Tag: Google

Google.org announces next phase of grant funding to support local employment opportunities in Dublin

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD announced funding support of €300,000 by Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, to fund nonprofits supporting local employment opportunities through the Local Employment Task Force.

Launched in 2021 with support from Google, the Employment Task Force aims to find sustainable employment solutions for long-term unemployed people from the south inner city and provide training and development opportunities. This latest grants by Google.org will fund skills programmes by two nonprofits in the local area:

 

  1. The Anchorage Project – a community-based training programme in the Ringsend and Irishtown area. The new skills based training will support 70 students to obtain an ITEC certified level qualification and  soft skills to enable them to gain sustainable employment in the beauty and hospitality skills industry.

  2. The Irish Nautical Trust – Google.org will continue its support of this hugely successful scholarship programme for students to access marine skills and technology. Launched in October 2021, this community-based environment maritime training programme educates local unemployed people and school leavers on the environment. Of 30 recent graduates, 28 have gained employment with ongoing support being provided to the remaining two. The funding supports access for students to obtain a certified level of maritime skills and enable them to gain sustainable employment in the marine industry.

At the event, Minister Donnelly also presented graduation certificates to 10 parents of children with special needs. Each recipient completed Google’s inaugural Special Needs Assistants scholarship programme. A further 10 scholarships were announced by Google covering the Docklands community.

Welcoming Google.org’s funding support to the Anchorage Project and the Irish Nautical Trust, Minister Donnelly said: “The employment opportunities both these programmes provide to the students will play a key role in not only their own futures but that of the wider community. While the State has a role to play, I would call on industry to join companies like Google and enhance their efforts to increase community employment. I have been informed that the majority of previous recipients of the Irish Nautical Trust Marine Skills & Technology scholarship programme secured employment and I look forward to hearing how all scholarship recipients fare in the months ahead”.

He added, “I would also like to sincerely congratulate today’s SNA certificate recipients and commend them on their passion and commitment to facilitating inclusive education in our community.  SNAs play an invaluable role in supporting the education and well-being of students with additional needs in schools and these parents commitment to not just the education of their own children but those of the wider community is especially commendable”

David Sneddon, VP, Google Ireland, said, “Today is about recognising the importance of having access to training in your community. I would like to specifically congratulate those who graduated. All those who received a certificate today are mothers of children with additional needs who are passionate about their wider community. We are also delighted to continue our support of the Irish Nautical Trust, an integral member of our Employment Task Force, and we look forward to developing our relationship with the Anchorage project. Google Ireland remains committed to supporting our local community and addressing their needs in partnership with the community.”

Jimmy Murray, Irish Nautical Trust, said, “The Irish Nautical Trust’s mission is to create a marine training apprenticeship programme to train and certify young people in maritime skills to allow them to secure and maintain long term sustainable employment. However, our work is only possible through support from the government and organisations committed to continuing the nautical skills tradition in Dublin. We are thrilled that this grant from Google.org will support a further 30 graduates through the training scheme”.

Last evening’s event was to present certificates to the first 10 parents of children with special needs who completed the Special Needs Assistants (SNA) qualification with support from Google. This programme was established by Google’s Education Taskforce, a group consisting of the seven local schools in the area, who identified the need for SNA support. At the same time the local Neurodiversity network in the community made up of over 60 families from Irishtown, Ringsend and Pearse Street (NIRP) approached Google seeking training support in the field of SNA and digital support.

Google supported 10 scholarships for the NIRP group. 10 parents successfully achieved level 5 and 6 qualifications in the field of SNA. They carried out their work experience in the local schools supported by the Education Task Force. Following the initial success of the programme, Google has now announced its intention to fund a further 10 scholarships in the Docklands community.

Sleep better with Google this World Sleep Day

Google searches for Sleep are at an all time high. How can I fall asleep faster? Why can’t I sleep? How much sleep do I need? Did I sleep well? are just some of the questions people turn to Google for help with everyday. Google Search trends are telling us that phrases like “sleep,” “sleep apnea” and “night routine” are trending more than ever and with World Sleep Day coming up on the 17th March, here is some Google products and features that can help to create routines for winding down, enjoying a deeper rest and waking up feeling your best.

