Google has integrated a Bitcoin conversion calculator into its search engine, all the better to help you determine how much your money is worth in Bitcoin — in real time! — according to Coindesk.
The calculator provides currency-to-Bitcoin conversions for everything from the U.S. dollar to the Sundanese pound. There are dozens of currency types that can be converted through the Google-based calculator.
However, the results are subject to frequent change as the value of the Bitcoin is in constant fluctuation. You may not get as much for your dollar one moment as you would the next.
When a search query is entered into the calculator, a small line graph appears to the right of the conversion results, depicting Bitcoin’s changing value from 2011 up to today. For Google app lovers, conversions can also be made through voice command, states Google spokesperson Jason Freidenfelds.
“You can ask it, ‘How many Bitcoin are in 500 U.S. dollars?’ and you’ll get the answer in a handy conversion tool,” said Freidenfelds. “Same feature works for other currencies, too.”
Coinbase, the Bitcoin transaction service company, announced on June 13 that it had started working with Google to include Bitcoin in its currency tracker. With this development, anyone who used Google was able to view Bitcoin’s value in comparison with the U.S. dollar. Now the conversion calculator provides added convenience.
But what is Bitcoin and why do people use it?
Bitcoin can be defined as a type of online currency that dates back as far as 2009. There are no banks involved, cutting out the middle man and allowing consumers to make purchases anonymously.
Although there has been skepticism surrounding its potential for success in the past, the Bitcoin market is showing promise. A raw estimate of its total market worth is up 800 percent to $8.3 billion.
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