Off-topic
Recently active
Next up in our Community Spotlight series is Jason Bayton, one of the most knowledgeable voices in this community and the name behind bayton.org, a go-to resource for all things Android Enterprise. Here's a bit more about him.View Jason's profileHow long have you been part of the Android Enterprise Community and why did you join?I've been here since day one, back when the AE community was launched over on the Google Product Experts platform all those years ago. Fun fact, I gifted the androidenterprise.community domain to the team here when this kicked off, having earmarked it for my own projects prior to the community coming together, and I'm very happy I did :)How long have you been working with Android Enterprise? What prompted the start of your journey with the product and what does your day-to-day look like now?I started my Android Enterprise journey officially with Device Administrator management in ~2013, though I'd been all-in on Android soon after it launched with the HTC Dream
Hi folks, It’s time to settle the debate ⚖️ It’d be nice to gauge where this community stands on some of the most important (🤔) daily Chrome browser preferences and work-related debates.Reply below with your answers:Dark Mode or Light Mode? Multi-screens or Split View? Group tabs or pin tabs? Inbox Zero or 10,000 Emails sitting there (some of them starred though)? Coffee or Tea? Milk in your coffee or tea or No milk? Music while working or Absolute silence? Regular desk or Standing desk? Let's see which side wins!
Hey everyone!If you’re not aware, there's a total solar eclipse tomorrow, Wednesday 12 August, and since this community is scattered across a fair chunk of the planet I thought it would be cool to see how much of it we can cover between us. Post your photos in this thread, wonky phone shots very much welcome (let’s face it, most of us will be attempting photography anyway!)Some nerdy info: the path of totality starts up in the Arctic near northern Siberia, runs down through Greenland, clips western Iceland (Reykjavík is in it), crosses the Atlantic and finishes over northern Spain and the far northeastern tip of Portugal, ending out over the Balearics. A Coruña, Oviedo, Bilbao, Zaragoza and Valencia are all in the path. Madrid and Barcelona just miss out.It's the first total eclipse over mainland Europe since 1999, and the first over mainland Spain since 1905, so it's been a while. The longest totality is about 2 minutes 18 seconds, and that's out at sea off Iceland's west coast. In Sp
Hello everyone 👋 My name is Emiliano and I’m part of the Chrome Enterprise Team! You will see me around this Community alongside @Rafa , the Community Manager, and other members of the Team. As we get this space up and running, it feels like the right moment to pause and get to know the people behind the profiles. We’ve all been in those meetings where you’re suddenly asked to share a “fun fact” about yourself, and your mind goes completely blank 🤔 The good news is: no pressure here. You can share as much (or as little) as you’d like, in your own time. I’ll start us off 👇I’ve spent the last 10+ years immersed in enterprise mobility and endpoint management, moving from the EMM world to a TPM role at an OEM before joining Google in 2019. After several years with the Android Enterprise team, I transitioned into my current role as a Program Manager on the Chrome team. For the last four years, I've been deep in the Chrome platform, with a specific focus over the past two years on empo
Hi everyone,How has your week been?Before you reply, let’s take another approach to it as sometimes words just won’t cut it.Taking inspiration from this year’s AE Cafe London event, let’s drop a Gemini generated image in the comment section below that perfectly illustrates how your week at work is going so far. I’ve been pet sitting Caju, my mate’s cat, this week, so I’m leveraging the fact that he has a backyard to work outdoors whenever possible as it’s been quite warm here in London. Here’s my take: Looking forward to see how your week has been going so far 🙃
Hey all,Welcome everybody to a new feature here in our community, the Community Spotlight series, where we'll regularly shine a light and get to know more about our wonderful members! Kicking off the series is @Michel, one of our most active and helpful members when it comes to all things Android Enterprise so much so that you’ll often see him on the Top Contributors section.Grab a coffee (or beverage of your choice) and get to know him a bit better.View Michel's profile How long have you been part of the Android Enterprise Community and why did you join?I believe I've registered pretty quickly after launching, according to my profile it was on July 3rd, 2023. But I wasn't that active in the beginning, I think because there wasn't much interaction and people here. But that all changed in 2024 when I came back with a question, or cry, for help. And from that point on I've never left.How long have you been working with Android Enterprise? What prompted the start of your journey with th
