Googlebook apps built by Googlers add macOS-like status bar shortcuts, keyboard commands
Googlebooks are a bit starved of desktop-class features at launch, but one of Google’s pitches around this platform is how apps can be built for it, and the company’s own employees are showing off what that looks like with some clever apps that just so happen to add features that feel a lot like they’re replicating macOS staples. more…
Google's own developers have unveiled a trio of innovative apps tailored for the new Googlebook platform, adding functionality reminiscent of macOS. These applications, BentoBox, Booklight, and Wayfinder, have been showcased in a Reddit thread by the creators, Alexander Kuscher, demonstrating the potential of the platform despite its current limitations.
BentoBox stands out as a versatile utility, providing access to the status bar on Googlebook for customizing shortcuts, mini-apps, and more. This app offers glanceable information such as weather updates and battery charging speeds, alongside practical tools like clipboard history management and timers. Despite requiring accessibility overlay permissions, BentoBox operates seamlessly, significantly enhancing the usefulness of the status bar. The app is freely available on Google Play.
Booklight serves as a launch alternative to Apple's Spotlight, offering a transparent design and the ability to search apps, settings, and the web. It boasts additional functionality, including customizable shorthand commands and a user-friendly interface for quick mathematical equations. However, it has recently disappeared from the Play Store. Both BentoBox and Booklight were developed by Alexander Kuscher, General Manager of Laptops & Tablets at Google.
Lastly, Wayfinder emerges as a feature-rich file manager app, emphasizing network file access for NAS devices and boasting a more sophisticated user experience compared to Googlebook's default Files app. This app highlights the platform's potential for desktop-like features, though its success hinges on developer adoption and broader market outreach.
Written by urgent.news from 9to5Google's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
