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Google-PCDE Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database Engineer
Exam Specification: Google-PCDE Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database Engineer
Exam Name: Google-PCDE Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database Engineer
Exam Code: Google-PCDE
Exam Duration: 2 hours
Passing Score: Not specified
Exam Format: Multiple-choice and scenario-based questions
Course Outline:
1. Google Cloud Platform Overview
- Overview of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services
- Understanding GCP database offerings
- Key concepts and features of GCP database solutions
2. Database Planning and Design
- Assessing business requirements for database solutions
- Designing database architectures and schemas
- Planning for scalability, availability, and disaster recovery
3. Database Implementation and Deployment
- Deploying and provisioning database instances on GCP
- Configuring database security and access controls
- Migrating data to GCP databases
4. Database Management and Monitoring
- Managing database operations and configurations
- Performing database backups and restores
- Monitoring database performance and optimizing query execution
5. Database Performance Tuning and Optimization
- Analyzing database performance bottlenecks
- Optimizing database schemas and indexes
- Implementing caching and query optimization techniques
6. Data Security and Compliance
- Securing data in GCP databases
- Implementing encryption and access controls
- Ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations
Exam Objectives:
1. Understand the key features and services of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) databases.
2. Plan and design database architectures based on business requirements.
3. Implement and deploy GCP database solutions.
4. Manage and monitor database operations and configurations.
5. Perform database performance tuning and optimization.
6. Ensure data security and compliance in GCP databases.
Exam Syllabus:
Section 1: Google Cloud Platform Overview (15%)
- Overview of GCP services
- GCP database offerings and features
Section 2: Database Planning and Design (20%)
- Assessing business requirements
- Database architecture and schema design
- Scalability, availability, and disaster recovery planning
Section 3: Database Implementation and Deployment (20%)
- Deploying and provisioning database instances
- Security and access control configuration
- Data migration to GCP databases
Section 4: Database Management and Monitoring (20%)
- Managing database operations and configurations
- Backup and restore procedures
- Performance monitoring and query optimization
Section 5: Database Performance Tuning and Optimization (15%)
- Performance bottleneck analysis
- Schema and index optimization
- Caching and query optimization techniques
Section 6: Data Security and Compliance (10%)
- Database security measures
- Encryption and access control implementation
- Compliance with data privacy regulations
Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database Engineer Google Professional student
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Google-PCDE
Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database
Engineer
https://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/Google-PCDE Question: 30
Your company has PostgreSQL databases on-premises and on Amazon Web Services (AWS). You are planning
multiple database migrations to Cloud SQL in an effort to reduce costs and downtime. You want to follow Google-
recommended practices and use Google native data migration tools. You also want to closely monitor the migrations
as part of the cutover strategy .
What should you do?
A. Use Database Migration Service to migrate all databases to Cloud SQL.
B. Use Database Migration Service for one-time migrations, and use third-party or partner tools for change data
capture (CDC) style migrations.
C. Use data replication tools and CDC tools to enable migration.
D. Use a combination of Database Migration Service and partner tools to support the data migration strategy. Answer: A Question: 31
Your organization operates in a highly regulated industry. Separation of concerns (SoC) and security principle of least
privilege (PoLP) are critical. The operations team consists of: Person A is a database administrator.
Person B is an analyst who generates metric reports.
Application C is responsible for automatic backups.
You need to assign roles to team members for Cloud Spanner .
Which roles should you assign?
A. roles/spanner.databaseAdmin for Person A
roles/spanner.databaseReader for Person B
roles/spanner.backupWriter for Application C
B. roles/spanner.databaseAdmin for Person A
roles/spanner.databaseReader for Person B
roles/spanner.backupAdmin for Application C
C. roles/spanner.databaseAdmin for Person A
roles/spanner.databaseUser for Person B
roles/spanner databaseReader for Application C
D. roles/spanner.databaseAdmin for Person A
roles/spanner.databaseUser for Person B
roles/spanner.backupWriter for Application C Answer: B Question: 32
You are setting up a Bare Metal Solution environment. You need to update the operating system to the latest version.
You need to connect the Bare Metal Solution environment to the internet so you can receive software updates .
What should you do?
A. Setup a static external IP address in your VPC network.
B. Set up bring your own IP (BYOIP) in your VPC.
C. Set up a Cloud NAT gateway on the Compute Engine VM.
D. Set up Cloud NAT service. Answer: C Question: 33
Your organization has a critical business app that is running with a Cloud SQL for MySQL backend database. Your
company wants to build the most fault-tolerant and highly available solution possible. You need to ensure that the
application database can survive a zonal and regional failure with a primary region of us-central1 and the backup
region of us-east1 .
What should you do?
A. Provision a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance in us-central1-a.
Create a multiple-zone instance in us-west1-b.
Create a read replica in us-east1-c.
B. Provision a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance in us-central1-a.
Create a multiple-zone instance in us-central1-b.
Create a read replica in us-east1-b.
C. Provision a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance in us-central1-a.
Create a multiple-zone instance in us-east-b.
Create a read replica in us-east1-c.
D. Provision a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance in us-central1-a.
Create a multiple-zone instance in us-east1-b.
Create a read replica in us-central1-b. Answer: B Question: 34
Your customer is running a MySQL database on-premises with read replicas. The nightly incremental backups are
expensive and add maintenance overhead. You want to follow Google-recommended practices to migrate the database
to Google Cloud, and you need to ensure minimal downtime .
What should you do?
A. Create a Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) cluster, install MySQL on the cluster, and then import the dump file.
B. Use the mysqldump utility to take a backup of the existing on-premises database, and then import it into Cloud
SQL.
C. Create a Compute Engine VM, install MySQL on the VM, and then import the dump file.
D. Create an external replica, and use Cloud SQL to synchronize the data to the replica. Answer: D Question: 35
You are managing multiple applications connecting to a database on Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL. You need to be able
to monitor database performance to easily identify applications with long-running and resource-intensive queries .
What should you do?
A. Use log messages produced by Cloud SQL.
B. Use Query Insights for Cloud SQL.
C. Use the Cloud Monitoring dashboard with available metrics from Cloud SQL.
D. Use Cloud SQL instance monitoring in the Google Cloud Console. Answer: B Question: 36
Your company uses the Cloud SQL out-of-disk recommender to analyze the storage utilization trends of production
databases over the last 30 days. Your database operations team uses these recommendations to proactively monitor
storage utilization and implement corrective actions. You receive a recommendation that the instance is likely to run
out of disk space .
What should you do to address this storage alert?
A. Normalize the database to the third normal form.
B. Compress the data using a different compression algorithm.
C. Manually or automatically increase the storage capacity.
D. Create another schema to load older data. Answer: C Question: 37
Your organization is running a MySQL workload in Cloud SQL. Suddenly you see a degradation in database
performance. You need to identify the root cause of the performance degradation .
What should you do?