Hi everyone, Something came across my radar this week that I thought was worth bringing here, because honestly it's the kind of thing that'll either make you nod along or give you a mild headache. Possibly both. A new survey from BlackFog of over 2,000 workers at large companies found that nearly half of employees are using AI tools their employer hasn't approved. And it's not just people on the shop floor doing it either. 69% of C-suite leaders and presidents said they're fine with it, basically prioritising speed over security concerns. That in itself is a lot. But the bit that really stood out to me was what people are actually putting into these tools. A third admitted to sharing internal research or datasets. 27%* have entered employee data like salaries or performance info. 23%* have fed in company financial information. Often into free tools, where that data is highly likely being used to train the model. A separate Lenovo study published recently, surveying 6,000 enterprise emp
Hey everyone,A few of you have pointed out that our original prediction thread is looking a little out of date, fair point, time for an update.We're down to the final eight now, and it's been a tough few weeks for anyone who backed a co-host. Canada, Mexico and the USA are all out, so that particular home advantage clearly didn't count for much this time round.For those keeping track from the original thread, Brazil and Japan are both out too, so condolences to @Rafa and @Emiliano 😅. Norway is still standing though, so I'll admit to feeling quietly pleased about that one.Same as before, no prizes on offer, just the community bragging rights that come with getting your prediction right. We've put together a new poll below so you can recast your vote based on who's actually still in the running.And if you're in a workplace sweepstake, we'd love to know how your drawn team is getting on. Still alive, or already out and just waiting for it all to be over?Drop your new picks in the comme
(See quarter-final post for a new poll and chance to win!)Hey everyone,We couldn't let it pass without a mention. Turns out Google isn't immune to World Cup fever either. Over the last few weeks we've announced sponsorships with several national teams, starting with Argentina and France and since growing to include Brazil, Germany, the USA and more, so it's fair to say we've got some skin in the game too. For us, that feels like a pretty good excuse to go a little off-side and get into the spirit of things. Whether you're a die-hard supporter who's had your flag up for weeks, someone who only tunes in for the final, or a self-described "I'll watch if it's on" type, the World Cup has a way of pulling everyone in eventually. We're running a quick prediction poll to see who the community thinks is going to lift the trophy. No prizes, no league table, just the very serious matter of community bragging rights. Cast your vote and let's see how our collective wisdom holds up over the next fe
Hi everyone, Whenever a new colleague joins the office, as we are introducing ourselves, we take the opportunity to share a “fun fact” and break the ice.As time went by, we started noticing that some of us tend to reuse the same fact or rotate a selection of those - but what really matters is the intention behind it: making the new teammate feel welcomed and learn something new about each other. So I thought it would be great to do that exercise here in the community! I’ll make a start: I have a small, but well tended and cherished music home studio that I recently used to score an independent short film. Now it’s your turn: what is your fun fact?
Hi everyone, Following on from the previous conversation about the four-day work week, I've been thinking about something that feels like the flip side of the same coin. How we work, but also where we work. Most of us here are probably no strangers to the open plan office. It's been the default for most collaborative spaces for years now. The idea being that fewer walls means more team work, more spontaneous conversations, better team culture. Sounds great in theory. Except the research keeps suggesting it doesn't really work out that way. A Harvard Business School* study tracked employees at two large companies before and after moving to open plan layouts using wearable sensors and communication data. Rather than seeing more face-to-face interaction, they found it dropped by around 70%*. People weren't talking more, they were retreating to email and instant messages instead, because the open environment actually made conversation feel more exposed. And then there's the noise side
Hi everyone, It’s been a busy few weeks at Google! Google Cloud Next kicked things off in Las Vegas at the end of April and we caught the Android Show: I/O Edition together earlier this month, and now the main event is almost here. The Google I/O 2026 keynote kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday 19th May at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST. There are actually three things to put in your calendar this time around. Tuesday 19th kicks off with the big ones:Google keynote — 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST Developer keynote — 1:30pm PT / 4:30pm ET / 9:30pm BSTAnd then Wednesday 20th has a full day of sessions worth bookmarking too, including:What's new in the Gemma open model family — 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST What's new in Android development tools — 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST Defining the agentic AI era — 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST A new era of discovery: AI and the frontiers of science with Demis Hassabis — 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 8pm BSTGemini, Agents, and the Agentic Era An epic sounding name for a innovativ