How your Pixel phone can help you rest undisturbed

Many people keep their phone on their nightstand but with that comes the temptation to  scroll through emails and social media, or check every notification instead of getting some rest. Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7 and Pixel 6a come with features that can help people avoid this. Flip to Shhh puts the phone into Do Not Disturb mode when laid face down, and Digital Wellbeing lets users manage time spent on the phone while setting limits on certain websites and apps. When it’s in Bedtime mode, Pixel can also help people understand the quality of their sleep using AI to analyze audio such as coughs and snores during the night.

How Pixel Buds Pro can tune out the world

Whether it’s bustling city noise or a snoring partner, it can be hard to find peace and quiet when it’s time to wind down. Pixel Buds Pro have Active Noise Cancellation with Silent Seal to help block outside noise. Pair with Pixel Watch or Pixel Phones for a mindful meditation from YouTube Music in the evening. See our Pixel Buds Pro review and pixel watch strap review and if you need a case look here.

How the Pixel Watch and Fitbit Versa 4 detects personal sleep trends

Pixel Watch and the Fitbit Versa 4 are both equipped with sleep tracking features that are powered by Fitbit’s sleep technology. Combining accelerometer data, heart rate variability (the changes in time between beats) and proven machine learning algorithms, Pixel Watch and the Fitbit Versa 4 can estimate how long people spend in light, deep and REM sleep stages, as well as time awake each night. Users can wake up to their Sleep Score and better understand personal sleep trends so they can experiment and make adjustments that work for them. 

How Nest Hub (2nd Gen) can sense sleep quality
Prefer not to wear a watch to bed? Nest Hub (2nd Gen) with Sleep Sensing tracks sleep without a camera, using a low-energy radar that analyzes movement and breathing. Wake up with gentle sounds and a soft change in light then check out the sleep summary to see sleep length, disturbances like coughing or snoring and whether the bedroom temperature got too low or high.

How Google Home app can automate the bedtime routine

Setting a consistent routine is one of the best ways to improve sleep over time. By creating a Personal or Household routine in the Google Home app, people can cue actions like turning off the lights or the TV at a certain time and playing relaxing meditation music on the Nest Hub (2nd Gen). If the room gets too hot or cold at night, the Nest Hub can be used the following night to make adjustments like changing the temperature on the Nest Thermostat.

New ways Google Maps is getting more immersive and sustainable

Today Google is announcing new updates to Google Maps that will help people explore and navigate in new and more sustainable ways in a more immersive and intuitive map. AI is bringing these changes to life with updates for immersive view and Live View, along with new features for electric vehicle (EV) drivers and people who walk, bike or ride public transit. Some updates will be available from today with some launching in Dublin over the coming months.

 

Immersive view: rolling out now

Immersive view is an entirely new way to explore a place — letting you feel like you’re right there, even before you visit. Using advances in AI and computer vision, immersive view fuses billions of Street View and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world. And it layers helpful information on top like the weather, traffic, and how busy a place is.

Say you’re planning a visit to Trinity College. You can virtually soar over the campus and see where things like the entrances are. With the time slider, you can see what the area looks like at different times of day and what the weather will be like. You can also spot where it tends to be most crowded so you can have all the information you need to decide where and when to go. If you’re hungry, glide down to the street level to explore nearby restaurants — and even take a look inside to quickly understand the vibe of a spot before you book your reservation.

To create these true-to-life scenes, Google uses neural radiance fields (NeRF), an advanced AI technique, transforms ordinary pictures into 3D representations. With NeRF, Google Maps can accurately recreate the full context of a place including its lighting, the texture of materials and what’s in the background. All of this allows you to see if a bar’s moody lighting is the right vibe for a date night or if the views at a cafe make it the ideal spot for lunch with friends.

Immersive view starts rolling out today in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. And in the coming months, it’ll launch in even more cities, including in Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence and Venice.

Explore and navigate with AR

Search with Live View uses AI and augmented reality to help you find things around you — like ATMs, restaurants, parks and transit stations — just by lifting your phone while you’re on the street. Google recently launched search with Live View in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo. In the coming months, the feature will be launched in Barcelona, Dublin and Madrid.

 

Make driving an EV easy

We’re also seeing more drivers and car companies move toward electric vehicles. As a result, Google Maps is introducing new features for EV drivers with vehicles that have Google Maps built in.

