Google Search by Image

I am currently "enrolled" in the Power Searching with Google course. I have to say, I believe that even the most experienced Google searcher would learn a new trick or two with this course. Today I learned about Search by Image. Almost everyone knows that you can click on "Image" in Google and find images. What I learned today is that Google can help you identify images. Amazing? I think so. If you go to the Google Images screen you can drag over pictures from your desktop into the Google Search box. A new box then appears, search by image, and tells you to "drop image here". Google then runs a search giving you information about your image. Try it, it is fun. If you would like additional information on the Power Searching with Google course, you can read the article on the Google Blog.

Guide to Better Google Searches

We may want to resist it, but our patrons love to research on Google. With that said, it doesn't mean we can't teach them to use Google more efficiently. Here is a Guide to Better Searches on Google created by Google. The guide provides and defines modifiers to help you make a stronger Google search.

Will Bing Rule the World?

Currently, there is a LOT of fuss about Bing. At work, all of the homepages for the public computers have been set to Bing. Also, my home page for my cell phone was set to Bing (without my doing). It seems to be that Bing is taking over, so I wanted to experience Bing for myself.

I found some information on Law Librarian Blog that lead me here. PC World compared Bing, Google, and Yahoo. The comparison is complete with screen shots.

I decided to do my own comparison between Google, my preferred search engine, and Bing. I looked for my apartment complex. I have to say I like that Google gave me a map of the location, but other than that, the info was pretty much the same. Bing keeps the left side of the page clean where Google has ads. Bing also keeps track of your search history on the right side of the screen and has related search options. Google also does this if you click "Show Options".

I don't think that I am ready to switch to Bing full time as of yet, but I definitely think it is a viable search engine.