July 25, 2012

New Interface for Google Calculator

Google's OneBoxes start to become interactive gadgets. After launching a new mobile weather OneBox and an updated unit conversion OneBox, it's time for Google Calculator to morph into a calculator app.

Just type a query like [73-45] in the search box and you'll get more than just the result. Google also displays a mini-calculator with real buttons for digits, parentheses, arithmetic operations, trigonometric functions, exponential and logarithmic functions.


It's certainly more efficient to just type the expression you want to calculate, but some people might prefer the traditional buttons. They can search for [calculator] and use the new Google Calculator interface.

It's worth noting that Google's calculator doesn't mimic a standard pocket calculator: you can enter a long expression with multiple operations and Google doesn't display the result until you press the "=" button. This way, you can enter "3+3*3" and still get the proper result. Another thing to keep in mind is that you can't press the "1" button and then the "sin" button to compute sin(1), you should press the "sin" button first and then enter the argument of the function. There's no persistent "clear" button, but you can long-press the "delete" button.

{ Thanks, James. }

10 comments:

  1. Oh Google. Sometimes you’re so awesome.! once again made a fantastic thing with Search engine...

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  2. Also, there appears to be no way to copy the result to the clipboard.

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  3. Wow, this is very interesting. We are not talking about just a special result, but an application (kinda like Maps). If they embrace the power of this small gadgets (like they are doing with Now) results will become more and more sharp, tailored to what we need. We'll end "paying for burgers instead of killing the cows". These meta-results will become more and more useful :)

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  4. It's a novelty but we have calculators everywhere - on the computer, on the desk, on your mobile.

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  5. _There's no persistent "clear" button, but you can long-press the "delete" button._
    That’s not right, and the first proof of it is your own screenshot. Things are like While typing, the right top button is "delete"—after computing this button is "clear".

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  6. thanks for posting such a usefull article, it helps a lot to novice like me.

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  7. still undecided, the old interface seemed more intuitive

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