Hi everyone, Thursday seems like a good day to share some thoughts and this has been on my mind recently… There was a big study published last year in Nature Human Behaviour that followed nearly 3,000 employees across 141 companies and six countries through a six-month four-day work week trial. Same pay, one less day. And the results were pretty definitive with: less burnout, better sleep and folks actually enjoying their jobs more. Around 90% of the companies decided to keep it going after the trial finished. Turns out that it wasn't really the extra day off that made the difference. It was that companies had to strip back how they worked just to make it possible. Fewer unnecessary meetings, simpler processes, more trust in people to get things done. The four-day week was almost just the excuse to do what probably needed doing anyway. Which got me thinking about this community, I’m still getting to know you all, but I assume there’s likely a healthy spread in work situations here. For
Hey! Corona has made working from home a common practice for office workers. While some companies have made working from home a standard practice, others have required their employees to return to the office. However, there are people who have to work on site and people for whom traveling is part of their daily business. How about you? Do you spend most of your time working in the office, from home, or a balanced mix of both? Or are you highly mobile because you have to travel a lot? Or maybe something else entirely? I work in a hybrid model and spend about 40% of my time in the office. This has proven to be a good balance between flexibility and direct contact with colleagues. 🙂
Hey everyone, We’ve looked back at how smartphones changed our lives and the way we work.From enabling remote work to transforming how teams stay connected, it’s clear that smartphones have become the backbone of modern productivity. But what’s next?As we look ahead, smartphones are becoming smarter, more secure, and more essential to how we do business. With AI, advanced device management, stronger security frameworks, and connected ecosystems across phones, tablets, and wearables — the line between “device” and “digital assistant” is quickly blurring.If you’d like more insight about this, please check out the article written by our members at Turquet and at Yann_ROLAND on the introduction of a mobile first/only digital environment, Android-based.How do you see smart devices evolving in the workplace and beyond?I’m looking forward to chatting more on the topic!Thanks,Emilie
Hello everyone, My name is Lizzie and I am the Community Manager here in the Android Enterprise Customer Community. You are probably all use to having the roundtable introductions in meetings and sharing a fun fact about yourself. If you are like me, you then spend the next 30 seconds trawling through your brain to find an interesting fact to share with a group of people...the good news is you are not on the spot here! 😀 This aside, it's really nice in a community to get know others and so it would be fantastic to hear from you! I'll kick us off: I've been working in community for over 10 year across a few different industries. I'm a big fan of music and I play a couple of instruments: so my 'office' playlist is quite an array of tunes I live on an island (it's quite a big one): so when I go to the Google office, I actually have to take a ferry, which sounds quite exotic! Please share a few facts about yourself, (here are a couple of ideas): What type
Hey everyone, It’s Pancake Day in the UK! Whether you’re team lemon & sugar, full-on Nutella, or secretly sneaking bacon into the mix… today is a very important day for questionable food decisions. It’s also a perfect excuse for a mid-day break, a little flipping action, and some serious topping debates with friends, family and colleagues! So, let’s start a real conversation: How do you like your pancakes? What are your favourite toppings? Do you have a tested and adopted game-changing recipe you’d like to share? Looking forward to your answers 👀🤤 Emilie
Hi everyone, To start the year off, I was reflecting on how different our workdays can be — and how much small habits or routines can make a difference when we really need to focus and get things done. For me, it varies with the task, but I sort of have 3 go-to tricks: music, short walk/change of scenery and meditation. If I need to concentrate deeply, I’ll often put on some Brian Eno or something smooth like North Americans. If it’s more about staying energised through meetings or admin tasks, a short walk or changing environment tends to help a lot as well. Finally, meditating before the day starts always helps me to be more attentive and creative. I’m curious to hear from you: Do you have a go-to focus trick or routine that works well for you? Is it something you do every day, or only when things get particularly busy? Does it change depending on whether you’re working from home or the office? Even a short reply is great — looking forward to picking up a few new ideas from you al
Hey everyone, It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come since the first smartphones hit the scene in the late 90’s. What started as a tool for calls and texts has evolved into a powerful companion that drives how we work, collaborate, and stay secure — wherever we are. @BenMcc recently took us on a trip back to 2005 with his Community festival post titled “I Tried Living Like It's 2005 for a Week”, which highlights some of our past struggles with tech in a fun and real way! In the world of Android Enterprise, smartphones are essential tools that help organisations empower teams, protect data, and adapt to modern work. From zero-touch enrolment and work profiles to seamless app management and security controls — the smartphone has completely transformed enterprise mobility. How has the smartphone changed your work life? How about your personal life? Share your experiences, insights, or even a throwback to your first work-issued sma
