Official Google Canada Blog: October 2021

Meet the Canadian Artists and Producers Joining the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Earlier this year, we introduced the inaugural #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund Artist Class of 2021. In doing so, we had one goal: Amplify Black voices on YouTube. To accomplish this mission, we provided the participating artists with the following:

Dedicated partner support from YouTube
Seed funding invested into the development of their channels
The opportunity to participate in training and networking programs focused on production, fan engagement, and wellbeing

As we shared back in July, the inaugural class achieved incredible feats on our platform, far outperforming any expectations. From Mariah The Scientist’s exclusive live set in support of NIVA, to Rexx Life Raj, Joy Oladokun, and Tkay Maidza taking center stage at YouTube’s annual Brandcast event, and every success in between. We want to thank each and every one of these individuals for bringing so much energy and passion to the program and for sharing the power of their music with fans around the world.
As we celebrate the success of these artists, today we’re excited to grow and reaffirm our commitment to Black musical excellence by announcing the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022. Expanding on our commitment, this new Class will not only include songwriters and producers, but we are also expanding the cohort to include music creators from the UK and Canada.
The Class of 2022 includes one producer, and three artists from Canada, who help demonstrate the passion, energy and talent of Black music creators in our country. Joining the songwriter and producer cohort is Toronto-based music producer WondaGurl, whose credits already include hits from artists like Jay-Z, Drake and Rihanna. The musicians joining our artist cohort include rapper NorthSideBenji, from Brampton; Savannah Ré, an R&B singer from Toronto, and Liza, a singer-songwriter from Toronto.
These artists and producers will join 50 others as part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2022. For the first time ever, they will have the opportunity to come together to co-write and collaborate.
We’re also honored to introduce Hip Hop ICON and the genre's most notable storyteller, Slick Rick, as the inaugural mentor member of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Artist Class of 2022. In this capacity, Slick Rick will play an additional role, sharing his wisdom and experience with fellow grant recipients within educational and networking programs for the class.
These artists, songwriters, and producers — from the United States, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, and now, the United Kingdom and Canada — speak to the vastness of the pool of Black genius. Limitless in genre, identity, talent, innovation, and creativity, their voices and the music they make encapsulate the global experience of Black people–past, present, and future.
Please meet the the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022:
#YouTubeBlack Voices Artist Class of 2022

Azawi (Kampala, Uganda), Barkaa (Barkindji Nation, Western NSW), Blanco Brown (Atlanta, Georgia, United States), Bree Runway (East London, England, United Kingdom), Budjerah (Fingal Head, Australia), Cico P (Jacksonville, Texas, United States), Cimafunk (Pinar del Rio, Cuba), CKay (Anambra, Nigeria), Dijon (Ellicott City, Maryland, United States), Elaine (Pretoria, South Africa), EST Gee (Louisville, Kentucky, United States), Jonathan Ferr (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Jords (Croydon, England, United Kingdom), Kadhja Bonet (Long Beach, California, United States), Kamille (London, England, United Kingdom), Liniker (São Paulo, Brazil), Liza (Toronto, Canada), midwxst (Carmel, Indiana, United States), Monaleo (Houston, Texas, United States), Nija (Union City, New Jersey, United States), NorthSideBenji (Toronto, Canada), NSG (London, England, United Kingdom), Omah Lay (Port Harcourt, Nigeria), Rico Dalasam (São Paulo, Brazil), Savannah Ré (Toronto, Canada), Tai Verdes (Palos Verdes, Los Angeles, CA), Tamera (Kent, England), Tasha & Tracie (São Paulo, Brazil), Teezo Touchdown (Beaumont, Texas, United States), whiterosemoxie (Detroit, Michigan, United States) and one of the globes most legendary voices in hip hop, the legendary Slick Rick The Ruler (from The Bronx, New York United States).
For more information on the Artist Class, click here.
#YouTubeBlack Voices Songwriter & Producer Class of 2022

