The Toolbar Headline Generator

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Google's Web search results are hooked into Google News in a subtle but distinct way. When you search with keywords that relate to news items gathered by Google News, Google displays headlines on top of your regular Web search results (see Figure 17-4).

Figure 17-4: When Google finds headlines related to your keywords, it displays them above the Website search results.

Using the Google Toolbar deliberately to generate headlines in this manner results in a fast way to check out a news story or current events subject. Of course, going to Google News and searching there leads to more comprehensive results. But when you want a quick rush of headlines in seconds, try the Toolbar. Just type your newsy subject or specific story keywords into the Toolbar and press Enter.

Tip 

If you use Google News more than the Google Web search - in other words, if Google has become primarily a news service for you - make sure you use the Combined Search button in the Google Toolbar Options, and set it to always search the most recently-searched Google realm every time you press Enter. Confused? Good; my work here is done. Kidding, kidding - let me unpack this for you. Follow these steps for easy, repetitive news searching from the Google Toolbar:

1. Install the Google Toolbar.

   See Chapter 9.

2. Click the Google button, and then click the Toolbar Options selection.

3. Scroll down the page and click the experimental features link.

4. Click to select the Combined Search button option.

5. Click the box next to 'Keep the last search done with the Combined Search button as the default.'

6. Click the OK button at the bottom of the page.

7. Back on the main Toolbar Options page, click the OK button at the bottom of that page.

Now, when you first search for news headlines in the Toolbar, use the Combined Search button to launch a Google News search, not a Google Web search. After that first search, the Google Toolbar remembers your preference and automatically puts subsequent keywords into Google News, not Google Web. Pressing the Enter key launches the world's best news search, right from your browser.

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