A. Use Logs Explorer to analyze log data.
B. Use Cloud Monitoring to monitor CPU, memory, and storage utilization metrics.
C. Use Error Reporting to count, analyze, and aggregate the data.
D. Use Cloud Debugger to inspect the state of an application. Answer: B Question: 38
Your application uses Cloud SQL for MySQL. Your users run reports on data that relies on near-real time; however,
the additional analytics caused excessive load on the primary database. You created a read replica for the analytics
workloads, but now your users are complaining about the lag in data changes and that their reports are still slow. You
need to Improve the report performance and shorten the lag in data replication without making changes to the current
reports .
Which two approaches should you implement? (Choose two.)
A. Create secondary indexes on the replica.
B. Create additional read replicas, and partition your analytics users to use different read replicas.
C. Disable replication on the read replica, and set the flag for parallel replication on the read replica.
Re-enable replication and optimize performance by setting flags on the primary instance.
D. Disable replication on the primary instance, and set the flag for parallel replication on the primary instance. Re-
enable replication and optimize performance by setting flags on the read replica.
E. Move your analytics workloads to BigQuery, and set up a streaming pipeline to move data and update BigQuery. Answer: B, C Question: 39
You are designing an augmented reality game for iOS and Android devices. You plan to use Cloud Spanner as the
primary backend database for game state storage and player authentication. You want to track in-game rewards that
players unlock at every stage of the game. During the testing phase, you discovered that costs are much higher than
anticipated, but the query response times are within the SL
A. You want to follow Google-recommended practices. You need the database to be performant and highly available
while you keep costs low .
What should you do?
A. Manually scale down the number of nodes after the peak period has passed.
B. Use interleaving to co-locate parent and child rows.
C. Use the Cloud Spanner query optimizer to determine the most efficient way to execute the SQL query.
D. Use granular instance sizing in Cloud Spanner and Autoscaler. Answer: C Question: 40
Your team uses thousands of connected IoT devices to collect device maintenance data for your oil and gas customers
in real time. You want to design inspection routines, device repair, and replacement schedules based on insights
gathered from the data produced by these devices. You need a managed solution that is highly scalable, supports a
multi-cloud strategy, and offers low latency for these IoT devices .
What should you do?
A. Use Firestore with Looker.
B. Use Cloud Spanner with Data Studio.
C. Use MongoD8 Atlas with Charts.
D. Use Bigtable with Looker. Answer: C
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https://killexams.com/exam_list/Google10 Essential Chromebook Apps Every Student Should Have InstalledNo result found, try new keyword!Sure, Chromebooks have an extensive array of built-in features, but the apps truly unlock the potential of the laptops. These 10 are essential.Sun, 12 Nov 2023 03:30:00 -0600en-ustext/htmlhttps://www.msn.com/Google Voice Pricing Guide in 2023
Google occasionally introduces promotions or offers that could help you get a much lower price for Google Voice services. These promotions can vary over time and by region.
Here are a few ways Google Voice discounts, or offers that might be available.
Utilize Google Workspace
Google sometimes bundles its services together, offering discounts to users who subscribe to multiple Google services. These services include Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), Google Fi or Google One storage plans.
Student or Educational Discount
Google often provides discounts to students and educational institutions. You can get these promos via its Google Workspace for Education team or from your Google Workspace partner.
Here is a price breakdown to see how some of Google Voice’s biggest competitors compare:
Google Voice vs. Line2
Both Google Voice and Line2 cater to both personal and business users. Both platforms offer features tailored to professional communication needs, such as unlimited domestic calling, SMS text messaging and a mobile app—but notable differences exist.
Google Voice lets you make domestic and international calls from your Google Voice number. In contrast, Line2’s international texting rates are 10 cents per outbound message. Calls outside the U.S. and Canada will also be charged additional fees based on their international rates.
Google Voice vs. Zoom Phone
Each competitor offers unlimited domestic calling, text messaging and a mobile app. Both platforms shine with their close integration with a video conferencing platform. Zoom Phone is integrated with the Zoom platform, which enables seamless transitions between voice and video calls. While Google offers video conferencing through Google Meet, it is separate from Google Voice.
Zoom Phone offers more advanced business-oriented features including call routing, queuing and analytics. While Google Voice offers analytics on higher-tier plans, they are generally less developed than the analytics Zoom Phone offers. In addition, Zoom Phone has auto-attendants and ring groups on the basic plan, while these are only available on higher-tier plans of Google Voice.
Thu, 16 Nov 2023 02:22:00 -0600Monique Danaoen-UStext/htmlhttps://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/google-voice-pricing/Top 5 questions to ask Google Bard
Google Bard emerges as an expansive and sophisticated large language model (LLM) chatbot, meticulously crafted by the innovators at Google AI. Its foundation rests on an impressively vast dataset, encompassing a diverse range of text and code. This extensive training enables Bard to adeptly generate text, seamlessly translate various languages, and compose an array of creative content including but not limited to poems, scripts, and musical compositions. Moreover, Bard is equipped to respond to your queries, no matter how intricate or unconventional, in a manner that is both enlightening and thorough.
While Bard remains in a dynamic phase of development, its capabilities are already quite remarkable. These include, but are not limited to:
Following your instructions and completing your requests thoughtfully.
Answering your questions in a comprehensive and informative way, even if they are open ended, challenging, or strange.
Generating different creative text formats of text content, like poems, code, scripts, musical pieces, email, letters, etc.
Here are the top 5 questions to ask Google Bard:
1. What are the latest trends in artificial intelligence?
Bard possesses the remarkable ability to provide you with an extensive and detailed analysis of the most current trends and breakthroughs in the world of artificial intelligence. This includes offering insights into the latest advancements in critical areas such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing. Its knowledge base encompasses a broad spectrum of AI-related topics, allowing it to inform you about specific, ongoing AI projects that are shaping the future of technology.
Furthermore, Bard can delve into the multifaceted applications of AI across various industries, exploring how this revolutionary technology is being integrated and utilized in fields ranging from healthcare to finance, from education to entertainment, and beyond. By tapping into its vast repository of information, Bard can shed light on how AI is not only transforming these industries but also impacting the global landscape of innovation and development.
2. How can I use AI to solve my business problems?
Bard stands as a potent tool for identifying and addressing a variety of business challenges through the lens of AI technology. It’s adept at analyzing your unique business situation and proposing specific AI tools and technologies that are most suited to your needs. This guidance is not merely theoretical; Bard can provide detailed insights and real-world examples of how similar AI applications have been successfully implemented in other businesses. Whether it’s streamlining operations, enhancing customer experience, optimizing supply chains, or boosting marketing strategies, Bard can show you how AI has been a game-changer in these domains.
Moreover, Bard can walk you through case studies and success stories, illustrating how businesses, possibly in your industry or with similar challenges, have harnessed AI to drive growth, innovate solutions, and achieve their objectives. By exploring these examples, you can gain a deeper understanding of the practical applications of AI, how it can be tailored to fit your specific business context, and the potential it holds for transforming your business processes and outcomes. This comprehensive approach ensures that you’re not just informed about AI technologies but also equipped with actionable insights and strategies to leverage AI effectively in your business environment.
