Tuesday, May 5, 2009

15 Handy Google Search Tricks

Google calculator:
Google search can be used as a calculator. It can calculate anything from the simplest math to the most complex equation. All you need to do is just enter the math in the search box and hit enter. You can use the following functions:
+ : add
- :subtract
* :multiply
/ :divide
^ :to the power of
sqrt : square root of a number

Dictionary Definitions:
You can define any word by entering “define:” following the word. For example define: ignoble
Google will display a list of dictionary definitions for that word.

Search for a specific title:
Suppose you came across a great article which you really liked but unfortunately forgot to bookmark it then you can find it easily with the help of Google provided you know the title of the article. Here’s how you do it:
Let’s say you read an article “Women talk three times as much as men” then you can search for it by typing “intitle: Women talk three times as much as men”

Google Convertor:
Using this feature you can convert units like millimeter into inches, kilometers into miles, liters into ml, etc. You can do so by typing ‘25km in miles’ for converting km in to miles, ‘50litres in ml’ for converting litres into ml, and so on.

Compare currencies:
Google’s search has an inbuilt currency converter. It allows you to perform any currency conversion. All you need to do is just enter the conversion you’d like done into the Google search box and hit “Enter” or click the Google Search button. For instance: “1 USD in INR”

Weather Updates:
You can easily know the weather condition of a specific place. In order to find out, all you need to do is just enter the place name followed by “weather”. For ex: “london weather”

Search for specific file types:
There are various kinds of files available over the net. Searching for a specific file type isn’t really easy. But using this tip you can easily search for a specific file type.
For instance if you want to search for a guide, let’s say a ‘Guide to Building a Successful IT Career’ in ppt format. You can make use of the “filetype:” function. So in order to search for the PPT version of the guide you can enter in search bar ‘Guide to Building a Successful IT Career filetype:ppt’

Search on a particular website:
If you want to search for something from a particular site using Google search then you can do so by using the “site:” feature. Here’s how you do it:
Let’s say you want to search for cloverfield DVD on Amazon, you can do so by typing “cloverfield DVD site:www.amazon.com”

Get the local time anywhere:
Wanna know what time is it in London now? You can ask Google by typing “what time is it London” in the search bar. You can also enter “time (location)” without the quotes.

Remove unwanted search results:
Suppose you wanted to search a Harry potter book review but you ended up in getting reviews of the movie rather than the book. Well in this case you can make Google to exclude the movie results from the search. You can do so by adding “-movie” at the end of the term. For instance: “Harry potter Chamber of secrets -movie” This will give search results excluding the movie- The chamber of secrets.

Search for URLs:
You can even search for URLs in Google search.For instance: “Women_talk_three_times_as_much_as_men”. You can also use “.” “-” instead of “_“. The search will bring up results with the URLs containing the above words entered.

Track flight status:
You can also track a particular flight status. All you need to do is just enter the airline and flight number into the search box and hit enter. You’ll get the arrival and departure time of the flight right inside Google’s search results.

Search Google groups by the subject line:
You need to be in the google groups search page before attempting this query; otherwise it might not work correctly. Using the “insubject:” function you can search google groups by the subject line. For instance “insubject:windows xp fast shutdown”

Find related sites:
Suppose you find an interesting website and you would like to find some other alternative to this site then you can do so by using “related:” function. For instance if you want to search an alternative for google.com you can do so by entering “related:www.google.com”

Find links to a specific URL:
You can find the webpages which have a link to a specific URL using the “link:” function. This is really great as it will help you if you own a website, you can easily find out the pages linking to a page in your site. To use it, you need to enter the whole URL after “link:”
For instance “link:http://www.cnn.com”
Well that’s it for now, hope you liked them. If you know more feel free to mention them here.

Whois Lookup service:

You can also search for information on a particular domain name. Just type in “whois domain.com” and hit enter. You’ll get to see the creation and expiry dates of the domain.

Suggests words, phrases and their results:

This is really helpful if you aren’t able to spell a particular word or you would like to know the results a particular word would contain when searched.

