Postcards from Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is an extraordinary American city. A cornerstone of the Rust Belt economy in the 19th and 20th centuries, Pittsburgh’s steel works, mines, and foundries quite literally built the country. As society shifted, so did the city. Today, Pittsburgh thrives as a hotbed of innovation and creativity, with renowned universities, tech startups and a thriving art scene built on a legacy of manufacturing.

Today, Google Arts & Culture is proud to launch Pittsburgh: Proud and Powerful alongside 15 local institutions to celebrate the city’s sports icons, local artists, up-and-coming musicians, foodie spots, and more. To get started, we invite you to get to know the city through the words of the institutions themselves. Partners include the Carnegie Museum of Art, The Pittsburgh Glass Center, The University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University Art Gallery, BOOM Concepts, Mattress Factory, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, The Frick, and more. There’s a little bit of something for everyone — so read on to discover what a few of Google Arts & Culture’s Pittsburgh partners love about their own city.

Image of the Cathedral of Learning

The University of Pittsburgh is home to the only “Cathedral of Learning” in the world as a monument to the creativity, innovation, and drive that helped make Pittsburgh what it is.

Pittsburgh Glass Center

The Pittsburgh Glass Center is one of the top public access glass art facilities in the U.S. Pittsburgh Glass Center offers a unique blend of visual and performance art that combines science, art, and Pittsburgh's rich history in glass.

Roberto Clemente mural

Commemorating the amazing athleticism and humanitarianism that embodied Roberto Clemente’s life, The Clemente Museum was founded by Executive Director and Curator Duane Rieder to showcase the world’s largest exhibited collection of baseball artifacts, memorabilia, and more.


The August Wilson African American Cultural Center

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is unique because it gives voice to those who may be overlooked, but oftentimes have the most impactful lessons, this can be seen in our story that spotlights artists from around the world showing us that we have more commonalities than meets the eye. 


The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Since 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has worked towards the transformation, cultural and economic development of the Cultural District, a 14-block area in downtown Pittsburgh.

Senator John Heinz History Center

The Senator John Heinz History Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate, focuses on Western Pennsylvania historyand works to demonstrate how the passion, ingenuity, and perseverance of Western Pennsylvanians helped establish a tradition of innovation like no other region in America.

The Pittsburgh Ballet

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s collection on Google Arts & Culture highlights the distinct and innovative repertoirethat has defined the organization for more than 50 years.

Want to explore more? Visit g.co/explorepittsburgh, or download Google Arts & Culture’s Android or iOS app.

Abriendo caminos: New pathways for Latino-owned businesses

Ver abajo versión en español

At the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which I have the honor to lead as president and CEO, helping Latino-owned businesses succeed is at the center of our mission. Our responsibility to the more than 4.7 million Latino-owned businesses and our growing network of 260 local chambers and business associations nationwide is to pursue and advocate for inclusive economic growth and development that build shared prosperity.

We represent the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. The number of Latino business owners has grown by 34% over the last 10 years compared to just 1% for all other businesses, according to a recent study by the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, and much of this growth has been driven by Latinas. These new businesses are invigorating, highlight our potential and are what motivates me everyday.

In 2020, with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, our chambers became emergency rooms for small businesses. We quickly mobilized and awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants directly to Latino owners and our local chambers to provide assistance. These funds were a lifeline for Latino businesses to keep the lights on, make payroll, rent and meet other critical needs.

We also provided technical assistance, established online resource hubs in English and in Spanish and graduated more than 200 Latino-owned small businesses through our accelerator program.

Last year was also our most active year in Washington, D.C. We raised $850 billion to provide assistance for our Latino small business members. We advocated for access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for both Latino-owned businesses and 501(c) (6) Chambers of Commerce.

As we take a moment to reflect on our progress to date, we have our eyes on the future. There is no denying that the world has dramatically changed, and we need to adapt and thrive, not just to survive. And technology is driving change forward faster than ever before.

We got a glimpse of the transformational power of technology through our partnership with Google last year. We collaborated to provide extra funding and Grow with Google curriculum support to 40 of our chambers across the country. Together, we trained 10,000 Latino small businesses and the initial results and impact we've seen is truly remarkable.

Google and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce share a deep commitment to economic opportunity, development and advocacy for Latinos. This is why today, we are sharing that Google will be making a $5 million investment in Latino-owned businesses and community organizations.  Together we are also unveiling a new Latino-owned attribute that will be available across Google Search, Maps and Shopping. All this is part of Google's $15 million investment in economic equity for Latinos.


