After months of the same old walks and being confined to 5km of our homes, it’s time to get out and explore further afield. Now that spring has well and truly sprung and the days are getting longer you can make your daily walk more exciting and rediscover nature in a new way with Google Lens.
Ireland is home to tens of thousands of different species including 400 species of birds, more than 4,000 plant species and 12,000 varieties of insects! With the help of Google Lens and the camera on your phone you can identify every new plant, insect or bird you come across as you explore your county. If you have not used Google Lens yet you should try it, it is pretty handy and works really well.
Spot a beautiful flower while you are out and about? Now you can become the ultimate flower expert by using Google Lens to identify what’s growing in the wild. Why not add a little fun to your walk by challenging yourself to identify as many different species of flowers as you can and once done, move onto plants and insects. You can also ask Google Assistant for handy facts as you go along.
On your phone, open the Google app and in the search bar, tap Google Lens
Point your camera at the flower to identify the plant
Swipe up to learn about the discovery
You can also use the folder of stock images to create your own eye spy checklist, or if feeling creative make your own.
You can use Google Lens from:
Google Photos
Google Assistant on most Android phones
The Google app on Android phones, and Apple phones
Google Nest today announces that the second-generation Nest Hub is launching in twelve more countries around the world: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
“We know people already come to Google for information and tools to help them live healthier, happier lives, and we’ve specifically noticed more and more questions about sleep, exercise and health. So we decided to bring these kinds of solutions to our second-generation Nest Hub, while also improving what people already love about it” said Ashton Udall, Product Manager at Google Nest.
The Nest Hub you love, but better
The new Nest Hub’s speaker is based on the same audio technology as Nest Audio and has 50 percent more bass than the original Hub. Fill any room with music, podcasts or audiobooks from services like YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music — or enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies with a subscription from providers like Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube. With Quick Gestures, you can pause or play content at any time by tapping the air in front of your display.
The new Nest Hub also shows all your compatible connected devices in one place. And with a built-in Thread radio, Nest Hub will work with the new connectivity standard being created by the Project Connected Home over IP working group, making it even simpler to control your connected home.
New sleep features for better rest
The Nest Hub has always helped you tackle the day; now, it can help you rest well at night. Many of us don’t get enough sleep, which comes with some real risks.
In recent years, sleep trackers have become a popular solution. But we wanted to offer an alternative way for people who may not want to wear something to bed to understand their sleep. And we knew people felt comfortable with Nest Hub at their bedsides thanks to its camera-free design, so we went to work. The result is Sleep Sensing, an opt-in feature to help you understand and improve your sleep:
Understand your sleep: Sleep Sensing uses Motion Sense (powered by Soli low-energy radar technology) to analyze how the person closest to the display is sleeping, based on their movement and breathing — all without a camera or wearable. Sleep Sensing can also detect sleep disturbances like coughing and snoring or the light and temperature changes in the room with Nest Hub’s built-in microphones and ambient light and temperature sensors, so you can better understand what’s impacting your sleep.
Every morning you’ll receive a personalized sleep summary on your display, or you can view your sleep data anytime on the Nest Hub by asking, “Hey Google, how did I sleep?” Sleep Sensing can also connect to your Google Fit app on Android and iOS devices, so you can see your sleep summary alongside your other health and wellness information on your phone.
Get help for better sleep: Understanding your sleep is an important first step, but you may still have questions about what else you can do to get a better night’s sleep. Sleep Sensing helps by providing tailored bedtime schedules and personalized suggestions for improvement, developed by a team of sleep scientists and using guidance from organizations like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Compiled after several nights of analysis, these suggestions point you to notable aspects of your sleep, educate you on why those areas are important and provide suggestions to improve.
Built with your privacy in mind: Sleep Sensing is completely optional with privacy safeguards in place so you’re in control: You choose if you want to enable it and there’s a visual indicator on the display to let you know when it’s on. Motion Sense only detects motion, not specific bodies or faces, and your coughing and snoring audio data is only processed on the device — it isn’t sent to Google servers. You have multiple controls to disable Sleep Sensing features, including a hardware switch that physically disables the microphone. You can review or delete your sleep data at any time, and consistent with our privacy commitments, it isn’t used for personalized ads.
