Getting more out of Google

When you need to find something on the Internet, you probably refer to Google.com. Most people do and some even have Google as their browser's home page.

What you may not know is that Google offers ways to help you find whatever you may be seeking. The site has set up specific pages to help you find local listings, convert currencies, get stock quotes, check the weather and find the status of a flight or package.

Here's a specific page at Google that lists them all. Look at the list of different ways to use Google and you're bound to find one to save you time.

TO VISIT THIS helpful Google page, click this link: www.google.com/help/features.html.

Google the Movies

Did you know that you can use Google to find out when a movie is playing at your local theater?

Google lets you query for movie names, but now the search engine is intelligent enough to directly provide movie times, ratings, reviews, and more.

For example, query "superman returns" to get the following above the list of results (subject to change):

"Superman Returns
2hr 34min - Rated PG-13 - Action/Adventure/SciFi/Fantasy/Drama - 18 reviews:"

Click on the "18 reviews" to get a list of movie reviews around the web. You can then list just positive, neutral, or negative reviews if desired.

Add a space then a zip code to find where the movie is playing near you. For example, if you want to watch "Cars" and you happen to be hurling fish near Pike Place Market in Seattle, zip code of 98101, query for:

Cars 98101

You'll see a list of results that include the names of your local theaters, a map to find the theaters and a list of times the movie will be playing.

Google Tutor & Advisor

This blog includes news about new Google features and tips search features and strategies.

Click this link to visit the Google Tutor & Advisor: http://www.googletutor.com.

Simply Google

If you do have Google as your browser's home page, I have another page that may be even better. What could be better than Google? How about Simply Google.

Simply Google is a handy site that combines all of Google's services on a single page.

Click this link to visit Simply Google.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Services

Smallwire.net has compiled a list of all Google web application keyboard shortcuts. There are complete keyboard shortcuts for Google Mail, Google Calendar, Google Reader, Writely, Google Video, and Google Maps. Print or braille these out and keep them near your computer so that you never forget to use them.day a bit.

Click this link to learn all the Keyboard shortcuts for every Google Web Application.

Google for Your Website

How about adding some Google to your personal website? Here are some free tools that include the Babelfish translator, the Google conversion calculator, time and date, Google Maps, driving directions, Wikipedia search, and more.

Click this link to check out Google tools for your website.

Google Patent Search

If you've ever tried to search for a patent using the official U.S. government search site, you'll appreciate Google's Patent Search.

Google Patent Search covers the entire collection of patents made available by the USPTO-from patents issued in the 1790s through those issued in the middle of 2006. They don't currently include patent applications, international patents, or U.S. patents issued over the last few months, but they look forward to expanding our coverage in the future. To date, the USPTO has issued approximately 7 million patents.

Click this link to visit Google Patents at http://www.google.com/patents.

Google Maps for the Blind

Google Maps and its associated local search is a quick and easy means of locating businesses and obtaining directions. Sighted people who use it already seem to enjoy the graphical interface but when using spoken output, this visual richness can get in the way of quickly listening to the results of a maps query.

As an alternative, Google Maps provides a simple to use textual interface that serves up directions very efficiently when working with a screenreader or braille display.

Just type a start address and an end address and quickly get the information you're looking for. Though Google added this option to enhance the accessibility of Google Maps for blind and low-vision users, perhaps others will find this alternative view a useful addition to their maps arsenal.

Click this link to try the accessible Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/?output=html.

Google It: A Guide to the World's Most Popular Search Engine

Now you can harness the amazing power of Google's searches with a tutorial by Jonathan Mosen and Anna Dresner. The tutorial is designed to be screen-reader and access-technology independent. It will be useful to you regardless of how you access the Internet -- with a screen reader, a notetaker, or a stand-alone self-voicing program.

So grab your copy of this book, sit down in front of your computer, and get ready to Google!

Click this link to order Google It! A Guide to the World's Most Popular Search Engine from National Braille Press, or to order any book, send payment to:

NBP
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115-4302
Toll Free: 800-548-7323
Phone: 617-266-6160 ext. 20
Order entry page: http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html

Google Book Search Accessibility

George Kerscher has long been in the forefront of the work to make electronic books available to those of us who can't read print unaided. He has written an article concerning Google's efforts in this area: First Step in Adding Accessibility to Google Books - Was It Enough?.

Google Transit Trip Planner

Do you live in or near a city? Want to go someplace? Maybe the airport, to dinner, a movie, to work and don't know the most efficient way to get there? Google Transit Trip Planner enables you to enter the specifics of your trip, where you're starting, where you'd like to end up, what time of day you'd like to leave and/or arrive-then uses all available public transportation schedules and information to plot out the most efficient possible step-by-step itinerary.

The service is being offered in a number of areas. Click this link to check out the most up to date list of included regions.

Click this link to visit Google Transit at http://www.google.com/transit.
Click this link to view an HTML only version of Google Transit without: http://www.google.com/transit?output=html.

Google Alerts

Now that we've showed you some cool ways to use Google, here's a cool way to receive updates on the search results you want.

Google Alert is a free service that emails you new links that have been added to Google's search index on a regular basis. You get to pick and choose what you want to be emailed about as well. To begin using Google Alert, just follow these steps:

1. Click this link to visit the Google Alert Website at http://www.google.com/alerts.
   
2. On the right hand side of the page, you'll see the Alerts form. Fill in the following required fields:
   
   
   • Search Terms: This is simply what you usually search for.
     
   • Type: This is what type of search you'd like Google to perform. For example, Comprehensive, News, Blogs and Web.
     
   • How often: This is how often you would like to be emailed the results. You can choose either once a day, as it happens or once a week.
     
   • Email: This is the email address you'll be receiving the alerts on, so make sure you type it in correctly.
3. Press Create Alert. You will receive an email at the address you specified, asking you to confirm if you'd like to receive these updates. Of course, click the Accept link. A notification page will then appear. Click the link that says "Google Alerts Home page."
   
4. Click the link that says "Click here to manage your alerts."
   
5. If you've decided to add more than one alert, you can see all of them here. You can also edit them if you want to change them around a bit.

Audiopoint helps Access Google's Calendar

Audiopoint, the provider of Voice Terminal Services, introduced an upgrade to its services that is aimed at helping those with vision impairments have access to their calendars on Google Calendar.  A user accesses the service by calling from any landline or cellphone.  Using voice prompts, the user can hear their appointments and add events in quick or detailed mode.  In the future, Audiopoint hopes to add modifying and canceling functions for its Google Calendar service.

Voice Terminal Services is a text to voice service that can read voice-enabled web pages to its users.  It supports email, news, and online calendars, to name a few.  The user can use any phone to access the service. 

Users can subscribe on a monthly or annual basis. All visually impaired US veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are being offered the service for free.

Click this link to access your Google Calendar with http://www.audiopoint.net.