Cadenza (London, England, United Kingdom), Compass (North London, England, United Kingdom), Dallas Woods (Wyndham, West Australia, Australia), Dj Lag (Johannesburg, South Africa), Gloria Kaba (Irvington, New Jersey, United States), HARV (Kansas City, Missouri, United States), IamTash (Boston, Massachusetts, United States), Jay Versace (Pleasantville, New Jersey, United States), jetsonmade (Columbia, South Carolina, United States), Kobie Dee (South Sydney, Bidjigal Land, Australia), Léo Casa 1 (São Paulo, Brazil), Major League DJz (Johannesburg, South Africa), Mu540 (Praia Grande, São Paulo, Brazil), Nova Wav (Tallahassee, Florida / Atlanta, Georgia, United States), OG Parker (Atlanta, Georgia, United States), P.Priime (Lagos, Nigeria), RDD (Paulo Afonso, Bahia, Brazil), Rodriguinho (Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil), Telz (Lagos, Nigeria), Walshy Fire (Miami, Florida, United States), WondaGurl (Toronto, Canada), YAOB (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
For more information on the Songwriter & Producer Class, click here.

Personal meets powerful: Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are here

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

waitAndroid 12
Pixel 6 is an outstanding all-around phone and it starts at only $799. If you want all the advanced capabilities and upgraded finishes, Pixel 6 Pro is the right phone for you, starting at $1,179.
Powering the new Pixel lineup is Google Tensor, a mobile system on a chip designed specifically around Google’s industry-leading AI. Google Tensor enables entirely new capabilities for your smartphone, and makes Pixel 6 and 6 Pro more helpful and more personal.
Distinct design Pixel has a bold new design this year with a cohesive look across the software on the inside and the hardware on the outside. The first thing you’ll notice is the Camera Bar, giving the phone a clean, symmetrical design that puts the camera front-and-center.

Pixel 6 has a distinctive graphic and vibrant look.. The matte black metal band complements the expressive, versatile colour options. Pixel 6 Pro was inspired by the finishes you see in luxury jewelry and watches. It’s made with a polished metal unibody and transitions into gorgeous curved glass in colors that complement the metallic frames.
Speaking of color, Android 12 brings a full redesign to the OS, with Material You.
Android 12 on Pixel 6 Android 12 builds on the best features of Android so your phone can really be your phone: It can adapt to you, it’s secure by default and private by design. And Android 12 looks especially stunning on Pixel 6.

When you choose your wallpaper, your entire UI will update to reflect that choice. Everything will feel more responsive and smoother. At a Glance, which shows up on the home and lock screen, has a fresh new look and some new capabilities. Here, you’ll find what you need, right when you need it — like your boarding pass the day of your flight or stats from your current workout.
New Pixel, new camera Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have the most advanced cameras we’ve ever built. The entire camera experience is improved from the hardware to Pixel’s revolutionary computational photography.
Both Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have a new 1/1.3 inch sensor on the back. This primary sensor now captures up to 150% more light (compared to Pixel 5’s camera), meaning you’re going to get photos and videos with even greater detail and richer colour. Both phones also have completely new ultrawide lenses with larger sensors, so photos look great when you want to fit more in your shot.
Pixel 6 Pro also has an amazing telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom and up to 20x zoom with an improved version of Pixel’s Super Res Zoom. There’s also an upgraded ultrawide front camera that records 4K video. You can make use of that wider front camera in Snapchat’s new ultrawide selfie feature. Plus, for instant Snapchat access, the new Quick Tap to Snap feature is coming exclusively to Pixel 6 and 6 Pro later this year.
Magic Eraser makes distractions in your photos disappear, just like that. With a few taps in Google Photos, remove strangers and unwanted objects.

Motion Mode features options like Action Pan and Long Exposure, which bring movement to your shots. You can use Action Pan to take photos of your kids riding their scooter or landing crazy skateboarding tricks against a stylish blurred background. Or create beautiful long exposure shots where your subject is moving, like waterfalls or vibrant city scenes.