3. What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence?
Bard is well-equipped to guide you through the intricate ethical landscape that surrounds artificial intelligence. This involves a thorough discussion of the myriad potential benefits that AI brings, such as efficiency enhancements, decision-making improvements, and the creation of new opportunities in various sectors. At the same time, Bard is capable of delving deeply into the risks and challenges associated with AI, such as biases in decision-making, privacy concerns, and the potential impact on employment.
Furthermore, Bard can assist you in considering the broader implications of using AI in a responsible and ethical manner. This includes reflecting on how AI decisions might affect different stakeholders, contemplating the long-term impacts of AI on society, and ensuring that AI systems are transparent, fair, and accountable. By exploring these topics, Bard can help you develop a more nuanced understanding of AI, enabling you to make informed decisions about its implementation in your projects or business.
Additionally, Bard can provide insights into the developing global conversation around AI ethics, including regulatory frameworks, ethical guidelines, and best practices being adopted by leading organizations and governments worldwide. This can include discussing the importance of data privacy, the need for AI systems that are free from bias, and the responsibility of AI developers and users in ensuring ethical AI usage. With Bard’s assistance, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of both the potential and the pitfalls of AI, equipping you with the knowledge to use this powerful technology in a way that is beneficial and responsible.
4. How can I use AI to Improve my creativity?
Bard is an invaluable asset when it comes to leveraging AI to enhance your creative endeavors. It acts as a source of inspiration, offering fresh ideas and novel perspectives that can invigorate your creative process. Whether you’re dealing with writer’s block, seeking innovative concepts for a project, or simply looking to expand your creative horizons, Bard is adept at providing suggestions that can spark your imagination.
Moreover, Bard’s capabilities extend to aiding in the generation of new content. It can assist you in exploring uncharted thematic territories or in experimenting with different styles and formats. If you’re a writer, for instance, Bard can help in developing plot ideas, character profiles, or even suggest twists for your narratives. For artists and designers, Bard can propose conceptual frameworks or visual inspirations. In the realm of music, it could offer ideas for lyrics or melodies.
But Bard’s assistance goes beyond just proposing ideas. It can also guide you through the process of fleshing out these ideas into tangible, creative outputs. By providing examples, templates, or step-by-step guidance, Bard can help you transform a budding idea into a full-fledged creative work. This process not only aids in the immediate creation of content but also contributes to the development of your long-term creative skills, making Bard a comprehensive tool for enhancing creativity through the power of AI.
5. How can I use AI to Improve my productivity?
Bard is a powerful ally in your quest to harness AI for boosting productivity. Its capabilities extend to automating a range of tasks, which can significantly streamline your workflow. By taking over repetitive or time-consuming activities, Bard allows you to focus on more complex and creatively fulfilling aspects of your work. This automation ranges from simple functions like organizing data and scheduling appointments to more complex processes like sorting emails or managing databases.
Furthermore, Bard excels in helping you access information swiftly and efficiently. In the vast ocean of data available today, finding precise and relevant information can be daunting. Bard can navigate these waters with ease, quickly retrieving the information you need, whether it’s market research, academic articles, industry reports, or even specific data points. This rapid access to information not only saves time but also ensures that you are always informed and prepared.
Additionally, Google Bard offers personalized recommendations tailored to your unique needs and preferences. Whether you’re looking for tools to enhance your workflow, advice on best practices in your field, or resources for learning and development, Bard’s recommendations are informed by a deep understanding of your objectives and challenges. This personalization is grounded in AI’s ability to analyze your past interactions and preferences, ensuring that the advice you receive is not only relevant but also conducive to elevating your productivity.
By leveraging these capabilities, Bard acts as a multifaceted tool that not only enhances your efficiency and saves time but also enriches the quality of your work, allowing you to achieve more with less effort. Whether you’re a professional seeking to optimize your workday, a student aiming to streamline your study process, or anyone in between, Bard’s AI-driven support is an invaluable resource for enhancing productivity.
Here are some additional tips for asking questions to Google Bard:
Be specific in your questions. The more specific you are, the better Bard will be able to understand your question and supply you a helpful answer.
Provide context for your questions. If you are asking a question about a specific topic, provide some background information so that Bard can better understand your question.
Be creative with your questions. Bard can answer a wide range of questions, so don’t be afraid to ask it something challenging or unusual.
Summary
Google Bard stands out as a remarkably potent AI chatbot, designed to be versatile and adaptive, catering to a wide array of tasks and queries. Its functionality spans a broad spectrum, making it a valuable tool for diverse needs and applications. When you engage with Bard, the key lies in posing the right questions. Through this interactive process, you can unlock a wealth of knowledge and solutions.
In summary, Google Bard is more than just an AI chatbot; it’s a multi-faceted tool that can be harnessed to expand your knowledge, solve complex problems, ignite creativity, and enhance productivity, all through the power of asking the right questions and engaging with its advanced AI capabilities.
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:00:00 -0600Roland Hutchinsonen-UStext/htmlhttps://www.geeky-gadgets.com/top-5-questions-to-ask-google-bard/The best student Chromebooks 2023: top Google-powered laptops for school
Editor's Note: November 2023
With school back in session, the best student Chromebooks are likely to be in hot demand! These laptops are perfect for students of any age, providing a smooth and secure user experience thanks to ChromeOS.
Chromebooks are also usually cheaper than Windows laptops and Apple's MacBooks, which can be a boon for students (or parents!) on a budget. With our list, you should be able to find the perfect Chromebook to tackle any level of education.
- Christian Guyton, Computing Editor
The best student Chromebooks strike a balancing act between performance and affordability. After all, students are on a budget but still need something powerful enough to get through their work load. They also need something that’s durable as well as portable enough to make it through a school day without any worry of damaging it or causing back pain.
While the best Chromebooks generally meet all those criteria and are generally more affordable than their Windows and Apple counterparts, some of them can get a little expensive. Because of that, we’ve separated out what we think are the best ones for students. Factors like a battery life that can get through the day and touchscreens, a feature that many students appreciate in the best student laptops, are also a consideration.
As we’ve tested and reviewed plenty of notebooks including the best laptops over the years, we’ve applied our expertise towards curating this list of the best student Chromebooks to help you find the right model for you. These lightweight computers come in plenty of sizes, form, factors, and price points, so it’s important to figure out which one best meets your needs.
The best student Chromebooks for 2023
(Image credit: Future)
The best student Chromebook overall
Specifications
CPU:Intel Core i3-1215U
Graphics:Intel UHD Graphics
RAM:8GB
Screen:15.6-inch full HD (1920x1080) display with IPS, 16:9 aspect ratio
Storage:128GB
Reasons to buy
+
Lightning-fast start-up and multitasks well
+
Both native and stream-based gaming
+
Tons of software options
+
Lovely display
+
Great sound
Reasons to avoid
-
Okay battery life
-
Limited by Google Play Store
-
Specs around the same as previous models
A 12th-gen Intel Core i3 and 8GB of RAM might not impress in a Windows machine, but in the Acer Chromebook Plus 515, it offers quite snappy performance. When tested, we found day-to-day tasks a breeze and were even able to do some solid gaming on it, albeit through a streaming service. It even ran AdobePhotoshop, newly available on ChromeOS, without issue.
