12 handy tools on the Google search engine

I usually do web searches with DuckDuckGo or Ecosia, but there are a few use cases that bring me back to the old data octopus, Google. In these cases, I just want the convenience of some handy Google tools that get things done quickly and easily. From calculating a mathematical equation to throwing virtual dice, there is now a lot to do with it. In the following I have listed 12 practical tools of the Google search engine and provided them with some useful information. Have fun trying :)

Display the weather for any location

Sure, almost every device now has a weather app as a factory installation. But if you are in the web browser anyway and want to check the weather away from your own location, then Google is a quick alternative. Simply enter "Weather" and the place name, activate the search and the current weather including temperatures and a preview will be displayed. Precipitation and wind can also be displayed. The data from Weather.com is used for this.

Times of sunrise and sunset

Querying the times of sunrise and sunset is very similar to calling up the weather and weather forecast for a specific location. All you have to do is search for “sunrise” or “sunset” and the name of the place. A corresponding info box will then be displayed for the current day. 

Google calculator in the web browser

The calculator is similar to the weather: pretty much every device has its own preinstalled app for this. The good thing about the Google calculator in the web browser is that you can enter entire formulas and correct them afterwards. In the calculator app under macOS, this is done, for example. B. not so easy, and Windows or mobile systems such as iOS and Android are not so easy to fill and correct. By the way, you can activate the Google calculator simply by entering an equation in the search bar and performing the search.

Visualize formulas / equations

What does y = x ^ 4 actually look like? Enter these or other equations in the Google search field, do the web search and you will not only be shown websites on the topic, but also a coordinate system with the corresponding graph. I think that this can especially help students with their homework. But there are certainly also a few possible uses in studies, at work and in everyday life. The display of the coordinate system can be adapted for an individual representation.

Convert units with Google search

Granted, on the Apple Mac you can also use the Use Spotlight Search to do maths or convert units (Key combination: cmd + space bar). For example, if you enter a temperature in ° C, it will be converted into ° F. A euro amount is immediately displayed in pounds, dollars, francs, yen and co. However, if you want the data to be active longer than the next app window is used, then it is worth using the Google search bar in the web browser. Give z. B. Enter “100 euros to dollars”, “30 feet to meters” or “20 ° C to Fahrenheit” and you get a converter. You can then convert further values ​​in it.

Color picker for selecting and determining colors

If you search for “Color Picker” in Google, you will be offered an extensive range of colors. You can individually determine hue, saturation and brightness using a slider and a search field. Various pieces of information can be found for using the color in a design or image processing program: HEX code, RGB values, and CMYK, HSV and HSL values. Whether digital painting, designing a print medium or choosing the color palette for the website - you can get inspiration and codes here.

Wheel of fortune and fidget spinner

If a decision has to be made, you can also spin a wheel on the Google website. This can be called up using the search term “turntable” and equipped with 2 to 20 numbers. Unfortunately, you cannot enter your own content, so you have to memorize or write down the options from 1 to 20 yourself. The wheel of fortune can be turned either via the "Spin" button below the display or with the mouse. The turning force and thus the speed of the wheel can also be adjusted with the mouse cursor. The same goes for the gimmick that is also hidden in this tool: a fidget spinner. It's fun to look at, but certainly no substitute for a real fidget spinner that keeps your hands busy.

Flip a coin with Google in your web browser

If you don't need up to 20 options on a wheel of fortune, but only "heads or tails", then a coin is the right aid for decision-making. Search for "flip a coin" in the Google web search and a virtual coin will be flipped. You can then have them thrown again and again indefinitely. It's probably only faster if you use a voice assistant, for example with "Hey Siri, flip a coin";)

Metronome as an online service in the browser

For musicians who do not have a suitable app or a special device with them, Google now offers several tools. Next to the Google Tuner as a tuner in the web browser there is also a metronome. Just search for “metronome” and you will be given the option to use one with 40 bpm to 218 bpm. You can use the slider or + and - to set the Google metronome precisely to the beat.

Meditate / breathing exercises in Google web search

If you want to learn to meditate, there are numerous ways to do it - software, hardware and even Netflix series. There is Meditation apps for the iPhone that Muse headband as an aid and the Headspace content for streaming. But if you are just looking for a small, one-minute exercise for slow inhalation and exhalation, then the Google search can also help you. Admittedly, this is not a meditation, but the breathing exercise is hidden behind the search term “meditate”. 

Throw the dice in the browser thanks to Google

Whether Monopoly or "Pen and Paper" role play, in many games, throwing the dice decides a move or the outcome of an action. There is not only the six-sided dice, which most of you know as the “standard dice”, but also four-sided, eight-sided, ten-sided, twelve-sided and twenty-sided dice. There are various websites and apps for throwing digital dice, but it can also be easily done via Google. There you can throw several dice of different sizes and even automatically add a value to the number of pips. The search command is "throw dice".

Games and toys on the google page

Not only in the doodles, which sometimes replace the Google lettering on the website of the search engine, you will find games or experimental web applications every now and then. Did you notice the little arrow on the previous screenshots that suggests that you can expand even more under the current application? If you click or tap on it, you will not only find some of the tools already mentioned, but also the following entertaining applications in the "Games & Toys" tab:

  • Rotate the top
  • Minesweeper
  • Animal sounds
  • Pac-Man
  • Snake
  • Earth Day Quiz
  • Solitaire
  • Three wins
  • Funny facts

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