Building more resilient Latino businesses


Today, we are deepening our partnership with Google with an additional investment that will allow us to create Grow with Google digital resource centers and train an additional 10,000 Latino business owners on how to use digital tools to grow their business. This work is critical to setting up Latino business owners for success for the long haul. These new skills, training and resources will help them be competitive in today's digital economy and allow us to help aspiring entrepreneurs to think digital-first. 

Google.org is also providing funding to support the Latino Community Foundation's Entrepreneurship Fund, an initiative that strengthens Latino-led small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs across California. It will directly invest in 150+ micro-entrepreneurs to support the tireless work of street vendors, cleaning services, landscapers, childcare providers and other micro-entrepreneurs. For Latino-owned businesses, running a business is often a family affair, and the Entrepreneurship Fund will increase and improve the online presence for Latino-owned small restaurants through the creation of websites and social media accounts designed and managed by youth participating in tech skills building programs.

This is in addition to Google's ongoing support of nonprofits through $3 million in donated ads to Latino organizations. This includes the Hispanic Access Foundation, which uses Google.org's support to advertise internships for Latino college students, fundraise for DACA fee scholarships, and more — all in service of enabling more Latinos in the U.S. to achieve economic success.


Identify and buy from Latino-owned businesses

Today, we are partnering with Google to unveil a Latino-owned attribute that will be available on Search, Maps and Shopping, in the coming weeks, so businesses can easily identify as Latino-owned on Google. This update builds on the Black-owned, Veteran-owned and Women-owned business attributes, and is another way people can support diverse businesses across Google’s products and platforms.


The Latino-owned attribute on Google Maps and Google Shopping.

For more than 20 years, Google has been at the forefront of democratizing access for all —  it's one of its core values. Underrepresented groups have been beneficiaries of that mission, which is still alive today. This is why we deeply believe Google's open platforms, digital training, tools and resources are critical to advancing economic equity for the Latino community.  

Today's investments and product updates will provide our members, chambers and our communities a much needed boost. We are glad to help spotlight Latino-owned businesses in a new light, showcase our resilient spirit and invoke action. We are energized by our momentum and are eager to get back to business. I believe our future is bright - and today thanks to Google, it's a little brighter.


Abriendo caminos: Nuevos caminos para las empresas de propietarios latinos

Google y la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de los Estados Unidos (United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) se asocian para ofrecer un atributo de propietarios latinos en Búsqueda (Search), Maps, y Shopping, además de nuevo apoyo financiero y capacitación en habilidades para propietarios de empresas latinas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro. 

En la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de los Estados Unidos, donde tengo el honor de dirigir como presidente y director ejecutivo, ayudar a las empresas latinas a tener éxito está al centro de nuestra misión. Nuestra responsabilidad con las más de 4.7 millones de empresas de propietarios latinos y nuestra creciente red de 260 cámaras locales y asociaciones comerciales en todo el país es buscar y abogar por el crecimiento y el desarrollo económico que construya la prosperidad compartida.

Representamos al grupo de emprendedores de más rápido crecimiento en los Estados Unidos y no nos tomamos esa responsabilidad a la ligera. El número de propietarios de negocios latinos ha crecido en un 34% en los últimos 10 años en comparación con solo el 1% de todos los demás negocios, según un estudio reciente de Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, y gran parte de este crecimiento ha sido impulsado por latinas. Estos nuevos negocios son estimulantes, resaltan nuestro potencial y son lo que me motiva todos los días.

En 2020, con la llegada de la pandemia COVID-19, nuestras cámaras se convirtieron en salas de emergencia para pequeñas empresas. Rápidamente nos movilizamos y otorgamos cientos de miles de dólares en subvenciones directamente a pequeñas empresas de propietarios latinos y nuestras cámaras locales para brindar asistencia. Estos fondos fueron un salvavidas para las empresas latinas para mantener las luces encendidas, pagar nóminas, renta y satisfacer otras necesidades críticas.

También brindamos asistencia técnica, establecimos centros de recursos en línea en inglés y en español y graduamos a más de 200 pequeñas empresas latinas a través de nuestro programa acelerador de pequeñas empresas. 

El año pasado también fue nuestro año más activo en Washington, D.C. Recaudamos $850 mil millones de dólares para brindar asistencia a nuestros miembros latinos de pequeñas empresas. Abogamos por el acceso al Programa de Protección de Cheques de Pago (PPP) tanto para las empresas propiedad de latinos como para las Cámaras de Comercio 501 (c) (6).