Sleep Sensing on the second-gen Nest Hub is available as a free preview until next year. We’ll also be looking for ways to integrate with Fitbit’s sleep tracking features to bring the best of both together in the future.
Even if you choose not to enable Sleep Sensing, you can still fall asleep and wake up easier with Nest Hub. The display dims to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly, and the “Your evening” page helps you wind down at night with relaxing sounds. When it’s time to wake up, Nest Hub’s Sunrise Alarm gradually brightens the display and increases the alarm volume. If you need a few more ZZZs, use Motion Sense to wave your hand and snooze the alarm.
Sustainable design that matches any room
The new Nest Hub comes in two colour options: Chalk and Charcoal. It features an edgeless glass display that’s easy to clean and makes your Nest Hub an even more beautiful digital photo frame. And continuing our commitment to sustainability, Nest Hub is designed with recycled materials with its plastic mechanical parts containing 54 percent recycled post-consumer plastic.
The second-generation Nest Hub will be available for €99.99 from the Google Store from the 4th May, 2021.
Google has today launched Google for Small Business; a new website which is specifically dedicated and designed for small Irish businesses to help them take their business online and continue to reach customers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Google’s aim is to help Irish businesses leverage current consumer sentiment by using the online tools available to them. With the search term “buy Irish” increasing by 3,500% in 2020, and by nearly 6,400% during peak shopping seasons, being visible online will enable more Irish businesses to reach new and existing customers now while restrictions remain in place and in the future.
The free online platform will guide businesses along every step of their journey from setting up their Google Business Profile to creating a website, along with tips and advice on how to reach and grow their customer base. The platform will also allow business owners to tailor their approach, in their own time, to operating online based on their own specific needs.
Commenting on the launch of Google for Small Business, Alice Mansergh, Google’s Director of Small Business, said; “This online platform has been set up at a crucial time for small businesses, many of whom have faced great challenges over the past year due to COVID-19 and need help adapting and growing online.
Over the last year we have seen some great success stories from small businesses that have pivoted to sell and engage with their customers online. Google for Small Business was designed to help more businesses leverage the supports available and start taking the small steps to overcome the impacts of the pandemic and experience similar growth and success. One of the key insights we have gained from working with small businesses is the need for a practical, step-by-step guide to operating online and that is exactly what Google for Small Business is.”
The website will also specifically allow businesses to discover valuable insights about their customers using market research tools along with advice on how to create a strong customer experience and drive more traffic to their business.
In response to COVID-19, Google has committed to supporting 60,000 Irish SMEs as they embark on recovery from the financial impacts caused by the virus. The launch of the Google for Small Business website is part of this ongoing commitment to support Irish SMEs and help them gain the necessary digital skills to set up and grow their business successfully online.
Three Irish NGOs that support small businesses, job seekers and skills training will receive a share of €500,000 funding from Google.org to help them respond to the repercussions of the pandemic. The funding from the philanthropic arm of Google is the second tranche of the €1 million grant funding announced in April.
The funding was dedicated in two tranches, the first of which was provided to help NGOs and non-profits providing vital services to the most vulnerable in our communities during the initial Covid crisis, followed by a second tranche dedicated to economic recovery.
This second tranche of grants will be shared among NGOs that focus on upskilling, mentoring and supporting job seekers to help them gain the skills, knowledge and qualifications they need for roles in the tech sector. The projects to be funded by each of the grantees are:
Jobcare delivers virtual, 7-week training programmes to jobseekers in Dublin. Its goal is to support 500 participants and to help with this, they’re building a new platform for participants to use which will help them engage with the course material, other participants, and the trainers.
