Author Archives: Aaron Brindle

Make informed travel decisions with confidence



With the end of summer nearing, and COVID-19 restrictions starting to loosen across the country, more Canadians are searching for ways to get out and explore. In Canada, searches for road trips and local travel are up, while globally, searches for "staycation'', ''beach rentals'' and ''cabins for rent'' have grown by over 100% year over year, as many look for travel ideas closer to home. 

Over the past three months, the spike in searches for road trips cover some of Canada’s most beautiful settings like Vancouver Island in British Columbia and Gaspésie in Québec. Top searched questions around road trips in the past two weeks include: 
  • What to bring on a road trip? 
  • How to plan a road trip? 
  • What to do on road trips? 
  • How long does a typical road trip across Canada last? 
  • How to road trip across Canada? 
With one of the longest drives across Canada taking at least 90 hours (Cape Spear in Newfoundland to Atlin, British Columbia), domestic explorers are also looking into where they can rest their heads and relax before the next leg of their trip. Searches for "hotels open in" have grown globally by over 100000% year over year. Top rising hotel destinations in Canada over the past two months include: 
  • Kelowna, BC 
  • Banff, Alberta 
  • Jasper, Alberta 
  • Osoyoos, BC 
  • Penticton, BC
  • Tofino, BC 
  • Mont-Albert, QC 
  • Canmore, Alberta 
  • Whistler, BC 
  • Prince Edward County, ON 
Because the impact of COVID-19 on destinations can vary, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest travel-related information for places you may want to visit. If you’re planning to travel soon, here are a few updates to help you make travel decisions with confidence. 

Get travel related updates about a destination 

When you search on Google for information like hotels, flights or things to do, you already see when there’s a COVID-19 travel advisory or restriction for your destination. And, we recently introduced driving alerts to notify you about COVID-19 restrictions along your route in Google Maps. As restrictions and advisories begin to lift, we’re adding information about travel resuming in a specific destination on Google Search. You’ll now see the percentage of flights operating and open hotels with availability based on Google Flights and Hotels data from the previous week. When you visit google.com/travel you’ll also see trendlines for flights and hotel availability as well as links to additional local resources, including the number of COVID-19 cases, at the top of the page. 

Travel trends including flights operating and open hotels with availability on Google Search

Find hotels and vacation rentals with refundable rates 

Due to the uncertainty around COVID-19, people often want flexibility when making travel plans. Many hotels and vacation rentals now offer free cancellation to give travelers more confidence when planning trips. Search for a hotel, and later this month a vacation rental, on google.com/travel and filter to see only rooms or properties with free cancellation policies. Tap on a specific listing to see more details. 

We’ll continue to share the most relevant information so you can make informed decisions and travel safely when the time comes. If you do have travel plans coming up we encourage you to check Public Health Agency of Canada to understand the potential health risks when travelling and recommendations on how to reduce them. 



Posted by Natasha Walji Natasha Walji, Director Public Sector, Tech & Telecom and Jon Bromstein, Head of Public Sector & Tourism

Use Lookout to take care of daily tasks faster

Now available in Canada, we’re introducing updates to Lookout on Android: new modes, a more accessible design, and expansion to even more Android devices. Lookout helps those who are blind or have low vision identify information about their surroundings. It draws upon similar underlying technology as Google Lens, which lets you search and take action on the objects around you, simply by pointing your phone.


Lookout now has two new modes: Food Label and Scan Document. With Food Label, you can use Lookout to quickly identify packaged foods by pointing your phone’s camera at the label. Lookout will guide you to position the food product so that it can be properly identified through its packaging or barcode. This can be particularly helpful if you’re putting away groceries and want to make sure you’re handling the right items that might feel the same to your touch. For example, Food Label would be able to distinguish between a can of corn and a can of green beans.



We’re also making it easier to go through letters and mail with Scan Document. Use Lookout to take a snapshot of a document, and it will capture the entire document’s content in detail so that it can be read aloud by your screen reader.




Based on feedback from the blind and low-vision community, we’re introducing an accessible design that is even more compatible with TalkBack, our Android screen reader. This includes making more space for the camera view, which makes it easier to frame the object you want more information about. In addition, we’ve changed navigation between modes to require fewer taps and less time by making it possible to scroll between them at the bottom of the screen.