We did find its battery life lackluster as it lasted only five hours in our battery test as opposed to the ten it’s advertised to get. But, it does recharge quickly, getting back to full in under an hour. But, a pretty satisfying-to-use keyboard and touchpad, along with a nice 15.6-inch 1080p touch display more than make up for it.
But, what makes this such a great option for students is the fact that its snappy performance, great keyboard and touchpad, and the rest of the package come in at a remarkably accessible, dare we say, budget price tag.
Picture your perfect school Chromebook, and if it’s not the Acer Chromebook 314 then it’s pretty damn close, especially at this price. It’s not surprising if there’s one thing Acer knows, it’s how to build the best student Chromebooks.
The only weak point – considering the price – is the processor, but for general school work and research the 1.1GHz Celeron is fine. When we tested it, we found it struggled a bit with opening a ton of Chrome tabs since there's only 4GB of memory, but even the best laptops can have issues with Chrome's RAM-guzzling tendencies.
On the plus side, we’re amazed there’s a Full HD 1080p display at this price point, although the 314 doesn't feature a touchscreen, which can potentially limit Android app use (if that’s important to you). Another key feature for students is the long battery life, with Acer claiming up to 14 hours, while we recorded 13 hours of video playback in our tests, making this a strong choice for getting you through your school day.
The best detachable tablet Chromebook for students
Specifications
CPU:Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen2
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno GPU
RAM:8GB LPDDR4
Screen:13.3-inch FDH (1920 x 1080) multitouch OLED
Storage:128GB eMMC
Reasons to buy
+
Lightweight and portable
+
Long battery life
+
Great display
+
Bigger keyboard than its predecessor
Reasons to avoid
-
Stylus costs extra
-
Kickstand is fiddly
-
Costs more than the previous model
Remember when tablets were going to take over the world? With the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook, that might still happen! Okay, probably not, but this is still the best detachable Chromebook money can buy right now.
Using a hybrid tablet/laptop design with a magnetic snap-on keyboard, this is ideal for the classroom and students - allowing easy tablet browsing for researching or easy Netflix fun when you kick back at home, but still has a keyboard when you need one.
Packing Qualcomm's powerful but super-efficient Snapdragon 7c processor, the Duet 5 lasted for more than 16 hours of continuous use before needing a charge when we tested it, and generally offers superior performance to its predecessor, the IdeaPad Duet Chromebook - although it's worth mentioning that this newer model is more expensive, and the nifty Lenovo smart stylus isn't included.
Chromebooks don’t typically come with an Intel Evo certification but the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is different. That certification means this portable meets a higher standard thanks to its 11th-gen Core i5 CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and 8GB of RAM. In our review, we praised the strong performance and excellent screen.
That 13.5-inch display packs a higher resolution than the typical 1080p screen that most laptops come equipped with, with a tall 3:2 aspect ratio for improved productivity in large spreadsheets and text documents - giving you more on-screen real estate to cut down on scrolling. And of course, the 'spin' part shouldn't be discounted: the 360-degree hinge and touchscreen let you swap to tablet mode in an instant.
Sure, the Spin 713 is not the most exciting-looking Chromebook out there, not to mention missing some expected features like a privacy shutter for the webcam. But considering how good everything else on it is, these minor missteps are easy to overlook.
'Gaming Chromebooks' are a new oddity, and we're pleased to say that this first offering from Acer fits the bill. With a brushed black metal chassis, RGB-backlit keyboard, and a truly incredible display, this is a gaming laptop with the heart of a Chromebook.
In our review, we admired the strong performance of the 12th-gen Intel CPU and the phenomenal clarity of the 120Hz QHD+ screen - probably one of the best we've ever seen on a Chromebook, in fact. It's got a ton of storage too, thanks to the 512GB drive. The battery life isn't quite as strong as some of the other laptops on this list, but that's a tradeoff for the superior overall package.
One important thing to note here is that while the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (that's short for 'gaming edition') can run Google Play Store games, you can't run PC games directly from Steam on it. Instead, these gaming Chromebooks exemplify Google's Chrome OS focus on cloud computing by relying on cloud gaming platforms such as Nvidia's GeForce Now or Amazon Luna - so bear in mind that you'll need to pay a subscription to one of those services to get the full gaming experience here.
The Asus Flip has been around almost as long as Chromebooks have, and each release has remained solid yet stylish workhorses. The latest Flip C436 updates the magnesium-clad chassis with the latest 10th-gen Intel processor, so this thing is fast.
Backed with plenty of memory and storage, this is the best student Chromebook to crunch through classwork while keeping a 2-in-1 form factor for note-taking and reading assignments. The 14-inch display also balances portability, size, and weight perfectly.
It is expensive but you get a lot for your money, but is it the sort of thing you’d want to supply to a young schoolchild? Probably not, but older students will get a lot out of this and the extras like fingerprint security, making it a fantastic Chromebook for college-level work.
Screen:14" 16:10 WUXGA 1920 x 1200p IPS touch display
Storage:256 GB SSD
Reasons to buy
+
Speedy performance for day-to-day productivity
+
Good looking and feeling touchscreen
+
Sturdy hinge
+
Strong battery life
Reasons to avoid
-
Speakers are quiet with hollow-sounding audio
-
Limited availability
-
Keyboard feels a little stiff
If you’re willing to spend a little more, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) is worth the extra cash. Even though Chromebooks have a fairly low threshold for good performance, this one with its 13th-Gen Intel Core i5 and 8GB or RAM has the power to run 20 Chrome tabs at once without any noticeable slowdown.
How do we know? We tested it including a number of streams going at once. Plus, the more robust hardware is necessary as this notebook comes with a slightly higher resolution display than most, specifically 1920 x 1200p with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Plus, it’s a touchscreen.
While we were not as impressed with the somewhat hollow-sounding speakers or slightly stiff keyboard, we were when it lasted 12 hours during our battery life benchmark. It also comes with a very sturdy hinge so you can manipulate into tablet, tent, and display mode without any worry of the screen sagging.
So, yes, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) is pricier, but that’s only because you get a more premium looking and feeling package.
The best performing Chromebook on an extreme budget
Specifications
CPU:Intel Pentium N6000
Graphics:Intel shared graphics
RAM:4 GB DDR4
Screen:14” Full HD 1920 x 1080p
Storage:128 GB eMMC
Reasons to buy
+
Amazing retro feel
+
Great display
+
Comfortable typing experience
+
Very portable
Reasons to avoid
-
ChromeOS has its limitations
-
Can run a bit warm under stress
If you want simple, stripped down, and affordable while still getting a full laptop experience, then Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023) might be the portable for you. This model is very budget-friendly while still offering a 14-inch 1080p display and a 360-degree hinge for that 2-in-1 functionality.
Though this Chromebook didn’t impress with bells and whistles, we were pleasantly surprised by its day-to-day performance, if a little less so by its storage space. We also loved its portability – it weighs in at under three and a half pounds. The typing experience and battery life were also big pluses here, both of which are important for students who plan on using their laptops throughout the day for notetaking.
