How to search on Google with your smartphone

How to “google”

1. Open My apps on your Doro smartphone.
2. Tap Google. A new menu opens with a selection of apps.
3. Tap Google again to open the Google search app.
4. Tap the white search field. The keyboard appears.

No need to spell it all out

• When you tap the search field, your recent searches appear directly below it. Tap one to search for it again without retyping it.
• When you start a new search, Google suggests phrases that change with every letter you type. If one matches what you want, tap it and stop typing.
• Capital letters make no difference, even in names.
• If you misspell a word, Google either asks whether you meant something else or shows results for the correct spelling.

Good to know

• Keep your search short, with one or two words, and check the list of suggestions for a match. You can always add words or refine your search later.
• Leave out short filler words and focus on the keywords. For example, “restaurants manchester” works better than “Are there any good restaurants in Manchester?”
• If the results are not what you wanted, do not give up. Scroll to the bottom of the results page for related searches, or refine your search in the search field.

Weather, flights, accommodation and more

Google can show you the weather in a particular place, the status of a particular flight, the opening hours of an office or shop, and recommended places to stay at your destination.

Try searching for:

• “weather brighton”
• “arrivals heathrow”
• “tesco st james”
• “st ives b&b”

Search without typing

1. Tap the microphone icon to the right of the white search field.
2. Wait until the word “Listening” appears on the screen.
3. Say what you want to search for.

Your phone then shows the search phrase as it understood it.

Voice search is handy when your hands are busy, or when you are walking and do not want to stop to type. It is also useful when you want Google to read the answer aloud. For example, ask for the status of a British Airways flight from London to Los Angeles and listen to the reply. Give it a try. It is a lot of fun.

When do you need Google?

The Google app gives you quick, helpful answers to everyday challenges, large or small. For example:

• On your way home, you suddenly feel like baking but you have no cookbook. Stop at the supermarket, take out your phone and search for a recipe. The results include a list of ingredients.
• You are heading to a shop but do not know its exact address. Search for the name of the shop. The results show where it is on a map, with a button for getting directions.

So start “googling” everything you have ever wanted to know, and then some. Good luck.