Google Tricks: Advanced Features that Let You Do More Than Just Search

Everyone knows about Google, these days. It is, after all, one of the most popular Web search engines around. Google is much more than just a search engine, though. It has built-in features that turn this site into a very useful tool for a variety of functions. It is a Swiss Army Knife of a search engine that gives you, the user, the tools and services to make your Web experience more rewarding. Here is an overview of some of the more useful extras.

Calculator

Google includes a built-in calculator containing an astounding array of capabilities. In addition to basic addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), and division (/), the Google engine can do trigonometry (sin, cos, tan, etc.), base e (ln) and base 10 (log) logarithms, and factorials (!).

Using the calculator is as easy as entering the problem that you want it to solve and either pressing the Enter key or clicking on the Google Search button. For instance:

3*3
9/3
log 1000
sin 45
25!

You can force the calculator to evaluate complex problems by using parentheses to group the operations. The Google engine will evaluate operation inside parentheses first. Examples:

(2+3) *4 (evaluates to 20)
2+(3*4) (evaluates to 14)

The Google calculator also understands many common mathematical constants such as pi, i, and e.

The calculator function in Google is quite handy and useful in those times when you need a quick calculation.

Unit and Currency Conversion

Ever wondered how far 10 kilometers is in miles? How many tablespoons in a cup? How the dollar compares to the ruble? Google to the rescue.

Simply enter 10 km in mi into the Google Search box and press Enter or click on the Google Search button. You will instantly discover that 10 kilometers equals 6.21371192 miles. Google understands either km or kilometers, mi or miles. Whichever form is more comfortable for you will work. By the way there are 16 tablespoons in a cup.

Currency conversions are a little less definite than basic unit conversions. Since the relationships between currencies varies constantly, Google can only offer an estimate. You should certainly never base a financial decision on the answers given by Google.

Simply enter $1 in rubles or $1 in euros to get an approximate exchange rate. Check with a bank or other financial institution for current rates before making any currency exchanges.

Definitions

Where's the dictionary when you really need it? On Google. You can use the special operator define: to see a list of definitions for a word or phrase gathered from various online sources. Simply enter I and your word or phrase (without a space after the colon) for quick definitions and examples from all over the Web.

PhoneBook

The Google PhoneBook gives you instant access to business and individual telephone numbers from the entire United States. To find a phone number for a business, enter the business name and either the city and state or the ZIP code. For individual phone numbers, enter:

first name (or first initial), last name, city (state is optional)
first name (or first initial), last name, state
first name (or first initial), last name, area code
first name (or first initial), last name, zip code
last name, city, state
last name, zip code

Reverse lookups for both business and individual numbers are also available. Simply enter the telephone number, including area code, and Google will return the business or personal name associated with that number.

Tracking Numbers

Google offers serial and identification number look-ups from a variety of sources. Simply enter the number in the Google Search box. You can get tracking information on a package from:

Federal Express
United Parcel Service
United States Postal Service

Other identification numbers you search for include:

Vehicle Identification Numbers
UPC codes
Telephone area codes
Federal Aviation Administration airplane registration numbers
Federal Communication Commission equipment identification numbers (enter the keyword fcc followed by the number)
Patents (enter the keyword patent followed by the number)

Stock Quotes

If you enter the ticker symbol for a publicly-traded stock, Google will return a 15 or 20-minute delayed quote on that company's stock, depending on the exchange. After-hours quotes are provided in real time by ECN (Electronic Communication Network).

Street Maps

Enter an address in the United States including city and state or ZIP code, and Google will return links to Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, and MapQuest, so you can quickly retrieve a map of your intended area.

Travel Information

You can check delays and weather conditions at any airport by simply entering that airport's three-letter code followed by the word airport. For example, entering atl airport will allow you to check the real time status of weather and estimated flight delays at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta.

You can also check the status of a particular flight by entering the airline and flight number, e.g. united 111. You will be given links to travel sites like Expedia or Travelocity to check the real time status and location of the flight.

Weather

Enter the keyword weather followed by a city name and, optionally, state or ZIP code to check current weather conditions and a 4-day forecast for a particular city, e.g. weather boston or weather boston, ma.

Links

Who is linking to your Web page? To find out, simply enter link: followed by your Web page address (no space after the colon) into the Google Search box. Google will return a list of every link to that page in its database.

As you can see, Google is far more than a simple keyword search engine. Keep these time-saving resources in mind. The next time you need information fast, think Google.