Easy Start to Google Hangouts

As part of the Google Apps suite of tools, MacEwan University has access to Google Hangouts. Think of Hangouts as conversations - you can carry on a conversation through text (like different messenger apps), through audio (like a telephone) or video (like Skype). Best of all, if you’re using Chrome, they’re all easily available through your browser - you don’t need to run a separate app or download any plugins.

If you’re using Google Chrome, I recommend downloading the Google Hangouts extension (https://goo.gl/JXPtm). This places a button at the top of your window that will allow you to start a Hangout. It will also listen for an invitation to Hangouts and open the conversation window. As this is a Chrome extension, Chrome must be running for this to work.

Here’s a quick video (https://goo.gl/mUoIQq) that explains the installation process and what you can do with it. Although I didn't mention it in the video, you can also use Hangouts to make free calls to phone numbers in Canada and the United States.

For information on Hangouts visit Google’s Help Centre: https://goo.gl/0p3Uzw.

Using a Web Site's Search Function Directly From Chrome's Omnibox

Ever have a brain fart and can't remember the title or an actor in a movie? In the past, I would open IMDB.com in a new tab and use the site's search function to find my answer. Now, I can do it directly from my current window. All I do is type in IMDB and hit tab — now I can use IMDB's search function without going to the site (the search results will be from the site):

You can add any web site's search to Google Chrome's Omnibox. With Google Chrome's settings, select Manage search engines

In addition to some standard ones Google already has, you can easily add your own. First you need to find the search result URL used on the web site. On Grooveshark, when I search for Queen, it displays:

http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=queen

I then substitute my query (i.e. queen) with %s. Chrome will use whatever you type in the Omnibox for %s.

 http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=%s

Once you have your search URL, you just need to add the shortcut (what you type to enable the search) and the display name.

Remember, the shortcut is enabled after you type it and then hit tab:

Here's some ideas to get your started:

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/#search?q=%s

Google Image Search: https://www.google.ca/search?q=%s&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Np8BVZ6eGYG5ogTT84L4Aw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAw&biw=1440&bih=782

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%s&page={startPage?}&utm_source=opensearch


For more information, see Google's documentation: http://goo.gl/5mqkck


What search engines will you add?