With this update, Lookout will be available on all devices with more than 2GB of RAM running Android 6.0 and later. Lookout also now works in French, Italian, German and Spanish. Expanding this app to more people and devices is part of our commitment to make the world's information universally accessible and to build helpful products with and for people with disabilities.


Download Lookout today on Google Play.


Posted by Scott Adams, Product Manager, Google Accessibility Engineering

Ever wonder how YouTube works?


YouTube has always been a place where people come to be informed, inspired, and delighted. Over the past few months, as our daily lives have changed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we've seen people turning to YouTube more than ever. As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we're launching today How YouTube Works - a new website designed to answer the questions we most often receive about what we're doing to foster a responsible platform for our community, and explain our products and policies in detail.

Answering the important questions

How YouTube Works addresses some of the important questions we face every day about our platform - involving topics such as child safety, harmful content, misinformation, and copyright, as well as tackling timely issues as they arise, like how we have responded to the COVID -19 crisis. Within the site, we explain how we apply our responsibility principles (the Four Rs) - which work alongside our commitment to users' security - to tackle these important questions.

Get to know our products and policies

How YouTube Works provides an in-depth look at our products and settings, such as YouTube Search, Recommendations, privacy controls, and Ad Settings, showing how they help our users have the best possible experience while they ' re using YouTube.Additionally, users will find details of our policies - like our Community Guidelines and monetization policies - so everyone in the community knows what they can and can't do on YouTube. We explain how our policies are developed and enforced in partnership with a wide range of external experts and creators.

Learn about the progress and impact we've made

To show the progress we've made on managing harmful content, How YouTube Works includes facts and figures from our Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, which explain how and why we've removed videos recently.

We also provide data, records, and current trends that have emerged on YouTube to help you better understand the next generation of creators and artists.Users can also explore the stories behind some of YouTube's creative entrepreneurs in Canada, and discover how they are transforming their lives and communities. Get to know Aysha Harun, who's built a successful career on YouTube as a Black Muslim woman, inspring a widely underrepresented community in the beauty and lifestyle space. Or learn more about James Hobson, an engineer turned YouTube creator who takes fictional ideas from movies and comics and turns them into real-life prototypes with the power of STEM.

How YouTube Works is an important part of our ongoing transparency efforts to ensure millions of users, creators, and artists can continue making YouTube a place to connect with others, learn about the world, and showcase their creative talents.


Posted by The YouTube Canada Team

Ever wonder how YouTube works?


YouTube has always been a place where people come to be informed, inspired, and delighted. Over the past few months, as our daily lives have changed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we've seen people turning to YouTube more than ever. As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we're launching today How YouTube Works - a new website designed to answer the questions we most often receive about what we're doing to foster a responsible platform for our community, and explain our products and policies in detail.

Answering the important questions

How YouTube Works addresses some of the important questions we face every day about our platform - involving topics such as child safety, harmful content, misinformation, and copyright, as well as tackling timely issues as they arise, like how we have responded to the COVID -19 crisis. Within the site, we explain how we apply our responsibility principles (the Four Rs) - which work alongside our commitment to users' security - to tackle these important questions.

Get to know our products and policies

How YouTube Works provides an in-depth look at our products and settings, such as YouTube Search, Recommendations, privacy controls, and Ad Settings, showing how they help our users have the best possible experience while they ' re using YouTube.Additionally, users will find details of our policies - like our Community Guidelines and monetization policies - so everyone in the community knows what they can and can't do on YouTube. We explain how our policies are developed and enforced in partnership with a wide range of external experts and creators.

Learn about the progress and impact we've made

To show the progress we've made on managing harmful content, How YouTube Works includes facts and figures from our Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, which explain how and why we've removed videos recently.

We also provide data, records, and current trends that have emerged on YouTube to help you better understand the next generation of creators and artists.Users can also explore the stories behind some of YouTube's creative entrepreneurs in Canada, and discover how they are transforming their lives and communities. Get to know Aysha Harun, who's built a successful career on YouTube as a Black Muslim woman, inspring a widely underrepresented community in the beauty and lifestyle space. Or learn more about James Hobson, an engineer turned YouTube creator who takes fictional ideas from movies and comics and turns them into real-life prototypes with the power of STEM.

How YouTube Works is an important part of our ongoing transparency efforts to ensure millions of users, creators, and artists can continue making YouTube a place to connect with others, learn about the world, and showcase their creative talents.


