Google Applications Services & Products & How You Can Do So Much More Than Just Use The Search Engine Page

Grab a coffee or tea as there is a wealth of information on here, and you may not digest it all as you explore all that is Google from this Hub.

Everyone who uses the internet knows about www.google.com, this is usually the primary site used to start a search for information. But Google is much more than just the top dog when it comes to search engines and finding information using this site.

Over the last ten years Google has entered and provides services, applications, products and extensions of their technology for use by the general consumer, companies and enterprise markets. The markets they are actively involved in and those products and services they provide, if you do not know about them already, will most likely astound you. So lets explore a majority of those areas Google is in and you may find some other programs, tools and services available to you that they enhance your presence on the internet.

I will attempt to be thorough, yet still concise, so as to not overwhelm you at once with the amount of information provided below. Read all you can digest, come back and read some more.

Your Google search engine page, depending on the local version of the site you use, usually will show your local page for your particular country you reside in. www.google.com is the US based site, for example, even when I type in this address, as I reside in Australia, I am taken to the www.google.com.au the local Australian server.

You also have an option to just underneath the main search box on the right to select and head straight to the main US site if one wishes. Listed as Go to Google.com

You can also reselect the same word and be taken back to your initial country based server, as mine would read 'Goto Google Australia'

I will not suggest how to do a search here, there is more than enough ways to find out how to do that, yet in the following sections I shall highlight and detail the other sections of the main search engine page.

On the top right of the main search engine, you will notice the following word after web, which is 'Images'. Clicking on that word will present a search available for finding images in Google's database of images for search.

I have noticed a recent change last week. There is now listed in columns and rows display of images without any text information. These images will move to display and fit within the screen if you resize your browser. By hovering without clicking your mouse over an image, you will see additional information such as the name of the image file, a description, and a website address. You will also notice the image slightly increases in size.

On the left hand side, there are additional ways to define and narrow down a search.

You can;

• Select a size - any size,  large, medium, icon, select a preset size larger than or type in an exact pixels size.
• Select a specific type - face, photo, clip art or drawing
• Select a colour - full color, black and white, or a primary color (by selecting blue, will return a result of images with predominately blue color)
• Standard view or show sizes, which display the width and height pixels on each image
• Reset tools - return back to the preset view without any selected options
  

On the top right of the main search engine, you will notice the following word after web, which is 'Images' after this word is 'videos'. Clicking on that word will present a search available for finding videos in Google's database of videos for search.

I have noticed another recent change last week for this as well. On first selection for searching for videos, the default view until you search are three strips showing 'Discovery Channel', 'News' & 'Entertainment' showing four videos on each strip and a way to select more pages for each. Selected the arrow for the next page, changes videos on that strip only.

As this is a default view, you can still type in a search and be presented with the usual 1-10 results on a page as if for a text search.

On the left hand side, there are additional ways to define and narrow down a search.

You can;

• Select a duration in minutes
• Select a time period, for the past hour, past 24 hours, past week, past month & past year or view via a custom time period
• Sort by date
• Select high quality
• Select videos with closed captions
• Select from one of six other websites
  

On the top right of the main search engine, you will notice the following word after 'videos', which is 'maps'. Clicking on that word will present a search available for finding specific places on Google's database of maps for search.

The default, unless you have set it for a specific location is an aerial overhead view of North America.

In the search box, if you type in a location, such as 'Sydney, Australia', or 'Boston, MA, United States', you are taken to that location on the map. Note that depending on what city, state, territory and / or country you type will govern the map shown, For example, if I type in New South Wales, Australia, the map returns showing the entire state in Australia, If I type in 'Sydney, New South Wales, Australia' I am taken to a view of the center of the city and quite close in as a view.

The white buttons on the right hand side also show the following, especially after you have selected a location;

• Traffic - a live detail of traffic congestion, green for light travel up to red for heavy traffic, shown in top down 2D view
  
• Map - The usual view of a map topology, similar to how it is displayed in a street directory of map reference book, shown in top down 2D view
• Satellite - Topography of the terrain, as well as a map overlay for reference, shown in top down 2D view
• Earth - Topography of the terrain with city designation and major arterial's, state borders overlay shown in a pseudo 3D view, as if in a very high altitude view.

The 'More' button allows for further exploration of additional features of your view.