 

  • Adding charging stops to shorter trips: On any trip that’ll require a charging stop, Maps will suggest the best stop based on factors like current traffic, your charge level and expected energy consumption. Now you can worry less about remembering to charge, no matter where you’re headed. And if you don’t want to visit that particular station, you can easily swap it with another one with just a few taps.

  • Very fast charging stations: The ‘very fast’ charging filter will help you easily find stations that have chargers of 150 kilowatts or higher. For many cars, this can give you enough power to fill up and get back on the road in less than 40 minutes.

  • Charging stations in search results: Google Maps will also show you in search results when places like a supermarket have charging stations on-site. So if you’re on your way to pick up groceries, you can more easily choose a store that also lets you charge your car there.

 

 

Get glanceable directions while navigating

No matter what mode of transportation you’re taking — whether you’re walking, biking or taking public transit — Google Maps is making it even easier for you to get around.

With glanceable directions, you can track your journey right from your route overview or lock screen. You’ll see updated ETAs and where to make your next turn — information that was previously only visible by unlocking your phone, opening the app and using comprehensive navigation mode. And if you decide to take another path, Google Maps will update your trip automatically. These glanceable directions start rolling out globally on Android and iOS in the coming months, and will also be compatible with Live Activities on iOS 16.1.

 

 

These are just a few ways that AI is helping us reimagine the future of Google Maps — making it more immersive and sustainable for people around the world.

Ten Irish SMEs announced as winners of You’re the Business Digital’s Acceleration Initiative

Google, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices are today announcing the ten businesses that secured a truly unique, money-can’t-buy prize as part of the You’re The Business campaign launched last year. ‘You’re the Business’ is a programme that aims to accelerate Irish SME growth through digitalisation.

The successful businesses from across the country and a variety of sectors will receive a customised suite of digital supports from Google, expert sector and industry-specific mentoring across a range of technical areas that will help the ten SMEs to further develop their business. The selected businesses will also receive a €1,000 Google ads package each.

From family businesses to new businesses, from service to retail, the ten innovative and inspiring SMEs using digital to grow their businesses are:

  • Babogue (Kildare) – Certified Child Sleep Consultant, Erica Hargaden’s Babogue offers a suite of online video based sleep courses to help parents to manage the rollercoaster that is child sleep.
  • Camerino Bakery (Dublin) – Caryna Camerino runs the award-winning cafe and bakery and recently developed an online catering and cake ordering service.
  • Cullen Nurseries (Carlow) – Cullen Nurseries is a family owned business in Carlow, supplying top-quality native trees and hedging. Their award-winning site helps them offer an efficient online service with nationwide delivery.
  • DR Dogcare (Clare) – Animal lover Deirdre Ryan offers group or one-to-one training for dogs and their owners as well as a dog grooming service which can be booked through the website.
  • Prints of Ireland (Dublin) – Entrepreneurs, Heather and Peter’s online shop commemorates Irish landmarks with quality prints, totes and greeting cards.
  • Ryan Thomas Jewelers (Tipperary) – A family business selling luxury and hand-crafted jewellery in Clonmel for the last 43 years which can now also be purchased through the store’s website.
  • The Crafty Fox (Louth) – An award-winning fabric, crafts, and haberdashery supplies in Drogheda, supplying a large collection of top-quality products, as well as industry-leading workshops and classes which are available to book online.
  • The Cookie Co-op (Kilkenny) – A family business founded by Brian Walsh in 2020. Shoppers can order hand-crafted artisan cookies, muffins and bars online for next day delivery.
  • Velvet Cloud (Mayo) – Velvet Cloud is a range of handmade natural sheep’s milk yogurt and cheese, made on Flanagan’s family farm, and can be bought directly from their website.
  • Wonky Woolins (Galway) – Chloe Gardiner sells her wonky knitted toys from her well-designed website.

Speaking at the announcement of the winners, Caryna Camerino of Camerino Bakery said: “We launched our online shop in January 2020 just prior to Covid-19. Overnight, the website which had originally been designed to be our virtual shop window became our only shop window. Digitising our business meant that we were prepared for what came next and now the sales we make online are equal to the sales we make through the tills. We even grew the business through Covid. With Google’s help, we are now looking to reach new customers via online marketing, newsletters, and email campaigns”.