Ringsend Community Services Forum (RCSF) provides mentorship, job training, and train-the-trainer programmes to 50 community leaders in Ringsend and Pearse Street. This will provide an opportunity for each of the leaders to deliver training to their own target groups. In partnership with St. Andrew’s and The Anchorage Project key support in digital skills and employment opportunities will be provided to jobseekers in the wider communities of Pearse street and Ringsend.
INCO provides virtual job and skills training to young people (18-35) who have been economically impacted by COVID-19, primarily in Cork, Galway, and Waterford (achieved through working with local partners). INCO focuses on developing tech skills amongst this group with a view to young people gaining vital experience that will help them get full time roles in the tech sector.
Nick Leeder, Head of Google in Ireland said, “When we announced this funding back in April, we wanted to ensure that the second tranche would be dedicated to organisations that are providing support to job seekers and people needing to upskill from different backgrounds and locations around the country. Jobcare, INCO and RCSF provide these vital services that must not only continue amid the pandemic and public health guidelines, but must also continue to adapt their services to meet evolving challenges. It’s also very important to us that we continue to support our neighbours in Ringsend and the surrounding areas as they navigate this extremely difficult time.
Paul Mooney, Founder of Jobcare, one of the grantees to receive funding from Google.org said, “We are working tirelessly to support jobseekers, now including those who have unfortunately been economically impacted by COVID-19. It’s crucial that we continue our services during this extraordinarily difficult time, and the Google.org grant will help us expand our reach and adapt our platforms so that we continue to provide vital support.”
The first tranche of the €1 million euro funding was shared among NGOs that address different aspects of the crisis in communities across Ireland, including FoodCloud, ALONE, A Lust for Life and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, in addition to Google’s local community in Ringsend and Pearse Street.
Google Maps has analysed data before and during the pandemic to see how people have been getting around, where they are spending their time and what type of food they’re craving. If you have not already known you can now check shops online to see what the flow is like prior leaving your house which is also handy as you will see just below is a live example for my local Dunnes Stores and I use this anytime I need to venture out to get some things done.
Interest in cycling is up
Across the country, people are opting for solo ways to get around safely. Unsurprisingly, driving continues to be the most popular mode of transportation while cycling has emerged as an alternative – interest in cycling has increased 32% percent nationwide and 36% in Dublin compared to pre-pandemic days.
Social distancing in a winter wonderland
Popular times and live busyness information in Google Maps have always been essential festive season tools, helping you avoid unwanted crowds. These tools help you know in advance when places are going to be busy so you can save precious time and also social distance.
So if you find yourself in need of a caffeine fix to tackle your Christmas errands, make sure to avoid coffee shops on Saturday mornings at Midday when coffee shops across Ireland tend to be most packed. And if you’re planning to shop for your Christmas feast, avoid your local supermarket on Saturday afternoons between 1-2 p.m. when you’re likely to encounter long lines.
Chinese is the most searched cuisine in Ireland
With indoor dining shut for many months of the year and indoor dining capacity reduced, search interest in Take-aways has soared throughout the year. As for what people are eating, Chinese is the most-searched for cuisine followed by Indian, Kebabs and Italian.
Time to embrace the outdoors
Across the country, people are using Google Maps to search for parks, waterfalls, beaches and gardens within driving or walking distance. While searches for outdoor locations decreased by 456% in April, when the toughest restrictions were in place May was the most popular month for outdoor searches with an increase of 84% in searches. The Top Outdoor search queries for Dublin are:
Phoenix Park
Marlay Park
Bushy Park
Saint Anne’s Park
Ticknock Forest
The festive season is going to look a little different this year because of COVID-19. Family gatherings may be smaller or take place virtually to make sure everyone stays safe and healthy. Indoor activities could move outdoors. And the holiday abroad might become an Irish road trip to discover some local hidden gems. But even still, people are looking for ways to experience winter and finding new ways to be together.
No matter what plans people have this winter these Google Maps tips will help them to stay informed, stay connected, and save time.
Stay informed even while shopping and travelling
Check out how busy a place is: Popular times and live busyness information can tell you how crowded a place typically is on a given day or time–and even how busy it is right now. This is especially handy during the era of social distancing, Check out busyness on Maps before you head to a restaurant, store, business, or place to avoid holiday crowds and long waits.
