Google Tip and Bill Splitting Calculator
October 27, 2013
We are curious about the reasoning behind the new Google feature revealed in Lifehacker‘s piece, “Google Search Now Calculates Tips, Splits the Check.” Yes, a tip calculator has been added to Google Search. If I remember correctly, calculators have been standard features on mobile phones for some time, and the truly mathematically challenged have a number of apps to choose from for these tasks. Why would we need the capability in our search, too?
That question is beyond the scope of Mihir Patkar’s very brief write-up. He does tell us:
“The next time you get the bill at the end of a meal, just Google it. A new tip calculator can instantly tell you how much you should leave behind, and even lets you split the bill between friends.
“The search string to activate the calculator on the Web, iOS or Android is ‘tip for’ followed by the amount. By default, it’s set to 15% split by one person, but you can adjust those parameters as you need.”
… And the tool is already outdated; in recent years, I’ve been hearing that 20 percent is now the standard. Granted, you can change the percentage easily, as well as quickly adjust the number of diners in your party. The function is straightforward and easy to use—convenient, yes, but hardly a clamored-for feature. Still, I can respect a company that encourages its engineers to play around and then puts the results out there, to be embraced or discarded as the public sees fit.
Cynthia Murrell, October 27, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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