Research conducted by Google, developed in partnership with Amárach for the launch of You’re The Business last year found that almost half of SMEs believe they could more than double their turnover (40%) and profitability (45%) with an investment in digital skills. But, the research also showed that more than one in every ten SMEs based in Ireland (11%) are not yet using digital technology in their business – almost half (45%) of SMEs do not have their own website.

Alice Mansergh, Director for Small Business at Google, said: “Ireland is home to more than 250,000 small businesses, providing employment and services right across the country. Small businesses are at the heart of towns and communities across Ireland. With over 90% of Irish consumers now active online, businesses of all shapes and sizes stand to gain by ensuring they have their ‘online shop window’ – their website, their online profile – working well. At Google, we’ve been proud to partner with Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices to bring help and support nationwide through ‘You’re The Business’. The program offers free training for all available on the You’re The Business website. We had a tough time picking 10 lucky winners to receive an even more customised prize package, such was the high standard of entries. My huge congratulations to our lucky winners: we’re excited to support their business vision and next chapter of growth online.”

Richard Murphy, Enterprise Ireland said: The You’re the Business initiative has been a significant boost to SMEs across the country.  To be able to open up Google’s expertise in digital and online promotion to all businesses is a huge step forward in helping these companies to maximise their online presence.  Both Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices have been working closely with clients supporting their journey’s to get online and grow online and this will only help those companies further.  To the winners we wish continued success and we look forward to supporting them as they grow both here in Ireland and hopefully internationally in the years to come.”

Padraic McElwee, Local Enterprise Offices said: “The impact of digital for small businesses has never been so keenly felt than over the recent years.  Many companies have had to become more agile, more digitally adept to survive and thrive.  Having helped thousands to get online with our Trading Online Vouchers during the pandemic, this was an opportune time to help these businesses upskill utilising the expertise of Google alongside our partners Enterprise Ireland.  The response to the You’re The Business campaign has been phenomenal up and down the country and to be able to open up these online resources to our clients has had a huge impact this year and will do in years to come.  I want to congratulate all the winners and no doubt they will go from strength to strength on the back of this partnership.”

Launched last year, You’re the Business – a partnership between Google, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices – focuses on supporting Irish SMEs to upskill digitally and enhance their online capabilities. It continues to provide Irish SMEs with access to a series of live and on-demand training sessions, geared towards supporting companies at all stages of their digitalisation journey, including those at early stages right through to those more digitally-sophisticated businesses. The training consists of three modules that will help businesses.

For further information on the winners and the You’re The Business initiative, please visit: g.co/yourethebusiness

Cracked Cameras and Slow Charging: Is The Pixel 7 Faulty?

Since its launch in November, Google Pixel 7 has been a solid compromise between affordability and good performance. However, many customers have reported issues that appear within the first months of use. Some reviewers have already noticed a few pinpoints, such as slow charging issues, and others have noticed that the camera’s glass would shatter for no reason.

It’s normal for a new product to encounter a few minor problems, but critics regarding the Pixel 7 are piling up. Is the Pixel 7 generally faulty, and is Google good enough at repairing these issues? Here’s a cautionary tale or two about the new brand flagship.

Shuttering Cameras Experienced By Some Users

Don’t get us wrong: the Pixel 7 is a lovely phone with enough performance to compete with the best Samsung and iPhone on the market. First, we enjoy its elegant and sober design and its fast responsiveness. Second, we enjoy the ability it gives you to multitask as you can place a phone call, play some online casino games from betFIRST and watch a Youtube video on its very decent-sized screen.

Nonetheless, a handful of users from different places have noticed that the glass or their camera shattered for no reason. Witnesses’ accounts are always similar. They all had a protective case, never dropped it on the floor, and the glass exploded after just a few months of use.

 

This particular issue could cause a significant hazard as the glass is sharp enough to cause damage. When confronted about this, Google’s customer service doesn’t help to find a cause and doesn’t give a refund. Some users reported that repairing this issue would cost 200 to 300 $ at their local phone repair shop.

Agreed, this is a bit concerning for a 600£ handset. Google still has to investigate that matter, which recently appeared among users. A similar issue happened to Samsung phones two years ago.

