What's in This Book

Google isn't just web search; the company offers a lot of different products and services, all of which I discuss somewhere in this book. Because of everything that Google does, this is a long book43 chapters in all, organized into 12 major sections:

• Part I: Basic Searches provides an inside look at Google (the company and the technology), and then shows you the best ways to use Google web search and the Google Directory.

• Part II: Specialized Searches discusses all the many narrow searches Google lets you conduct, from phone number lookup and blog searches to searches for scholarly information and word definitions.

• Part III: Additional Search Features shows you how to customize Google and the Google Personalized Homepage, use SafeSearch content filtering, use Google in different languages, and use Google as a calculator and a converter (really!).

• Part IV: Shopping and Product Searches guides you through using Froogle, Google Catalogs, and Google Base to search for bargains on the Web.

• Part V: Maps and Directions is all about Google Maps, Google Earth, and finding the coolest and most useful Google Maps mashups online.

• Part VI: Communications Servicesshows you why Google isn't just about search; we'll discuss emailing with Gmail, instant messaging with Google Talk, and blogging with Blogger.

• Part VII:Multimedia is all about pictures and videos, courtesy of Google Images and Google Video.

• Part VIII: Other Google Services discusses a variety of Google's search-related and non-search services, including Google Answers, Google Book Search, Google Groups, Google News, and Google Mobile Services.

• Part IX: Google Software Tools presents Google's software and web-based applications, including Google Toolbar, Google Desktop, Google Calendar, Picasa, and Google Pack.

• Part X: Google for Businesses discusses Google's business-oriented tools and services, including how to improve your site's PageRank, how to make money with Google AdWords and AdSense, and how to employ Google search in your organization.

• Part XI: Google for Developers shows you how to add Google search to your website, create custom search applications, and produce your own Google Maps mashups.

• Part XII: Into the Future shows you what new applications are percolating inside Google Labs, and discusses Google's future directions.

There are also three appendixes that present useful reference information. Appendix A is the Google Site Directory (a complete listing of URLs for all of Google's websites), Appendix B present's Google's country-specific sites, and Appendix C lists Google's advanced search operators. Handy references, all.