Tag: #google

First look – New Indoor and Outdoor Google nest cam. #Google #Security #Nestcam

Google recently announced some new products and these are most welcome in my book, I am a keen Google product user and this makes thing much more seamless for me all round, as a keen security fan I have many security cameras in my home and will now be moving completely over to the Google platform with the new products.

The new next cam can be used indoors and outdoors and it operates via battery rather than being wired which is a nuisance  today and limits the product portability factor for me, not that there is anything wrong with wired cameras but wireless in 2021 should be the thing same as USB-C and hopefully all future smartwatches.

Today we check out the new camera with a quick unboxing and tour of the device and we will have a full review in the coming weeks with footage from the camera and everything else that goes with it so stay tuned for that..

You can buy today from Google 

 

 

 

Google Trends turns 15 this summer. Trends from 2006 and 2021 compared.

What were you doing in 2006? Maybe you were going through your emo phase. Maybe you were loving low rise jeans. Maybe you were mourning Pluto’s (temporary) demotion from planet to dwarf planet.

Maybe you were checking out these trends — and plenty of others — on Google Trends, which went live in the summer of 2006. Though the tool’s data goes back to 2004, it became available two years later. This summer, Google Trends turns 15, so we thought it would be the perfect time to look back on trends of yesteryear and compare what people were searching for back in 2006 to today.

For me gaming and tech obviously was something of interest and also trainers and those who follow me know of late I have been picking up old school trainers that where out back in the day and there is a love for all things retro right now.

Most-searched song lyrics — July 2006, U.S.

  1. Unfaithful – Rhianna

  2. Sexy Back – Justin Timberlake

  3. Crazy – Gnarls Barkley

  4. Buttons – Pussycat Dolls

  5. Miss Murder – AFI

Most-searched song lyrics — July 2021, U.S.

  1. Fancy Like – Walker Hayes

  2. Traitor – Olivia Rodrigo

  3. Favorite Crime – Olivia Rodrigo

  4. Ain’t Shit – Doja Cat

  5. Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo

Most-searched actors — July 2006, U.S.

  1. Oprah

  2. Zac Efron

  3. Paris Hilton

  4. Channing Tatum

  5. Lindsay Lohan

Most-searched actors — July 2021, U.S.

  1. Olivia Rodrigo

  2. Scarlett Johansson

  3. Florence Pugh

  4. Tom Holland

  5. Millie Bobby Brown

Most-searched TV shows —  July 2006, U.S.

  1. Project Runway

  2. Big Brother

  3. Lost

  4. Miami Vice

  5. American Idol

Most-searched TV shows — July 2021, U.S.

  1. Big Brother

  2. Gossip Girl

  3. Grey’s Anatomy

  4. iCarly

  5. Criminal Minds

Most-searched Games – July 2006, U.S.

1. Tetris

2. Sonic

3. Halo 3

4. Bejeweled

5. Battlefield 2

Most-searched Games – July 2021, U.S.

1. Sonic

2. Genshin Impact

3. Minesweeper

4. GTA 6

5. Battlefield 2042

Google launches new Nest cams and Doorbell. #GoogleNest #Security

Google Nest’s mission is to build products that make a more helpful home. All of this starts with helping you understand what’s happening within the walls of your home and outside of it. Today they are introducing their next generation Nest Cams and Doorbell: Google Nest Cam (battery) is their first outdoor/indoor battery-powered camera (€210); Google Nest Doorbell (battery) is their first battery-powered doorbell ( €210). Then there’s Google Nest Cam with floodlight, their first connected floodlight camera ( €315) and finally the second-generation Google Nest Cam (wired), their most affordable wired indoor camera ( €105). As a keen security fan with a set up here at home I think I will be moving over to this collection as I am an entrenched Google product user

One of Nest’s first goals was to simplify home security, and it helped millions of people do this. So when we started dreaming up what our next generation of cameras and doorbells would be like, we wanted to  incorporate the way the connected home — and your expectations — were heading. That included smarter alerts, wire-free options for installation flexibility, greater value and beautiful designs, plus enhanced privacy and security. We wanted our new line to give you the most comprehensive set of intelligent alerts right out of the box, and easily work with your other Nest products, like displays.