• Photos - Shows photos of landmarks and interesting buildings from around the world for that location. The closer your view, more photos become available. Also on the left the application 'Panaramio' becomes available for your to create an account and load your own photos (more on this later)
• Video's - Shows videos of landmarks, events, sports and other interesting captures from around the world for that location. The closer your view, more videos become available. Also on the left the application You Tube appears.
• Wikipedia - Shows a small W icon relating to a 'Wikipedia' entry for that location. The closer your view, more icons become available.
• Web cams - Shows static web cam images updated from every 15 up to 60 minutes depending on the location, by clicking on a web cam image. The closer your view, more cameras become available.
• Buzz - Twitter updates taken from users displaying their twitter messages & pictures and localizing those messages on Google Maps.
• Terrain - An 'atlas' top down view of the topography of locations around the world. When you zoom in far enough, you can see interstate highway numbers, town and city names, and height of terrain in feet or metres, depending on the country you are viewing.
• Real Estate - Selecting this option shows real estate available for sale using red icons highlighting locations of those properties. Clicking on a red icon brings up some small details, such as sales price, number of rooms, bathrooms and garages and possibly a small photo of the property. Also if the option shows, you can see the property using Google Maps 'Street View', with addtional options for checking nearby properties or directions on how to get there. On the left you have addtional feature options to explore with, Price, Listing Type, Bedrooms, Bathrooms and Area size.

Map Navigation on the left of the main map assists with further exploration of the region you are viewing.

• Within the white circle with four compass points arrows and the hand, the hand will return you to the main aerial view of the US continental view if you moved or zoomed the map (like an undo function). The arrows move you around the map in increments of approximately twice the position listed in the distance meter on the below right.
• The small circle below shows a pop up and allows you to pinpoint your very own location on Google Maps and share it with others (you can say not to share)
• The white bar with + and - buttons increments aerial distance in lots, so 1000 miles, 500 miles, 200 miles, 100 miles 50 miles, etc.
• The orange man on this white bar, is a useful distance measurement tool. When you click between two points, it will give you a measurement. If you then click the green play button, and click elsewhere, this gives you a new start place. If you click the red stop button and click on more than position, a new line is drawn extending the distance through the previous points to the final point of interest. (Useful for ad hoc distance to travel planning)
• The small hourglass last listed allow you to highlight a rectangular box to zoom into that high lighted area in more detail.

Finally as a featureas well, if you have a mouse with a wheel, this is a default for zooming into and out of a map area.

On the top right of the main search engine, you will notice the following word 'maps' after this word is 'news'. Clicking on that word will present a search available for finding news in Google's database of news for search.

On the left hand side a range of categories are listed covering top stories (the most recent or the most read) other news form around the world, local news, and six additional categories (entertainment, business, sports, etc.

In the middle pane and the large part of the display, starting from the top , you are presented with the top stories, after those you can adjust settings to more personalize your news returns.

On the right hand side more categories are viewable, from the top, Recent, Local, Spotlight, Google Fast Flip and Most Popular.

Of course, from the very top, one can enter keywords to find news and stories related to your search. When you search, again you are presented with additional options on the left to fine tune your search further.

You can;

• Select for news related images, or blogs
  
• Select a time period, for the past hour, past 24 hours, past week, past month & past year or view archives from before 2003.
  
• Sort by date

On the top right of the main search engine, you will notice the following word 'news' after this word is 'shopping'. Clicking on that word will present a search available for finding products that one can purchase in Google's database of products to buy for search.

Just below, before you enter a search term, a result of the last 25 most sought after items (the last highest priority searched items).

Once you enter a search term and hit 'search' (for example: car stereo) you are presented with more search options and more options to refine that search. On the left side show the following, especially after you have selected a keyword search;

• Show Only: Google Checkout
• Show Only: Free Shipping
  
• Show Only: New Items
• Any Category (will usually show additional related keyword or niche search terms, for example we selected to search for 'car stereo' so one of the key terms listed is 'car stereo speakers')
• Any price, selected range of prices, or an option to put in your own low price to high price search range.
• Any Brand - choose from one of the listed brands (for that product)
  
• Any Store - choose from one of the listed stores (for that product)

On the top right of the main search engine, you will notice the following word 'shopping' after this word is 'mail'. Clicking on that word will show a screen available for you to create a new GMAIL email account or login to your existing account.

With Gmail you receive the following advantages with this free internet based email service.

• Less spam
• Rapid search within your own emails
• Context sensitive grouping for email
• Built in chat facility
• Use on the go, access on virtually any mobile environment
• Call cell phones and landlines in the USA and Canada
• Priority inbox messages
• Secure https security
• Always free to use
  

So far, we have just explored the tip of the iceberg with the 'main' Google search page. Keep an eye by bookmarking or adding as a favourite page for this hub. Over time, There shall be so much more added about Google's other services and products such as scholarly pages, Google's blog, Google labs (software in beta), Google Docs, Google groups, Google translate that are available for the general public, companies and enterprises.

Watch This Space - More To Come