By Dr. Joseph Mercola
This is a health newsletter, isn't it? Why would I put an article on Google as lead article? Well, the key to improving your health is to be able to use the Internet wisely. I do my best to provide you with the best content I can, but there are clearly many other great resources out there to use -- and Google is one of the best tools out there to help you find them.
Google is an amazing company and seems to be the "darling" of the Internet. I have been using and promoting Google since shortly after they came out of beta at Stanford. It was very obvious early on that their Spartan search interface provided an enormous improvement over the other search engines. It is no surprise that they have grown into a multibillion-dollar corporation, as they provide enormous value and truly serve the public need.
Because Google is so useful, I suspect many of your friends and family would also enjoy the tips in this article, so this page might be a good one to forward to them. You can easily do this by using the "E-mail to a friend" button in the upper right-hand section of this page, just under the search box. You can make a larger impact on their health if you write them a personal message in the e-mail as to why they should seriously consider subscribing to the newsletter.
Multiply Your Search Results
Google was one of the only search engines that allowed you to "customize" your results and get 100 results instead of the default 10 that nearly every other search engine used. My guess is that many of you do not know that this is possible.
If you are tired of clicking at the bottom of the page for "more results," then just go to the Google homepage and click the hyperlink "Preferences" to the right of the search engine box. You will find a screen that allows you to increase your search results to 100 per page. It is the fourth box down; BUT be sure to click the "Save Preferences" tab at the top, otherwise the changes won't persist to future sessions.
You can also change the interface or search language on this page and initiate a Safe Search mode that filters out adult content for your kids.
More Great Google Features
While I am reviewing features very few Google users know, you can use Google to search any of your favorite Web sites. I frequently do this on many sites that do not have a search engine or have a terrible one. All you need to do is go to the "Advanced Search" link on Google's homepage to the right of the text entry box. Once on that page, go to the "Domain" line and insert the URL of the site you want to search (like www.mercola.com) and enter the words you want to search for in the top box. Then click on Google search; you have just created your own customized search engine for your favorite site.
Another great feature is the Google Help Center, which is loaded with Frequently Asked Questions about over two dozen of their features.
I will bet dimes to dollars most of you did not know you can put a UPS or Fed Ex tracking number into Google and come up with the details of your delivery. And, I have thrown away ALL my local phone books, as they just aren't necessary with Google Local. It's far better than your local phone directory, as it tells you how far the stores are from your location.
You can also use Google for:
You can also look at the article I wrote last year for more Google features.
Since nearly everyone who reads this newsletter uses Google, I thought you would enjoy seeing what your name looks like in the Google logo. So click the link below and have some fun ...
Logogle.com
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