Google Search By Number

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Posted by Zonk on Friday April 15, 2005 @05:11AM from the google,-where-are-my-car-keys? dept.

fizz writes "Well, Google has done it again. This time, simply enter any tracking number or id number into the Google search box, and Voila! You have a link to the shipper and tracking information. They have a funny little mom/son tech talk bit on the blog about this."

12 of 286 comments (clear)

Little by little by winkydink · 2005-04-15 05:12 · Score: 5, Insightful

Google is becoming the one-stop shop for information. While I know their motto is, "Do no evil", I can't help but feel a little squeamish about it.

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"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
1. Re:Little by little by WD_40 · 2005-04-15 05:15 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I've often wondered how long it's going to take, and how big Google will have to get, before it's considered 'evil' alongside Microsoft in the eyes of geeks.
  
  --
  "With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine." -- RFC 1925
2. Re:Little by little by RealityMogul · 2005-04-15 05:26 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  That's a hard question to answer. Maybe you should ask Jeeves.
3. Re:Little by little by lakin · 2005-04-15 05:31 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Please google for the sake of the children stop comming up with cool stuff. If you have to add something make it useless and sucky.
  
  Microsoft have been trying this one for a while now, and are still considered evil...
  
  --
  Paul
4. Re:Little by little by gstoddart · 2005-04-15 05:52 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It's sort of like how the definition of sci-fi has been twisted to exclude Star Wars.
  
  Ummmm .... the definition wasn't 'twisted' to exclude Star Wars. That was a literary definition which pre-dated Star Wars -- you know, by people like Asimov and his pre-cursors who were writing sci-fi back in the day. (eg, this or here)
  
  Star Wars does not attempt to fulfill the role of exploring how technology affects man.
  
  It is pure and simple Space Opera. Even Lucas will concede that point, as he never tried to make anything else.
  
  If you took the story of the Alamo, placed it on a moon, and made the technology involved in getting to the moon and fighting the war just simply background, that would not be sci-fi. A literal re-telling of a Shakespeare play in a loosely space-based setting, is not sci-fi.
  
  The fact that you don't like a definition which is both older than you and doesn't apply to Star Wars is something for you to reconcile.
  
  Cheers
  
  --
  Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Not a new feature by Anonymous Coward · 2005-04-15 05:12 · Score: 5, Informative

Favorite Hidden Google Features?

Just because someone's mom doesn't know something about Google doesn't make it new.
Google did this a year ago by applecore · 2005-04-15 05:12 · Score: 5, Interesting

I agree with Googleblog's Mr. Stocky that people need to be told about this. But which people?
Most of /. probably knew about this, since it's been around since at least February 2004
That page contains the request Are there other types of numbers you'd like Google to search? Please email us at suggestions@google.com.
Today's page contains Are there other types of numbers you'd like Google to search? Please contact us.
If in the last year Google received suggestions for other numbers to be searched, they do not seem to be implemented today. Drivers Lic #'s, SSN's, Lic Plate #'s, are not likely to be included. What numbers could Google search?

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Test signature: Brett Walker
1. Re:Google did this a year ago by FreshlyShornBalls · 2005-04-15 05:16 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Drivers Lic #'s, SSN's, Lic Plate #'s, are not likely to be included. What numbers could Google search?
  
  How about UPC numbers, reverse phone, IP address lookups.......
  
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  This space intentionally left blank.
2. Re:Google did this a year ago by CyberSlugGump · 2005-04-15 05:21 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  What numbers could Google search?
  
  How about large numbers you wanted factored into primes? ;)
even cooler: check out the first google map hack by paronomasia5 · 2005-04-15 05:14 · Score: 5, Interesting

this is old news you hams.
even cooler: check out the first google map hack (it even blew the pants of the google maps crew):
http://paulrademacher.com/housing/
UPS requires the terms and conditions checkbox by ZeeExSixAre · 2005-04-15 05:16 · Score: 5, Interesting

If you enter their website traditionally, UPS requires that the user click the annoying "By selecting this box and the Track button, I agree to these Terms and Conditions." Google bypasses this. What are the legal ramifications of this bypass?
Also.. by E+IS+mC(Square) · 2005-04-15 05:43 · Score: 5, Funny

Did anybody notice this :

Enter anything you want to search on www.google.com input box, click "Google Search" and VOILA!! Google displays the webpages containing those keywords!!!