Of course, it can run a little warm if you push it, but if you plan on pushing your device, this Intel Pentium-powered laptop might not be the way to go. But, if you just need to do some word processing, write some emails, create a few spreadsheets, and watch whatever’s in your Top Ten recommendations on Netflix, then save yourself a few bucks and get this Acer Chromebook.
If you're not really familiar with Chromebooks (and a lot of parents aren't) then trying to figure out which Chromebook your child needs can be a bit of an ordeal. Your child's education is important, so you want to make sure they have the tools they need to succeed, but how do you know what the right tools are?
Fortunately, there are a couple of key points to consider when it comes to shopping for a student Chromebook, and helpfully, a lot of it comes down to a child's grade level.
If they are younger students, i.e., in primary, elementary, and even middle school, focus on price and durability. Those kids are going to be rouch with that Chromebook, so don't worry about getting one that's "too cheap", so long as it can hold up to a kid's careless treatment of it. The specs here are pretty irrelevant, since schools are going to target lessons toward the least powerful Chromebooks in the class, not the fastest or most powerful, so higher specs are going to be a huge waste of money at this level.
If your kid is in Secondary/High school, then they are likely going to need something more robust than a basic, school-issued Chromebook. They will be writing papers, researching assignments, and possibly even doing some light multimedia editing using web apps. In this case, look to get at least an Intel Celeron, AMD Athlon, or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but if you can spring for an Intel Core i3 or an AMD Ryzen 3 processor, it definitely won't hurt. Try to get 8GB RAM if you can in case your child needs to work with any third-party or school delivered apps that might bog down a 4GB system, or if they end up working with a dozen or more open Chrome tabs while researching an assignment.
If you or your child is heading off to university, now is the time to invest in a much more powerful Chromebook, since you might really want to try and have it carry you through a full four years of undergraduate work. Aim for an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor, at least 64GB to 128GB of genuine SSD storage rather than eMMC flash storage, and a minimum of 8GB RAM. This kind of Chromebook might cost you as much as some of the best Ultrabooks, which can be just as powerful and run a full-featured Windows OS, so it's ok to ask if a Chromebook makes sense for your program of study at this stage.
Are Chromebooks worth it for students?
Before a student hits the university level, the answer is a resounding yes. Especially for elementary/primary school students, a Chromebook is really the only computer that they should be using, since it does exactly what it needs to do and nothing more, all while keeping distracting apps off the device, and featuring some of the best built-in security features of any laptop on the market just by virtue of being a Chromebook.
Even in secondary/high school, students can use a more powerful Chromebook to do their school work just fine, while still keeping things affordable.
Once you get to the university level, it really depends on the program of study, but unless its a STEAM program that requires specialized hardware or programs that aren't available on Chrome OS, a Chromebook can carry you through all the way through graduate school if necessary.
What is the best Chromebook for a teenager?
While the different brands are largely irrelevant, there are some specs to focus on. First, a reasonably good processor (a Core i3 or Ryzen 3, for example), 8GB RAM, and 64GB SSD storage are a perfectly good setup for a teen's level of schoolwork. If you want to have some special add-in like a 2-in-1 form factor or touchscreen, these might also be useful at this age.
What are the disadvantages of a Chromebook?
If there is one disadvantage of a Chromebook, it's its app catalogue. While it has access to the Android app ecosystem, most of these are not optimized for Chromebooks and many won't work properly. A lot of the major apps that you might need for work or school might not be available as well. There are always web-based alternatives to just about any app, though, so it's not as if you will never be able to edit a photo or a video on a Chromebook.
How we test and choose the best student Chromebooks
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Generally, we don't set out specifically to test how a Chromebook will work in any given educational environment, since there is too much nuance to the education space to adequately assess that kind of thing. What we do test, however, is a Chromebook's performance and battery life, its features and functionality, and we assess its design with an eye towards the kind of user it is trying to serve.
Between running benchmarks for determining performance relative to competing models and gauging its average battery life over several tests, we use the Chromebook ourselves in the course of our day-to-day work, much like a student might (at least an older student, anyway).
If it's good enough for a tech journalist, it's going to be an excellent Chromebook for a teenager or college student. And while some lower-spec Chromebooks meant for young students will be entirely inadequate for a working adult, we can still determine its basic functionality and durability, which is ultimately all a young child needs from a Chromebook.
If it has enough battery life to get through a typical school day and it's appropriately priced, we can be confident that it will serve the needs of younger students for many years to come.
To read more about our testing process, find out how we test.
Today's best student Chromebook deals
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 03:30:00 -0500Dua Rashidentext/htmlhttps://www.techradar.com/best/best-chromebooks-for-studentsHow to use Google Bard for Productivity and Organization
In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of the digital age, the ability to stay productive and organized is not just an advantage but a necessity for thriving. The demands of modern life require us to be adept at multitasking and efficient in our endeavors, whether that means a student navigating the complexities of a rigorous academic schedule, a professional balancing the intricacies of multifaceted business projects, or any individual who is desparate on optimizing their day-to-day productivity for personal growth.
Amidst this backdrop, Google Bard emerges as a cutting-edge, AI-driven language model that promises to redefine the paradigms of productivity and organizational methods. It stands at the forefront of technological innovation, equipped with an expansive repository of information and an exceptional capacity to process and synthesize data into coherent and imaginative textual outputs. Bard is not just a tool but a digital ally that offers a plethora of functionalities designed to simplify your tasks, elevate the quality of your communication, and empower you to meet your targets with increased precision and efficiency.
By harnessing the capabilities of Google Bard, you unlock a treasure trove of possibilities that can help in decluttering your workflow. It acts as a catalyst, enabling you to convert ideas into structured plans and complex data into insightful, easy-to-understand formats. Whether it’s drafting reports, summarizing research, or managing data, Bard’s AI-driven assistance can be the game-changer in your quest for heightened productivity and superior organizational skills.
Unveiling the Power of Google Bard
Google Bard represents a significant leap forward in the realm of artificial intelligence, standing as a testament to Google AI’s commitment to innovation. As a sophisticated large language model (LLM), it has been meticulously trained on a vast corpus of text and code, surpassing the capabilities of traditional search engines that typically yield a list of relevant websites. Bard’s advanced algorithms enable it to grasp the nuances of complex queries, providing responses that are not only accurate but also contextually rich.
This intelligent system is adept at navigating a diverse array of requests. It can seamlessly generate various creative and professional text formats, making it a versatile companion for a multitude of tasks. Whether you’re in need of inspiration for creative projects, assistance in structuring your daily itinerary, or support in crafting articulate emails and comprehensive reports, Bard stands ready to assist.
Its intuitive interface belies the intricate machinery under the hood, designed to interpret and engage with your questions in a conversational and informative manner. The result is a user experience that feels natural and interactive, akin to a dialogue with a knowledgeable assistant. Google Bard’s capacity to synthesize information and present it in a user-friendly format renders it an indispensable resource for professionals, students, and anyone in between who seeks to enhance their productivity and communication skills in the digital domain.