Posted by The YouTube Canada Team

Sustainable style: Introducing the Pixel 4a case


Picking a phone case is a difficult decision. What colour should you choose? Do you want something flashy or simple? Maybe you're looking for something that has the environment in mind; if that's the case, you're in luck, because our signature knit fabric case, made with recycled content, has arrived for the Pixel 4a. The case comes in three colours (Basically Black, Static Gray and Blue Confetti), seamlessly combining beauty, lightweight protection and recycled materials. 

Knitted for the planet
Last year, we outlined our sustainability commitments across manufacturing, the supply chain and product design. We also introduced the new Google Nest Mini speaker, the first Google product with fabric made with recycled water bottles. The Pixel 4a cases also feature this material; in fact, two recycled plastic bottles can provide enough knitted outer fabric for five cases. In total, the case is made from over 70 percent recycled material, meaning we’re turning waste into something beautiful. 


Made to last
The new Pixel 4a fabric case reduces worries of wear and tear by using a jacquard pattern to more effectively mask signs of use. When hand washing won’t do the trick, the Pixel 4a fabric case is also machine washable with clothes or on its own to help remove dirt, dyes and other grime that could build up in between the fibers of the case. See g.co/cases/help for more tips.



Find your style
Fresh patterns and textures along with beautiful pop colours on the lock button and G symbol add vibrance and functionality to your phone case. The unique fabric material and new patterns come in three colours that complement the Pixel 4a and your own style, so you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics for protection.



Added protection, just in case
Our new edge-to-edge inner microfiber wraps around your Pixel and the raised-edge design helps protect your screen and camera against scratches. You can rest easy knowing that your Pixel is in safe hands, even if your hands may be a little unsteady.

Learn more about our Pixel 4a fabric case, and check out other accessories from our Made for Google partners like CaseMate, Moment and Pela.

New Pixels—and new prices—are here


Last year, Pixel 3a gave people a chance to get the helpful features of Pixel at a more affordable price. This year, Pixel 4a — which launches this month — and the first 5G-enabled Pixels, Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 coming this fall, will continue to bring the features users love — like an incredible camera and feature drops that make your phone better over time — packaged in sleek new hardware at more affordable prices. 



 
Meet Pixel 4a: The “everything you love about Google” phone
Want to charge less often, take professional-looking photos, with enterprise-grade security, all without breaking the bank? The Pixel 4a, starting at $479, has your name on it.

Same great Pixel camera, new lower price
With the same incredible camera from Pixel 4 and a new re-designed hole punch design, Pixel 4a brings the same features that have helped millions of Pixel owners take great shots. HDR+ with dual exposure controls, Portrait Mode, Top Shot, Night Sight with astrophotography capabilities and fused video stabilization—they’re all there. 


Sleek design
The Pixel 4a comes in Just Black with a 5.8-inch OLED display and has a matte finish that feels secure and comfortable in your hand and includes Pixel’s signature color pop power button in mint. Check out the custom wallpapers that have some fun with the punch-hole camera. 



Help for those who need it
In addition to features like Recorder, which now connects with Google Docs to seamlessly save and share transcriptions and recordings (English only), Pixel 4a will feature helpful experiences like the Personal Safety app for real-time emergency notifications.

Pixel 4a also has Live Caption, which provides real-time captioning (English only) for your video and audio content. New with the Pixel 4a launch--and available for Pixel 2, 3, 3a and 4 users--Live Caption will now automatically caption your voice and video calls.

New Google Assistant in more languages
Introduced last year, the new Google Assistant is also available on Pixel 4a to help with multitasking across apps and getting things done fast, like finding a photo or sending a text. You can now try out the new experience in French, German, Spanish and Italian, in addition to English, with more languages coming soon. Learn more at g.co/pixelassistant/languages. 



Pre-order Pixel 4a now
The Pixel 4a has a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 730G Mobile Platform, Titan M security module for on-device security, 6GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage with an even bigger battery that lasts all day*. New Pixel 4a fabric cases will also be available in three new colours.


Pixel 4a users can enjoy entertainment, games & apps, and extra storage with 3 month free trials of YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and Google One when you sign up for a recurring subscription. Learn more here. 


Pixel 4a is now available for pre-order in Canada on the Google Store. If you’ve got an older phone and want to trade it in for a Pixel 4a, we’re making it easier than ever with our new trade-in program on the Google Store. We’ll give you up to $180 for select devices, learn more here. Pixel 4a will be available to customers on September 10 through the Google Store, Bell, Rogers, TELUS, Freedom Mobile, Vidéotron, Best Buy and more.