Time-Saving Google Tricks

The Internet is full of useful tools and hacks that keep you more focused and efficient, but you have to know which ones are best. This large list of 101 Google tricks can help you lead a more streamlined, stress-free existence, from your professional life to your personal life......................................))))))))))))))))))))
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Education

Teachers and students can benefit from these time-saving tools and hacks for research, project collaboration and more.

1. Geo Education: Forget field trips to the museum or planetarium. Use Geo Education to quickly zap your kids into outer space or around the world with this set of tools.
2. iGoogle: Set up your own homepage for your classroom, or if you’re a student, customize your iGoogle page to include helpful study resources, news updates and more.
3. Custom Search Engine: Save time during your searches by limiting the kinds of sites, the display and more for your search.
4. Google Notebook/Google Docs: Use this simple, remote access text document for taking notes, recording class information and more.
5. Google Groups: Set up a study group or help your students organize their own group projects with this feature.
6. Page Creator: Use Page Creator to set up an attractive, easy-to-access web page for students, parents and more.
7. News: Quickly pull news stories off the Internet with this feature.
8. Book Search: Using Book Search, you can quickly find full text books, excerpts, nonfiction texts and more.
9. Google Scholar: Students and teachers can use this search engine when they need quality, authoritative information for lectures, research projects and papers.
10. Patent Search: Use Patent Search to search over 7 million patents, images and more.

Business and Work

When you want to save time on meetings, organize your files and cut down on wasted time during the week, use these tools.

11. Google Pack: Use Google Pack as a free solution to a desktop organizer, notifier, 3d model maker and more.
12. Archive your e-mails: Use this simple system to keep your e-mails safe and organized without having to waste time with hard files.
13. E-mail encryption: Google helps you send encrypted messages to your business associates with this system.
14. Google Video: Avoid lengthy meetings by hosting web conferences with Google Video–a safe, private feature.
15. Google Checkout: Cut out the middle man when you use this online shopping app for your site.
16. Finance: Use Google Finance to quickly catch up on the stock market and all other finance news that will affect your business in the blink of an eye.
17. Knol: Knol is a Google app that lets business professionals and other experts share their knowledge online and network with other members.
18. Calendar: Keep all of your to-do lists and appointments straight in one spot with Google Calendar.
19. SketchUp: Architects, web designers and other professionals can use this tool to create 3D models online.
10. Sites: Use this feature to give you a head start on creating a website for your business, which can save you time with marketing, networking, selling products and more.

iPhone and Mobile Apps

Turn to this list of tricks and tools for saving time and making your iPhone, BlackBerry or cell phone more efficient.

21. New Gmail for the iPhone: This new display for the iPhone makes it easier for you to check Gmail on your mobile.
22. Tips for Google Mobile Search: Make the most out of your Google-powered search with these mobile-friendly tips.
23. Voice Search: Search by speaking into your phone with this time saver.
24. My Location: Find local businesses near your location with this tool that uses your iPhone as a navigator.
25. Use the apps tab: iPhone users can hit the Apps tab at the bottom of their screen to quickly shop Google services.
26. Google Talk for BlackBerry: This app is available to Black Berry users. Features include fast messaging, emoticons, customizable status messages, and more.
27. Google SMS for Search: Read this guide to help you use Google SMS for your mobile searches.
28. Android: Check out this free mobile platform to fuel multitasking and make your apps run better.
29. Google SMS: Use this text messaging service for a quick and easy way to connect.
30. Calendar Alerts with SMS: Use your SMS to get Google calendar alerts, even if you’re away from your desk.

Travel and Transportation

Travelers and those who want to learn more about their city can use these Google tips and tools.

31. Google Earth: Ditch the compass and use this app to find your away around a new city. You can even track your flight status.
32. GOOG 411: Look up local businesses, restaurants and more with this tool.
33. Google Maps: Find addresses, get recommendations for local hotspots, and explore a new city or state.
34. Translate: If you’re traveling internationally, use this tool to translate menus, conversations and more.
35. Mobile Maps: Using Mobile Maps, you can view maps, get directions and find local information easier and faster.
36. Currency Converter: Check currency rates and conversions with this mobile-friendly tool.
37. Area Code Map: Get areas codes with this shortcut.
38. FAA Airplane Registration Numbers: Get an airplane’s history and description by searching its FAA airplane registration number.
39. Flight Status/Flight Tracker: Subscribe to this shortcut to get flight tracking information.
40. Gchart: Find out what time it is anywhere in the world using Gchart.

