The Top 5 FREE Google Services You're Not Using

Ok, we all know that Google is king of search engines by a mile and a half. First off, allow me to explain a very important term: Marketshare. Basically it means the amount that one product/service is being used compared to competing products/services in that market. For example, Google is currently dominating the search engine market with 65%, with Yahoo! in second with 17%, and Bing at 11%. But as many know, Google isn't just being awesome in search, but a ton of other stuff too, and the majority of it is free! Here's what you're probably missing out on:

1) Buzz. Now, to be fair here, Buzz is brand spankin' new this week. Essentially it's a cross between the all-powerful Google Maps and Twitter. Buzz doesn't require any additional programs and works through Gmail and Google Maps apps on mobile devices, which is really nice. You simply make sure your GPS is on, type in what you want the world to see, attach a picture if you like, and it becomes available to anyone following you (friends) or anyone who is nearby and looks on Maps or clicks "Nearby". It's very new, but it seems it's catching on so far. In my explorations in Maps (I got as far as Savannah, Georgia in Maps), I saw one Buzz that said "If you mention this Buzz, get $2 off your meal!" It made me realize that it could be used for quick reviews, speed trap warnings, special sales, all kinds of real-time, real-place goodness. All you need to start is a Gmail account, which is free and will be further discussed in a bit.

2) Trends. Ever feel like you're the last person to hear about something? Google Trends can end that. Since the majority of information is spread online and so many people use Google to find it, Google Trends allows you to tap into what's being searched for. For example, one of the Hot Topics (don't mind the name, you won't find many "edgy" teens there) right now is "what is Google Buzz?" It's also pretty entertaining, since you can view timelines and compare between two searches, making the relationship between Vibrators, Dildos, and Brokeback Mountain hilarious (search it, you'll see).

3) Calendar. This is a big one that will make your life so much more organized (like I'm qualified to talk about that!) Calendar is incredibly easy to use. You can set up appointments, reminders, locations (for easy Maps use), and invite contacts that are involved too. You can also sync it to your smartphone so it will automatically remind you that you're late to work. And you can set up multiple calendars to be even further organized. You can have a work calendar, a TV calendar to remind you of your favorite shows, sports calendars, etc. They can be viewed seperately or together to make sure there are no conflicts.

4) Gmail. This one was not in my Top 5 at first (this spot was for Documents), but I decided to double check the email marketshare, and it made me want to cry. Yahoo! is winning by a very wide margin, with Windows Live/Hotmail in second, and then Google's Gmail. Ok, seriously, what is this? 2000? Gmail is so simple, yet so powerful, allows for limitless organization and customization, and gives you access to all of Google's services in one place. http://mail.google.com There you go. No more excuses.

5) Chrome. Last but not least, Google's killer web browser. This statistic made me even sadder than the email one. 58% of people are still using Internet Explorer. REALLY? I mean, it's better than Netscape, but as a friend said: "IE is good for one thing: downloading another browser" (All credit to Neckbeard Ned, big ups sir). Now, Firefox takes second place, and given its age, it's rightfully so. While it may be a much better choice than IE or Safari, it is a big memory hog and is prone to crashing whenever least convenient. This happened to me once, and I got sick of it so I decided to give Chrome a try for a full week. It's been 3 months now, and I've never looked back. While Firefox has a lot more, Chrome has the extensions I needed. I've got drop-down style extensions for Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, and even Woot! (feel free to talk about your favorite extensions in the comments!) And it's all much quicker than Firefox was, and I greatly appreciate how minimalistic it is. Plus, Incognito Mode allows you to browse without saving any cookies or adding to your history. I'll leave you to find a use for that (I plead the Fifth).

So there you have it. The top free Google services that aren't used enough. There's a lot more, like Documents, that may make your life easier or more entertaining, and to find them just click "More" and then "Even More". Also make sure to check out the Labs section to see what's being worked on. Google Mars anyone (not making that up)?