Sneak peek at Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5
This fall, we’ll have two more devices to talk about, the Pixel 4a (5G), starting at $679, and Pixel 5, both with 5G** to make streaming videos, downloading content, and playing games on Stadia or other platforms on the go.


Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 will be available in Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. In the coming months, we’ll share more about these devices*** and our approach to 5G. In the meantime, be sure to sign up to be the first to hear more.


*Approximate battery life based on a mix of talk, data, standby, and use of other features, with always on display off. An active display and other usage factors will decrease battery life. Pixel 4a battery testing conducted in Mountain View, California in early 2020 on pre-production hardware and software. Actual results may vary.

**Requires a 5G data plan (sold separately). 5G service not available on all carrier networks or in all areas. Contact carrier for details. 5G service, speed and performance depend on many factors including, but not limited to, carrier network capabilities, device configuration and capabilities, network traffic, location, signal strength and signal obstruction. Actual results may vary. Some features not available in all areas. Data rates may apply. See g.co/pixel/networkinfo for info.

*** These devices have not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. These devices are not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.


What emergency funding means for publishers around the world

Established in 1904 in Oklahoma, the Lawton Constitution is one of more than 5,600 recipients of the Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund (JERF). Committed to serving local community journalism, the newspaper’s publisher, David Stringer, knows how difficult it is to fulfill its mission even with best intentions. “No matter how low the cost, we know that some residents want to read the paper but simply can’t afford it,” he says. So the Lawton Constitution has used JERF funds to subsidize half the cost of a subscription for those in need who want to stay informed, giving the community access to important information and building relationships for the future. 


In South Korea, Kim Hong-tak from the Jeonnam Ilbo is using JERF funds to highlight the resilience of the local businesses affected by COVID-19. The publication has created a designated column focused on local small and medium sized businesses to highlight their strengths and values and serve as a bridge to connect them to the right government agencies for further support. 


In the United Kingdom, DC Thomson used the funding to support new content teams to help generate 10,000 subscribers during lockdown. In Argentina, El Diario published an editorial describing how the funding will allow them “to continue..to keep the voices of the city and the region alive”. And, In Canada, Narcity Media will use the funds to increase their staff by hiring at least 1-2 new reporters. 


These are a handful of stories among many we received since launching JERF in April. When COVID-19 was turning the world upside down, we didn’t know what to expect. The intent was simple: help address a very real need from local publishers and news sites globally that are facing financial hardship as a result of the economic and advertising downturn. 


In the last few months, we have provided $39.5 million in funding to more than 5600 publishers in 115 countries. The money is being applied in diverse and creative ways, from ensuring basic reporting needs and giving emergency stipends to allow reporters to cover the crisis, to driving audience engagement and generating subscriptions. 


Within two weeks of our announcement, we received more than 12,000 applications. The massive response gave us the opportunity to understand what “local” means in different parts of the world, and how dynamics ranging from newsroom size to ownership structure can differ depending on the region and the kinds of communities served. For instance, the average newsroom size varied from 20 in Asia Pacific to eight in North America. 


We learned from publishers that advertising continues to be the sole source of revenue for most JERF recipients, with 50 percent claiming to be totally advertising dependent. A survey we carried out also showed that less than 30 percent of recipients operate some form of a paywall, while less than 18 percent rely on community contributions or memberships to support their journalism. That situation is changing, though, with 60 percent of the recipients planning to diversify their revenue streams by developing subscription, membership or contribution models. 


Additionally, around 20 percent of publishers told us they are prioritizing a need for cultural change that includes a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as organizational and business management.


The pandemic has affected everyone, and local news organizations have been at the forefront in helping their communities navigate COVID-19. At the Google News Initiative, we are trying to play our part with this funding and other initiatives as we all work towards the common goal of a sustainable, innovative and diverse news industry globally. 


Posted by Ludovic Blecher, Head of Google News Initiative Innovation

A look at how Canadians are using YouTube to get their sports fix

YouTube and sports have a special relationship. The platform is a go-to destination for fans after a big game or to catch any key moments they might have missed - that’s why we call it the “home of the highlights”. It’s become a place for fans to dive headfirst into the world of sports, whether that’s watching compilations of greatest moments, locker room interviews or countdown content.