The new battery-powered Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell are available for preorder today and will go on sale on Aug. 24. Nest Cam with Floodlight and the new wired indoor Nest Cam are coming later this year.

 

Security with smarts

Because we’re all overloaded with notifications every day, our next-generation cameras and doorbell are made to send you the most helpful alerts. They detect important events that happen in and around the home, you can even create your own custom zones to cover the areas you want to be notified about, including alerts for people, animals and vehicles — and in Nest Doorbell’s case, also packages. Their new cameras and doorbell can do this because they process what they see on-device, which means more relevant notifications and added privacy and security. On-device processing means that all of this works right out of the box, no subscription required.

More versatility for your home

Nest’s new camera and doorbell line are truly made for every home. Battery technology allows you to install Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell nearly anywhere in your home — not just where there’s a power outlet or existing doorbell wires. The wire-free design makes installation even easier, too. And for those who prefer the option to wire their cameras, we’ve  added the ability to wire the battery-powered Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell. The Google Store is stocked with accessories for Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell so it’s easy to install them where you want.

Google nest family

Nest devices that work together

Customers have told Google how much they appreciate that their Nest products all work well together. These new devices are no different. With the new Nest Cams and a display, you can keep an eye on the backyard from your Nest Hub and get alerts when the doorbell rings. Our new cameras are also fully integrated with the Google Home app, giving you access to all your compatible home devices in one place. With a Nest Aware subscription, you can unlock even more: Extend your event video history from three hours to 30 or 60 days, and get continuous 24/7 video history on wired Nest Cams with Nest Aware Plus. 

Reliability when you need it

In case of a power or Wi-Fi outage, Nest Doorbell, both Nest Cam (battery) and Nest Cam with floodlight have local storage fallback, meaning they’ll record up to one hour of events on-device (about a week’s worth of events). Nest Cam (wired) also records on-device if your Wi-Fi is down. When service returns, the devices will upload your events to the cloud, so you can review what happened.

Made with care 

We believe that technology for the home should be welcoming, and complement your decor rather than distract from it. When designing our new products, we drew design inspiration from lighting and architecture to create products that look great together and in lots of different settings. And our new cameras, doorbell and floodlight are designed sustainably with recycled materials.

Learn more about the new Nest Doorbell and Nest Cam (battery), available for preorder today and on sale Aug. 24. 

How Schema can Radically boost your Click Through Rate

Although this is somewhat morbid, there’s an on-going joke amongst SEO experts that the second page of Google would be an incredibly effective place to hide a dead body. And it’s true. Think about it: when was the last time you looked beyond the first page when you were conducting a Google search? We’re willing to bet it was a while ago.

So, if you have a well-designed website that has been populated with high-quality copy and content but you still aren’t getting many visitors, you probably aren’t securing enough organic traffic from search engine results pages (SERPs).

Research is constantly telling us that pages that rank higher on SERPs are also securing more click-throughs. For example, the number one organic result is securing an average click-through rate (CTR) of just over 31%. This top-ranking organic result is also approximately ten times more likely to secure a click than the tenth organic result.

But this clearly isn’t the only factor contributing to CTRs. In fact, Google has made a point to integrate a variety of features into SERPs that also secure clicks and one of these is rich snippets. Structured data or schema markup is also playing a central role but it’s something that is simply being overlooked by too many businesses.

What is Schema Markup?

Google wants to understand both the content and context of every webpage to ensure that it is consistently providing its users with search results populated with high-quality, relevant content. Schema markup can be used to provide Google with important information about a webpage in a standardised format. 

As Paul Morris, MD at Bristol based, Superb Digital, states “Structured data is also useful for removing ambiguity. With structured data in place, an online grocery store selling apples won’t show up in the search results for resellers of Apple consumer electronics.”

