You may not realize it until you open your Chromebook launcher and search for it, only to be disappointed, but unlike other operating systems such as Windows, ChromeOS has no clock app! Well, that’s not entirely true, but it’s just not native – let me explain. Since 2017, it’s technically been available on your laptop, but Google still refuses to make it easily accessible.
If there’s a clock app, then where is it?
Currently, you can launch the Android Clock app from the Google Play Store, but it doesn’t appear in the launcher alongside other essential apps, which in my opinion is quite puzzling. Even after you’ve installed it, you must launch it from the store – weird, right? Unlike other Google apps or even Chromebook-native apps, the company seems to have gone out of its way to block this one from the system, which takes effort. This lack of visibility can make it inconvenient for users who rely on such a tool for a variety of reasons.
After recently introducing a few widgets as part of the ChromeOS shelf to give you quick access to certain functionalities, you’d think Google would just integrate the clock app as a widget of its own. I mean, imagine the convenience of having this be one click away. Just click on the time at the bottom right of your Chromebook and bam!
Why have one on your Chromebook?
This would offer several benefits. For instance, devices like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet could function as an alarm clock, complete with an ambient lock screen and the ability to wake up to personalized sounds or music of your choosing from YouTube Music. Additionally, having a clock app readily available would enable you to set alarms quickly while on the go, create pomodoro-style writing goals with a timer or even use a stopwatch for…whatever you need it for. The point is that all of this functionality is just…missing after so many years, and it’s weird to me.
You can’t even display multiple time zones or locations for international connections or collaborations. This would be invaluable for individuals who work globally or have friends and family in different parts of the world.
Hope for a future clock widget on ChromeOS
My hope is that with the introduction of Google Tasks into the shelf, which is most certainly the next widget the company is integrating, Google will also have a lightbulb go on in its head to include a clock that does more than just tell the time! Regardless, let me know in the comments if you’ve considered this or rather the absence of it in your day-to-day usage or if you just bust out your phone and set up timers, alarms and more.
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