Google: More Than Just a Search Engine

By Jenny Araojo

We all agree that in terms of searching online, the world-wide-web-dominating Google is almost omnipotent. It is all-knowing that it always has the answers we seek right at our fingertips. Better yet, little that people knows Google is far more than just a search engine. It has a number of great extensions and applications that many of us do not know yet. Why don't we try discovering some of them?

Handy Dictionary

While many of us are satisfied to whack in just a few words when searching for some bits of information via Google, a couple of minor tweaks can actually make it a lot more reliable like the use of the key syntax "define:." The said function will give an easy access to Google's free dictionary service, defining the words and/or phrases searched for. Plus, it will provide lists of organized definitions and source pages that can also define the same or similar words or phrases.

Easy Calculator

If a simple calculation is needed, especially for instances when web pages are most easily accessed than a calculator application, Google search box can actually be utilized as one. Just key in a mathematical expression and Google will solve it. What's more interesting about this feature is that we can also use it for specific conversion needs say, weight, height or even money currencies. All that is needed is to key in the things to convert in a mathematical form in the Google search box and it will answer with detailed conversions.

Scholastic Resource

What makes Google reliable for the academic users is its brilliant Google Scholar services. By visiting scholar.google.com, we can easily get lists of trustworthy resources for various purposes. In this site, Google automatically filters search results and provides only verified links to journals and scholarly literature from accredited government agencies, institutions or professional societies.

Time Check

Another simple but awesome feature that we can directly use in Google's search box is its time function. This is handy especially when we need to synchronize the time during certain technical difficulties or during instances when knowing the time in different zones are necessary for us. The syntax for this time function is "time in.'' It will provide results in milliseconds and of course, in real time.

Weather Guide

What great thing it is to have Mr. Google tell us the weather forecast for day besides checking the newspaper! Google's weather guide will tell us the day's wind forecasts, humidity and even temperature. It is so handy that it will even give predictions for the next five days.

Big Mailbox

Another great thing about Google is that it provides free big mailboxes for users. This email service is popularly known as Gmail. Aside from the relatively large spaces for email users, Gmail has also a linked document service known as Google Docs Forms.

The Google Docs Form enables users to create, modify and save files in document formats that are similar to Microsoft's Word and Excel processors. These files can be organized in folders, published and shared between Gmail account users. Also, other types of files can be placed in shared domains linked to Google Docs Form.

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