16 Useful Tips for the Web’s Best Search Engine
(and a Few Funny Ones)

This article was originally published in Shelbyco Magazine, October/November 2012.

16 USEFUL GOOGLE TIPS

Weather Reports

Search for “weather” and a city name or zip code and you’ll see the local forecast. “Weather 35124” returns the current weather conditions for Pelham, Alabama and the highs and lows for the next few days along with links to your forecast on some of the more popular weather web sites. You can also simply search for “local weather,” and Google can use your computer’s IP address to determine your location and deliver your forecast. Cool or creepy, you decide.

Movie Showtimes

Much like the weather search, searching for “movies” and a city name or zip code will present to you a list of movies and showtimes for local theaters and even a link to their trailers. Searching for “movies around me” will use Google’s location voodoo to give you schedules for nearby theaters as well.

Local Searching

Google’s helpful local search can present you with local businesses matching your search terms. Type “Italian Restaurants 35242” and you’ll see a list of eateries in the 280 corridor and a helpful map with their locations as well. “Restaurants around me” works too. And it’s even nicer when you’re on the move if you search on a smartphone with GPS capabilities.

Sports Scores

Search for “NFL scores” or “Nascar standings” and you’ll see a list of up to the minute information for each. Scores are also available for the NBA, NHL, and MLB. You can also search for your favorite team name, like “New Orleans Saints” to see team-specific scores and schedules as well. Sorry Tide and Tiger fans, college scores are not available right now.

Stock Quotes

Simply search for a stock symbol and you’ll see a chart of the day’s activity and other related stats. You’ll also get links to information on that stock at many of the major financial web sites. Searching “GOOG” informed me that Google’s stock is at $692 on the day I write this article. Not bad for a couple of guys with a dorm room idea.

Conversions

Ever wonder how many tablespoons are in a cup? Or how many peppers Peter Piper had to pick to get a peck? Google it: “convert cups to tablespoons” and you’ll discover the answer is 16. Conversions are available for all kinds of measurements, from volume and speed to time and temperature. So if you ever wanted to know what the speed of light is equal to in miles per hour and furlongs per fortnight, Google can tell you. And, incidentally, a peck is about 2.3 gallons.

Airline Flights

These next few will be especially useful for travelers. Search for the name of an airline and flight number (like “American 891”) and you’ll see up to the minute departure times, gates and delay. Tardy travelers sprinting down a concourse will find this information invaluable from a smartphone. You can also search for “flights from BHM to NYC” and you’ll see a grid of airlines, times and cost of upcoming flights.

World Time

By entering “time” and either a zip code or city name (like “time London”), Google will provide you with the current local time in that location. You can also search “current local time” for your location.

Sunrise and Sunset Times

Search “sunset” and a city name or zip code and you’ll see today’s sunset time and how long from now it is. The same works for “sunrise.” And, simply searching “sunrise” or “sunset” gives you the information for your local area.

Currency Conversion

If you’re planning a trip to Machu Picchu and you want to know how many Peruvian Nuevos Soles you will get for a Dollar, search for “dollars to peru soles” and you’ll see current conversion rates and a graph of the unfortunately downward trend for the past few years.

Calculator

Type “calculator” in the Google search box and guess what you get? Yep. A fully functional on-screen scientific calculator. You can also type math problems directly in the search box to get the answers. Google will even create a graph for algebra and trig problems. Unfortunately, it still can’t tell you what time a train leaving Chicago at 45 mph will arrive in Philadelphia.

Dictionary Searches

Need a quick definition? All you have to do is type “define” and the word you want to look up and Google gives you its meaning. It also works with many slang terms and internet acronyms to help keep parents hip to their kids’ increasingly obscure vocabulary. And, if you’re not exactly sure how to spell a word, give it your best shot and often Google’s “did you mean” feature will guess correctly.

Search a Specific Site

Looking for something specific on a particular web site that you saw once but can’t find again? Use Google’s site search to restrict your results to just one web site by typing what you’re looking for followed by “site:” and the web site’s domain name (like “nathan site:shelbycomagazine.com”). You’ll find exactly what you need.

Find Related Web Sites

Looking for other sites that are similar to a site you’ve found? Google’s related sites feature will show you a list. Searching for “related:foxnews.com” will give you a list of the most significant news web sites online.

Searching by Date Range

Sometimes it would be helpful to just have results that are from articles that were published recently. After you search, click “show search tools” in Google’s left margin and you’ll see options to filter your search to show only those results that were published in a certain time frame.

Finding a Bacon Number

This last feature could be the most sizzling one of all, particularly if you are embroiled in a heated match of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Apparently created by Google engineers with too much time on their hands, this feature allows you to search for the name of an actor or actress followed by “bacon number.” Google will then report the number of steps he or she is from the great Kevin Bacon and even provide the details of interconnecting relationships. Take that, Yahoo!

NOW, A FEW FUNNY ONES

Who said Google was all work and no play? As a matter of fact, Google’s software engineers collectively have a great sense of humor. And the company embraces it yearly with an annual April Fool’s joke on the world. Here are a few other hidden treasures from the Google guys that are sure to bring a smile.

Flipping Out

Type “do a barrel roll” and Google obeys. Watch your screen turn all the way around.

Falling Out

Try typing “Google gravity” and pressing “I feel lucky.” Your search world will come crashing down.

Feeling Lucky?

If you click “I’m Feeling Lucky” without anything in the search box, you’ll see a slot machine-like effect on the button and the text will change with some interesting results. Give it a try.

Insert Coin

Who doesn’t like Pac Man? Google’s popular 30th anniversary remembrance of Pac Man was so popular, they decided to keep it online. Flee from ghosts and gobble dots to your heart’s content at google.com/pacman. No quarters required.

Oops

Have a little fun with your kids or coworkers by typing “tilt” in their Google search box and hitting enter while they’re away. Then, sit back and watch for their reaction when they return.

M.C. Google

No search engine would be complete unless it could beatbox for you, right? Follow this link to Google translate and press the speaker in the white box. You’ll thank me later.