Mientras nos tomamos un momento para reflexionar sobre nuestro progreso hasta la fecha, tenemos la mirada puesta en el futuro. No se puede negar que el mundo ha cambiado drásticamente y que necesitamos adaptarnos y prosperar, no solo para sobrevivir. Y la tecnología está impulsando el cambio más rápido que nunca.

Pudimos vislumbrar el poder transformador de la tecnología a través de nuestra asociación con Google el año pasado. Colaboramos para proporcionar financiación adicional y curriculum de Grow with Google a 40 de nuestras cámaras en todo el país. Juntos, capacitamos a 10,000 pequeñas empresas latinas y los resultados iniciales y el impacto que hemos visto son realmente notables.

Google y la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de los Estados Unidos comparten un profundo compromiso con las oportunidades económicas, desarrollo y abogacía para latinos. Es por eso que hoy compartimos que Google realizará una inversión de $5 millones de dólares en la comunidad empresarial de propietarios latinos y organizaciones comunitarias. Juntos estamos presentando un nuevo atributo de propietarios latinos que estará disponible en la Búsqueda de Google, Maps y Shopping. Todo esto es parte de la inversión de $15 millones de dólares de Google en equidad económica para latinos.


Construyendo negocios latinos más resilientes


Hoy, estamos profundizando nuestra asociación con Google con una inversión adicional que nos permitirá crear centros de recursos digitales Grow with Google y capacitar a 10,000 propietarios de negocios latinos adicionales sobre cómo usar herramientas digitales para hacer crecer su negocio. Este trabajo es fundamental para que los empresarios latinos tengan éxito a largo plazo. Estas nuevas habilidades, capacitación y recursos los ayudarán a ser competitivos en la economía digital actual y nos permitirán ayudar a los aspirantes emprendedores a pensar primero en lo digital. 

Google.org también está proporcionando fondos para apoyar el Fondo de Emprendimiento (Entrepreneurship Fund) del Latino Community Foundation, una iniciativa que fortalece a las pequeñas empresas y microempresarios liderados por latinos en todo California. Invertirá directamente en más de 150 microempresarios para apoyar el trabajo incansable de los vendedores ambulantes, servicios de limpieza, jardineros, proveedores de cuidado infantil y otros microempresarios. Para las empresas de propietarios  latinos, administrar una empresa es a menudo un asunto familiar, y el Fondo de Emprendimiento aumentará y mejorará la presencia en línea de los pequeños restaurantes de propietarios latinos a través de la creación de sitios web y cuentas de redes sociales diseñadas y administradas por jóvenes que participan en programas que forman sus habilidades tecnológicas.

Esto, en adición al apoyo continuo de Google a las organizaciones sin fines de lucro a través de $3 millones de dólares en anuncios donados a organizaciones latinas. Esto incluye la Hispanic Access Foundation

https://hispanicaccess.org/

, que utiliza el apoyo de Google.org para anunciar prácticas para estudiantes universitarios latinos, recaudar fondos para becas que cubren los costos  de DACA y más — todo al servicio de permitir que más latinos en los Estados Unidos logren el éxito económico.


Identificar y comprar en empresas de propiedad de latinos


Hoy, nos asociamos con Google para anunciar un atributo de propietarios latinos que estará disponible en la Búsqueda, Maps y Shopping en las próximas semanas, para que las empresas puedan identificarse fácilmente como propietarios latinos en Google. Esta actualización se basa en los atributos de negocios Black-owned, Veteran-owned y Women-owned; y es otra manera la gente puede apoyar a diversas empresas a través de productos y plataformas de Google.

El atributo de propietarios latinos en Google Maps y Google Shopping.

Durante más de 20 años, Google ha estado a la vanguardia de la democratización del acceso para todos —  es uno de sus valores fundamentales. Los grupos subrepresentados se han beneficiado de esa misión, la cual continúa vigente hoy. Es por eso que creemos profundamente que las plataformas abiertas, la capacitación digital, las herramientas y los recursos de Google son fundamentales para promover la equidad económica para la comunidad latina.  

Las inversiones de hoy y las actualizaciones de productos proporcionarán a nuestros miembros, cámaras y comunidades un impulso muy necesario. Nos complace ayudar a destacar las empresas de propietarios latinos bajo una nueva luz, mostrar nuestro espíritu resistente e invocar la acción. Nuestro impulso nos llena de energía y estamos ansiosos por volver al trabajo. Creo que nuestro futuro es brillante, y hoy, gracias a Google, es un poco más brillante.