This year has been a unique time for sports fans. They’ve had to get creative to get their fill of sports content. As fans eagerly await the return of live sports, we’re taking a look at what Canadians have been watching on YouTube the past few months to stay connected to their favourite sports. 

Reliving the magic of epic sports moments

One of the ways fans have stayed entertained is reliving iconic sports moments, from archived replays and old game highlights, to tips and tricks and athlete interviews. According to Google Trends, sports searches for “top 20” on YouTube increased by 250% for the month of May 2020, compared to the same period last year.

To keep viewers engaged, we’ve seen creators, sports leagues and broadcasters create new and innovative content to connect with fans. Sportsnet has leaned into virtual gatherings by bringing fans together through live online watch parties. Remember Bautista’s iconic bat flip? Sportsnet used this moment as a way to bring fans together and relive the moment with Bautista himself.



FIFATV is another great example of bringing fans together. They began uploading full-length classic soccer matches with the hashtag #WorldCupAtHome and encouraged viewers to get involved and suggest other classic matches to rewatch.

Getting to know our favourite athletes

Something interesting to come about while live sports have been on pause has been seeing and learning more about our favourite athletes and how they’re quarantining at home. One of my personal favourites is Canada’s own P.K. Subban, who’s been using his YouTube channel to give fans a glimpse into his everyday life.

When we spoke with Subban about his channel he told us, “It's been a great new way to connect with my fans around the globe, especially during this time. With live sports on pause, YouTube has helped me to stay engaged with my online community and share more about my life off the ice - my content may have even inspired some quarantine haircuts!"



Many other athletes have also used this time to connect with fans - check out the channels from Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler and Raptors very own, Serge Ibaka.

Discovering new sports and building communities

If you had told me a year ago that I would be a fan of competitive marble racing, I wouldn’t have believed you. While it’s been around for a while, marble racing has become incredibly popular as a replacement sport with live sports on pause. What makes marble racing videos so exciting is that they emulate a perfect substitute for those missing televised sports by using multiple cameras, tournament brackets and play-by-play commentary at every turn for the marbles. To give you a sense of how popular the sport has become, Jelle’s Marble Runs videos were viewed over 9 million times globally in March 2020.

Another outcome from the pause of live sports has been watching sports enthusiasts build new communities on YouTube to share their love of the game. Beyond the Court is a group of seven long-time friends and basketball fans that missed live sports so much, they created a YouTube channel to connect with other fans and debate important basketball questions like, “Who is your 2020 NBA MVP?”, recapping Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” and even debating Vince Carter’s Legacy with the Raptors among other NBA based topics.



Despite the pause of live sports, there have been many bright moments that have brought fans together. In what feels like the longest “halftime” in sports history, through YouTube we’ve reflected on the iconic sports moments that moved us, caught a glimpse into the lives of our favourite athletes and found a new love for marbles. While it’s been a unique time to be a sports fan, it's inspired a new love for the game that is unmatched.


Posted by Soneeka Patel, Sports Partnerships Lead, YouTube Canada

“Hey Google, make a group call” now on Nest Hub Max

One of the most popular ways people use Nest Hub Max is for video calling. Up until now, that meant one-on-one sessions with friends and family. Rolling out today in Canada (English only), you can make group video calls with Duo and Google Meet on your Hub Max. With just a simple voice command, Google Assistant can now help connect you with multiple people at once.

“Hey Google, make a group call”


With group video calling on Nest Hub Max, you can now bring the whole family together, spontaneously check in with your siblings or host a weekly happy hour with friends for up to 32 people. To get started, you can create groups in the Duo mobile app, and from there just ask your Hub Max, “Hey Google, make a group call,” and tap on the Duo group you want to connect with. And with auto-framing, you can freely move around your kitchen or living room during your Duo video call, while staying in view.

“Hey Google, join my next meeting”


You can also try, “Hey Google, start a meeting” to connect with up to 100 people on Google Meet for fitness classes, book clubs, community gatherings or whatever else you’ve got planned. If you want to call into a meeting, say "Hey Google, join a meeting" then tap the "enter a meeting code" option and type it in to join. Or try asking, “Hey Google, join my next meeting” to instantly connect to the next call on your personal Google Calendar. Meet group video calling is launching first on Nest Hub Max.


Google Assistant and Nest have always made it easy to connect with friends and family⁠—and now, the more the merrier.

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