A recipe page is the example that Google uses to explain structured data. So, a recipe page may use structured data to explain the ingredients, method, calories, and cooking time to help Google properly classify the page content.

But how does this translate into SERP information?

Let’s conduct a Google search for “best movies 2020”. The SERP we are presented with contains a carousel right at the top, which features images of movies that Google considers to be 2020’s best movies. These images are clickable and will take users wanting more information about a particular movie to more in-depth SERPs.

This is just one example of an interactive infobox that can appear at the top of SERPs for relevant queries. As these infoboxes sit above organic search results, securing a place within them can by-pass search engine optimisation (SEO) altogether.

What exactly does Schema Markup do?

Essentially, schema markup will allow you to provide additional information within your search results. This will ensure you take up more space in SERPs and can provide an enhanced user experience by letting visitors know what they can expect from your content when they decide to click through.

There are a variety of different types of information you can use structured data to communicate, including:

 

1. Reviews

Incorporating reviews from your existing customers in your search snippets can demonstrate to new leads that you are a reputable and authoritative business within your niche. Plus, the orange stars are instantly eye-catching!

2. Location Information

As local search becomes increasingly prominent, showcasing the precise address of your business within SERPs can help you to boost footfall and entice new customers into your store.

3. Contact Information

Similarly, structured data can be used to make it incredibly easy for potential customers to get in touch. This will reduce the number of steps they will need to take to contact you, thereby increasing the likelihood that you will hear from them.

4. Events

If your business has an upcoming event, highlighting this information within your search snippet using event schema can help you to secure additional attendees. Even if a potential customer doesn’t want to attend this specific event, it will still demonstrate that you are an active business that is eager to host interesting events and engage your audience in meaningful ways.

5. Product Information

We all know that marketplaces are competitive and if your search snippet contains even just the smallest amount of additional information, you’re far more likely to secure a click over your competitor brands. You’re aiming to provide ‘just enough’ information to out-do your competition and appeal directly to your target audience.

It is possible to use schema markup to display specific product prices in the SERPs which can be beneficial but requires testing to make sure. This can be very valuable if your offering has a lower price than everything else on that SERP but likely won’t work if your offering has a much higher price tag. If the latter is the case, you might find it more valuable to use price range schema which will use a price indicator, such as £ for affordable offerings or £££ for more premium offerings.

It is also possible to use schema markup to display the availability of a particular product. This can be beneficial if you’re offering an in-demand product with limited availability because it can create an instant sense of urgency. It is unlikely to be beneficial if key items are currently out of stock as this will likely result in a sudden reduction in the CTR for that result.

What do I need to know about Schema Markup?

Arguably most importantly, you need to know precisely what your ideal audience is searching for and the intent that sits behind that search to ensure that your search result is perfectly pitched to capture their attention.

In addition to capturing their attention and securing their click, it is also imperative that the page they land on contains the information they were promised. Don’t forget, failing to fulfil your promise will impact your overall image and make it impossible for your target audience to view you as a trustworthy operation that can enhance their lives.

Schema markup implementation is a technical process that requires in-depth HTML, coding and SEO knowledge, so this isn’t beginner’s stuff and it pays to work with a reputable SEO agency, who have case studies and a proven track record (like Superb Digital who we mentioned above). 

Why website owners need to build backlinks

Do you have good quality content on the pages of your website? It’s perfect! So why is your site still not taking off in the search engines? Simply because you haven’t thought about increasing your virtual popularity. And good popularity requires a good strategy of backlinks to your money site: multilingual link building strategy.

How to determine a good backlink?

There are different concepts to consider in order to determine the worth of a backlink.

First of all, it must correspond to the same theme as your page in question, the same field. Why?

Because Googlebot will crawl your website on which you have built a link and then discover a backlink redirecting users to your site. Its goal is therefore to find a similarity between the two pages. If there are similar points between these two pages, Google may take this criterion into account as something positive both for the SEO of the partner site and for your own site.

