Google Insights for Search is an interesting tool that allows you to compare the level of “interest” (which in Google’s world equates to the number of searches) in particular terms.
For example you can compare the volume of searches for 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit, which shows 8-bit interest beginning to fall off at the start of 2005, whilst searches for 32 bit are increasing. Perhaps you could also say that the fall in the graph for 16-bit supports the view of some analysts that many 8-bit users will chose to move directly to 32-bit, skipping 16-bit platforms.
Another example – probably best suited to people with no English heritage or those used to losing [I support Ipswich!] – is an analysis of the search terms England football and Fabio Capello. “England Football” peaks every two years (for the World Cup and European Championships), apart from 2008 [football fans will know why]. I’d suspect that the recent surge of interest in Mr. Capello is probably one of the exceptions to the “no publicity is bad publicity” rule!