How advertising technology is helping power our digital economy

Advertising technology (or ‘ad tech’ as it’s known) is helping support our digital economy and has given Australian businesses and publishers new ways to reach their customers and grow their audiences online. 

The innovation of technologies like ad tech has provided a lifeline for many businesses during the pandemic, and an online ecosystem for businesses to compete and thrive. While our global, national and local economies continue to experience considerable impacts from COVID-19, we know that many businesses are looking to recover — and for many, that recovery will be enabled by digital technologies. 

New research from PwC Australia, commissioned by Google Australia, has identified the way in which ad tech services have led to job creation and helped small businesses to grow and reach a global audience.

And while the economic benefits are clear, the ad tech industry remains largely misunderstood, perhaps due to how dynamic and multifaceted it is. We want to play a part in helping Australians better understand how the broader ad tech ecosystem works, and the ways in which it is enabling innovation, jobs and creative competition across the digital economy. So, let’s start with the basics.


What is ad tech?

Advertising technology services are used extensively. Everyone from government, to media organisations, corporates, and small businesses use it to get their message across and reach their audiences. Ad tech is essentially the umbrella of software and tools that help agencies and brands to target, deliver and measure their online campaigns — and allow online businesses and content creators to maximise ad revenues by connecting advertisers to their audiences.  Ad technology enables advertisers to reach the right consumer, at the right time, making for a more efficient online advertising experience. 


How did we get here?

The advertising industry continues to evolve as the digital economy evolves. It started with billboards on our roads and paid placements with print newspapers, TV commercials, magazines and radio — before expanding to online news sites and other services with the rise of the Internet. As the Web grew, so did the number of digital publishers across different verticals including food, travel, sports, lifestyle, entertainment and news. As consumers divided their time across a long list of websites, the question became: how could advertisers and publishers connect with each other at scale effectively? This is where ad tech came in.

As technology evolved so did ways to reach new audiences, including through mobile apps and other Internet connected devices.  The arrival of ad tech innovation has helped businesses and publishers grow their revenue streams. This trend has been accelerated by COVID-19 and the rise of our digital economy which has motivated more people and businesses to do business online. That’s how we got here - but where we are going will help to define our digital future.


How does ad tech help our economy? 


The growth of online ad tech services has helped businesses to scale and achieve results in the most cost-effective and efficient way. This is particularly true for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).  It doesn’t matter if you are a budding start-up or running a fully-fledged operation — ad tech evens out the playing field and encourages a dynamic marketplace.

PwC estimates that the existence and use of Google’s advertising technology directly supports more than 15,000 full-time equivalent jobs and contributes $2.45 billion in gross value add (GVA) to the Australian economy each year. 

These tools are helping businesses and advertisers to save time, reduce costs and grow their reach in the face of increased competition and large barriers to entry associated with traditional forms of advertising. In fact, of those surveyed by PwC, almost three in four businesses that use our ad tech services observed these benefits.

And on average, respondents indicated that 28 per cent of their advertising media is targeted at overseas markets — allowing businesses from all corners of Australia, including rural communities, to communicate directly to the people that matter to them.


What role does Google have to play?

Google is proud to help millions of Australians every year navigate our increasingly digital world. Australian businesses choose Google’s products because they work seamlessly to deliver business value and drive economic growth in Australia — no matter the size of your business or the industry you operate in.

The rise of Google’s ad tech has allowed SMEs across Australia to compete against larger businesses through an accessible and affordable platform, improving efficiency and reducing the friction of scaling globally. 

People use Google’s ad tech to reach new channels and opportunities which they wouldn’t otherwise have access to or could afford, and it is important that regulation in the industry ensures that these businesses can continue to be the bedrock of Australia’s digital economy. 

Google is not alone — there are many companies working together and in competition to support the growth of a healthy digital ads ecosystem across different technologies — from web display, to apps, to connected TV and more. 

Together, the ad tech industry is supporting a universe of Australian creators, publishers and business owners who underwrite the useful digital content and services that Australians enjoy everyday on the free and open Web. It’s powering our digital economy forward and helping people to find their passion, build their audience and grow their own way - important work that Google is proud to be a part of.

Comment size increasing in Google Docs

Quick launch summary 

You can now make more efficient use of your screen space in Google Docs. Currently, comments in Docs are 35 characters wide in the sidebar, regardless of how much space is available. Now, we've increased the comment width to a maximum of 50 characters, a +43% increase in width. Comment width will intelligently scale based on your browser window to maximize the use of available screen space. While screen time may increase in remote and hybrid work environments, this update makes more efficient use of the space by fitting more content on a single line and enhancing readability.