The site of your future Guest posting partner must also be written in the same language. There should not be an intrusive aspect (such as, for example, advertisements). The Trust Flow and the Citation Flow must not have too large a difference.

In the Page Rank part, we could see that The Trust Flow represents the trust index of your page. Citation Flow, on the other hand, represents link popularity.

Why make backlinks to your site?

Creating new links that are relevant to a client means working on their visibility and increasing the popularity of their site in search engines.

In summary, the more people talk about you on other blogs, the more likely you are to improve your rankings in the SERPS. There are therefore two reasons to put in place a strategy to obtain a solid backlinking!

To promote your site

Even though Google advocates natural links, that is, all inbound links created without the intention of tampering with its algorithm, a little push doesn’t hurt. Because if no one knows your site, no one is likely to talk about it.

Contacting bloggers on the same theme as yours is therefore the ONLY way to popularize your site and get people talking about it. This makes it possible to establish effective links, which will lead to back links: quality link building!

To improve your ranking in Google SERP

A backlink to your site is equivalent to a recommendation for a search engine like Google. So, this is a good SEO signal. It’s like telling your friend to eat at a certain restaurant, because you ate there.

With Google, it’s the same: building a relevant link is positive signal. And the more quality links you have that point to you, the more you get into Google’s radar in a positive way and ranks your site better.

Finally, it worth mentioning that one should only trust an SEO expert, in case they want to hire someone to do the heavy work. I do not recommend trusting an amateur; that would be a waste of time and money.

Google to receive IDA Ireland Special Recognition Award 2021

IDA Ireland today announced that Google has been selected as the recipient of the IDA Ireland Special Recognition Award 2021. The award will recognise and celebrate the contribution that Google has made to Ireland over the past 18 years.

The award will be presented to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google at an event in the US in September. The award will be presented by An Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar and CEO IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan.

The Tánaiste said: “Google is one of Ireland’s biggest employers and it has helped make Ireland the tech capital of Europe. When it opened in Dublin in 2003, Google was planning a workforce of 200. Now it employs 8,000 people with many more jobs sustained indirectly serving its operations. Google is a worthy recipient of the IDA Special Recognition Award and I look forward to meeting Mr Pichai again in person later this year.”

“Google has had a remarkable success story here and the impact it has had on Irish society and the economy has been significant”, said Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland. “IDA Ireland introduced this annual Special Recognition Award in January 2020 as we believe it is important that we celebrate the huge contribution our 1600+ FDI companies have made to Ireland. Foreign Direct Investment continues to be a substantive driver of the economy. Our client companies in Ireland have demonstrated longevity and resilience despite the unprecedented challenge posed by the Covid 19 pandemic, and continued commitment, creating jobs – the numbers directly employed in the multinational sector in Ireland is at an all-time high of 257,394. Additionally, eight jobs are created in the wider economy for every ten created by IDA Ireland client companies, amounting to estimated total direct and indirect employment of 463,300, clearly demonstrating the enormous benefits to the economy.

“The award recognises Ireland’s proven ability to be an enduring partner for businesses with international ambitions. It is also an opportunity to showcase internationally the level and sophistication of FDI in Ireland. IDA very much looks forward to presenting the award to Sundar Pichai and to acknowledge the contribution that Google has made to the development of Ireland as a recognised and thriving tech hub in Europe”, Martin Shanahan concluded.

“We established an office in 2003 with just five employees committed to making Ireland a home for Google and a hub for our EMEA operations. Our incredible team plays a critical role in driving Google forward right across the region and I’m honoured that this award will recognise their contributions”, said Nick Leeder, VP Google Ireland. “The IDA has been instrumental in nurturing Ireland as an international tech hub, where we have found a talented and dedicated workforce and a wonderful community we call home. In turn, Google Ireland is committed to helping Irish businesses and communities grow and, as we look ahead to our future in Ireland, I am excited about the work we will continue to do together.”

