The Biz of Coding

Review of Google Experimental

by Ujwal Tickoo on May 17th, 2007

Google Labs has launched 4 new experimental features for Google Search:

• One feature gives users a way to navigate a Search Result Page using a keyboard. This is for power users of Google Search or for the bad day when your mouse is broken.
• A second feature lets users view Search Results with a Space or Time dimension involved using a Map View or a Time Line View.
• Two features allow users to Refine Search results from a Left or a Right Navigation Pane.

1) Keyboard Shortcuts to Navigate Search Results (My favorite feature)

Several users often use Google Search. Like desktop applications now Google offers keyboard shortcuts to navigate the results. The UI is neat. A small > indicator next to a search result shows where you are on the results page. Then pressing J will select the next result and K will select the previous result while O or <Enter> will open the result. Pressing / will put the cursor in the search box and pressing Esc will return the user to the last selected search result.

2) Timeline and Map View of Search Results

Instead of seeing results listed one below the other, you can view results based on a timeline or on a map. Both views are useful when the time dimension or place is relevant to better digesting search results.

Example if you are looking to see PGA events on Google search — it is valuable to get a map view of all locations where the events will occur. Or if you are researching the life of Thomas Jefferson, then the timeline view of search results on him will be useful.

3) Left-hand Search Navigation to Refine Search Results

Google gives various ways to Refine search results on the Left-hand side of search results. Example when users type iPods – they could be looking for news related to iPods or Patents related to iPods.

Various other queries called "Also Try" in the Search World are also listed in the left side navigation area.

4) Right-hand Search Navigation to Refine Search Results

Same as above except that refiners appear on the right side

Google Universal Search — is a Google Search Project that will integrate  relevant results from Google Images, Maps, News, Video and other properties for a query. Right now when a query has relevant images, Google displays images Example: Steve Jobs

Read Mike Arrington's Searchology Event Notes.

Tags: 196, 75

POSTED IN: Google