Google Hacking Your Next Trip
Before your next trip a few clever Google tricks can provide valuable information and make things easier for you in that Internet cafe in the middle of Paris or Seattle.
- Currency Conversion
- Google provides a nifty little conversion tool that you can use to find out how much your Euros are worth. From the Google.com use this format: 3.5 USD in GDP and voila! You can find out more details by reading this.
- Image Search
- A very simple image search can tell you a lot about the place you are going. Click here and then type the name of the place you are going and notice what people are wearing. This is especially useful for international or adventure travel. If you don’t see anyone wearing jeans, you shouldn’t either.
- Calculator
- The Google search box can be used as a calculator. Some examples are:
- 2+3
- (5/3)*2
- You get the gist…
- Web Page Translation
- There are several detailed travel blogs written by people providing information about the place that you want to go to. Unfortunately some of them may be in a language that you don’t know. You’ll see a link that reads Translate This Page next to your search result.
- Currently Google supports the following languages:
- English to and from Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese; and German to and from French.
- Airport Conditions
- You can learn of airport conditions by typing in the airport code followed by the word “airport“.
- Flight Status (US Only)
- Just type the airline and flight number in the good ol’ Google search box.
- For example, “united 129”.
- Weather Conditions
- Type the word “weather” before the city name to get your forecast.
- Example (weather san fransisco, CA).
- Street Maps (US Only)
- Enter the address and get a map search result. Google recognizes addresses entered in the search box as map requests.
- Phone Book (US Only)
- In case you forget your buddies phone or address information.
- first name (or first initial), last name, city (state is optional)
- first name (or first initial), last name, state
- first name (or first initial), last name, area code
- first name (or first initial), last name, zip code
- phone number, including area code
- last name, city, state
- last name, zip code
Also we’ve posted these tips for a long trip and these, getting organized before a few weeks away, and some travel items to carry for you students (of all ages) out there.