15 Awesome Google Services You Never Knew Existed
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Whether you're sending an email in Gmail, finding directions to that fancy restaurant using Google Maps, or pretending to be a part of the latest microblogging craze with Google Buzz, the G-word is everywhere. Well, it turns out that there is also a whole library of Google web applications and services stacked up behind the everyday services you may have come to take for granted.
Most of the mega company's services are either full blown web applications readily available to the public, or secretly tucked away behind a door in the Google Labs. However, even those wearing their Public Beta scrubs are readily available to play with. We've gone and picked through fifteen Google services you may not have heard of before, but can definitely benefit from. Try them out, and if you have any suggestions of ones we may have missed, leave a note in the comments.
Never miss another important headline
News TimelineIf you're tired of missing out on the week’s most important headlines, set Google News Timeline as your browser’s home page and you’ll never be out of the loop again. This distinct search engine scours various news outlets, Wikipedia, and even Twitter. Just enter in search term and News Timeline will retrieve the most recent headlines from the web containing the word. You can even specify what publications you’d like News Timeline to search, including your local paper. Sadly, Mac|Life wasn’t among the choices.
Patent your invention
Patents
Got a crazy robot that does
all sorts of cool, crazy robot things? Well, before you start working on
the actual mechanical implementation of that idea, mosey on over to
Google Patents to make sure your product hasn’t already been invented.
This specified search engine sifts through indexed patents registered
with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The search
engine uses optical character recognition (OCR) to sift through patents
based on words and terms embedded in the image scans.
We took a
few minutes to glance at some of the random patents that popped up on
the front page. For instance, this apple case for use in preserving apples and
this kid-friendly inhaler that looks like a panda. See
if you can find any of Apple’s patents.
Let's get political, political
In QuotesYeah, the presidential election meme is totally passé, but voting is an American right and should be utilized to the fullest extent. That’s why Google’s still got the reigns on a nifty service dubbed In Quotes, which displays side-by-side comparisons of noteworthy quotes from major politicians on a variety of hot topics. Type in a search topic or choose a political issue from the drop-down box, then choose your politicians and a year; the generator offers speeches and opinions from a wide selection of politicians, beginning from 2003 to present. There’s also a U.K., India, and Canada edition for international expats.
Quotes are generated automatically, depending on the topic. In Quotes is a great tool for students preparing a paper on a recent politician or political matter, but if you’re looking for anything George Washington-era, get ready to crack open a book.
You’ve got questions? They’ve got the answers
Google ModeratorGoogle Moderator offers an open forum for users to post their questions, offer suggestions, concoct ideas, and receive answers in return. You can scour topics and vote on other people’s opinions, or contribute your own.
Each question has its own list of topics, while a list of Google's featured services offer up alternative sites that are a bit more specific, like Take a Tip, Share a Tip--an open forum for users to share their experiences on how to be frugal in all areas of your life.
Google Moderator is a great way to get an objective opinion from the many anonymous internet users trolling the web, or waste a little bit of time without having to get yourself extensively involved in a social network. If you like this web service, check out the most recent addition to the Google family: Aardvark.
Explore the world on foot
City ToursTraveling is already an extravagant endeavor. It’s a better idea to pocket the money you’d spend on travel books that will inevitably become outdated by the time you return from vacation, and simply invest some time in Google’s City Tours. City Tours generates a list of important traveling hot spots based on your destination of choice. For example, if you’re on your way to visit Berlin, Germany, type in a starting location (like the address of where you're staying) and City Tours will map out a route for a walking tour around the area you’re stationed.
Each landmark contains important information, like hours of operation and the address of the location--in case you decide to take a taxi or public transportation. You can also add other areas to your walking tour either manually or from a predetermined list provided by Google Maps.
City Tours still has a few kinks to work out, though it’s gotten better since we used it for last summer’s trip to Lund, Sweden. For instance, walking tours no longer take 53 minutes between each stopping point, and have been significantly cut down to less than 20 minutes. Regardless, we have to keep in mind that most Google Labs applications are a work in progress. And even so, this is one feature we plan on using for all of our future traveling destinations.
See politics in motion
Audio IndexingUsing YouTube to search for that political speech you've been looking for is an extreme pain in the derriere--almost as annoying as rewinding and fast-forwarding a VHS on a VCR (remember those things?). Google’s Audio Indexing simplifies this grueling task by aggregating it all for you in an easy-to-use search engine.
Type in a popular word, like “clean technology” or “California," and Audio Indexing will fetch a comprehensive list of videos with any mention of your search term in the definition. You can also share videos on Facebook, Twitter, et al. or copy and paste the direct link provided for you. Unfortunately, there is no generated embed code available.
This service is great if you’re on the search for visual aids for a presentation in your Political Science class, or just looking to catch up on all those missed hours of C-SPAN.
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