Google – the things you didn’t know

With the ‘World’s favourite Search Engine’ in the press so much recently, we thought I would let you in on a few interesting facts.  So read, learn and make yourself sound ever so clever at your next dinner party*.   

* Content Warning:  Readers of the information below are warned that excessive Google trivia could lead to dangerous ‘nerd’ levels.  Read safely kids.

10 things you might not know about Google… (but you do now!)

1. Google (originally named BackRub) started as a research project at Stanford University in 1996, created by Ph.D. candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin

2. Google's name is a play on the word googol, which refers to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeroes

3. The company moto and founding principle is simply “Don’t be evil”!

4. Google employees are given one day a week to work on anything they want to explore on behalf of the company, no matter how large or ambitious, known as ‘20 percent time’

5. You can view Google’s ‘technology playground for yourself at Google Labs.  Development projects and prototypes are normally tested here before they are let loose to the public

6. Google’s revenue is now almost $1 billion per month.  Over 55% of this revenue is generated within the USA

7. Google has the largest network of translators in the world.  Users can restrict their searches for content in 35 non-English languages, including Chinese, Greek, Icelandic, Hebrew, Hungarian and Estonian. To date, no requests have been received from beyond the earth's orbit, but Google has a Klingon interface just in case!

8. Google Spreadsheets was recently launched to rival Microsoft’s Excel

9. Over 200 million search requests are made on Google every day

10. Every aspect of your search query (cookie ID, your IP address, the time and date, your search terms, and your browser configuration) are recorded and saved by Google indefinitely.  They are the new Big Brother and they are watching you!