Nine Very Cool Google Tricks

Google has a handful of tricks up its sleeve. Here are nine special and useful things you can do with Googleseveral of which even search hounds tend to overlook.
1.6.1. Definitions
When you can't remember what "sedulous" means, or you want to find out what a "wireless LAN" is, you don't have to bother opening the dictionary or calling your friendly neighborhood IT guy. Instead, Google can come to your rescue. Type define into the blank search box, followed by your term, like this:
define sedulous

and then press Enter to have Google include a definition at the top of your search results. (The definitions come from Web sites Google tracks.)
If you want a list of definitions and no other results, type in define followed by a colon and your terms, with no spaces on either side of the colon, like this:
define:wireless LAN

You can also get a list of definitions by typing your term into the Google Deskbar and pressing Ctrl+D (not available for the Mac). Alternatively, if you use Safari as your Web browser, you can type define: followed by your term in the Google search box (not available in Windows) to get the definitions for a word.
Google Definitions aren't just English-only, either. If you ask the site to define a multilingual word like "rouge," for example, and then click "all languages," you get definitions for what the word means in English, French, and Germanall on the same results page.

Tip: If Google doesn't come up with a definition that helps youor in rare cases, if it doesn't come up with one at alltry searching for your terms at www.OneLook.com, which aggregates definitions from nearly 1,000 dictionaries. That ought to do it.

1.6.2. Calculator
This trick is extra cool: You can use the blank Google search box as a calculator. Just enter an equation, like 2+2, and then press Enter to have Google tell you 2+2=4. For multiplication, use the asterisk (*), like this: 2*3. For division, use the slash (/), like this: 10/3. You can also use the search box to perform unit conversions, like this: 5 kilometers in miles or how many teaspoons in a cup? For a chart listing of units of measure Google can convert, check out Nancy Blachman's site, GoogleGuide, at www.googleguide.com/calculator.html.
The calculator works for simple equations and for some seriously complex operations, too, like logarithms and trigonometric functions. You can find a rundown of all its capabilities at www.google.com/help/calculator.html. And if you know what a physical constant isor the phrase "base of the natural system of logarithms" makes your heart pitter patter with joyGoogleGuide does a terrific job of steering you through these features.

Tip: For a great alternative interface to Google's calculator, check out Soople at http://soople.com/soople_intcalchome.php. it tells you all about it.

1.6.3. Phonebook
Google provides a phonebook service, letting you look up a phone number and address (with corresponding map) for business or residential listings. You can make it work in two ways: either as part of your regular search results (with a cute phone icon indicating that something is a phonebook listing), or as a separate set of listings. shows the difference.
Figure 1-17. Top: You get just one or two results when you know lots of details beforehandlike the full name of the person or business, and their state or Zip codeso you're likely to hit the right result.
Bottom: A full listing is the way to go when you have only a partial name and a state. (Either way, the listings are sometimes out of date, as shown at top.)
To have a single residential listing appear at the top of a regular results page, try typing any of the following into the Google search box:
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
For a single business listing, typing in the company name along with city and state or Zip code ought to do the trick.

Tip: You can also type an area code and phone number business or residential to get the name and address associated with it in Google's phonebook. You don't need to include any punctuation.

To get a page of nothing but phonebook listings, type the word phonebook followed by a colon, then a space, and then the name and state you want to look up. (Weirdly, you can't capitalize phonebook.) The phonebook listings give you about 600 results, so if you're looking for a common name, add the city (if you know it) to narrow your search. Your query should look something like this:
phonebook: ansonia veterinary center NY

or:
phonebook: ansonia veterinary center new york NY

You can also narrow your search by telling Google whether you want to search for business listings or residential listings only. To limit your search to residential listings, type rphonebook before the name and state. For business listings, use bphonebook. (If you don't specify one or the other, and your results have both types, Google gives you five of each and lets you pick which you'd like the full set for.)

Note: Google has a parallel service, Google Local, that provides contact information for businesses anywhere in the U.S. Unlike the phonebook feature, which requires that you know a name, Google Local works more like a Yellow Pages, letting you search by business type (eyeglasses, or bagels, or dog walkers) in a specific Zip code or town. The results look similar to phonebook listings. (Sometimes, when you run a search even with a business name, you get results from Google Local, which has a compass logo rather than a phone icon.

The phonebook trick has a couple of quirks:
You can't use the minus sign to exclude terms. For example, if you want to find every New Yorker with the last name Doe except those with the first name John, you can't run the search rphonebook: doe -john new york NY.
You can't use OR to find listings in more than one state. For example, the query bphonebook: espn (NY OR NJ) gives you listings only in New Jersey, since Google reads the rightmost part of your query. On the other hand, you can use OR with the name of a person or business. So if you want to find an array of chain restaurants in the heart of Manhattan, try bphonebook: (espn OR hooters) new york NY.

Tip: If you want to remove your listing from Google's phonebook, head over to www.google.com/help/pbremoval.html, which provides a delisting form for residences and a snail-mail address to send delisting requests for businesses.

1.6.4. Street Maps
If you enter a U.S. street addressincluding city and state, or Zip codeGoogle usually tops your results with links to several maps.
1.6.5. Stock Quotes
If you enter a ticker symbol for a company or mutual fund listed on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, or the American Stock Exchange, Google begins your results with a link for that corporation or fund; when you click the link, Google takes you to a page with tabs of stock information from Yahoo Finance, Quicken, and other companies. You can enter one symbol, like this: msft (for Microsoft). Or several symbols, like this:
msft gm dis

If you don't know the ticker symbol for a company, try the full name. If Google recognizes it as a public company, it provides a link for stock quotes at the end of the result for that company.
Figure 1-18. Top: The stock-quote trick works for companies but not mutual funds.
Bottom: When searching for information about some public companies, your search results may come back with an up-to-date graphic of the firm's most recent stock performance.


