15 google search hacks you didn’t know

1. Tip calculator

You're eating out with friends and are unsure how to split the bill? Type "tip calculator" in the Google search box and it will tell you the total per person as well as the tip.

2. Set a timer/stopwatch

Google can also act as a timer! For example, type "set timer 60 minutes" and the timer begins. Type " stopwatch" and it will display a stopwatch.

3. Convert anything

Google Calculator handles conversions of all types, such as 3 ounces in tablespoons, 16 dollars in euros, or 19999GB to MB.

4. Find calories in anything

If you are confused about what to eat and what not to, start using Google as your health guide. It can give you complete details like amount of calories, and all other details like amount of total fat, cholesterol etc. For example, if you are confused among the calorie details of ice cream and a milk shake, just type "Ice cream Vs. milk shake".

5. Cheapest air prices

Google Flights, the search engine's built-in flight tracking application, gives the major travel websites like Expedia, Orbitz, and Kayak a run for their money. Simply type in "Flights from x to y", and you'll be on your way. Google Flights will show you the cheapest fares from all the major flight booking engines, browse current prices by months, and show you the cheapest times and places to fly based on your destination.

6. Specific file type

Look for specific file type by just typing "filetype: pdf" after the word or phrase you're searching for.

7. Search within a site

If you want to search something within a specific website, simply type "site: xyz.com" followed by the word you looking up for.

8. Head or tails?

Type in "flip a coin" and let Google handle all your bets from now.

9. Sunrise or sunset times

You're vacationing at Honolulu. Of course you want to see all the beautiful points including the spectacular sunrise on the beach. Just so that you don't oversleep and miss the beautiful sight, google "sunrise Honolulu" and it will tell you the exact time.

10. Google Goggles

Google Goggles is a smartphone app that lets you search the web using your phone's camera instead of words. Simply take a picture of the item you want to search for, and look at the results.

11. Google Trends

The Google Trends webpage lets you explore trending search topics on Google and see what other people are searching for.

12. Exclude a word

Add a dash before the word to exclude the search term. So if you want to look up everything about Inception except for the movie, type in "inception –movie."

13. Find sites with similar content to a URL you already know

Want more websites with local news? Type "related:thedailystar.net" into Google.

14. Location search

Want news from a particular area? Just insert "location:city/country" beside the search term.

15. When you don't remember a song lyric

Place an asterisk instead of a word in a phrase you don't know. It'll work as a wildcard and help you find the missing word in a phrase, e.g. "there is * that never goes *.

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