The Internet has collectively been helping Japan since the moments after the massive earthquake that struck nearly two weeks ago. One of the major players, Google, has laid out the best ways to help in a recent blog post. Here's a quick rundown: An official crisis response page aggregates all of Google's efforts; check it out for the latest news. Google's person finder has gone beyond its Read more

Technology is pretty amazing. Just when we thought that apps like Google Goggles and Word Lens couldn't make our lives any easier, Google impresses once again. Google Translate is already a heavily used item for me when I'm traveling, but the company announced today that it's testing an experimental feature called Conversation Mode, which would essentially allow you to use Translate to have a Read more

Lots of news out of Google this morning, most of which is aimed at making your life much easier. Let's jump right in with the biggest addition, a new priority inbox within Gmail. Gmail's new priority inbox separates your regular mail from the important stuff you'd probably want to read right away. Think of it like your Gmail's spam folder, but in reverse — using a formula that detects which Read more

We've been able to translate languages with the help of Google Translate for a while now, but this new function within Google Goggles (which I'm already a big fan of) kind of blows my mind. It's still in the experimentation phase, but ideally you can just snap a picture of something you need translated — a street sign, a menu, directional aids — and Google Goggles will send your pic to the Read more

Studying a foreign language could make you smarter. According to a new study from the University of Chicago, people make more rational decisions when thinking in a foreign language, because it forces us to use the more analytical side of our brains. If you're looking to learn a language, you could certainly do worse than Spanish. It's the third most-spoken language in the world, and Hispanics Read more

First dates are awkward enough as-is — much less when you ask personal, inappropriate questions. There's a fine line between getting to know someone and digging a little too deep, so try to think before you speak. Don't want to make him uncomfortable? Steer clear of these questions to make date number two more likely: Is Google right about you? A quick pre-date Google search is totally normal, Read more

Google unveiled some hot new search capabilities earlier today in San Francisco, which are available on the latest version of the Google Chrome browser. Though some of you didn't like the Google Instant feature that rolled out last year, there has been another update to Instant that will shave seconds off of your page-load time. Find out more about it as well as the other announcements Read more

In a recent exposé by the New York Times, JC Penney was found to have been sneakily juicing up Google search results. For months during the holiday season, the retail giant has been first for keyword searches “skinny jeans,” “home decor,” “comforter sets,” “furniture,” “tablecloths,” and more. From the basic to the highly specific keywords, the retail chain had almost a Read more

How to make chocolate-dipped strawberries Thrifty tips to celebrate Valentine's Day Get Jennifer Aniston's glowing Just Go With It premiere makeup Are getting-to-know-you questions a bad sign on a first date? Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez go house hunting in Miami Red velvet Valentine's cupcakes are a sweet treat The most iconic looks from the Grammys A home translation of Pantone's color Read more