Chrome on Android can now read the internet as a new update improves app accessbility

Chrome on Android can now read as Google is rolling out a new accessibility feature called Listen to This Page to the mobile app, which gives the browser text-to-speech capabilities. 

According to the official Chrome help page, the tool can be accessed by tapping on the three-dot menu in the upper right hand corner and the new functionality can be found in the fourth section of the browser menu.

Activating the feature displays an audio controls panel at the bottom of the screen with a wide array of options. You have your standard set of tools like a progress indicator, a play/pause button, plus the name of the website and page at the top alongside extra controls that were seemingly inspired by YouTube. 

You’ll receive a 10-second rewind and a 10-second fast-forward option, plus the ability to change the playback speed. Users can slow things down to half speed or up to four times the normal playback.

Chrome on Android - Listen to This Page

(Image credit: Future)

You can push the audio player down to hide most of the controls. The only two things that remain onscreen are the play/pause button and the name of the website. Regarding the length of the playback, it depends entirely on the length of the article. 

For example, our recent article on DJI drones takes about 14 minutes, while our piece about The Lego Movie runs for almost seven minutes.

Overflowing with features

Everything so far is surface-level, but you’ll find more in the overflow menu. According to 9To5Google, this section allows you to disable the text highlighter and auto scroll functions. What’s more, it is where you change the speaking voice's language with 12 in total, including to pick from, including English, Spanish, Hindi, French, and Arabic. 

You can also alter the way it reads text to fit a certain style. For example, “Ruby” speaks in a mid-pitch and warm voice, “Moss” has a low-pitch, peaceful way of talking, while “Field” is more low-pitch and bright. 

The options deepen when you look at other dialects as well. With English, you have ten voices to choose from across four different accents. The American accent has the most options, with four voices on its own, while the rest just have two.

Availability

Listen to This Page will continue to work even if you go to other tabs as “the control bar will remain docked.” But, there is a limitation. This only works so long as Chrome is in the foreground. So, if you close the browser or return to the home screen, the text-to-speech function stops.

Listen to This Page flag

(Image credit: Future)

The feature is part of the latest Chrome on Android update, so be sure to install the latest patch. It’s possible you may not see the option in the browser menu. 

We didn't encounter it initially, although you can manually activate it. All you have to do is type in chrome://flags/#read-aloud into the URL bar and turn on the tool in the subsequent menu.

It's unknown if there are plans to expand Chrome's text-to-speech function elsewhere, but there is a chance Google will. A leak from September 2023 claimed Chrome on desktop will one day receive its own read-aloud feature.

Check out TechRadar's list of best Android phones for 2024 if you're looking to upgrade. 

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Microsoft improves File Explorer in Windows 11 testing, but appears to have second thoughts about some Copilot ideas

Windows 11 just received a new preview build and it makes a number of important changes to the central pillar of the operating system’s interface, File Explorer – and there’s an interesting announcement about Copilot here, too.

As you may be aware, File Explorer is what you’re using when opening folders on your desktop, and Windows 11 got web browser-style tabs in these folders courtesy of the first major update for the OS (at the end of 2022).

In the new build 22635 in the Beta channel, Microsoft has introduced the ability to easily duplicate a tab in File Explorer.

All you need to do is right-click on an existing tab, and there’s a new option to duplicate it – click that and a second copy of the tab will be opened. It’s a neat shortcut if you want to dive deeper into other folders inside a particular folder, while keeping that original folder open.

On top of this, the preview build ushers in multiple fixes for this part of the interface, including the solution for a memory leak when working with ZIP folders in a File Explorer window. A fix has also been implemented for an issue which means the spacing between icons in File Explorer becomes very wide.

There’s also a cure for a bug where a search wouldn’t work the first time you tried it, and it’d return no results. Microsoft also notes that it: “Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer reliability.”

There’s not much else happening in build 22635 – check out the blog post for the full list of other tweaks – but Microsoft has taken a notable step back with Copilot.

The company notes that over the past few months in Windows 11 preview builds, it has tried out a few new ideas with the AI assistant, observing that: “Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback.”