(New!) Find the latest information about COVID-19: Are you visiting family in another country? Use the COVID layer on Maps to quickly see how cases are trending in the area. You can also access quick links to authoritative local resources so you know at a glance if there are specific guidelines or restrictions in the area you’re visiting.
Quickly understand safety precautions from a business: If you’re eating out or getting a head start on your Christmas shopping, you can easily learn more about what safety precautions a business is taking. Find out if they’re sanitizing between customers, if there’s safety dividers at checkout and if they require staff to have regular temperature checks.
Connect with family and friends this season
Share your ETA with friends and family: Don’t leave your friends and family wondering where you are! You can let your contacts know when they can expect you with just a few taps.
Meet up with ease with Live View: If you’re meeting up with friends for a socially distant gathering, it can be hard to pinpoint where they are. If your loved one has chosen to share their location with you, you can use augmented reality in Live View to see where and how far away they are–with overlaid arrows and directions that help you know where to go.
Save time so you can spend more time enjoying the festivities
Easily find a local restaurant offering take-away: If you’re taking a low-key approach to festivities this year and opting to order in instead of going out or cooking an elaborate meal, Google Maps can help. When searching on your phone for restaurants nearby, you can easily sort by places that offer takeaway or delivery and place your order directly from Google Maps.
The all new Google Pixel 5 has just landed and it is offering many more features than the 4a as expected with extras like wireless charging and reverse wireless charging which is certainly welcome in my book, the build quality also has improved here but the overall form factor remains the same and it feels really good in the hand and to top it off we also have the original Pixel 5 case to go with it adding extra grip and of course more protection for your device. I have been using this for the last few days but this is just a first impressions and walkthrough of the device and so far I am impressed and the camera yet again delivers exceptional results along with all the new features. If you have any questions feel free to ask in the usual places.. We will have a long term review soon as you cant review a device in a few days properly but check out the unboxing, images and videos so far below.. So far this is mighty impressive and Google have delivered yet again on first impressions over the last few days.
What happens when you bring together Google and the speed of 5G?1 You get Pixel 4a (5G) and the Pixel 5, so you can download a movie on the go, enjoy smooth streaming, and play your favourite games.2 With built-in protections to help keep your data safe and an all-day battery that can last up to 48 hours with Extreme Battery Saver,3 Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 bring together all of the Google smarts to help you take stunning ultrawide photos, even block spam texts 4 They’re the super helpful 5G Google phones at a helpful price.
2
Beautifully designed. From the inside, out.
Your entertainment and apps will look great on the bezel-less edge-to-edge display that both Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 have. Pixel 4a (5G) comes with a 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. It has 128 GB of storage5 and 6 GB of RAM. Pixel 5 comes with a 6.0-inch FHD+ Flexible OLED display, 128 GB of storage5 and 8 GB of RAM. It has wireless6 and reverse wireless charging with Battery Share7 so you can charge your Pixel Buds8 with it. Pixel 5 is also IP68 dust and water resistant.9
3
Beautiful moments,
captured beautifully.
Get incredible photos with the brilliant Pixel camera that has new goodies and can help you shoot and edit like the pros. Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 cameras have a new lens to capture stunning ultrawide shots in addition to your favourite features like Live HDR+ and dual exposure controls. They also come with new features like Night Sight in Portrait mode, Portrait Light, and Cinematic Pan.
4
Add an extra day to your all-day battery.
Pixel’s Adaptive Battery learns your favourite apps and reduces power to the ones you rarely use, helping your battery last all day.3 The newest feature, Extreme Battery Saver, helps your Pixel last up to 48 hours when you really need it,3 automatically limiting active apps to just the essentials and letting you choose additional apps you want to keep on.
5
Entertainment at 5G speeds.
Need some entertainment for your trip? With 5G, you can download movies fast.1 Plus you can take your 5G to more screens with Pixel’s 5G hotspot. It’s powerful enough to keep multiple devices connected at once.1,10
6
Peace of mind.