Slow Charging And Connectivity Issues

Another disappointment with the Pixel 7 is the slow charging speed of the device. Users have noticed that it can take up to one hour and a half for a full charge. Nowadays, customers expect ultra-fast charging speed, and the performances of the device need to be better. To add insult to injury, no charger is sold with the phone. It costs more than 25£ in phone shops.

People that enjoy using wireless chargers are also out of luck, as the Pixel 7 doesn’t seem to have the necessary power to support these gadgets.

As the slow charging speed is a general issue, it is up to Google to find a solution, but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth of some customers due to the hefty price tag of the phone.

Other issues include connectivity problems and phone calls that end within a few seconds. Many users have experienced these problems, but it might be due to poor phone coverage.

The Pixel 7 has other minor problems, such as issues with the fingerprint scanner and scrolling. However, Google quickly acknowledged these shortcomings and is willing to work on them regularly. If you’re experiencing these issues, don’t hesitate to check websites like Android Authority to know how to fix them.

Google ‘Year in Search’ results reveal what Ireland searched for in 2022

As 2022 comes to a close, the Google Year in Search results give us a snapshot of what caught the country’s attention over the past year and what daily searches we all had in common.

This year’s top overall search is popular online word-game, Wordle! Wordle (& Heardle & Quordle & Globle & Nerdle & Foclach & Octordle) kept our brains ticking this year and while Wordle topped the overall list the game variations that popped up once the Wordle craze took hold featured on the most searched tech list. Wordle also featured on the How to list, with people turning to Google to find out ‘How to play Wordle’.

The war in Ukraine has also firmly shaped the results this year with Ukraine and Russia sitting in the top 10 overall searches and many people searching for Vladmir Putin. Search facilitated questions like, ‘What is NATO?’, ‘What is an Oligarch?’ and ‘What is the population of Ukraine?’ and provided the nation with answers in its effort to further understand the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Google Search helped us to get back out to the cinema this year as we searched for top new box office releases like The Batman, Uncharted, the classic film sequel, Top Gun: Maverick and Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin. It’s no surprise that the World Cup has found itself atop the sports-related searches as the tournament continues in Qatar. Ireland also keenly searched for the Australian Open and Ireland vs New Zealand (perhaps something to do with Ireland’s triumphant win against the All Blacks!).

Search also kept us all up to date this year on the latest Hollywood scandals with Johnny Depp and Amber Heard topping the most searched people list followed closely by Will Smith who hit the headlines after a dramatic 2022 Oscars Ceremony. We also looked to Search to stay informed on news cycles happening a bit closer to home as many of us searched for Liz Truss and Matt Hancock.

Every day, millions of people turn to Google to ask questions, and this year Covid related questions still feature in the top trending searches. ‘How to get a covid cert’ was the most searched question this year followed by ‘How to book a PCR’ .  Other questions on the list included ‘How to unblock your nose’ and ‘How to tie a tie’

In spite of the full reopening of bars and restaurants this year, the 2022 results confirmed that Ireland still loves a homemade cocktail with ‘Pornstar Martini Recipe’ topping the recipe list. Search also remained the go-to platform for inspiration for top food recipes like, ‘Mushroom Soup Recipe’, ‘Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe’ and ‘Overnight Oats Recipe’.

Search can help you find a world of information – and the way people use Search can be a window into the world. Take a closer look at this year’s trending lists at Google.com/2022.

 

Top overall

People

Wordle

Johnny Depp

Ukraine

Amber Heard

Queen Elizabeth

Will Smith

Aisling Murphy

Vladamir Putin

World Cup

Liz Truss

Heardle

Novak Djokovic

The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Anna Delvey

Johnny Depp

Matt Hancock

Russia

Michael Owen

Anne Heche

Sinead O’Connor

 

Losses

Sports

Queen Elizabeth

World Cup

Aisling Murphy

Australian Open

Anne Heche

Ireland v New Zealand

Olivia Newton John

Nations League

Betty White

AFCON

Taylor Hawkins

Ireland v South Africa

Ray Liotta

GAA Fixtures

Aaron Carter

Winter Olympics

Shane Warne

Liverpool vs Real Madrid

Bob Saget

Ireland v Ukraine

 

