Whether you need a vacation or just a brain break, these shortcuts get the job done.īlast from the past: Type in “Google snake” to play the old-school phone game on your computer. Punch in “metronome” and Google provides an adjustable, visual beat-keeper. Move to the beat: This one’s great for musicians, dancers and even fitness buffs. Movie times and locations: Want to catch the latest blockbuster? Search “movies near me” for theaters, showtimes and reviews. OK, it’s not making you more productive, but it’s sure a fun prank to pull on someone.Įxplore the universe: Simply type in a planet’s name followed by “Google Sky.” For example, “Mars Google Sky” lets you explore the Martian surface. Tilt your world: Type in “askew” and watch your search results take a quirky tilt a la pinball. I bet you’ll make a friend’s day passing along one of these.

Type “953,116,070=english” and Google instantly tells you it’s “nine hundred fifty-three million one hundred sixteen thousand and seventy.” Just for fun See numbers written as words: Uncertain about big numbers? Happens to the best of us. Translate text: Stumble upon a tasty-looking French recipe? Type or paste the text into Google Translate. Set a timer or alarm: Commands like “set timer for 20 minutes” or “set an alarm for 9 a.m.” give you an instant kitchen timer or alarm reminder to, say, give your cat its medicine. Hit the mic icon that says Practice to see if you’re on the right track. How do you say … ? Put in a word + “pronunciation.” Click the speaker icon to hear it (there’s a slow toggle if you need it). Quick definitions: Type “define ” to get its meaning. Simple ways to get things done without downloading an extra app or finding the right website.Ĭurrency conversions: Next time you’re eyeing a European something-or-other online, type “ euros to dollars” to get a quick conversion, like “55 euros to dollars.” The exchange rate updates in real-time. It’s easy to subscribe and easy to cancel! Useful utilities Check out these not-so-conventional ways to use Google beyond regular searches.Ĭheck out Tech News and Hacks, the free newsletters read by 509,641 people who want helpful tech advice and are tired of tech news and tips meant for experts and coders. When it comes to Google Search, you can get almost anything done if you know how to use the hidden tools.

Try these dictation tricks in Microsoft Word or Google Docs that make it much better. Using your voice can make an annoying task like writing up a letter or outline a lot easier. Remember when talking to yourself would bring weird looks? In the era of earbuds, it’s totally normal.

Google timer twenty minutes