By Sharon Housley
FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com
and
RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com
©
2009
The architects of the most powerful search engine in
the world have included some really handy algorithms in their service, which allow
searchers to quickly locate particular and specific types of information...
1.
Definitions
In order to quickly find the definition of a word, simply type
"define: word" in the search box. Google will then provide the definition
of the word.
2. Area Codes
Enter a US telephone area
code in the URL box to see a map of the area covered by that telephone area code.
3.
Calculator
Type a math problem into the Google search box, and Google will
calculate the answer. Google acts as a calculator when mathematical calculation
is presented. Google recognizes the following mathematical symbols: addition (+),
subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), to the power of (^), and square
root of a number (sqrt).
4. Movies
In order to locate
reviews and show times for movies playing near you, type "movies" or
the name of a current film into the Google search box. If you have already saved
your location on a previous search, or if you are logged into a Google account,
the top search result will display show times for nearby theaters for the movie
you entered.
5. Weather
To see the weather for many US
and worldwide cities, type "weather" followed by the city and state,
US zipcode, or city and country. Google will provide a current weather forecast.
6.
Current Time
To see the current time in any city around the world, type "time"
and the name of the city. Google will display the current time for that city.
7.
Patent Search
To search for US patents, enter the word "patent" into
the Google search box, followed by the patent number. Google will display the
details of that particular patent.
8. Track Shipments
Shipments
can easily be tracked using Google simply by entering the tracking number for
your UPS, FedEx, or USPS package directly into the Google search box. Google will
return the tracking results and status of the shipment.
9.
Stock Quotes
Google can help investors keep an eye on the changing stock market.
To see current market data for a given company or fund, simply type the ticker
symbol into the Google search box. The resulting webpage displays financial data
from the Google Finance service.
10. Maps
Looking for
a map? Type in the name or US zipcode for a location, along with the word "map"
and Google will display a map of that location.
11. Convert
Currency
Google also has a built-in currency converter. Simply enter the conversion
you would like to see performed in the Google search box, and Google will provide
the currency conversion.
12. Flight Status
To view the
flight status for arriving and departing US airline flights, enter the name of
the airline and the flight number into the Google search box. Airport delays and
details can be found by typing in the name of the city or three-letter airport
code, followed by the word "airport".
13. Synonyms
If
you want to locate search results for a word, along with any synonyms for the
word, just enter the tilde sign (~) before the search term. Google will display
results for that word and will include any related synonyms.
14.
Population
To see trends for population and unemployment rates of US states
and counties, type "population" or "unemployment rate" followed
by a state or county. You can click through to a page that lets you compare different
locations.
15. Spell Check
Google even has a built-in
spell-checker. Google automatically checks whether your query uses the most common
spelling of a given word. If Google thinks there may be an alternate or better
spelling, it will be listed as: ?Did you mean: (alternate spelling)??
16.
Conversion Calculator
You can use Google to convert units of measurement. Google
will convert height, weight, and volume measurements. Simply enter the desired
conversion into the search box and Google will calculate the conversion.
17.
Earthquake Activity
Google even tracks earthquake activity. Enter "earthquake"
followed by the city and state or US zipcode into the Google search box to see
the seismic activity in a specific region.
18. Related Websites
Google
will display webpages that contain similar content. Include "related:"
followed by a website address in the Google search box for a listing of related
websites.
19. Linked Websites
When "link:"
is used in the Google search box, and followed by a URL, the search results will
include a listing of all webpages indexed by the search engine which contain links
to the specified URL (i.e. to see how many websites are linking back to your site,
or to a competitor's site).
20. Indexed Pages
When "site:"
is entered in the Google search box, followed by a domain name, the search engine
locates all documents within a specific domain, including all of its sub-domains.
This is an easy way to get a rough idea of the number of pages indexed for a given
domain.
True to Google's mission of making sense of information,
Google has made specific and unique information very easy to find.