Movies

Tech

The Batman

Wordle

Uncharted

Heardle

Thor Love & Thunder

Quordle

Top Gun

Globle

Banshees of Inisherin

Nerdle

Encanto

Foclach

Black Adam

Octordle

The Lost Daughter

James Webb Telescope

Don’t Worry Darling

fifa 23 web app

The Good Nurse

iPhone 14

 

Recipes

How to

Pornstar Martini Recipe

How to get covid cert

Mushroom Soup Recipe

How to book PCR

Spaghetti Bolognese Recipes

How to play Wordle

Overnight Oats Recipes

How to do Antigen

Tomato Soup Recipe

How to solve a rubik’s cube

Baked Oats Recipe

How to tie a tie

Chicken Breast recipes

How to unblock your nose

Beef Bourguignon recipe

How to spell askew

Chocolate Brownie Recipe

How to help ukraine

Raspberry Jam Recipe

How to apply for fuel allowance online

 

What is

What is NATO?

What is Monkey Pox?

What is Wordle?

What is an Oligarch?

What is an NFT?

What is Aphasia?

What is Hepatitis?

What is the population of Ukraine?

What is Salmonella?

What is the Met Gala?

Google.org provides €500,000 to support Ireland’s social entrepreneurs

Google Ireland has today announced that its philanthropic arm, Google.org, is providing €500,000 in funding to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) and INCO. The grants will support social entrepreneur-led organisations in Ireland to grow their impact and those interested in being considered can submit an expression of interest from today, 5 December.

Leveraging the funds from Google.org, SEI and INCO will support underserved social entrepreneurs to scale their organisations. SEI will use the funding to run the Changing Ireland Accelerator Programme (CIAP), a twelve-month initiative for underserved social entrepreneurs needing support to accelerate their impact. Running in parallel to the CIAP, INCO will disperse the funding as cash sub-grants administered to the participants.

Speaking at the announcement in Google’s EMEA HQ, Dublin, Adaire Fox-Martin, President of Google Cloud International and Head of Google Ireland said:

“Social enterprise is an increasingly crucial component of a resilient, equitable, and sustainable economy. By providing the sector better access to capital, talent, markets, and technology, businesses such as Google have the opportunity to meaningfully serve the communities they operate in and advance impactful humanitarian and environmental causes.  These grants reflect Google’s continued commitment to supporting social entrepreneurs around the world and to the principle that entrepreneurship can be the best way to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges. 

“We want to encourage ambitious change-makers to submit their expression of interest in the Changing Ireland Accelerator programme today.”

Tim Griffiths, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland said:

“Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is thrilled to work with INCO and believe that this catalytic funding will help brilliant, social entrepreneur-led organisations to scale up and accelerate the impact they are having across Ireland reaching the most underserved communities.”

Mathieu Planchard, Global Head of Development at INCO said:

“This initiative represents a concrete step towards building a more diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. The combination of capacity building support and strategic grant funding is the right recipe to break down the barriers faced by underserved founders in Ireland today. It’s a real privilege for INCO to work alongside SEI and to receive support from Google.org.”

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is a not-for-profit organisation committed to the vision of accelerated social change through the power of people. Its mission is to harness the cumulative power of people through programmes, direct funding and an experienced community of alumni, funders, and sector leaders. Since its foundation in 2004, SEI has supported more than 550 social entrepreneurs across the country. Alumni of SEI programmes include Pieta House, AsIAm, Irish Community Air Ambulance, GIY, FoodCloud and the Irish Men’s Sheds Association.

INCO is a global nonprofit on a mission to create a more socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economy. Across 40+ countries around the world, INCO  accelerates the growth of impact-driven businesses, and offers free education programs to the workforce of tomorrow. Since 2021, INCO has been leading StartSocial, an initiative supported by Google.org, to provide funding and capacity-building to over 400 social enterprises across Europe.

Today’s announcement by Google is an integral part of its European-wide commitment to supporting Social Entrepreneurs building on a pledge of €20 million cash funding through the Google.org Social Innovation Fund to support underserved social innovators across Europe.

Expressions of interest in the Changing Ireland Accelerator Programme are welcome via the dedicated page on the SEI website from 5 December 2022. The selection process will launch in February 2023 with successful applicants appointed to the programme from June 2023.

Google.org will be fully funding the costs of this programme in 2023 with a grant of €500,000.