Search Tips and Tools

For a faster, more efficient search, turn to this list.

41. Search Features: Customize your search so that it’s easier to find sport scores, local information, and more.
42. Dictionary Definitions: Learn how to quickly look up words directly from Google.
43. site:: If you only want results for a particular web page, type in site: before the name.
44. link:: This is an especially good tool for bloggers who want to track back links to their site. Type link: and link back to whatever site you put in next.
45. Keyboard Shortcuts: This Firefox app will let you move around Google’s search results with your arrow keys.
46. Blog Search: When you only want to find posts and images from blogs, use this search.
47. Product Search: Get shopping and product information here.
48. Toolbar: Add a Google Toolbar to Firefox to quickly access your favorite button and share your top sites.
49. Browser Buttons: Install Browser Buttons to connect to Google Search even faster.
40. Default Search Engine: Save time by eliminating useless searches and lame search engines by making Google your default.

Life Hacks

From cutting down on finding your daily news to organizing your desktop to tracking packages, these Google tricks will quickly become indispensable.

51. Desktop: Keep your desktop organized with this customizable feature.
52. Google Alerts: Stay on top of your appointments, workouts, goals, and social life with this alerts tool.
63. Use Google Reader: Google Reader will save you a lot of time searching for blogs and checking your favorite sites everyday. It compiles your most-read and starred items in one simple interface.
54. Mobile: Google Mobile will keep you connected to your Google accounts anywhere.
55. Track packages: Here you’ll learn how to track your packages with Google Maps.
56. Convert temperatures: Type "[temperature][C/F] to [F/C]" to get the correct temperature.
57. Find phone numbers: This tutorial will show you how to quickly find a phone number using Google search.
59. Movies: Type in movies or the name of the film plus your zip code to get showtimes.
60. Google Homepage: Shave seconds or even minutes off your day by making Google your default home page. You’ll connect to Gmail, perform searches and more with just a click or two instead of having to type everything out.

Google Docs

These shortcuts will save you time when you use Google Docs.

61. Undo: Ctrl Z will undo any edits or changes you’ve made to the document.
62. Go the top or title: Move up to the top of your document by typing Ctrl Home.
63. Change alignment: Change your page’s alignment by typing Ctrl L, Ctrl E, or Ctrl J, for left, center and full justify, respectively.
64. Add a comment: Press Ctrl M to add comments to your document.

References

Learn how to quickly access directories, get vehicle information and more using these shortcuts.

65. FCC Equipment IDs: Look up equipment ID numbers using this method.
66. Vehicle Information: Find information about any vehicle by typing in the VIN number.
67. UPC Codes: Track UPC codes here.
68. Directory: Directory connects you to references for time, world records, libraries, maps, museums and more.
69. Video: Find videos faster with this feature.
60. Stock Quotes shortcut: Get stock quotes from Google with this shortcut method.
61. Images: Conduct a faster image search here.

Firefox Add-ons

Firefox users can download these applications for even more time-saving tricks for Google.

72. Locator: Find highlighted addresses on a Google map with this button.
73. GBookmarks: Access your bookmarks from any computer with this tool.
74. Back to Google 1.2: Immediately return to your last Google results page by clicking this button.
75. Send to Google Docs: This tool supports PDF, Microsoft Office and Open Office via Google Docs.
76. Google Results Walker: Quickly navigate Google results with this add-on.
77. Gooblebar Lite 4.6.8: This Google toolbar supports 12 search types.
78. Google Calendar Quick Add: Add an event to your Google Calendar even faster with this shortcut.
79. Color Results: Find your search terms in a web page or document when you install this add-on.
80. Bookmarks Button: Manage Google Bookmarks from your Firefox toolbar with this tool.
81. Search Videos: This one-click button lets you highlight search criteria and search videos faster.





GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY

We stand alone in our focus on developing the "perfect search engine," defined by co-founder Larry Page as something that, "understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want."