6 Tips to Use Google Slides for eLearning

There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed everyone’s lives. Nowadays, most things are done remotely – including education. Thanks to eLearning, instructors can continue teaching – without the fear of causing an outbreak. 

While you can use many tools for eLearning, Google Slides prove to be very popular. Although it’s very easy to use, it is not without hurdles. So if you want to master this helpful platform, here are six tips that should help you out. 

1. Keep it on the Cloud

Think about this: you’ve spent countless hours making a perfect presentation. Just when you’re on your last slide, the power turns off. Now you’ve lost a majority of the slides.

As this is every instructor’s worst nightmare, the best way to avoid this is to save everything in the Cloud. 

The Cloud does more than just keeping your presentation secure. This also makes it easily accessible on your other devices. So if you need to do last-minute revisions, you can easily do so with your smartphone. 

2. Sharing is Caring

Some students learn better when you talk about the subject (audio learners), while some fare better when they read the material (visual learners). And since the majority of people learn visually, you can help them master the topic by sharing the presentation outright.

A good thing about Google Slides is that there’s no need to download and upload files to do this. All you need to do is copy and share the link – and voila – instant access. You can even share the link through your school or course’s official website. 

So when should you share this link? According to a Vanderbilt University report, it’s best to do this before your lecture. Results show that having a copy of the lesson helps students learn more.  

The benefits of the Sharing feature are not limited to just your students, though. You can also send the link to your fellow instructors – especially if they want to add something to your Google Slides. 

3. It’s All in the Presentation

It’s already hard enough to sustain the attention of students in the classroom. Now that they’re remote, the challenge is even more significant.

So if you want to keep your students tuned to your Google Slides, then you need to practice (and perfect) your presentation.

As always, it pays to prepare and map out your strategy in advance. For example, if you’re teaching younger students, engaging media may work better than a text-heavy presentation. 

Whatever strategy you pick, you should remember this: avoid reading directly off your slide. Your students can do this by themselves! 

Instead, you should discuss the information. What can the learners get from you that they won’t get from the Google Slides? Remember: that’s why you’re teaching them in the first place. 

Another technique you could try is telling a story. Students will better relate to real-life stories. It’s easier to grasp concepts with a concrete, relatable example. 

4. Be Visual

Remember how you lulled your students to sleep before because of your text-heavy presentations? Should you continue doing this with your Google Slides, you can’t expect your learners to pay any attention at all.

If you want to sustain their attention, then you need to be creative with your presentation. You need to be visual. 

This starts with using the proper presentation design. You don’t want to use a template with too many distracting colors. They’re confusing, if not headache-inducing. As such, it’s best to go with a simple, professionally made Google Slides Templates.

Additionally, you should keep everything else to a minimum. Avoid using clipart, sounds, music, or animations. They make your Google Slides look confusing – and a tad bit amateurish. 

It would be best if you used techniques that actually promote learning. Good examples include:

  • Bolded, italicized, or highlighted key points
  • Short phrases instead of lengthy paragraphs
  • Bulleted or numbered lists instead of heavy text
  • Relevant pictures
  • Instructional videos 

5. Link your sources

Maybe your students want to delve deeper into a topic you’ve just discussed. Instead of replying to every query, it’s best to embed the link on the get-go. With this, your learners can access the references you’ve used, be it an e-Book, whitepaper report, or video presentation.

6. Ask for Feedback

You won’t know if you’ve given a good presentation if you don’t ask your learners. 

Getting feedback is an excellent way to improve your Google Slides presentation. Maybe they have suggestions that will enhance the overall eLearning experience. 

As they’re the ones on the receiving end of the spectrum, your experience is entirely different from theirs. As an instructor, you owe it up to them to make the eLearning activity even better!

Indeed, Google Slides have made the whole eLearning process better. And since there’s always room for improvement, following these six tips will help you achieve them. 

