9 Great Google Lab Applications You May Have Missed Out

Google, in its venture to expand its empire beyond search has a project that allows users to try experimental applications known as Google Labs. This revolutionary, hi-tech virtual playground for exploratory users feature some of the most creative and useful applications around. Here are some of my personal Google Lab favorites.

1. How to find out what people are searching for

The Google Trends tool, with its recent enhancements has been developed to provide an insight into extensive search patterns of what people are presently searching for, such as what they’ve searched for in the past. The interface of this tool is exceptionally simple, and enables you to compare up to five multiple search terms.

In today’s fast paced and changing world this tool may be valuable for advertisers and search engine optimizers looking for ways to judge how best to position their ads and websites, and to track buzz in general.

2. How to find similar images

Google Similar Images is an experimental service consists of the ability to upload an image and then search for similarities. Now this is truly something that can appeal to users who may not quite fancy searching up for things the conventional way using keywords, as sometimes using keywords can be a little tedious when many other links unrelated to what you are searching for pop up.

What makes this cool is you can just click on the link of an image you like and it narrows down the image search results to exactly what you’re looking for. So for those in the creative industry like arts, designs or even those who just want to have fun with images, this may stand out as an awesome search tool.

3. How to track a news topic over time

Google News Timeline is a handy research tool for online scribes. It presents Google news information in a graphical and chronological timeline. This timeline incorporates a number of different sources, including new and archived news, blog posts, and media.

It is a great search and sorting tool that gives you the ability to sort results by day, week, month, year or even decade. The snapshot of this tool is constructive and gives one the access to easily see how a story or event has been progressing in the news.

4. How to create a set of items from a few examples

We often use keywords on typical search engines, so how does Google Sets differentiate itself from the rest of the crowd? Well, instead of looking for related links, the tool focuses on related words. It takes your initial keywords and suggests others that are related in meaning.

If you are looking for synonyms or new alternatives in campaigns, Google Sets is a brilliant tool that will bring much success and difference.

5. How to search for audio using Android

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With Android appearing on the scene as Google’s new mobile platform, it was inevitable that Google Labs would try to break ground on it. Its prototype software is Google Listen. It’s fundamentally a way of searching and organizing pod casts and other online audio content.

If you happen to be a music junkie who owns an Android handset, you can look up for your favorite shows and stream it immediately or add it to your listening queue for later utilization.

6. How to turn your Android phone into a Sky Map

“Awesome” is an understatement for this amazing application. You don’t need to be an astrologer to download this application and have some serious fun. What’s so great about this tool? It’s a star map that uses Android’s GPS capabilities to display planets, constellations and other celestial objects in an area of the sky.

Once you have this application installed on your Android hand phone, just face the phone towards the sky and be amazed by the mesmerizing display on your screen. With Sky Map, the sky is not the limit anymore.

7. How to Index the Audio WITHIN Video Files

I used to see stuff like this on CSI and always wondered if it was possible to get my hands on it. After seeing Google Labs’ revolutionary product – Google Audio Indexing, I guess its close enough. Google has started indexing what is being spoken in its video and YouTube clips to enhance search results for video.

Using speech recognition technology to convert audio into words, they are then indexed into Google search so that you can look for a particular video clip by merely entering keywords into the search engine.

8. How to Turn Your Android Phone in to a Places Directory

Places Directory is a handy tool that runs on the Android platform and is Google’s version of a help mobile. If you are on the road and want to know what’s hot and what’s not, download this application on your Android phone and follow the link. Based on your phone’s current location you will be able to obtain a directory of nearby places.

You can then browse through the various categories to look for hotels, banks, shops, etc, see their distance from you and even pull up their locations on Google Maps. For backpackers and active travelers or even for those who just hate to stop and ask for directions, this may be the application for you.

9. How to Track Routes on Your Android Phone

If you love the outdoors, then this is one application you might want to try. It pretty much depends on how it works for you. My Tracks is an application that is available to Android users everywhere. It empowers