The software behind GOOGLE search technology conducts a series of simultaneous calculations requiring only a fraction of a second. Traditional search engines rely heavily on how often a word appears on a web page. GOOGLE use more than 200 signals, including GOOGLE patented PageRank™ algorithm, to examine the entire link structure of the web and determine which pages are most important. Then GOOGLE conduct hypertext-matching analysis to determine which pages are relevant to the specific search being conducted. By combining overall importance and query-specific relevance, we're able to put the most relevant and reliable results first.

  • PageRank Technology: PageRank reflects GOOGLE view of the importance of web pages by considering more than 500 million variables and 2 billion terms. Pages that we believe are important pages receive a higher PageRank and are more likely to appear at the top of the search results.

    PageRank also considers the importance of each page that casts a vote, as votes from some pages are considered to have greater value, thus giving the linked page greater value. We have always taken a pragmatic approach to help improve search quality and create useful products, and our technology uses the collective intelligence of the web to determine a page's importance.

  • Hypertext-Matching Analysis: GOOGLE search engine also analyzes page content. However, instead of simply scanning for page-based text (which can be manipulated by site publishers through meta-tags), our technology analyzes the full content of a page and factors in fonts, subdivisions and the precise location of each word. We also analyze the content of neighboring web pages to ensure the results returned are the most relevant to a user's query.

  • The life span of a Google query normally lasts less than half a second, yet involves a number of different steps that must be completed before results can be delivered to a person seeking information.


    3.
    The search results are returned to the user in a fraction of a second.
    1. The web server sends the query to the index servers. The content inside the index servers is similar to the index in the back of a book - it tells which pages contain the words that match the query.
    2.The query travels to the doc servers, which actually retrieve the stored documents. Snippets are generated to describe each search result.

Google: A brief history of the Google search engine

******GOOGLE*****

Google is now the most dominant search tool on the web, setting the standards that others try to follow and better, as yet unsuccessfully. It was founded in 1998 - relatively late compared to many of the popular search engines - by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who were graduate students from Stanford University.

Page and Brin had been working together on a search engine they called "BackRub" since early 1996, but with the encouragement of Yahoo! co-founder David Filo, they decided to start a company in 1998 and went looking for investors to back them. Google, Inc. was established on September 7, 1998. The founders hired Craig Silverstein - who was later to become Director of Technology - as their first employee, and started the business in a friend's garage.

Google was still in an alpha stage, with an index of just 25 million pages, but it was handling 10,000 search queries every day. The search engine and the company grew quickly through word of mouth, initially with regular web users coming across the tool and finding the results to their liking.

Usage spread rapidly through press coverage, awards and recommendations, whilst Google's effectiveness and relevance, its speed and reliability, plus clean visual effects and 'quirky' nature all contributed to a rapid increase in the number of new advocates.

Google took a major step forward in 2000 when it replaced Inktomi as the provider of supplementary search results on Yahoo. Following this it won further successes and provided search data to Yahoo as its primary results, as well as to AOL, Netscape, Freeserve and BBCi in the UK. This gave Google exceptional coverage of web searches and established its reputation as one of the most reliable and accurate search tools, making it the clear market leader.

Despite losing the Yahoo relationship in 2004, Google continued to increase its coverage of the web search market and developed numerous regional versions of its search tool, both in English and other languages, so that its global dominance grew. In the UK, Google now accounts for over 70% of web searches that are made.

Google has also been actively developing a range of search options, including an image search, news search, shopping search (Froogle) and local search options. In addition, following Google's IPO in early 2005 it has set itself on a course for Internet domination and to challenge the position of Microsoft as the leading provider of computer services. There has been a series of announcements of new products, including the email service Gmail, the impressive Google Earth product, Google Talk to compete in the growing VoIP market, Google Base and Google Book Search, which is part of its ambitious project to make the content of thousands of books searchable online

Google has become synonymous with search and has entered the dictionary as a verb - 'to google' something. The expansion and integration of all Google's different services is making it a dominant player in the online market, but to many websites, Google is also the ultimate ranking target that will make a significant difference between the volumes of traffic received from prospective customer ssearching the web.

 
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