Even when you're not specifically looking for the financial lowdown, stock quotes and charts may show up in your regular search results. Type in ebay, and you often get the stock's most recent daily performance results from NASDAQ, atop links to all other things eBay on your search results page.

Tip: Sometimes, adding the word company or corporation after the proper name in your query (like Microsoft Corporation) can prompt Google to recognize that you want stock info.

1.6.6. Patents, Tracking IDs, and Other Numeric Goodies
Hardly anyone knows this, but Google lets you search for numbers on the Web. And not just any numbers, but specific tracking IDs: U.S. patent numbers, FAA airplane registration numbers, FCC equipment ID tags, Universal Product Codes, maps by area code or Zip code, and vehicle identification numbers. When Google comes up with a match for your number, it shows you a special listing at the top of your results page.
Figure 1-19. Each type of result from a number search has a slightly different look, but they all appear at the top of a results page and include a link to the Web page with the info you're looking for.
Here's how to run the specific searches:
UPS, FedEx, and U.S. Postal Service tracking numbers. Looking up package tracking numbers and finding out whether your Lands' End long underwear is stuck in a warehouse in Kentucky has long been a major benefit of the Web. The process just got easier. Simply type your tracking number in a blank search box, and Google provides a link to a Web page with your item's transit history.
Patent numbers. If you look up patent numbers regularlyor everyou know the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office makes you jump through a lot of hoops to find a patent by number. Stave off a few gray hairs by using Google to look them up instead. Just preface the number with the word "patent," like this: patent 5123123.
Universal Product Codes (UPCs). For some basic information on consumer products, like their manufacturer, try looking up the UPC, like this: 036000250015 (no need to include UPC first). Most of the time, you can find UPCs under an item's barcode.
Federal Communications Commission equipment ID numbers. If you're an engineer at a wireless phone company, and you want inside info on a competitor's product, check out the FCC's database. To get there, type fcc into Google, followed by the ID number, like this: fcc G9H2-7930.
Flight numbers. Want to find out if your cousin's flight from Ottawa is on time? Check flight status by typing in the airline and flight number, like this: continental 501.
Federal Aviation Administration airplane registration numbers. If you're the head of a startup airline, and you're considering buying a used plane from one of the big industry players, this feature's for you! Just type in the registration number directly, like n233aa, and Google gives you a link to the FAA site with some details about the manufacturer and history of that plane.

Tip: You can typically find airplane registration numbers on the tail of a plane.

Vehicle identification numbers (VINs). If you're buying a used car, you can use the VIN to learn more about that individual auto's history (the VIN is usually on a small metal tag at the bottom edge of the windshield). Type in a number, like JH4NA1157MT001832, and Google provides a link to the Carfax info for that car.
Maps by area code or Zip code. Type in an area code, like 212, or a Zip code like 95472, and the top of your Google results includes a link for a MapQuest map of that region. The maps generally cover a larger area than the area code, but they can give you a sense of whether 609 is in New Jersey or Idaho.

Note: If you'd like Google to add another type of number to its search service, let them know: suggestions@google.com.

1.6.7. Weather
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, thanks to Google's weather forecast feature. Just search for weather, followed by the name of the U.S. city you're meteorologically mulling, as in weather fargo. Google pops up current conditions and the four-day forecast for your specified burg. (The info comes courtesy of the Weather Underground site.)
Figure 1-20. Your four-day forecast is just a few keystrokes away in Google's search box; just type in weather, followed by the name of an American city. And if four days isn't far enough ahead for you, click the first link to jump to an even more foresightful forecast.
Most of the time, just a city name is enough information, but you can also add in the state and Zip code if you don't get the results you had in mind. (There are more than a few Portlands, after all.) And although you can easily get the weather for London (in Kentucky) and Paris (in Tennessee) if you include the state abbreviations, Google's weather feature usually refers you to CNN or BBC links for international weather.
1.6.8. Q&A
If you find yourself in need of fast facts, Google's Q&A feature may help fill the bill. The trick's to phrase your question as a fact.
If you want to know how many people live in South Korea or who the president of Mexico is these days, for example, just search for population of south korea or president of mexico. Google brings back the answer at the top of your results page.
1.6.9. Movies
Don't waste time rustling up a newspaper or waiting through Mr. Moviefone's yammering over the phone: You can find out what's playing down at the nearest multimegaplex by asking Google. If you live in Phoenix, just type movies phoenix or showtimes phoenix in the search box, and you'll get a list of films playing in theaters around Phoenix. If you click the film title you're considering, Google gives you a list of theaters and screening schedules.
You can search directly for a movie currently playing in your town, too. If you typed in star wars phoenix during the summer of 2005, you would've gotten a list of the theaters showing Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith around Arizona's capital.
If you've already told Google where you live using Google Local,you can leave off the city name and just type movies, showtimes, or star wars to get theaters, schedules, and showtimes (respectively) for your area.
Google's movie mania isn't limited to listing showtimes. If you remember vague details about a film but can't remember its title, try using the movie: operator in front of any factoids you remember, like directors, actors, or plot points in the production. The search movie: holy grail delivers a long list of films focusing on the Arthurian legend, including Excalibur, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and, of course, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. shows how obscure you can get.
Figure 1-21. The movie search operator does more than just round up theaters and showtimes for current flicks playing around town. Feed it a few facts from movies you can't fully remember, and Google brings back the title and other information like reviews and pop-culture cross-references. You can also use the movie: operator in front of actors' names to pull up a partial filmography of the stars' noted roles.