As a MBA student I need to use Google through out the day for simple stuff, but I’ve never quite grasped the power of this tool. So, I did some homework on this tool, and copy pasting some tips from article that David Pogue published in NY Times. (Pogue is a column writer for NY Times’ weekly Circuits e-magazine.) Enjoy!
1. Download and install the Google toolbar. Not only does it put the Google search box into your browser full-time, but it also blocks pop-up ads and fills in forms for you.
2. Phrase your question in the form of an answer. So instead of typing, What is the average rainfall in the Amazon basin, you might get better results by typing The average rainfall in the Amazon basin is.
3. This is an old one, but very important Put quotes around phrases that must be searched together.
4. Similarly, put a hyphen right before any word you want screened out. If you’re looking up dolphins, for example, you’ll have to wade through a million Miami Dolphins pages unless you search for dolphins -Miami.
5. Google is a global White Pages and Yellow Pages.
6. Google is a package tracker. Type a FedEx or UPS package number (just the digits); when you click Search, Google offers a link to its tracking information.
7. Google is a calculator. Type in an equation (32+23453-234=).
8. Google is a units-of-measurement converter. Type teaspoons in a gallon, for example, or centimeters in a foot.
posted by: ninad
posted on: December 16th, 2008