Monday, December 26, 2016

17 incredibly useful Google products and services you didn’t know existed

Ref: http://www.businessinsider.sg/google-products-youve-never-heard-of/?r=US&IR=T#Vo9Jg2wEddGDouSc.97

17 incredibly useful Google products and services you didn’t know existed

Most of us have heard of Google’s well-publicized moonshots: Self-driving carssmart contact lensesinternet-beaming balloons, and more.

While those products and services sound amazing, most of us can’t use them just yet. But the company actually has a bunch of other ones that are incredibly useful that you might not even know existed. 

For example, did you know Google has a massive free font library?

Here are some of the under-the-radar services Google offers.

Jillian D’Onfro contributed to an earlier version of this story.

Google Keep is a killer notes and reminder app that works across both desktops and smartphones.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54579d5eecad049b0ac30347-960-720/google-keep-is-a-killer-notes-and-reminder-app-that-works-across-both-desktops-and-smartphones.jpg

Watch the YouTube video here

You can set a timer on Google (and get an alarm to sound when time is up) by Googling any amount of time followed by “timer.”

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/585862b7ca7f0c1b008b6b5d-960-720/you-can-set-a-timer-on-google-and-get-an-alarm-to-sound-when-time-is-up-by-googling-any-amount-of-time-followed-by-timer.jpg

Source

Google.com/sky lets you explore the far reaches of the universe using images from NASA satellite, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and the Hubble Telescope.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/585862e2ca7f0ccb018b6a7c-960-720/googlecomsky-lets-you-explore-the-far-reaches-of-the-universe-using-images-from-nasa-satellite-the-sloan-digital-sky-survey-and-the-hubble-telescope.jpg

Google Books nGram Viewer is a fun tool that lets you search for words in 5.2 million books published between 1500 and 2008 so you can see how they’ve been used and changed over time.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58586305ca7f0c1e058b6994-960-720/google-books-ngram-viewer-is-a-fun-tool-that-lets-you-search-for-words-in-52-million-books-published-between-1500-and-2008-so-you-can-see-how-theyve-been-used-and-changed-over-time.jpg

Source

Intimidated by huge numbers? Google will help you figure out how to pronounce that 12-string behemoth if you type “=english” after it.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58586328ca7f0c24018b6a33-960-720/intimidated-by-huge-numbers-google-will-help-you-figure-out-how-to-pronounce-that-12-string-behemoth-if-you-type-english-after-it.jpg

Source. 

There’s a “Manual” feature in Google Translate that lets you draw characters or symbols.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53c6c5306bb3f73a5ac1a1b4-960-720/theres-a-manual-feature-in-google-translate-that-lets-you-draw-characters-or-symbols.jpg

Source

Similarly, Google Input Tools lets you type in over 80 different languages without having to download a special keyboard.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545799866bb3f76802a1a6c6-960-720/similarly-google-input-tools-lets-you-type-in-over-80-different-languages-without-having-to-download-a-special-keyboard.jpg

Try it here

Find a gorgeous font that you can use for free (Google.com/fonts).

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5858622fca7f0cc2178b6032-960-720/find-a-gorgeous-font-that-you-can-use-for-free-googlecomfonts.jpg

Google Scholar makes it incredibly easy to search for information in professional journals and papers.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54490b5869bedd441c5ad038-960-720/google-scholar-makes-it-incredibly-easy-to-search-for-information-in-professional-journals-and-papers.jpg

Use it here

Get your culture on by using Google Art Project to check out super high-res photos of artwork from the world’s greatest museums.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58586386ca7f0c1e058b6996-960-720/get-your-culture-on-by-using-google-art-project-to-check-out-super-high-res-photos-of-artwork-from-the-worlds-greatest-museums.jpg

Source

Think with Google is a “digital cheat sheet” for marketers where it uses its data to glean what’s on deck for the industry.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5858648fa1a45ef4008b6fb8-960-720/think-with-google-is-a-digital-cheat-sheet-for-marketers-where-it-uses-its-data-to-glean-whats-on-deck-for-the-industry.jpg

Check it out here

Want to get a pulse on what people care about at any given moment? Google Trends shows the most searched terms every day.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/585864cca1a45e1b008b6f85-960-720/want-to-get-a-pulse-on-what-people-care-about-at-any-given-moment-google-trends-shows-the-most-searched-terms-every-day.jpg

Check it out here

You can even plot how different search terms have waxed or waned over time.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5858654eca7f0cfd788b4c79-960-720/you-can-even-plot-how-different-search-terms-have-waxed-or-waned-over-time.jpg

Google Express lets you get same-day delivery for food, electronics, books, and more. The service now covers about 90% of the United States.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5457a97d6bb3f7be42a1a6c3-960-720/google-express-lets-you-get-same-day-delivery-for-food-electronics-books-and-more-the-service-now-covers-about-90-of-the-united-states.jpg

The Google Sound Search widget works like Shazam to help you identify songs you hear. It will also link you to buy each track in the Google Play Store.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5457ad23ecad04bb46c3034e-960-720/the-google-sound-search-widget-works-like-shazam-to-help-you-identify-songs-you-hear-it-will-also-link-you-to-buy-each-track-in-the-google-play-store.jpg

Google has a catalog of animal noises that you can easily find by typing in “animal sounds” or by typing in the name of a specific animal. Hot tip: Whip this one out while babysitting and it’ll keep kids entertained for a long time.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58594ed5a1a45e1b008b70a4-960-720/google-has-a-catalog-of-animal-noises-that-you-can-easily-find-by-typing-in-animal-sounds-or-by-typing-in-the-name-of-a-specific-animal-hot-tip-whip-this-one-out-while-babysitting-and-itll-keep-kids-entertained-for-a-long-time.jpg

Gboard is an app for iPhone that enables Google search right in your keyboard, eliminating the need to hop back and forth between apps.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58595169a1a45e61008b70a1-960-720/gboard-is-an-app-for-iphone-that-enables-google-search-right-in-your-keyboard-eliminating-the-need-to-hop-back-and-forth-between-apps.jpg

If you can’t decide between causes to donate to, or have trouble finding a reputable charity, Google’s One Today app makes it easy. The app shows different charities, gives a short description, and lets you know how you can help.

image: https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58595325a1a45e61008b70b5-960-720/if-you-cant-decide-between-causes-to-donate-to-or-have-trouble-finding-a-reputable-charity-googles-one-today-app-makes-it-easy-the-app-shows-different-charities-gives-a-short-description-and-lets-you-know-how-you-can-help.jpg