Another significant advancement in photography across Pixel and Google Photos is Real Tone. Going back decades, cameras have been designed to photograph light skin — a bias that’s crept into many of our modern digital imaging products and algorithms. Our teams have been working directly with photographers, cinematographers and colorists who are celebrated for their beautiful and accurate imagery of communities of colour. We asked them to test our cameras and editing tools and provide honest feedback, which helped make our camera and auto enhancement features more equitable.
Smarts and speech Pixel 6 and 6 Pro also have improved speech recognition and language understanding models, so it can make everyday tasks easier. For instance, you can now use your voice to quickly type, edit, and send messages with Assistant voice typing in Messages, Gmail and more. Let Google Assistant help with adding punctuation, making corrections, inserting emojis and sending your messages – hands-free.

Finally, Live Translate enables you to message with people in different languages, including English, French, German, Italian and a beta version in Japanese. It works by detecting whether a message in your chat apps, like WhatsApp or Snap, is different from your language, and if so, automatically offers you a translation. All of this detection and processing happens entirely on-device within Private Compute Core, so no data ever leaves the device, and it works even without network connectivity. With support for Interpreter mode, you’ll also be able to take turns translating what is said in up to 48 languages. Activate Assistant and say “Be my interpreter.”

One more thing: when you get an incoming call, just say “accept” or “decline” without having to use “Hey Google” every time by enabling Quick phrases. You can also “stop” and “snooze” alarms and timers! Get your hands on the new Pixel Pre-order Pixel 6 today, which starts at $799 and $1179 for the Pixel 6 Pro. You can preorder at gStore, Best Buy, Rogers, Telus, Glentel, Freedom and Amazon. The phones will be available on store shelves with all major Canadian carriers starting on October 28. We’re also launching a new collection of specially designed cases for Pixel 6, so you can protect your phone in style.
However you buy it, and whichever Pixel 6 you pick, we know you are going to love your new phone.
Posted by Brian Rakowski, VP, Product Management

Helping 600,000 Canadian businesses transform during the pandemic

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Before COVID-19, making the transition to digital was aspirational for most business owners. When the pandemic upended all of our lives, it became essential. And now, for companies, it is existential. To explore how Google products helped Canadian workers and businesses in 2020, Google commissioned independent consultancy Public First to take a look.

How Public First calculates Google’s economic impact:

Leveraging methodology from previous Google impact reports from markets including Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, independent consultancy Public First used traditional economic modelling built upon third-party estimates of Google Canada’s market size and standard returns on investment (ROI) to measure the economic activity driven by Google’s core products, including Google Search, Google Ads, AdSense, Android and YouTube. You can see a fuller explanation of this methodology at https://googleimpactcanada.publicfirst.co/canada/#appendix

The new indoor, wired Nest Cam is available today

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

The new Nest Cam has 10 times more machine learning power than the previous generation, enhanced HDR video quality, and processes events on-device, which makes for more accurate and timely alerts. It can detect people, animals and vehicles, only sending you alerts for what matters most. We’ve also included three hours of event video history and the ability to create Activity Zones (which help the camera focus on the important places in your home). All of this works without the need for a subscription. Nest Cam also has local storage backup to help with reliability: If your Wi-Fi goes out, it will keep recording and upload your clips to the Google Home app when service returns.
Nest Cam is built specifically for the Google Home app, where you can view and control your camera anytime. You can choose which notifications you want to receive, set up Activity Zones and view your whole home history across your compatible devices, like displays, thermostats and new Nest Cams and Doorbell. A Nest Aware subscription expands your event video history to 30 days, and a Nest Aware Plus subscription provides 60 days of event video history and 10 days of continuous video history. Both subscriptions also come with Familiar Face detection to help your cameras identify people you know.
We designed this Nest Cam for the many ways you can use an indoor camera. To show you just how versatile it is, here’s how members of the Nest team are using it in their own homes.

Isabelle Olsson — Director, Design for HomeI installed my Nest Cam (in Sand with a wooden base) in my kids playroom. It naturally fits in with my wood shelving, and for the first time, I was comfortable installing a security camera in our most precious space. Being able to check in on my kids without interrupting their play is such a great, delightful experience.