Plan your next adventure with Google Maps. #Travel #Tips #Summer

Summer is well and truly here and rain, hail or shine,  it’s time to start planning your next adventure. This summer is all about getting out and about, whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip, hunting down the best hiking or bike trails, or mapping out your next meal, Google Maps is on hand to plan your long awaited outdoor adventure or staycation.

Google Maps can help guide the way — no matter where you’re going. Feeling adventurous? Here are some tips on how Google Maps can help you discover new experiences across the country or just around the corner.

Curate your bucket list: Easily create lists of places you want to go, and add notes to the places you’ve saved. You can keep these lists private, share them with close friends, or share them publicly. You can also browse through lists created by publishers, Local Guides or Google.

Tabs are your new tick list: Use the tabs at the bottom of the app to keep track of your bucket list and find your next must-see destination! Check out the Updates tab to see trending, must-see spots from local experts and publishers — so you can find the best things to do no matter where you are.

Reserve your spot: Set your plan in stone by making a reservation through Google Maps. Save your spot at restaurants, classes, activities and more using Reserve with Google. Find the perfect place for you by using the search filter to search by price, rating, cuisine and opening times. Have a question about your chosen spot? You can communicate directly with businesses through their Business Profiles on Google Maps.

Use Google Maps as your tour guide this Summer: You can search for areas of interest, local events, trendy restaurants, things to do, or notable locations in Google Maps. Find places like nearby museums, new restaurants, and popular bars. As you use Google Maps more often, you’ll see matches for various places. These matches show how well a place matches your preferences and displays places and events in areas that interest you.

Find parks and hiking trails on Google Maps: Search outdoor terms like “hiking trails” or “parks near me” to find nearby treks. For most hiking trails, you’ll be able to find ratings, reviews and photos from other hikers. Some may also have useful details like open hours and phone numbers. You can also use the Lists feature on Google Maps to see curated recommendations.

Keep your friends and family updated: You can choose who can find your location and how long to share your location with Google Location Sharing. People you share your location with can see your name, profile picture, and real-time location. Your shared location may include information about where you are, where you’ve just been, what you’re doing (like driving or walking), and where you’re visiting next.

Share your hidden Gems: Come across a cool spot? Why not write a review? Using Google Maps, you can write reviews for places you’ve visited. You can also leave information or post photo updates about a place, like if it’s quiet and romantic, or even if it’s under renovation.

Remember where you’ve been: From the new trailhead you found to the hidden campground you want to revisit, why not use Saved Places to view all these spots in one place. It’s perfect for reminiscing and sharing recommendations with friends.

Pedal to your next adventure: Planning a hill climb or just looking to explore? Check how flat or steep a route will be, bicycle friendly roads and dedicated bike lanes with biking directions. Cycling in Dublin? You can check how many bikes are available at each Dublin Bikes station through Google Maps, as well as if there are any empty spaces to return a bike.

Keep tabs on the restaurant scene: Whether you’re hungry for an adventure, or just hungry! Google Maps has you covered. Why not map out your next meal with Google Maps? Along with details like operating hours and COVID-19 safety precautions in Google Maps, you can also see every foodie’s favorite info: trending dishes. Check out a restaurant’s Business Profile on Maps to get the scoop on things like a restaurant’s most popular dishes along with other information like pricing, images and reviews

First look at the new Pixel buds A series. #Pixelbuds #Aseries

Since their launch the Pixel buds have only got better over time with software updates and have been in my top 5 in my earbuds collection ever since and with the market saturated today giving the consumer choice it is giving consumers a wide variety of options when it comes to spending money, the original pixel buds will set you back €199 which some might find steep considering the value that is out there now but the new pixel buds cost only €99 slashing the price in half and at first glance it is hard to tell the difference between both..

Today we take a quick first look and unboxing and quickly compare both earbuds and will test them out in the coming weeks and if you have any questions feel free to comment below or ask us on our social channels but I am excited for the new PIxel Buds A-Series and look forward to what they have to offer, could they put a spanner in the works for other manufacturers? We will find out soon..