Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Face controls are coming to Chromebooks, and they look wild

Add as a preferred source on Google
The lid of the Asus Chromebook CX14 on a table.
Is Chrome OS finally ready for the big league? Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

Google is introducing various accessibility-focused and classroom ChromeOS features that allow you to control your Chromebook with your facial expressions and face, as the tech giant posts on its blog. The feature helps those with motor impairments and was first presented in early December.

Google is no newcomer to these types of features. It previously created an open-source AI accessibility tool announced for Windows named Project Gameface, which was first announced for Android. Google even made a video to show users how the feature looks and the gestures users need to use to control their Chromebooks.

Recommended Videos

The Google goodies don’t end there since there are also a bunch of new Chromebooks for this year. Google has over 20 new devices in its Chromebook Plus and standard Chromebook line to enjoy, including the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. Even better, Chromebooks are about to get a massive AI upgrade for free.

In addition to the new laptops, teachers can enjoy various classroom-focused features, such as Class Tools. These features allow teachers to control their students’ screens in real-time once the pairing code is shared. They can also send students direct content to their Chromebooks, turn on translation and live captions, remotely see their screens, and even share the students’ work with the rest of the class.

Google also integrates with Figma’s FigJam, which provides online whiteboards for student brainstorming and group work. The integration will make it easier for teachers to see which students contribute the most during group projects. It’s always great to hear when teachers get the tools they need to make teaching easier, besides having access to the best apps for teachers and educators.

Judy Sanhz
Computing Writer
Judy Sanhz is a Digital Trends computing writer covering all computing news. Loves all operating systems and devices.
Moonshot tells Kimi AI to code away, but leave the hacking alone
Moonshot is clipping Kimi AI’s hacking wings before letting it loose
Moonshot AI

Chinese AI startup Moonshot AI is deliberately limiting the hacking capabilities of its latest artificial intelligence model, highlighting a growing dilemma for the industry: how do companies make AI more powerful without making cyberattacks easier to carry out?

The company introduced Kimi K3.1 Pro on October 24, describing it as a highly capable, open-weight model with around 3 trillion parameters. Unlike conventional AI services that operate entirely through a provider's servers, open-weight models allow developers to download the underlying model files, run them on their own systems, and modify how they work.

Read more
Google changes its Workspace privacy promise on ads, and opting out limits Personal Intelligence
Smarter AI answers, with a side order of ads.
AI mode in Google Search

There’s no such thing as a free recommendation. Google’s latest policy tweak is a clear reminder. Google has long promised that your Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos content never helps it personalize ads. 

However, since October 16, 2026, its privacy policy adds a catch. The promise lapses if you let other ad-showing Google services use that content. That means using Personal Intelligence, an opt-in tool that lets Google’s AI search read your connected apps, does exactly that (via Google).

Read more
OpenAI is locking its most advanced AI models offline after a string of security scares
OpenAI’s fake internet is a safety fix and an admission.
openai-anthropic-logo-on-screen

Part of me is relieved that an AI lab is hitting the brakes. The other part wishes it hadn’t taken real incidents to get there.

OpenAI said Friday that its most advanced models will now train without live internet access. Instead, they’ll practice on a cached, simulated copy of the web.

Read more