[the-facts-machine] Re: Ten Google Search Features
- From: "Fred Wurtzel" <f.wurtzel@xxxxxxx>
- To: <the-facts-machine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 00:19:52 -0400
Hi Steve,
Thanks for this. I haven’t seen this kind of list for a while and really like
them. I guess I need to create a Google file for these hints. There are a lot
more of these and they are fantastic. Between Google and Apple life as a blind
person is so much easier. I showed Marc, my son, the iPhone bill identifiere 1
day and he said “it isn’t so hard to be blind any more, is it?” I had to agree.
Life is so amazing, these days.
Thanks, again.
Warmest Regards,
Fred
From: the-facts-machine-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:the-facts-machine-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steve
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2014 5:46 PM
To: the-facts-machine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [the-facts-machine] Ten Google Search Features
10 awesome Google features you should be using
The real reason the Google home page is so bare is that way back when it was
just
starting out in a Silicon Valley garage, no one working there really knew how to
program a Web page to make it look pretty.
In fact, even the word Google was a mistake. The founders really wanted "Googol"
- the math term for the digit 1 followed by 100 zeroes.
Of course, Google is now a noun, a verb and a massive global company equally
loved
for its innovations as much as it's hated for its user tracking. It has many
tricks
and products that you don't need to spend money on. Some of these will make your
life easier and others will just blow your mind.
Google Flight Search
Need to find the best price on a flight? Google Flight Searchis one of the
easiest
price-comparison sites around. Pick your start point and destination - or
destinations
- on the map, and then pick your dates. When you pick the dates, be sure to pay
attention
to the prices on each date and Google's graph of days with the cheapest tickets.
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Then, you can filter the results by flight length, airline, price, stops and
more.
When you find a flight you like, you can book it directly on the airline's site.
Click here to learn three more secrets to getting the lowest airfare.
Atari Breakout
Need to take a quick break? Thanks to Google, you can play a version of the
classic
Atari Breakoutgame on your computer whenever you want. Simply go to the Google
Image
Search page -
www.google.com/images
- and search for "Atari Breakout." Then, wait for the fun to begin.
Google Public Data Explorer
Google's normal search site is great for most searches, but Google has more
specialized
search sites as well. For example, the Google Public Data Explorer is a treasure
chest full of information on public statistics.
Go to the Google Public Datapage and type in a topic. Keep your searches simple,
like "Unemployment in the U.S." Google will return results from sources like the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You'll end up with an easy-to-read graph, and
you
can even tweak it with options like gender, age and state.
Google translations
Need a quick translation of a word? Go to the normal Google search page and type
in "translate (word) to (language)" in the search bar. For instance, you could
type
"translate apple to French."
Google will let you know in less than a second that "pomme" is French for apple.
It also includes a small speaker icon that will let you hear the word if you
aren't
sure how to pronounce it. For longer translations, check out Google Translate.
Google nutrition comparison search
What's healthier, an orange or a banana? Type "compare" into Google's search
bar,
along with the foods you want to look at, such as "compare broccoli and
asparagus."
Google will do the rest.
Google definitions
When you don't know what a word means, don't reach for the dictionary. Type
"define
(word)" into the Google search bar, such as "define tintinnabulation" and you'll
have the definition instantly - it's "a ringing or tinkling sound," if you were
wondering.
You'll also get pronunciation, part of speech, and you can click the gray arrow
for
more information, including word origins
Google Conversions
Whether you're cooking or helping your child with math homework, odds are you're
going to have to convert units of measurement. On the Google search page, enter
a
search like "convert eight ounces to cups" or "convert 10km to mi." You'll have
your
answer instantly, and you can even tweak the numbers and units after the fact.
Google nGrams
Google nGramsis a great research tool that lets you search how many times
specific
words occur in more than 5 million books written between 1800 and the present.
You
can see how words get more or less popular over time.
You can put in multiple words separated by commas to compare two or more words
at
once. Google lets you adjust the time period, language of the books and see what
books contain the words.
Google Sky
If you think Google Earthis great, then Google Skyis going to blow your mind. It
lets you search the heavens and see images of stars, planets and galaxies taken
from
telescopes, probes and satellites.
It includes infrared and microwave images as well as a historic map of the stars
made by Giovanni Maria Cassini in 1792. If you don't know where to start, the
site
has some suggestions that you'll love.
Exclude search terms
Google's algorithms are really good at searching the Internet to find the
information
you're looking for. Sometimes, though, I'm sure you get frustrated because you
keep
getting popular results that just aren't right.
Tweak your search using the minus (-) symbol. Just put it before any words you
don't
want to show up. Say you want to search for "puppies," but don't want to see
sites
that sell them. Just type in "puppies -sales" and you're set.
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