Google Tips: Improving Your Search Skills

By: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar

All of us are accustomed to using Google on daily basis, either directly or indirectly.

If I ask you what's the number of cancer patients in Pakistan? Almost all of you readers will jump onto Google or any search engine and query for the answer. Google is good at understanding natural questions like what is this, what is that but Google is also able to understand certain other statements which can help you make your search less time consuming & relevant, here are a few.


Get the World Time:

You want to call someone who lives in let's say Canada but you don't know the time there. Here's the simplest solution, just Google time Canada. A screen shot of the result:

Currency Converter :

Want the currency exchange rates or the exchange value? Just Google Currency A in Currency B.

Local weather?

No problem.

If your city result doesn't come up directly, use this term weather channel 'City Name' and open the first link of weather.com their reports are quite elaborate and neat.

Get Definitions

Want the definition of potpourri but don't want to read the Wikipedia article or lengthy explanations? Use this keyword, 'define: Desired Word'

A little calculation?

Search From a Particular Website:So you want to search for MMS Rates on Warid’s website but the search at Waridtel.com didn't get you your desired results or you are on a website that has no search facility. Here's how Google can help, write your search term than the keyword site: followed by desired website.

• More search features are here on Google’s website: http://www.google.com.pk/intl/en/help/features.html

• And yes you can always check Google Labs for any other of their upcoming projects and to-be-added new features, link: http://www.googlelabs.com/

• Check this Google Labs India project that helps you in finding Hindi Music: http://www.google.co.in/music

By: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar

Google Plus: Basic Tips for Beginners

Google+ is on its way to charm people and many of the Facebook users are already making their minds to take a shift, so it is just matter of time, but again these are somehow pre-mature thoughts, so we will have to wait and see the impact.

Frankly speaking, we had to spend sizable amount of time to get familiar with Google+, we thought of saving you from the effort. So let’s start with Google+ and here you will get some basic useful tips if you are just joining Google+ or are still wondering what to do here?

Getting Started

There has been much hype about how and from where to get Google+ invitations. People started writing tutorials on how to invite someone on Google+, but Google has resolved the issue now and you do not need to end up pasting your email address here and there to ask for an invite.

Registrations on Google+ are now open and you can sign up without any invite. Simply visithttp://google.com/+/ and register yourself.

Welcome to Google+

If you have ever used any of Google’s services (Gmail, Google Profile, Blogger, etc.), then there are chances that Google+will detect more than 50 percent of your bio – to fill your profile. Don’t worry, your privacy settings will not be disturbed. For instance, you can link your Picasa account with Google+ while maintaining the same privacy settings as they were with your Picasa account.

So it’s time now to upload your profile picture and write something about you.

Build Your Circles

Next thing that you should do is, build up your circles and invite others. But to know what really circles are, read below:

• Circles are different set of groups, or lists with different permissions. You can add your contacts in these circles to make sure that you don’t share your information with those who shouldn’t see them.
• You will get updates from contacts that you have added in your circle. Just like twitter, you start getting updates from those whom you follow
• Contacts in your circle will not get your updates, though they will be invited – but they can deny any incoming requests.

By default Google offers following circles to you, of course you can create more with ease

• Friends
• Family
• Acquaintances
• Following

You can simply mouse over them to read what kind of circle it is and sharing settings.

Adding Contacts to Circles:

• Click circle button (right on top middle – or where the red arrow is in above image)
• Go to "Find and Invite" tab
• Here you will be suggested with contacts that you may want to add in your circles, drag and drop them in below circles… simple as that
• Note: Suggestions will be those contacts that you recently interacted with on Gmail
• Want to add someone who is not in suggestions: There’s a button “Add a new Person”, click on it – type email address and you are done.

So you are almost done with basic settings and this is the time to go out and say Here I am!

Posts and Stream

You must be familiar with wall posts on Facebook, here Google calls it stream. And for me, the most loveable feature of Google+ is to get stream from specific circle.

• Select stream from any of your circle and updates from only those will be shown from the circle
• You can Share a post from your stream, comment on it +1 it (kind of liking a post)

You can post an update, using the box given on top of stream – exactly like facebook has;

• Post any thing you feel like, you can add videos, pictures, links and so on
• You can edit posts later on, delete them, mute them and so on
• You can select circles or contacts that you want your post to be shared with.
• You can disable resharing and/or commenting.

Hangouts

Hangouts is the coolest feature of Google Plus, it will let you start a video conversation with as many friends of yours as you like.

Simply click the “Hangout” button available on right sidebar or visit this link:plus.google.com/hangouts

You’ll be taken to a "green room" where you can select circles or individuals to add in your room (video chat).

Sparks = Interests and Likes

Visit the Sparks menu from left sidebar and you will find featured interests. Don’t worry, you are not bound to like them. Search your interests and while adding them, Google+ will give you content suggestions that you can share on your wall, stream in fact.

Once again Google+ allows you here to set which circles you want to share with and it works the same way as described for the post.

Turning Off Email Alerts

By default, Google+ will email you for every post, comment, +1 or anything that happens and is related to you.

This may irritate you – so simply visit Google+ settings from the Options menu which you can find at the extreme right of black bar – codenamed the “Sandbar”, you must have noticed it appearing from few days.

So just un-check the relevant boxes and you are done.

Missing Facebook?

If you are missing Facebook here on Google+ and all that blue interface still mesmerizes you, make your Google+ look like Facebook.

It is simple and easy. Visit http://userstyles.org/styles/50051/google-facebook and follow the two step tutorial.

First install Stylish extension by selecting your browser from the list and then install the script. Here you are with your Google+ converted into Facebook!

This was just a sneak peak of Google+ for beginners.

Google has planned to add more features like Games, Events etc. As project is considered to be one of the prime goals of Google to compete it’s rival Facebook so we can expect a lot from Google here.

Source: 

http://propakistani.pk/2011/07/01/google-plus-basic-tips-for-beginners/

Google Released Google Docs Application for Android Devices

Google has announced the launch of its new applicationGoogle Docs for Andoiddevices. This application is a kind of shell over the service, such as the one which can be seen in the appendix“Translator” and the bulk of the work to create, edit and view documents executed in the embedded browser.

This application allows you to download content from your phone and open it directly from the Google’s email client i.e. Gmail. In addition, the user can use a widget that lets you get quick access to three major challenges:

1. Transition to favorite documents,
2. The creation of pictures using the camera for later uploading them to Google Docs,
3. As well as creating a new document with one click.
4. Designed for Android to save you time finding your docs 
5. Edits to your documents appear to collaborators in seconds 
6. Make quick changes to spreadsheets
7. View your documents, PDFs, images and more.
8. Upload and convert files to the Google Docs format
9. Take a photo of printed text and convert it to a Google document
10. Share docs with your phone’s contacts

Further more Google Docs app for Android can be used as a means of recognition (OCR systems) for the English texts of documents after uploading your photos (do not forget to pre-configured service set the proper setting).

Currently, Google Docs for Android available in English and works on devices running operating systems from Android version 2.1 and above.

Download Google Docs for Android

By: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar