Google 101: Doing more with Google

by Sarah Granger

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Google's not just about searching for Web sites any more: In addition to searching documents, maps, and creating calendars, Google now has personalized search and news pages and search capabilities for images and blogs.  Google also offers news alerts and email group creation.  Most features require a Google or grail account to be created first, but then all of these capabilities are available any time you log into any Google sites. Having a high-speed Internet connection means you can search for someone or something very easily online.

iGoogle

Google's personalized home page capability can be configured easily by selecting 'iGoogle' from the upper right tab from www.google.com.  From there, configuration options include a variety of window widgets like up-to-minute news, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, people finders, stock charts, quotes of the day, and all sorts of interesting little programs, such as a moon phase tracker.  It's similar to creating a Yahoo home page.

More from 'search'

Whatever you're wondering about, you're not the first. Google the words you imagine in the solution to your problem, or just ask Google your question and hit return. Google also performs searches for images or blogs independent of Web searches.  So, for example, if you find a spider in your home and you're not sure if it's dangerous, you can search for images of a "black widow" or a "brown recluse" just to make sure you're safe. Of course, you can also have fun, searching for and viewing your favorite places, flowers, foods, celebrities, etc.  Anything that's been photographed and put on the Web is searchable.

Google has a blog search feature that is also available from the home page to search for specific types of blogs, search for information in blogs only (like if you want to see what the bloggers are saying about fashion or sports this week).  Bloggers who use Google's Blogger tool can insert a search feature on their individual blogs as well, so readers can find what they're looking for more easily when on the blog's site.  If you've always wanted to be a columnist, you should know about blog syndication, too.

Google Alerts

You can find out about a particular topic of interest whenever it’s written about anywhere online by subscribing to Google Alerts. Google runs auto-searches for you and e-mails you when alerts come up.  Google Alerts are commonly used for businesses, organizations, and family members. For example, if Joe's son, Jim, is on the high school swim team and he wants to hear about any newspapers that cover their swim meets, he can sign up for Google Alerts to email him any time Jim’s name comes up in a news article.

Google Groups

Like YahooGroups (formerly regroups), Google provides group e-mail list features and additional related email thread searching and online file sharing.  Groups can be public or private and generally require invitations to join.  Available in individual message or digest (multiple, group messages) formats, the e-mail groups can be used for organizing everything from neighborhood book clubs to corporate meetings.

To learn about all of the Google programs and features available that are Web-based or downloadable, go to http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/.