Analysis: Some careful thought is required for Copilot visibility

It’s interesting to see that feedback has resulted in a halt on those Copilot experiments, though obviously Microsoft is careful not to say exactly why these changes have been rescinded (for now).

We were particularly skeptical about having Copilot effectively waving its hands at you from the taskbar, with that animation declaring it can help with something, so we aren’t too surprised Microsoft is having a careful think about how to proceed here.

If there is any behavior along those sorts of lines, it’ll have to be subtle, and users will need the ability to switch it off, if they don’t want animations on the icon (which is also happening with widgets on the taskbar, too). We’ll be keeping a close eye on Microsoft’s moves in this respect.

The work on File Explorer is good to see, and should make it more stable and reliable overall. Duplicate tabs are a useful shortcut to have brought in, as well, and were only recently spotted hidden in test builds, so Microsoft has moved pretty swiftly to officially introduce this change.

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Latest Meta Quest 3 update improves mixed-reality passthrough yet again, and brings more iPhone-exclusive features

A new month, a new Meta Quest 3 headset update. V64 may have only landed (checks notes) 21 days ago, but we’ve got yet another upgrade courtesy of Horizon OS version v65.

Keeping up with the déjà vu, v65 brings with it yet another upgrade to passthrough, which was only just upgraded in v64, which added both exposure and dynamic range improvements, and an upgrade that makes it easier to see your real-world furniture while in VR and MR.

Now, Meta is finally giving players the option to stay immersed in mixed reality through their whole Quest 3 experience. 

Previously, when you were in the lock screen, power-off screen, and a few other important menus, you’d be trapped in a gray VR void. Now, if you're using MR home you’ll find yourself instead surrounded by your real-world space just like you would in any other mixed reality experience.

Sure it's not the most flashy upgrade, but considering Meta’s monthly release schedule we’re not going to complain if some updates are simpler quality-of-life improvements rather than earth-shaking changes.

A Meta Quest 3 player sucking up Stay Puft Marshmallow Men from Ghostbusters in mixed reality using virtual tech extending from their controllers

Mixed reality from start to finish (Image credit: Meta)

Some iPhone-exclusive upgrades 

Beyond better passthrough, Meta has also introduced a few features for iPhone users specifically – perhaps in an attempt to further convince Apple fans they don't need to shell out for an Apple Vision Pro, or wait for the now apparently delayed cheaper follow-up.

The first feature change comes to spatial video. Playback appeared via update v62 back in February, and if you had an iPhone 15 Pro you could upload your stereoscopic videos straight from your phone to your headset using the Meta Quest mobile app.

Now you can upload your videos via any iPhone running iOS 17 or later – though capturing spatial video is still an exclusive iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature (unless the iPhone 16 refresh brings it to more affordable models later this year).

Panorama images on the Meta Quest 3 showing a beautiful hillside

(Image credit: Meta)

Meta is also adding better support for still panoramic images. Alongside videos, you can now upload your panoramic shots from your iPhone to your Quest headset via the mobile app.

So, rather than simply viewing your shot on a flat screen, you can be re-immersed in the location where you took it. Again this has to be uploaded via an iPhone running iOS 17 or later.

There's no word yet on when or if these features will come to Android devices, but we expect they will – especially if new Android devices start to introduce camera setups that can record spatial videos.

With a Samsung XR headset – which Google is helping to make – on the way, we wouldn't be surprised if this phone camera happened. But we’ll have to wait and see what Android phone makers announce in the coming weeks.

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Windows 11’s AI-powered Voice Clarity feature improves your video chats, plus setup has a new look (finally)

Windows 11 has a new preview build out that improves audio quality for your video chats and more besides.

Windows 11 preview build 26040 has been released in the Canary channel (the earliest test builds) complete with the Voice Clarity feature which was previously exclusive to owners of Surface devices.

Voice Clarity leverages AI to improve audio chat on your end, canceling out echo, reducing reverberation or other unwanted effects, and suppressing any intrusive background noises. In short, it helps you to be heard better, and your voice to be clearer.

The catch is that apps need to use Communications Signal Processing Mode to have the benefit of this feature, which is unsurprisingly what Microsoft’s own Phone Link app uses. WhatsApp is another example, plus some PC games will be good to go with this tech, so you can shout at your teammates and be crystal clear when doing so.

Voice Clarity is on by default – after all, there’s no real downside here, save for using a bit of CPU juice – but you can turn it off if you want.

Another smart addition here is a hook-up between your Android phone and Windows 11 PC for editing photos. Whenever you take a photo on your smartphone, it’ll be available on the desktop PC straight away (you’ll get a notification), and you can edit it in the Snipping Tool (rather than struggling to deal with the image on your handset).

For the full list of changes in build 26040, see Microsoft’s blog post, but another of the bigger introductions worth highlighting here is that the Windows 11 setup experience has been given a long overdue lick of paint.

Windows 11 Setup

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Analysis: Setting the scene

It’s about time Windows setup got some attention, as it has had the same basic look for a long time now. It’d be nice for the modernization to get a touch more sparkle, we reckon, though the improvement is a good one, and it’s not exactly a crucial part of the interface (given that you don’t see it after you’ve installed the operating system, anyway).

We have already seen the capability for Android phone photos to be piped to the Snipping Tool appear in the Dev channel last week, but it’s good to see a broader rollout to Canary testers. It is only rolling out, though, so bear in mind that you might not see it yet if you’re a denizen of the Canary channel.

As for Voice Clarity, clearly that’s a welcome touch of AI for all Windows 11 users. Whether you’re chatting to your family to catch up at the weekend, or you work remotely and use your Windows 11 PC for meetings, being able to be heard better by the person (or people) on the other end of the call is obviously a good thing.

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Windows 11 update improves Do Not Disturb mode further to help your focus

Windows 11 is getting a redesigned 'Do Not Disturb' mode in its next major feature update, which aims to eliminate those distracting notifications.

With endless possibilities of procrastination just a click away and notifications constantly vying for your attention, staying productive is not always an easy task.
Thankfully, that seemingly impossible task is one that is made easier by Microsoft’s Focus Assist, which comes handily built into Windows 11. 

Focus Assist allows users to limit notifications, so only chosen priority notifications or alarms go through, offering a variety of options for those looking to cut down on the notifications and distractions during the time your PC is on. 

However, sometimes being given space to focus on a task isn’t quite enough and you need something more to help focus your time, which is where Do Not Disturb aims to help in those situations.

How does 'Do Not Disturb' benefit compared to Focus?

Unlike the other available modes in Focus Assist, the new Do Not Disturb feature shuts off all notifications entirely, sending them straight to the notification center instead. You can focus on your tasks without any interruptions or distracting notification icons catching your eye. 

Microsoft’s recent 2022 Work Trends Index indicated that 35% of employees wanted to spend more time working on solitary or focused work to be more productive.

This harsher-focus Do Not Disturb feature should be what a third of users are looking for at least, so long as they remember to turn it off once they’re done being isolated from the world. 

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Windows 11 update improves Do Not Disturb mode further to help your focus

Windows 11 is getting a redesigned 'Do Not Disturb' mode in its next major feature update, which aims to eliminate those distracting notifications.

With endless possibilities of procrastination just a click away and notifications constantly vying for your attention, staying productive is not always an easy task.
Thankfully, that seemingly impossible task is one that is made easier by Microsoft’s Focus Assist, which comes handily built into Windows 11. 

Focus Assist allows users to limit notifications, so only chosen priority notifications or alarms go through, offering a variety of options for those looking to cut down on the notifications and distractions during the time your PC is on. 

However, sometimes being given space to focus on a task isn’t quite enough and you need something more to help focus your time, which is where Do Not Disturb aims to help in those situations.

How does 'Do Not Disturb' benefit compared to Focus?

Unlike the other available modes in Focus Assist, the new Do Not Disturb feature shuts off all notifications entirely, sending them straight to the notification center instead. You can focus on your tasks without any interruptions or distracting notification icons catching your eye. 

Microsoft’s recent 2022 Work Trends Index indicated that 35% of employees wanted to spend more time working on solitary or focused work to be more productive.

This harsher-focus Do Not Disturb feature should be what a third of users are looking for at least, so long as they remember to turn it off once they’re done being isolated from the world. 

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