Pixel 4 (5G) and Pixel 5’s hardware and software work together to keep everything from your texts to your pics secure on your phone. In fact, Pixel’s security features earned a perfect score on a recent analyst evaluation.11 They come with a custom built Titan(™) M security chip and 3 years of guaranteed updates.12 They have also been tested against real-world threats to keep everything from your texts to your pics secure on your phone. So you can have peace of mind knowing your phone is working to keep you and your stuff safe. And they even have built-in safety features like car crash detection and Safety Check to keep you safe. 13,14
7
Be there, without being there.
Get closer to the people you love with ultra-clear HD screen sharing in Duo video calls.15 So everyone on the call can watch the same video, cheer on live sports together, and even plan activities – all while being thousands of miles apart.
8
Comes with the best of Google.
With Pixel, you get the best of Google services. When you purchase a Pixel 4a (5G) or Pixel 5, you’ll get a Stadia and YouTube Premium trial for 3 months, 100 GB of storage with Google One for 3 months, and Google Play Pass and Play Points for 3 months.16 Your Pixel also gets a periodic boost of helpfulness and security. With feature drops, you get automatic software updates that send new experiences, tricks, and apps to your phone, making it better and more helpful as time goes on.17
9
Google Assistant. A little help wherever you go.
Use Google Assistant to manage your daily tasks, get proactive help at the right time and place, control your phone and apps, and much more.18
10
Enhance the Pixel experience.
Get compatible Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 accessories from Google or choose products from one of the Made for Google brands offering 300+ compatible accessories. Add some colour with Pixel fabric cases, with a soft outer fabric made from over 70% recycled material.19 The machine-washable fabric is soft to the touch and stays stylish over time.20 Plus, Google Pixel Buds bring you brilliant sound, clear calls,21 and hands-free help from Google Assistant.22Accessories provide personalisation, audio, power, and more to your phone.
Google is launching 23 augmented reality (AR) insects on Google Search. If you remember collecting insects as a child, then you will enjoy playing with these AR insects in your home or on the move. Afraid of bugs? Look away now…
To see one of the AR insects, users can search for the name of the insect, e.g. “Hercules beetle”, on their smartphone and click [View in 3D]. Users can freely zoom in and out on the AR insect to better understand details of the insect’s form, detail and movements. On Android devices, you can also hear insect sounds. Users can use the feature to see the animals in 3D, as well as being able to capture the insects in photos and videos.
This time, the following 23 insects will appear in AR.
Starting today, you’ll see an updated Google Maps app for Android and iOS that gives you everything you need right at your fingertips with five easy-to-access tabs: Explore, Commute, Saved, Contribute and Updates.
Explore: Looking for a place nearby to grab lunch, enjoy live music or play arcade games? In the Explore tab, you’ll find information, ratings, reviews and more for about 200 million places around the world, including local restaurants, nearby attractions and city landmarks.
Commute: Whether you’re traveling by car or public transit, the Commute tab is there to make sure you’re on the most efficient route. Set up your daily commute to get real-time traffic updates, travel times and suggestions for alternative routes.
Saved: People have saved more than 6.5 billion places on Google Maps—from the new bakery across town to the famous restaurant on your upcoming vacation. Now you can find and organize all of these spots in one convenient place. View your saved places, find and organize plans for an upcoming trip and share recommendations based on places you’ve been.
Contribute: Hundreds of millions of people each year contribute information that helps keep Google Maps up to date. With the new Contribute tab, you can easily share local knowledge, such as details about roads and addresses, missing places, business reviews and photos. Each contribution goes a long way in helping others learn about new places and decide what to do.
Updates: The new Updates tab provides you with a feed of trending, must-see spots from local experts and publishers, like The Infatuation. In addition to discovering, saving and sharing recommendations with your network, you can also directly chat with businesses to get questions answered.
Made for you, on the go
We’re constantly evolving to help you get around–no matter how you choose to travel. Our new transit features in the Google Maps app help you stay informed when you’re taking public transportation.