Streamlining Your Workflow with Google Bard
Tackle Tasks with Precision: Break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks using Bard’s task management capabilities. Create detailed to-do lists, prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance, and set realistic deadlines to stay on track.
Organize Your Time Effectively: Utilize Bard’s calendar integration to schedule appointments, meetings, and deadlines seamlessly. Set reminders for important events, track your progress on projects, and identify potential conflicts in your schedule.
Capture and Organize Information: Leverage Bard’s note-taking capabilities to capture ideas, snippets of information, and important links. Organize your notes by Topic or project, and easily search for specific information when needed.
Enhancing Communication with Google Bard
Craft Compelling Emails: Compose clear, concise, and professional emails with Bard’s assistance. Generate email drafts, proofread for errors, and suggest appropriate tone and style for your intended audience.
Create Engaging Presentations: Develop captivating presentations using Bard’s storytelling and presentation skills. Generate outlines, craft engaging content, and design visually appealing slides to captivate your audience.
Write Persuasive Documents: Produce persuasive proposals, reports, and other documents with Bard’s writing expertise. Structure your arguments effectively, use impactful language, and ensure your writing is grammatically correct and free of errors.
Unleashing Creativity with Google Bard
Brainstorm Innovative Ideas: Overcome creative blocks and generate fresh ideas with Bard’s brainstorming capabilities. Explore new concepts, identify potential solutions, and challenge conventional thinking.
Compose Creative Content: Write engaging blog posts, captivating short stories, or even scripts for videos or plays. Experiment with different genres, styles, and tones to express your creativity.
Translate Languages Effortlessly: Break down language barriers and communicate effectively with Bard’s translation capabilities. Translate text, documents, and even conversations in real time to connect with people worldwide.
Embracing the Future of Productivity with Google Bard
Google Bard stands as a monumental advancement within the sphere of AI-driven productivity enhancers. Its sophisticated design allows it to comprehend natural language with remarkable precision, enabling it to craft text in a multitude of creative formats that resonate with human readers. Moreover, Bard’s prowess extends to its ability to tap into a vast reservoir of real-world information, processing it swiftly to deliver insights and answers that were once beyond the reach of traditional digital tools.
This tool is more than just a technological marvel; it is a transformative asset for both individuals and enterprises aiming to refine their productivity strategies and realize their ambitions with greater efficacy. Google Bard’s nuanced understanding and versatile output capabilities equip users with a powerful ally in the quest for organizational excellence and goal attainment.
As the trajectory of AI innovation ascends, tools like Bard are set to become central figures in the narrative of the future workplace and personal efficiency. These advancements herald a new era where the fusion of human ingenuity and artificial intelligence can lead to unprecedented achievements. By adopting these technologies and mastering their use, we stand on the cusp of unlocking potentials that redefine efficiency, bolster creativity, and pave the way for accomplishments that align with the zenith of our aspirations.
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.Sun, 05 Nov 2023 19:59:00 -0600Roland Hutchinsonen-UStext/htmlhttps://www.geeky-gadgets.com/how-to-use-google-bard-for-productivity-and-organization/IU Cybersecurity Clinic receives $500,000 award from Google
The IU Cybersecurity Clinic received a $500,000 award from Google on Oct. 18 that will allow classes and training for undergraduates.
The IU Cybersecurity Clinic launched in 2018 with the goal of offering service-learning opportunities to students.
Isak Nti Asare, the executive director of the clinic, said that there is a shortage of cybersecurity talent in the world right now and that there are not enough people in cybersecurity to fill all the needed jobs. This leaves places that deal with information that needs to be protected vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
“With that in mind, we thought, well, we have a bunch of students doing cybersecurity, so what if we, as a part of a class, connect those students with places in the community that need cybersecurity help,” Nti Asare said.
IU is a founding member of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, which was founded in 2021 as a forum for universities and cybersecurity trainers and advocates throughout the country. It has been working with Google to get them interested in funding their programs. Through this collaboration, Google announced they would be giving away $20 million over the next several years to help build new clinics and support existing ones.
Nti Asare said Google called for proposals, and IU applied and was chosen.
“Really the grant is giving us the opportunity to scale our offering,” Nti Asare said. “We offer the course to law students and graduate students, so the additional funding is to help us expand the course offering so we can also have undergraduates taking the course.”
Google is also giving the clinic access to its suite of professional certifications, such as cybersecurity and data analytics, where students will be able to get a professional certification for hundreds of different renewable licenses through online courses.
“What that means is even if you weren’t a cybersecurity student specifically, you still could do the clinic and get a certificate,” Nti Asare said. “Our hope is that will open it up to getting more students into this field.”
The course currently meets once a week for instruction, where students learn about cybersecurity laws, how to talk to clients, cybersecurity risk management and incident response plans. They spend the rest of their time getting real world practice with local partners.
Third-year law student, Cam Rachford, started the class in August and plans to add a Master of Science in cybersecurity risk management. Along with in-class instruction, he has been working on a team of four students to develop an incident response plan for local government.
“I think it’s fantastic that we’re going to be expanding this for undergraduates,” Rachford said. “It gives valuable work and real-life experience they can put on a resume to really distinguish themselves from other candidates in the cybersecurity job market.”
Rachford said the Cybersecurity Clinic class is a friendly and supportive environment where no one is afraid of saying the wrong thing and everyone is dedicated to working together.
New opportunities for undergraduates are planned to begin this spring. Nti Asare said the best way for students to get involved is to email him expressing their interest in participating in the clinic and completing the online application.
Thu, 26 Oct 2023 04:38:00 -0500en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.idsnews.com/article/2023/10/iu-cybersecurity-clinic-receives-award-from-googleFrom Africa to Connecticut to Google: A journey of a student when ‘all the odds were against me.’
An Ethiopian proverb fits Natnael Belay like a glove. It reads, “One who learns will eventually teach.”
The proverb speaks to Belay’s personality, creativity, happiness, love and zest for life. More importantly, it references his inquiring mind and love for education and his strong sense of social responsibility.
Belay’s life journey began in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, where he was born and raised. He fondly recalls viewing himself as a “nerd” in elementary and high school.
Today, the Eastern Connecticut State University graduate, class of 2020, is a widely respected and well-loved, leading technology program manager for Google’s Android Jetpack Program in Cambridge, Mass., where he shares his wisdom and desparate knowledge of one of Google’s most significant products with colleagues and people across the nation.
“As a youngster, I spent most of my time in the library. I had a deep question about what reality is, and how our planet and universe came about,” he said. “I wanted to become an astronomer. People made fun of me because they did not even know what an astronomer was. Nonetheless, I spent all of my time in library reading, university level physics and astronomy books.”
Belay also credits his success in becoming the highest version of himself to date, to the emotional support of his mom and dad.
Natnael Belay and his parents. Contributed.
“My parents have instilled in me a deep sense of integrity, and taught me to do everything that I do with passion. They have also been my biggest supporters with whatever endeavor caught my imagination,” he said. Belay, for example, recalls a time where his mother would print research papers at her work and bring them home for him to read.