Félix Senepin — Product Manager I have my Nest Cam set up in my living room so I can keep an eye on my dog when I'm out or in a different room. She finds the sofas to be quite comfy…even though she's not allowed on all of them. So I created Activity Zones on those sofas, and set up alerts for animal detection there. Whenever she decides to take a nap in the wrong spot, I can talk to her through the camera. I'm glad the cable it comes with is pretty long so I could put it high on a piece of furniture and get the whole room in the field of view.

Sung Bai — Industrial Design Manager I think about two things when I place an indoor, wired camera in my home: Is there an area that needs to be monitored and protected? And is there a place where the camera will fit naturally with everything else in the room? We have our Nest Cams in the office, living room and main bedroom. They’re on a shelf in the office, side table in the bedroom and we move the one in the living room around. The cameras all face doors or windows and handle backlighting well, so the video is always easy to view. Plus, we enabled Home & Away Routines so they turn off when we’re home.

JJ Nold — User Experience Design Manager We placed our Nest Cam in the entryway of our new home. We mainly use it to keep an eye on who is coming and going when we're away, but it's also a great way to keep track of what our three cats (Bacon, Mac and Cheddar) are up to.

George Hines — Software Engineer I’ve placed my Nest Cam in my favorite part of my home: It keeps a watchful eye on my "Evil Mad Scientist's lair" (aka, the garage). It’s reassuring to know it’s on the job 24/7, making sure no one is messing with my toys (aka, vintage bicycles and computers, which I fix up in my spare time) — and it can see clearly out the open garage door.

Rue Song — User Experience DesignerWe placed our Nest Cam Indoor in our living room to keep an eye on our dog when we’re out. We can see through the app that she mostly just naps, but occasionally we’ll use the built-in speaker and mic to remind her that our baby’s stuffed animals aren’t her toys. It works every time!

Andy Hengel — Product Manager I put one of my Nest Cams inside my workshop and installed it with the built-in wall mount. A few family members have a key, so it's nice to know when tools go walking out the door. It also provides extra security since the workshop backs up to an alley, but so far the only intruder has been a wayward squirrel when I left the door open one afternoon.
Make the new indoor wired Nest Cam your own — it’s available today on the Google Store and at select retailers.

Nest Cam with floodlight is a smarter floodlight for your home

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

So when Nest set out to build our first connected floodlight, we wanted to integrate the smarts in our new Nest Cam to create a more helpful floodlight camera — one that turns on when activity is detected, and can be easily installed and replace an existing exterior light fixture.
Meet Nest Cam with floodlight, available today for $379.99. It’s designed to work exclusively with the Google Home app, so you can check on home or control your floodlight from anywhere. Here are 11 things to love about the newest nocturnal Nest Cam.

