Google
http://www.google.com/
= must have

While many of you have long discovered the best search engine on the Internet at http://www.Google.com, only very few know of some very powerful features that Google provides for free to all of its users.

By digging and trying things out, and also by carefully reading the nice and informative pages that Google provides on its home page, I have found this list of unique features:

1) Google multilingual search interface

Google has a search interface that works across 64 languages (including Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Hindi, and Russian among others). If you speak any of those Google can help you search better by letting you set the Google homepage, messages, and buttons to display in your selected language via Google's
Preferences page at: http://www.google.com/preferences

If you do not see your language listed there you can volunteer to translate their search interface in your own language. Go to the following page for more info:
http://services.google.com/ tc/Welcome.html
The program is now in Beta (initial trial testing) period but you can sign up for it.

2) Automatic Translation (into English only)

Google can translate automatically the results of any web page you are interested in. It can do this in a great number of languages.

Google offers a free service that automatically translates pages published in languages other than English. The service is still in Beta mode, which means it is being tested and improved. Not all languages are translated and not all pages in those languages are translated completely. The translation software does not recognize text within images, so these remain untranslated.

When you click on the "translate this page" link, you will be taken to a version of the page that has been automatically translated into English. You can choose to view the original page instead by clicking on the "view original web page" link.

Currently, Google offers English translation from French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Unfortunately, today's most sophisticated software doesn't approach the fluency of a native speaker or possess the skill of a professional translator.

3) Search across web content in the language you specify

Google can also search in a great number of different languages.
You can specifically ask Google to search content on the Internet, ONLY IF it is written in a certain language. Quite powerful. Set it here:
http://www.google.com/preferences

4) Google SafeSearch

If you are like me and have to frequently run presentations or training sessions in which you will run live web searches on the Internet, Google can be set NOT to report among its results list, pages that contain explicit use of sexual materials. An automatic filter for all of your pedagogic, academic or family-oriented searches.

5) Google Search Preferences

If you like your result pages links to open in separate browser windows or would like to change the number of results displayed per page, there is a specific Google Preferences page in which you can customize your own use of this great search engine.
Easy does it: http://www.google.com/preferences

6) Google web directory

The Google directory integrates Google's search engine with Open Directory (http://www.dmoz.org) pages to create a more comprehensive tool for finding information on the web. Key features include:

*Importance ranking. The Google directory starts with a collection of web sites selected by Open Directory volunteer editors. Google then applies its patent-pending PageRank technology to rank the sites based on their importance.

*Quality indicator bars. These are displayed next to each web page, indicating its importance as determined by Google's own PageRank technology. This distinctive approach to ranking web sites enables the highest quality pages to appear first as top results for any Google directory category.

*Web search integration. Google's directory is well integrated into Google main search engine offering immediately the relevant directory category and link for nay result web site present on the ODP database.

*Clean, uncluttered user interface. Google keeps its simple and fast-loading interface also in the provision of this useful service.

7) Google Toolbar

The new Google Toolbar(TM) is a nice addition to your browser tool which allows you to access Google's search technology from any web page. The Google toolbar increases your ability to find information from anywhere on the web and takes only seconds to install. The Google Toolbar is available free of charge and includes these great features:

a) Site Search: Search only the pages of the site you're visiting.

b) Word Find: Find your search terms wherever they appear on the page.

c) Highlight: Highlight your search terms as they appear on the page, each word in its own color.

d) PageRank: See Google's ranking of the current page.

e) Page Info: Access more information about a page including similar pages, pages that link back to that page, as well as a cached snapshot.

f) You can customize the layout of your toolbar to include features such as "I'm Feeling Lucky", Google Web Directory, and a button that takes you directly to the Google website.