“We did not have an internet or a computer at home, so I would ask my mother to use her work computer at the Ethiopian Civil Service Agency to print articles discussing Topics such as the theory of special relativity coined by Albert Einstein,” he said. “On the weekends, my father would take me to one of the book shops in a town called 4 Kilo, which was a prominent destination for books due to its proximity to Addis Ababa University. I firmly believe that experience of reading and inquiring gave me the framework to digest extremely complex topics, and contribute to the advancement of those topics.”
In 2015, Belay’s parents sent him to the United States, where he enrolled as an international student at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic.
“All the odds were against me—a new country, new language, and new culture,” Belay said. “I felt isolated and homesick for Ethiopia. It took me a while to come out of my shell and get involved on campus. When I finally did, I met some amazing colleagues and friends.”
Belay got accepted into the University Honors Program, which enabled him to receive a full tuition scholarship. “The program is reserved for a small number of students, and I was the only international student in the program at the time. In the Honors Program, I authored a technical thesis, titled, “Network and Sentiment Analysis on Enron Emails.”
The research helps understand the change in the flow and characteristic of information through time. Belay presented his research at the 2018 Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.
At Eastern, Belay studied computer science and business information systems, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA in both majors. He also assisted with the development of the university’s web page. In addition to his academic achievements, Belay is also a great photographer.
Belay always gave back to his fellow students, serving as a mathematics tutor, mentor and a resident hall assistant. He won numerous awards at Eastern, and was a member in prestigious honor societies, including the International Computing Honor Society and the National Leadership Honor Society.
Belay also had so many job offers from high tech companies across the nation that he didn’t know which one to take. In April 2020, he settled in Boston, where, after a competitive process, he secured a position as program manager at PTC, Inc.
Belay was hired as the lead program manager for the team among numerous candidates due to his program management and deep technical skills. He provided end-to-end support to the enterprise architecture team to define, initiate, scope and deliver all software architecture programs early in the software development lifecycle.
“The architecture team was responsible for designing critical software that are used as part of the software supply to produce physical items that are part of the physical goods supply chain,” said Belay. “We were also responsible for innovating next generation architectural improvements critical to client enterprises.”
In May of last year, Belay moved on, landing his current position across town at Cambridge-based Google Inc. He is the lead technical program manager of Google’s Android Jetpack program.
“I am responsible for spearheading the critical end-to-end pipeline of more than 200 Android Jetpack libraries to both internal teams (e.g Google Search, Youtube, GMail, and Google PlayStore), and millions of external developers (e.g Whatsapp) to build mobile applications that reach billions of end users.”
Belay is breaking barriers in the tech industry and inspiring the next generation to do the same. He shares his opinions on different prestigious forums such as Dzone, and on podcasts like the InfoQ podcast (click on links), to discuss how to Improve technology organizational efficiency and have a supportive and inclusive culture.
“At Google, I leveraged my native Amharic language skills to make Google’s Text to speech technology for Amharic more accurate, inclusive, and relevant. My goal is to continue to be a thought leader in my community, sharing and teaching others about certain best practices. In addition, I hope that my story and achievement inspires black youth to enter the tech industry.”
Thu, 02 Nov 2023 17:15:00 -0500Dwight Bachmanen-UStext/htmlhttps://www.courant.com/2023/11/03/from-africa-to-connecticut-to-google-a-journey-of-a-student-when-all-the-odds-were-against-me/The chronic interviewee: Two students reflect on the experience of being interviewedThumbnail graphic by Iliana Garner / North by Northwestern
Lurking around every corner is a Medill student in the wild, on the hunt for an interview. For some Northwestern students, being subjected to an interview is a frequently awkward and peculiar experience.
Comm '22 Jay Towns is no stranger to the nature of interviews.
Towns has been the subject of a vast number of student publication pieces, ranging from articles on his postgraduate career to his music career.
Even before the interview starts, a time to speak must be set in the first place. The initial scheduling process for student interviews relies on a meticulous Google Calendar, bending the forces of time to create a window between lectures, assignments and twenty other commitments.
For Towns, setting up interviews frequently involved throwing out a random, particular time squished between the day's other commitments. (Admittedly, when scheduling this interview, I did fall into the student journalist pitfall of sending Towns an assortment of sporadic time blocks.)
He has also found that a Google Calendar’s brief blocked-out time frame doesn’t allow enough space for the interview to draw out an all-encompassing story.
“I never really expect an interview to truly reflect the way that I think about myself. I know myself better than anyone knows me,” Towns said. “How can I expect someone who just met and spoke with me for thirty minutes to have that [understanding] in a comprehensive way?”
Interviewers’ finished pieces frequently fail to paint a nuanced, holistic picture of their subject.
Medill first-year Ashley Wong also felt this sentiment during the fair share of interviews she's been in. Even before arriving on campus.
Wong founded an online record store, Wildflower Wax Co., at 16.
“I guess that’s very newsworthy,” she joked.
Like Towns, Wong is keenly familiar with interviews that struggled to depict her as a whole.
She had long buried in the back of her mind a different student interview: A clunky and unprofessional exchange orchestrated by a high schooler who lacked basic training as a journalist. The interview was scheduled for 30 minutes, yet it dragged out for two hours.
Wong noted the questions strayed far from the advertised subject – and not in a good way. The questions resembled a personality quiz more than a genuine journalistic interview, and included questions like, “how many siblings do you have?”
Despite the shortcomings of many interviewers, Towns found that a key factor in a good interview is how the reporter receives his words and reflects them to understand their portrayal of him.
“I do appreciate a sense of clear tone,” he says. “Certain interviews have been more objective, and then, in some of them, the journalist takes a bit of agency on how to frame what [they] heard.”
Ultimately, the interview’s interpretation depends on the context: who is reporting the story, the angle they are taking and the message they hope to convey.
Towns disclosed that he could not remember the subject of this interview or even whether he saw the finished product, but Ohara’s extensive knowledge of his interviewee and energy made for a delighting experience.
“I was really impressed and low-key scared with the fact he had brought up and found information about me that I didn’t think was readily accessible on the internet,” Towns said.
Ohara’s vast information on his subject was not a “gotcha” tactic or presentation of knowledge aimed with animosity, but rather, it contributed to the conversation's success. Towns later became friends with Ohara — and even featured Ohara in his music video “MOVES.”
A budding friendship from an interview is not a singularity for Towns.
“I love to actually get to know someone if they are in the headspace to get known. It’s totally dependent on what they actually have the capacity for — I try to feel it out.” Towns said. “I don’t try to force a conversation. I always think it naturally comes up if it's meant to be.”
He said he has become friends with Medill second-year Michelle Sheen*, a student who wrote a profile on him last year for North by Northwestern, as well as other student journalists who have interviewed him previously.
Wong has also grown particularly fond of certain interview experiences, collecting memories across her features in various news outlets. She has been featured in several forms of media, including print, radio, TV and magazines for outlets such as Esquire, Time Out Magazine and Channel News Asia.