Two of a kind: Nest Cam with floodlight combines our newest camera technology with a high-quality LED floodlight. The device is hardwired for continuous power and provides the option for 24/7 continuous video history (with a Nest Aware Plus subscription).
A smarter floodlight: The floodlight is controlled by the smarts of the camera (rather than motion sensors alone) to light up the scene and capture important activity. Instead of the light switching on and off for activity that you don’t care about, you can select the types of activity that your floodlight turns on for, such as when a person, animal, or vehicle is detected. For example, set an activity zone so it lights your way when you pull into your driveway.
Replace your existing lighting: Install Nest Cam with floodlight where you have an existing exterior light or wiring. It comes with what you need to upgrade your existing exterior light right in the box. We’ve created a step-by-step video as part of the setup process in the Google Home app to make installation a breeze, but you can also enlist the help of a Pro if you need a hand.
Built for the Google Home app: Like the new battery-powered Nest Cam and Doorbell, Nest Cam with floodlight is built exclusively for the Google Home app. In the app, you can adjust the brightness of the lights, turn the floodlight on and off manually or control what kind of events turn the floodlight on.
Enhanced by Nest Cam features: Nest Cam has built-in intelligence and on-device processing, meaning more features are available right out of the box that used to require a subscription — for example, animal, vehicle and person detection and the ability to create Activity Zones. It also has local storage fallback, meaning the camera will record up to an hour of footage (about a week’s worth of events) on-device if the power or internet go out, and when service returns you’ll be able to view your clips in the Google Home app.
Your extra set of eyes: In addition to being powered by Nest Cam’s intelligence and delivering 1080p video with HDR, Nest Cam with floodlight is equipped with 180-degree motion sensors to detect movement. It’s optimized to give you a clear view to be your extra set of eyes where you need them. The floodlights also illuminate the scene, which makes for a clearer image in the dark.
Ambient light you can control: At 2400 lumens, the lights are bright enough to illuminate your patio or front yard in the middle of the night. In the Google Home app, Nest Cam with floodlight can be controlled like a smart light: adjust brightness, motion sensitivity, what the lights turn on for and how long — or manually turn the lights on or off with just a tap.
Set up routines: Nest Cam with floodlight works with your other Nest speakers and displays, so you can control the lights with your voice. In the Google Home app, schedule when your floodlight turns on and set up custom routines either by time or voice command. For example, turn on your floodlight when you say “turn on the backyard light,” or at 9:00 p.m. every night.
A floodlight you can count on: With an IP54 rating, Nest Cam with floodlight can withstand the elements so it’s there for you when you need it the most. And similar to our other new cameras, it also requires a Google account, which provides added protection like security checkup, suspicious activity detection and two-step verification.
Add a Nest Aware subscription: With a Nest Aware subscription, you can extend your video history from three hours of event video history (comes with the device, no subscription required!) to 30 days of event video history and add familiar face detection. A Nest Aware Plus subscription extends to 60 days of event video history and 10 days of 24/7 continuous video history.
Thoughtful, durable design: Made of durable, high-quality materials and a sleek, white design inspired by the lighting we use for the inside of our homes, Nest Cam with floodlight was designed to complement your home’s unique character, rather than looking like high-tech security gear.

If you’re interested in learning more about the new Nest Cam with floodlight, visit the Google Store. Now available to purchase in stores at Best Buy, The Home Depot, Staples, Walmart and Bed Bath and Beyond. Available online only at The Source, Lowes, Rona, Costco and Reno Depot.

Don’t stop the music!

Monday, October 4, 2021

Introducing a new YouTube Music app listening experience

introducing personalized mixes for your everyday moods and momentsbringing you the most popular music from every part of the globe
Today, we’re excited to announce that we will begin rolling out background listening to music listeners in Canada, free of charge, beginning on November 3, 2021! Canadian music lovers using the YouTube Music app will be the first to enjoy this new feature before it becomes available to listeners around the world.
This update will allow people to continue listening to YouTube Music while using other apps or when your screen is off. Within this, you can engage with the YouTube Music app through an exciting ad-supported, radio-like experience featuring the artists, songs, and albums you love, plus personalized mixes on shuffle without the hassle of having to keep the YouTube Music app open on your device.
Here’s what you’ll get:

Listen to your music in the background: You can now keep your music playing after minimizing the app or turning off your screen. Go on a run, answer a text, or check some emails without stopping your music.
Enjoy continuous stations and shuffle: Dive into this new playback experience with continuous radio stations based on your favorite songs, albums, and artists. Further your listening through personalized playlists on shuffle, like Mixed for you on the Home tab, which features mixes inspired by your ever-changing music ecosystem. If you've uploaded songs on the YouTube Music app, you can continue to play them anytime, and you can also keep streaming music and videos, on-demand, with the YouTube app.
Focus on what’s important: With Google Assistant driving mode, drivers can now keep their focus on the road while staying safe and entertained with a hands-free YouTube Music experience.

Stay tuned for additional information and expansion plans. In the meantime, sit back, relax and don’t stop the music!
If you don’t already have YouTube Music, download the YouTube Music app in the Play Store or App Store.
Posted by Jason Robinson, Product Manager, YouTube Music

Official Canada Blog

Meet the Canadian Artists and Producers Joining the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022

Personal meets powerful: Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are here

Helping 600,000 Canadian businesses transform during the pandemic

The new indoor, wired Nest Cam is available today

Nest Cam with floodlight is a smarter floodlight for your home

Don’t stop the music!

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