Tech Review – Google Pixel Watch

Ok so the Pixel watch has been on my wrist long enough to tell you what I think and for the most part it is good but there is some caveats being a first gen device but I dont think Google it trying to outdo anyone here yet alone itself, there has been a mixed reaction to the Pixel Watch like Pixel phones which is an annual clickbait fest for those putting the downer on new things from Google yet give Apple an easy pass but that is them and not us be I will tell how my experience has been over the last few weeks. Setting up the watch was a breeze and only took 5 mins to get fully up and running.

Ok lets start with the problems I have with the watch and first up is the size, it is too small and Google should have had two models out the gate to get this off the ground, the build quality is excellent though and it is a solid piece of kit and it has grown on me over time. So the size is small and remember that is just for me I have bigger wrists than others and it is a personal opinion and I am more custom to 44/45mm sized watches but still like I said it has grown on me..

Next up is the speaker, it is not the loudest in the world and there is a demo in the video review below but it does the job in quite places and often where I take most my calls it was not too bad outdoors and the other end could here me fine too but being a small watch means smaller things inside right?

Having an excellent build they said. Well it is but somehow mine got slight scratches on the screen which I did mention some concern for in the unboxing and watch strap review I did recently and it has minor scuffs on it, there is no accessories yet and nothing in the works from Google by the looks of it and it will be hard to get a decent screen protector that will actually work due to the shape of the watch but you could get a shell I guess and Google should look into it..

Last thing is notifications especially in house, my prime example is google home I am invested in the Google Ecosystem and the images do not come up on the screen but do on other smartwatches I have and Apple watch and one of my older watches the Moto 360 has the preview images on it so I think this can be fixed with an update, also some other apps do not get notifications like Twitter and Instagram despite being turned on.

After all that the rest is good and above is not all that huge apart from the physical size of the watch and so on but it delivers everywhere else you would want a smartwatch to do, for me I have taken more of a shine to smartwatches as they keep me off my phone and with the Pixel 7 both make that happen with being able to do most things from the watch or by just talking to the devices and keeps me from distraction and taking out my phone and going through things as you do which I tend to do after work now or in bed and catch up on the less important things like social media and emails etc.

The Pixel watch is great to get things done and dusted quickly with the on board tools for example my WhatsApp groups etc I can dismiss ( you can dismiss anything and clear from your notifications on your watch to clear on the phone) but you can also reply with emojis pull up the keyboard or speak, again i demo this in the review I love it and it does not distract me, I know see myself reacting more from the watch than I do from the phone which does it impede the battery life but it does charge up quickly.

Fitness, yeah you get 6 months free fitbit but have to pay for it after which is a bit of sting in the tail for some along with the price of the watch itself but for those who want that but more get it that way and the rest can be still used as normal, the live heart rate is a great idea and the general usability of the watch for fitness tracking like steps and all that good stuff and is enough for me, I am not one of those into getting sleep tracking data etc and I just use the general offerings most would use that buy simply fitness trackers..cheap and cheerful ones..The Fitbit experience is completely redesigned for Google Pixel Watch, with 40 exercise modes available to track your favourite workouts and all-day activities including steps, distance with built-in GPS and Active Zone Minutes, You can also avail of the ECG app if you wish.

For looks we have got watch faces tiles and complications to pick from to spruce things up but we should see more as time goes buy which would be nice but it must be said the ones that came with the watch app are great and I have two i change between, within the app also allows you to customise things some more which we looked at in the unboxing and the the review below.

Overall for me the watch does what i need in a smartwatch, keeps me away from my phone and that is a Pixel 7 which is probably not the right thing to say as I love it but the point is reducing time on my phone this watch does that and both products complement each other well, the price might be a problem and the other things mentioned above but for their first try it is a good one and I look forward to what is next and will continue to wear this one until then.  Check the video below for more.

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Video

 

 

Tech Review – Google Pixel 7

OK so we have been testing the Google Pixel 7 some weeks now and it is time to talk about the latest device from Google and it is a device to take note of, I shared my early thoughts here with three days of use but a review after a few days with any phone is simply not a review as I have said before and with this device I think it is fair to say is what is inside is what counts this time around with all the smarts and so on.