With the broad variation in interview style, Wong formed a preference for video interviews. These interviews present Wong with a particular challenge that she enjoys learning and growing from. Unlike print or a scripted podcast, video interviews manifest their own subset of difficulties: self-consciousness and the pressure of saying precisely what you want to say from the get-go.
“I think pushing myself to do an interview on video makes me really think about what I want to say,” Wong said. “A lot of interviews were done online — email, text message. I can always edit what I’m thinking about. Video really pushes me to be at my best.”
She recounted her favorite interview, a 20-minute-long documentary created by a student at the Polytechnic Institute in Singapore for his final project for a course.
The project encapsulated all of Wong’s ambitions for her future as a creative and personality beyond the confines of the record store.
“It was just perfect,” she says. “A lot of news outlets, when they profiled me, were like, ‘Oh, how do you make this? How do you do this?’ But this guy really took his time to understand who I was and why I [opened the store], and I enjoyed that very much. It was beautifully shot.”
Professional publications are more experienced with interviewing strategies. However, student journalists are just beginning to differentiate between good and bad reporting techniques.
Despite the flaws of amateur student journalism, Wong highlighted the value she found within it.
“What they [lack in] understanding of context and syntax, they make up with enthusiasm and kindness,” Wong said.
*Michelle Sheen has previously contributed to North by Northwestern and is currently serving as the print magazine's Creative Director
Wed, 08 Nov 2023 03:44:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.northbynorthwestern.com/the-chronic-interviewee-experience/A Look At Google's Strong Financial Prowess
pcess609
Thesis
I believe that the main Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) aka Google drivers of growth in the next 3-5 years will be its large language models, which will provide generative AI services to multiple businesses, along with its cloud computing division. Alphabet boasts one of the strongestbalance sheetsin the tech industry, characterized by minimal debt and a substantial cash reserve of $106 billion, second only to Apple (AAPL). The company's free cash flow is expected to exceed $150 billion in the next two years, further reinforcing its impressive financial position. Alphabet recently authorized a $70 billion increase in share buybacks, highlighting its growing financial flexibility.
Gen-AI is becoming more complex
Gen-AI is becoming increasingly intricate due to the substantial growth in use cases and the rapid availability of foundational models to address them. However, deploying Gen-AI through cloud services is the most effective and efficient approach. Google's framework aligns closely with this demand by offering a diverse portfolio of pre-trained models and solutions that cater to various use cases and domains. In this regard, Google's approach is similar to that of AWS. However, what sets Google Cloud Platform (GCP) apart is its product-oriented approach, providing a suite of solutions, including industry-specific offerings, which simplifies the experience for customers. In contrast, AWS employs a marketplace approach, allowing customers to mix and match different technology components to create customized solutions. This Lego-like approach offers more customization but can be more complex.
Company Presentation
Strongest Balance Sheet in the Tech Space
Alphabet stands out among its largest peers for its financial prudence, characterized by minimal debt and a substantial cash reserve second only to Apple. With a net cash position of $106 billion, Alphabet leads the technology sector in financial strength. The company's free cash flow is expected to comfortably surpass $150 billion over the next two years, further bolstering its already impressive cash-to-debt ratio and maintaining the lowest bond spreads compared to its competitors. Notably, Alphabet's exact authorization for a $70 billion increase in share buybacks underscores its growing financial flexibility. Despite delivering strong returns, Alphabet's exceptional balance sheet is expected to remain robust as its accelerated EBITDA generation has boosted its cash reserves to $120 billion.
Alphabet's conservative financial approach has yielded arguably the best financial profile in its class, and this is unlikely to change in the near future, even in the face of challenges such as top line growth and legal issues. Google's parent company maintains a resilient business profile, supported by 2023 consensus revenue projections of $255 billion and EBITDA of $122 billion. Financial flexibility remains a cornerstone of its strategy, evident in its substantial negative net leverage and the stark contrast between its $13 billion in bonds and $106 billion in cash, alongside $78 billion in free cash flow. Alphabet's credit ratings of Aa2/AA+ are underpinned by its dominant position in online search and its negative net leverage. Despite significant increases in shareholder returns and capital expenditures, the company's credit outlook remains stable.
Buyback and Dividends
While Alphabet's management hasn't signaled a shift in its dividend policy, there have been notable changes in the language used in its annual 10-K filing. These changes occurred in February 2020, and were reiterated in the second quarter of this year, which could potentially pave the way for the introduction of a dividend. In contrast, the 2019 language explicitly stated that the company did not anticipate offering cash dividends in the foreseeable future. In its most exact 10-K filing, Alphabet maintained the language indicating that it regularly assesses its capital structure, including capital returns. Furthermore, in April, Alphabet's board authorized the company to buy back up to $70 billion of its stock, with $52.3 billion available for repurchases as of September 30.
After increasing its authorization for stock buybacks in conjunction with its first-quarter earnings, Alphabet still has over $50 billion available for buybacks. This positions the company to enhance returns for shareholders, especially given the limited activity in mergers and acquisitions and the absence of dividend payments. Alphabet's engagement in M&A has been infrequent, and despite the possibility of a decline in full-year consensus revenue by up to 10% this year, the company is expected to allocate minimal capital to acquisitions due to the persistently high regulatory barriers. Despite these circumstances, Alphabet's financial strength and flexibility have remained largely unaffected by its relatively low M&A activity. In the past two years, the company has used less than $10 billion in cash for acquisitions.
Valuation
Tens of billions of dollars in annual free cash flow, coupled with well more than $100 billion of cash on hand and a best-in-class equity-to-debt ratio, are supportive of Alphabet's stellar balance sheet. The boom in artificial intelligence will likely propel big-tech fundamentals well beyond historical highs, enhancing financial flexibility and providing support for tens of billions of investment spending and M&A. With Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon.com, Meta, and even Alibaba expected to generate annual free cash flow ranging from $20 billion to $70 billion, downside risk remains low across the software and services subsector even as spending and shareholder returns increase.
As per Capital IQ, on an EV/Rev basis, GOOGL's multiples of 4.6x on FY24 estimate, are approximately in line with the average for the FAANG group. GOOGL is trading above AMZN, but well below AAPL, Meta Platforms (META), and Netflix (NFLX), on the basis of EV/estimated Rev. I think GOOGL is undervalued based on comps, and hence assign a buy rating to the stock.
Capital IQ
Conclusion
I believe that Google will experience significant growth in the next 3-5 years driven by its large language models, which will offer generative AI services to various businesses, along with its cloud computing division. Gen-AI demand is booming, and Google offers a diverse range of pre-trained models and solutions tailored to various use cases and industries. Alphabet's financial strength is noteworthy, characterized by minimal debt and a substantial cash reserve of $106 billion, second only to Apple. GOOG's projected free cash flow is expected to surpass $150 billion in the next two years, further underscoring its strong financial position. I remain bullish on the company and assign a buy rating to the stock.
Mon, 06 Nov 2023 08:09:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://seekingalpha.com/article/4648156-look-at-google-strong-financial-prowess