If you are still not convinced, take a look at the help page for a complete rundown of what the Google Toolbar can do for you at:
http://toolbar.google.com/help.html

System Requirements
At this time, the Google Toolbar is only available for Internet Explorer. Windows OS Internet Explorer 5.0+

Download the Google Toolbar at:
http://toolbar.google.com/install.php3

8) Add Google to your site

Google offers a number of different options for web sites that want to incorporate and integrate Google technology for thier visitors. Among the alternatives offered you can find:

a) Google's WebSearch enables you to provide a Google- based search engine facility on your own web site. With it your site visitors can search the Internet as if they were on Google.

b) Google's SiteSearch enables your site visitors to search just your site, making it easier for customers and partners to find what they are looking for on your website.

c) Custom WebSearch: A fully customizable way for you to offer Internet search on your portal or destination site. Custom language, country, and specialty searches available.

d) Custom SiteSearch: A fully customized way for users to search just your own site. Our custom site search is guaranteed to cover all your site content with daily, weekly, or monthly refreshing options.

Pricing for the above services have to be estimated according to the size, design and traffic size of your web site.

Silver/Gold Search: WebSearch and optional SiteSearch targeted at small to medium size sites. Customize many elements of your results pages and sell ads if you like.
Starts at USD $ 599/month.

9) Free Google Search on your web site

A no-cost way to add WebSearch and optional SiteSearch to your site, complete with your logo and customizations on the results pages. This service can be up and running in five minutes.
(Google reserves the right to sell ads on the results pages.)

Google's WebSearch enables your site visitors to search the Internet. With Google's Free WebSearch, you can co-brand search results with your color scheme and logo.

The optional Free SiteSearch enables you to restrict searches to the domain(s) you specify.

Note: The free SiteSearch option is a sub-index of Google's main index. Updates are determined by Google and there is no guarantee of pages crawled.

To add Google's SiteSearch, log into your Free WebSearch account at http://services.google.com/ cobrand/free_trial. You will be given the option of changing any of your customizations and choosing if you would like the option of Free SiteSearch in addition to Free WebSearch.

You can give your users the option of searching over many different domains. Each of these options will appear below the search box after the option to search the Internet. In order to list all of these domains, you need to separate domains with a semi-colon.

10) University Search

SiteSearch with optional WebSearch free for universities and educational institutions.

The program is offered for free to any accredited university or educational institution, or any organization at an accredited educational institution worldwide. Multiple departments and organizations within the same university can sign up for Google's University Program.

Full customizations available with no ads served. The features of the service are: Unlimited queries Deep crawls SiteSearch with optional WebSearch No advertising Traffic reports High level of customization Free!

The service can be fully setup as to search only the domain of your university, and not the entire university if you wish so. This type of custom search is limited to one domain only.

Sign up at:
http://services.google.com/ googleuniv/login

Read the very comprehensive FAQ relating to this program before you sign up to it at:
http://services.google.com/univ_faq.html

11) Image Search (BETA)

Google's Image Search is one of the newest and least now features available to Google users. Google Image Search is the most comprehensive on the Web, with more than 250 million images indexed and available for viewing.

To use image search, go to the advanced search page or http://images.google.com and enter a query in the image search box, then click on the "Search" button.

On the results page, just click the thumbnail to see a larger version of the image, as well as the web page on which the image is located. (Note: to access, your interface language must be set to English on the preferences page.)

N.B.: The images identified by the Google Image Search service may be protected by copyrights. If you would like to use any images you have found through any search engine, it is highly advisable that you to contact the site owner to obtain the requisite permissions.

12) Google Browser Buttons

Adding Google Browser Buttons to your personal toolbar gives you access to Google's search technology, without taking up extra screen space.

Browser buttons let you search the Internet simply by highlighting a word (or phrase) on any web page and clicking the Google Search button.

The GoogleScout button finds web pages that are similar to the page you're on. For example, clicking the GoogleScout button while on a company's homepage will often show that company's competitors.

The Google.com button instantly takes you to Google's homepage.
Get your Google buttons at:
http://www.google.com/ options/winexplorer.html

13) Submit your site to Google

Finally, you may want to make sure that also your web site is indexed and present in Google's own database. To do this simply go to:
http://www.google.com/addurl.html
and submit there your web site URL. While Google does not promise or guarantee indexing of your web site, there are certainly higher chances that it will if you submit your URL here.

Finally I have two advanced power tips on using Google and searching faster:

1) For the speediest and simplest Google interface go to:
http://www.google.com/ie

2) To search on Google without going to it, in your Internet Explorer address bar type: "google + whatever you are searching for". For example: "google log analysis tools".

Enjoy!