Discover the Weird Things We Search for on Revamped Google Trends

Google wants to make it easier for Web users to follow breaking news stories as they happen.

The Web giant on Wednesday announced the biggest expansion of its Google Trends service since 2013. The site now lets you explore minute-by-minute data related to the more than 100 billion searches that take place on Google every month.

When you visit the new site, you'll see a ranked, real-time listing of trending stories that are poplar across Google at the moment. To determine this, Google looks at what people are searching, as well as trends from YouTube and Google News.

In addition to the trending stories, Google shows a range of featured topics you might be interested in, such as the NBA Finals, Greece and the Euro, the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Game of Thrones, climate change, and the CMT Awards. During big news and sporting events, you'll be able to track the stories most people are searching for — so you won't miss any of the big news, Google said.

Click on the featured story for the 2015 NBA Finals, for instance, and you'll see the most relevant news articles as well as interesting tidbits like the most searched team, top players during game 6, and worldwide interest in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors grew over time.

The redesigned homepage is now available in 28 countries around the world, and Google promised to add more locations "in the coming months."

Besides helping you stay on top of major trending news, the site will let you drill down into more niche topics making headlines in smaller geographies. Many of these changes are based on feedback from journalists around the world, Google said.

"You can now find real-time data on everything from the FIFA scandal to Donald Trump's presidential campaign kick-off, and get a sense of what stories people are searching for," Nimrod Tamir from the Google Trends Team wrote in a blog post. "Whether you're a reporter, a researcher, or an armchair trend-tracker, the new site gives you a faster, deeper and more comprehensive view of our world through the lens of Google Search."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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