Lets start with the build quality and for me it is fine, it is light and yes it is slippy but that camera bar is an aide for you to balance the device and a case will sort out the slippy end of things, the buttons are placed perfectly for me and the screen is nice with minimal bezels on show and for reference there is no scratches or marks on the camera bar yet and for me it feels good in the hand and it is really just a simple design that we have seen before from Google and I am fine with it, the camera bar again is a talking point it suits some and not others and that is just how phones go you either like it lump it or live with it..

Loaded up with plenty of apps it has not slowed down for me and has become more so a tool than a phone per say. Yes I use the camera daily but for me it is the smarts inside that make it a handy tool in my pocket as well as a great point and shoot camera amongst other things and will be my daily driver for the foreseeable future I usually carry two phones daily sometimes three as it is what I do but the main sim card will be in the Pixel 7 and will be staying there until the next offering comes along providing things stay as is now which is great bar one gripe which I will get onto later.

With my reviews I dont waffle on about the specs and just get to it I will l leave a link the the first impressions page which has a lengthy video walking through the device and now that I have used and tested those features I can speak about them and how this phone has been as a main daily driver since that video.

OK being a power user is where I am at, with multiple apps on the go multiple email accounts social media and more it has been fine in that respect no lag no freezing screen and when multitasking this is important and for those who do the same will agree, Pixel devices have been generally fast and worked well for me even down to the 6a which I still use for work and video reviews today however one thing that has been an issue is video processing and the same still applies with the Pixel 7 and i did lean towards the app been the problem but with several devices as my disposal during testing this seems to be still slower than my other phones and identical to the 6a with the speed having tested the same video, most of my recent reviews though have been shot with the Pixel 7 and I will continue to use the phone to do so with the workload I have with case reviews and tech products but overall the results still come out great but the time to process is annoying and probably the only thing I can say that is negative about the phones.

 

 

The camera is what most people will know pixel devices for and again we have a great camera and the video is also great, for anyone that wants a point and shoot camera the Pixel is the one to go to get the best shots with little effort and is as a good as the iPhone, yes I said iPhone and being a hater for years I have the 14 pro and have to admit the camera is great but the pixel is half the price lads. Below I have taken some videos and images both day and night so you can be the judge of what you see. It is one of the best camera phones on the market and the only one that gives any user the best point and shoot results time and time again for me and this is from using several phones doing the same shots in my testing and it is noted that the Pixel phones are best in class for this with favourable results in comparison, I am no photography expert and dont get deep into the spiel that comes with it but for a point and shoot camera phone any pixel is it really.

The camera has lots of tricks and the AI does lots of the heavy haulage but the results are great and the tools at hand are too like image blur and my favourite is magic eraser which for me has been a useful tool and I love it especially for work and personal matters, in the work capacity it is great for removing unwanted labels and text and also private information, you be saying you can use the tools already there baked into the camera app but no this works better and is cleaner and looks more natural and it is a super useful tool.

 

What is inside the Pixel for is is what makes it my daily driver, as mentioned many times before it is the likes of Google lens for example which is the most used feature on my Pixel phones, again point at the target or text in any language you get your results and edit there and then to exactly what you require from the subject I love it and it keeps getting better over time with more accuracy. As my readers know I am a trainer collector and here is a sample of daily use below with a photo taken in a shop and the results there and then right in front of me..

The Pixel 7 has many more features such as the voice recorder which translates in real time which is handy for many purposes such as taking notes and more again a great tool for creators, live playing is also a handy feature for that favourite song you could never remember and of course your smarts in house there is so much to do with little effort which is a good thing and makes keeping your phone in your hand less a good thing alongside your Pixel Watch.

Overall for the the Pixel 7 is a great phone at a great price with AI and the camera being top features on the phone, it makes life simple has a decent battery and looks well too it does not have the 120 hz refresh rate some people bang on about and we are at 90hz on the Pixel 7 which is fine the display is great and fine for media consumption you get wireless charging and your mobile payment options which many use today, the zoom on the camera could of been a bit better .ie further away than some rivals but for what it is it does a decent job and with the cinematic effect now on board it ads to the camera features which is welcome, the Pixel devices can and hopefully will get better but for now remains one of the best phones when it comes to value for money, maybe next time we might get the pro model to check out and I can talk about those devices but for now and the previous models it has been the base model however I am not complaining they are great devices for their asking price.

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