Disclaimer: This is off topic. But it is interesting.
Yesterday Google launched their new invention called Google Instant Search. Basically when you start to type in a phrase in your Google search box it adjusts the search results as you type. At first I was just thinking it was just the predictor drop down box and we have all seen that before. But actually if you look at the top 10 results below they are adjusting as you type your phrase.
As I am writing this, I am realizing that the best way to understand this is just to try it out. Head over to Google.com and start typing “Christian Personal Finance”. Pay particular attention to what happens when you start typing the word “Personal”.
Anyway, I am someone who is interested in technology and how it affects our lives. While many people might just see this as a nifty feature – I see it as a somewhat large step forward and am excited about what’s to come.
Have you tried out the new Google Instant Search? What do you think?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
That is pretty nifty!!
I noticed that yesterday, love it!
I’d heard about it on twitter, but hadn’t seen it yet (I do all of my searching from the built-in search in FireFox, or from chrome’s address bar). So, after reading your post, I decided to see what it looks like.
While that’s pretty interesting, I don’t really care for it other than for novelty’s sake. When I’m searching, I am looking for the results, not an interesting way to see what they are. I do like the auto predictor as you type in your search query (it often has good suggestions), but I’ll be sticking to the search bar in FireFox, as it gives the results that I want.
I’m not sure if this is what you were getting at, Bob, but as I typed in “Christian Per…” Christian Persecution was top of the list. Even if that wasn’t what you were pointing out, thanks for making me slow down a little bit today so I can see a reminder that we need to keep our fellow believers in prayer today as thousands are being persecuted around the world.
Tim, that wasn’t what I was getting at – but I think you bring up an excellent reminder – for those of us who haven’t experienced persecution any worse than being laughed at. It is hard to imagine that there are Christians risking their lives for their Faith when some of us live in a whole different world…
I do not care for the new Google Instant Search feature and have been looking for a way to permanently disable it. It seems very distracting to me. Then again, I am also the type of gal that knows exactly what I want when I go into a store and if it’s not available I simply leave without shopping around for a substitute.
I am also wondering what effect it will have on people who have put hours and hours of key word research into their sites to help drive traffic. Bob, it seems you see Instant Search as a positive thing. Would you share your thought?
Judy, just FYI, you can disable it just by clicking a button to the right of the search bar. As far as what I am excited about with it, I just think it is a technological milestone. It is mostly just a reminder to me that search has just begun – I am still impressed at how far search has advanced, but I think it is just a drop in the bucket and there is lot of opportunity to making accessing information a lot quicker, easier, and more integrated into our daily lives.
Thank you, Bob. I clicked the button to the right of the search bar and it did turn off, at least until the next search. Then I had to turn it off again, and again … you get the picture. Ah, well. I suppose I will grow accustomed to it and probably even like it eventually.
It is interesting, but as a geek as well I rarely go the google.com page. I’m always searching right in the browser (either Chrome or Firefox). So I don’t think instant search will have much effect on me.