Top 8 Google Search Tricks to Impress Your Friends

1. Get Movie Show Times

I love this trick. I can find movie show times, trailers, reviews, and driving directions for all the theaters near me, all from Google.

2. Use Google as a Dictionary

I used to go to a dictionary Web site to look up terms. Now I just use Google's define: syntax to find definitions from several dictionaries all at once.

3. Use Google as a Phonebook

Personally, I don't think Google's phonebook is nearly as efficient as some other phonebook Web sites out there, but it is easier to remember where to find it.

4. Get Quick Weather Forecasts

This is a quick way to check the forecast in the morning, before you drive to work. There's nothing worse than forgetting an umbrella or being stuck in a blizzard without a heavy coat.

5. Get Quick Stock Quotes From Google

Here's an easy trick to get a quick stock quote from Google. You do have to know the exact stock exchange symbol for the stock you'd like quoted.

6. Use Google as a Calculator

Google's calculator will calculate all sorts of things that an ordinary calculator just won't do. It's my favorite calculator to tell me how many kilometers are in a mile or how much two pints plus an ounce make.

7. Restrict Your Search to Specific Domains or Specific Countries

This is a bit esoteric, but if you work in an education institution, it's very useful to restrict your searches to just .edu sites. It's also nice to restrict your searches to only Web sites based out of certain countries.

8. Restrict Your Search to Specific File Types

Want to find .mp3 files? How about that PowerPoint presentation someone posted last month? Restrict your searches by file type and wow everyone with how quickly you can find things.