Google testing new search results interface?

Filed under: Design, Web services, Google

Google testing new search results interface?

by Jordan Running Jan 26th 2006

A few people are reporting that Google is testing out a new design for its search results page. The alleged new design has a sidebar on the left that shows the number of search results for Google's various services (Images, News, etc.) as small green bars, with links for Advanced Search, Preferences, and Search History below. The search results are displayed as usual in the rest of the page. At first I was skeptical, but cruising the comments on Digg turns up a number of reports from different users all with screenshots of the same layout but with different browsers and search results. One user even posted a RAR file with the source of one such results page. Sure, it could all be an elaborate hoax, but it's more likely that Google is testing out its new interface on a few users here and there. When and whether the rest of us will get to see it in action is anyone's guess.

Tags: design, google, interface, new, redesign, search, update

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jonic said 8:43PM on 1-26-2006

It really is about fucking time...

I'm happy with the way things are now, and the ubiquity of the appearance of the current search results are enough to render them almost exempt from criticism... But really, get it all standards compliant, a little more readable and I'll be happy...

I do not, however, want Google trying to force some other services down our collective captive audience occular apparatus whilst trying to perform a simple web search...

Arun Kumar said 7:49AM on 2-20-2006

I suppose they are trying this new look, so that the ads at the right side appear more clearly than now, so the user can view more clearly the ads than the results that dispaly.

It consumes a lot of space and i think that instead of left side bar, if they can arrange that sidebar just above the search results than much space can be saved.

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