Google Tip: Use a Colon

Search engines have gotten so good that I sometimes forget that they offer fantastically useful syntax for more specific results. I'll point these out from time to time, but here are my top three most useful Google search modifiers that use a colon:

site:URL and search term. As in, site:www.pcmag.com "wireless router." Insiders point out that this modifier is even stronger if you drop the www. You can also drop the domain name entirely and search, for example, only .gov sites.

define:word. This brings up definitions, related phrases, and offers to translate the word.

filetype:file extension and search term. It may be obvious, but this lets you search for files with a certain extension, such as PPT for a PowerPoint presentation on your topic.

From PC MAG's Top 50 Computing Tips.