U-M Google Updates
Inbox by Gmail Ending
1/18/2019
Inbox by Gmail (a separate email interface) has been a place that Google used to experiment with new ideas like snoozing emails to later, as well as try the latest AI-powered experiences like Smart Reply, Nudges and high-priority notifications.
Four years after launching Inbox by Gmail in 2014, Google has taken several popular Inbox experiences and added them into Gmail. Google is now planning to focus solely on Gmail and will discontinue Inbox by Gmail at the end of March 2019.
Google introduced the new Gmail in April, incorporating many of the same features found in Inbox plus newer features like Smart Compose. Read more about these features.
Many on campus fell in love with Inbox by Gmail, so to make this a bit easier, Google created a transition guide to help switch from Inbox by Gmail to the new Gmail. All your conversations are already in Gmail.
New Google Contacts Stage 2
1/14/2019
The first stage of the conversion to the new Google Contacts allowed individuals to opt in to using the new version of Google Contacts.
Stage 2: On January 15, 2019, new Contacts will gradually become the default version in the UMICH domain. When this happens, every UMICH account will begin to be moved to new Contacts. Individuals will still be able to revert back to old Contacts if they want until stage 3.
Stage 3: Everyone is upgraded to new Contacts and old Contacts will be turned off beginning, February 12, 2019. Old Contacts will be turned off completely, and any remaining accounts will be moved to new Contacts. There will be no option to use the old version.
In-Person Training for 2019
1/10/2019
The Collaboration Services team is pleased to announce that, following last year’s pilot, we are continuing the in-person training program.
We have scheduled classes throughout 2019 offering each class once a quarter. You can see the course offerings on the U-M Box and U-M Google websites, where you will find links to register for the classes. All will be held in a computer training lab in Wolverine Tower with yellow parking and a campus bus route.
The courses we offer are:
Introduction to G Suite – ITS_GOOC100
G Suite using Mail and Calendar – ITS_GOOC101
Working With Drive – ITS_GOOC102
Working with Google Forms – ITS_GOOC103
Working with Google Sites – ITS_GOOC104
Working with Box – ITS_BOXC100
Comparing Box and Google – ITS_GOOC200 (prior knowledge recommended)
We hope that you enjoy this service and that we will see you in class!
Google Classic Site Creation Ending
1/10/2019
Although new Google Sites has been available for over two years, Google has yet to announce a date for retiring classic Sites. In preparation for the eventual retirement of classic Sites, the ITS Collaboration Services team has been urging campus to convert any remaining classic Sites to the new Sites format. As part of this effort, we will end the ability to create classic Sites in U-M Google on May 3, 2019. Beginning May 3, you will only be able to create new Sites in the UMICH domain. For the time being, existing classic Sites will remain available for updates. We will continue to keep the campus community informed on the status of classic Sites.
New Google Sites are stored in Drive, so you can create them like any other Google file type. From Drive, click +New > More > Google Sites. Classic Sites remain available at sites.google.com. Please contact the ITS Service Center if you have a business need to continue creating classic Google Sites.
December Summary
1/8/2019
The monthly U-M Google Summaries inform campus of Google releases for Core Apps as well as the Non-Core Apps (those that are not part of the G Suite for Education agreement). We communicate important information on Core Apps throughout the month. Core and Non-Core Apps are listed on the G Suite website.
Core Apps:
View Google Calendar attachments in Hangouts Meet
You can now view attachments included in Google Calendar, directly from a Hangouts Meet meeting. Attachments are available on the web and the Meet mobile apps. Clicking on the attachment opens the file in a new tab on the web. Joining the meeting through the Meet mobile app, the attachment opens on the app best suited to that document (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive, etc).
Previously Communicated:
Note: Keep in mind that even when Non-Core Apps are found in a Core App (like Add-ons in Gmail and Google Drive), they are not covered by the G Suite for Education agreement.