Hey everyone, Just a quick note to let you know I’ll be away from the community from Wednesday 4th to Friday 6th February and I’ll be back on Monday 9th. @Lynda will be here whilst I’m away and we will also have the privilege of having @Emilie_B, who you might have seen around the Android Enterprise community, covering the ChromeOS Customer Community during those days - feel free to say ‘hi’ if you haven’t met her yet! Looking forward to catching up when I’m back. Cheers,Rafa
Hey everyone, Some of my colleagues and I were chatting over lunch the other day about our favourite sandwich types — and it got us wondering what really counts as a sandwich! Can it be an “open” sandwich where you add toppings to a slice of bread or can it only be two pieces of bread with a filling? And how do you cut said sandwich - are you a fan of the triangle or just go for a straight cut down the middle? As we are a community of food lovers, I wanted to open the floor to you and ask what is your favourite sandwich type and what are your go-to toppings/fillings? Personally, I like a triangle sandwich with brie, rocket/arugula and cranberry sauce but I’m also partial to a classic jambon-beurre with gherkins (and that’s only for the savoury options!). What about you? 🥪 I can’t wait to be inspired by your replies! Chat soon, Emilie
Hey everyone, Over the past year, many of us have probably found ways to simplify parts of our day-to-day work — whether that’s streamlining a process, cutting out unnecessary steps, or using tools more effectively. For me, simplifying how I plan and prioritise work has made a noticeable difference. Reducing context-switching and relying on clearer processes (and fewer tools) has helped keep things moving, even on busy days. I’d love to hear from you: What’s one task or process you’ve managed to simplify recently? What helped the most — a change in process, a tool, or a combination of both? Has ChromeOS played a role in making that easier for you? Even small improvements can add up — curious to hear what’s worked for others 👀 Speak soon,Rafa
Happy 2026 everyone 🥂 I hope you all had a wonderful festive break and managed to get some well-deserved rest. Coming off the back of our end-of-year recap, the momentum is incredible. I'm so excited to keep that energy going and see what we build together over the next few months. As many of us settle back into “work mode”, I thought it could be helpful to share some tips for making the transition as smooth as possible: Review your priorities: A quick audit of your January goals or key tasks can create instant clarityWrite them down and triage your to-dos before diving in. Catch up mindfully: Inbox overload is real! Skimming for relevance and archiving low-priority items can help you regain control without losing your whole week to emails. Re-engage with your team: A quick catch-up message or call can rebuild connection and give you context on anything that evolved while you were away. Be gentle on your colleagues: they’re likely easing back too! H
Hi everyone, My name is Rafa and I’m the new Community Manager here in the ChromeOS Customer Community! Alongside @Lynda and the ChromeOS Community Team, I’m here to help keep this a welcoming and useful space, as well as to support you with questions, suggestions, or requests whenever needed. A few things about me: I have 3+ years of experience in community management and have worked closely with technical teams as a project and account manager I’m passionate about music (both listening to it and making it) I’m into sports and outdoor activities — I cycle and play football every week I enjoy all things creative, from photography and films to installation art and creative coding I’m based in the UK 🇬🇧 If you’d like to, feel free to share a bit about yourself in the comments, such as: where you’re based the industry you work in hobbies or interests outside of work Looking forward to getting to know you all. Speak soon,Rafa
Hi everyone, As the festive season kicks in — lights everywhere, classic tunes on repeat, tinsel and baubles as far as the eye can see — I thought it’d be fun to chat about festive films. But first… what is a festive film? Is it simply a movie set in December? One built around stockings, snow and last-minute shopping? Or does it need to revolve around the kind of chaos we all recognise this time of year: packed airports (the stress of a festive travel can lead to forgetting one of your kids at home), tight deadlines, school plays (and pantomimes if you’re in the UK), gift-wrapping and giving dilemmas (turns out a Joni Mitchell CD can be a risky choice…). For me, anything set during this period counts — the festive backdrop just raises the stakes in the best way. It’s the most wonderful time of the year…or is it?! What about you?Is Die Hard a festive film?Do you have a personal favourite that others might not consider “festive”? Looki
Already have an account? Login
No account yet? Create an account
Enter your E-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.