Google: Lack of SMEs online could hamper Ireland’s competitivenessWith 45 per cent of Irish SMEs lacking a website, the tech giant is concerned that a failure to embrace ecommerce could slow down Ireland’s economic recovery
The Gadget Guru Terrific Pixel 6a smartphone proves well worth the waitA mid-range smartphone with serious battery life, a gaming screen that’s just the right size, and a bluetooth mouse that simplifies life are looked at this week
Companies Apple, Google, Amazon: Tracking the tech companies that are slowing hiringMultinationals are braced for recession and rethinking their staffing needs across the world
Legal Tax adviser claims Google ad ban will destroy his business Gary O’Brien, owner of My Tax Refund, is seeking an injunction to allow his firm to buy advertising on the platform, on which he had already spent €350,000
IT Infrastructure Multiple cloudy days aheadAs cloud computing has gone mainstream the focus has shifted from one-stop-shops to strategies that spread critical IT infrastructure across multiple clouds as well as private infrastructure, says Jason Walsh
Google estimates €9.5bn loss to Irish economy due to skills gapThe report also found that only 55 per cent of Irish SMEs have their own website and only 53 per cent have social media or video platforms
Google trialling new system to detect underage usersThe system will prompt users to provide a form of identification if the probability that they are underage is deemed to be high
More than 1,000 employees from tech giants to help startups‘First Fridays for Startups’ to be run in six hubs across the country
Taking on Big Tech: Can the EU really ‘open the black box of algorithms’ and what it means for youIt is hoped the EU’s Digital Services Act will become the global gold standard for regulating Big Tech but there are a number of concerns about how effective it will be in practice
Google to trial new alternative to cookies after ‘Floc’ falls shortThe testing of Topics is due to start in the coming months
Irish firms treble Google product listingsOnline B2B service Pointy has added another 600 retailers this year, listing over five million items on the global marketplace
‘For a long time in Google, I knew I was never going to become the vice president of communications’ – The Big Interview: William FitzgeraldWilliam Fitzgerald found himself an outlier among his colleagues in Google’s public policy department and eventually left, but even back then he was an activist for workers’ rights. Now he’s using the skills he learned at the search engine giant to try to temper the power of digital corporations
Quinns hit the ‘Streisand effect’ in trying to erase the pastSeán Quinn and his family were the subject of much unflattering media coverage last week following their successful de-listing of numerous critical press articles from Google. But the incident has opened up a wider debate about the ‘right to be forgotten’ online
The Gadget Guru: Google Pixel 6 Pro, Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB, Pixy Mini power bankA new Google smartphone, a subtle alarm clock and an ultra-portable phone charger are reviewed this week
Study app helps Leaving Cert students improve their performanceEkker looks at a student’s working habits and helps them to use their time more efficiently
Group seeks to question Google’s head of global marketing in court over customer tracking practicesCarlow woman Lorraine Twohill and the search engine’s chief executive are alleged to have been involved in key decisions relating to the collection and use of private browsing information
The Gadget Guru: Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch, Google Nest Cam, Echelon StrideA pair of top-class earbuds, a smarthome device with a built-in battery and an easily transportable treadmill are all reviewed this week
Accenture tells moderators it will ‘examine how best to care for all of you’Eight former employees of the professional services company who worked at Facebook are taking Accenture to court over alleged mental health issues suffered after viewing violent or graphic material
The great retail revival: activity rises as the fightback gathers paceWith both Irish and international firms snapping up vacant spaces around the country, things are looking brighter for a sector long ravaged by Covid-19 restrictions
The Gadget Guru: Pixel Buds A series, Dyson Omni-Glide+, De LightGoogle’s budget earbuds, a Dyson designed for hard floors and a portable light for content creators get the once-over this week