grabbed some details, including the fact that Meet will allow folks on the move to use dial-in numbers – but that facility will only be available to G Suite Enterprise Edition users.

The fate of Hangouts remains unclear in terms of whether it will stay as a video chat solution for consumers.

Playing for keeps

G Suite has also benefited from the addition of Google Keep, an Evernote-style note-taking app which allows you to grab notes, record voice memos, set reminders and so forth.

Now that it’s been brought into the G Suite fold, you can access Keep from Google Docs in a sidebar panel, and drag your notes (text, images or whatever) directly across into documents.

Furthermore, it’s possible to search Keep for relevant notes while working within Google Docs. Integration also extends to the right-click menu, allowing you to select elements in your document and add them directly to Keep as a note. All highly useful stuff.

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