Last year, we introduced crowdedness predictions to help you see how crowded your bus, train or subway is likely to be based on past rides. To help you plan your travels, we’re adding new insights about your route from past riders, so you’ll soon be able to see important details, such as:
Temperature: For a more comfortable ride, check in advance if the temperature is considered by past riders as on the colder or warmer side.
Accessibility: If you have special needs or require additional support, you can now identify public transit lines with staffed assistance, accessible entrance and seating, accessible stop-button or hi-visible LED.
Women’s Carriage: Easily find out if there’s a designated woman’s section or women’s carriage that other passengers abide by.
Security Onboard: Feel safer knowing if security monitoring is on board—whether that’s with a security guard present, installed security cameras or available helpline.
Number of carriages available: In Japan only, you can pick a route based on the number of carriages so that it increases your chances of getting a seat.
These useful bits of information come from past riders who’ve shared their experiences and will appear alongside public transit routes when available. To help future riders, you can answer a short survey within Google Maps about your experience on recent trips. We’ll start rolling this out globally in March, with availability varying by region and municipal transportation agency.
Having used and still use my Pixel 3a I was excited to see the new pixel devices launched this time around and was a keen fan waiting to see what new ideas google have to offer this time around despite seeing and trying to ignore leaks and also something we never talk about here as I find it annoying and clickbait. The Pixel 4 does come with plenty on offer but the main issue I see here and what people talk about is the new camera set-up. Google has done well with just one lens over the last of their devices and now they have introduced a dual set up and people continue to moan about missing the third lens. Google has fantastic AI features and nightsight being one of them the ultrawide lens omission is not a deal breaker for me as the camera takes fantastic photos and I can live without the ultrawide lens and fair play to google for not following the narrative out there with the great lens race.
I have been using the Pixel 4 now almost a week and just like my trusty Pixel 3a it is my main device so this means very heavy usage compared to the average user out there and so far I love it, I have the Black version which has a gloss finish compared to the matt finish on the other two options though the orange one looks really well and I might just get a dbrand skin for it but we have also a stack of cases coming in for the pixel 4 so stay tuned for the usual case round ups this week sometime.
The device feels much more premium than the pixel 3a which is welcome and given I prefer the bigger screen the Pixel 3a as mentioned has been my daily driver and now the pixel 4 will replace it and I have got use to using the smaller screen although typing can be a pain sometime with big hands but I can live with it as the device works perfectly fine in any other way I would use a smartphone.
IMAGE GALLERY COMPARED TO THE PIXEL 3a
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The Pixel 4 has no notch this time around and many will like that but it does have a big forehead and a small chin but there is good reason for that forehead with all the new technology Google has put in there and one being Motion Sense.
Pixel 4 will be the first device with Soli, powering the new Motion Sense features to allow you to skip songs, snooze alarms, and silence phone calls, just by waving your hand. These capabilities are just the start, and just as Pixels get better over time, Motion Sense will evolve as well. Some will see this as a gimmick and LG tried a similar idea by waving the hand over their device and it did not work out well given they had a visual indicator on offer for now it works occasionally but I feel it is something when improved it will be something I will use more and it is great to have options to pick your phone up less.
Google Assistant has now got deeper integration which means less taps on the phone and again this is a good move,One thing with voice assistants is how deep this works and now Google have stepped things up in this department and it is welcome I like it.
Another new built in app which I really like is the built in recorder which will be handy for journalists or bloggers on the go. Pixel 4’s new Recorder app records meetings, lectures, jam sessions—anything you want to save and listen to later—and simultaneously transcribes speech and identifies sounds like music and applause. You can easily search within your recordings to quickly find a specific word or sound. All of this happens on-device. We’re starting with English for transcription and search, with more languages coming soon.
We wont bore you with the specs details as we all know them now but we do go into things some more in our video review and you can also check out the images samples and videos we have taken over the last few days and it is clear and simple the camera is once again something special on this device even from a point and shoot perspective. Full details on the pixel 4 here
