It looks like Google is testing new features in their search results age. As you can see in the screenshot, there is a blue arrow that appears next to results now that, when twirled down, can reveal new information such as images, related links and even the ability to search the site - all before you actually click to visit it (could this possibly be a result of those Ask.com commercials with the monkeys?).
CyberNet, where I found these screenshots, welcomes these new features and I have to agree. It looks like a great, unobtrusive way to boost the power of their search without cluttering up the page with all sorts of buttons and do-dads. The one thing I'd like to see with this new results page is the ability to navigate results the same way one can navigate Gmail messages - shortcuts like j/k to move up and down the link results list and enter to open the link would be great.
Obviously, I don't know if these are real, or if they are - how CyberNet came across them, or even whether Google is offering some kind of sign-up list to get in on the beta action. But one thing's for sure: if this new search results UI is real, it will likely be one of the first new Google products/features of late to not debut as a beta.
[via Macworld]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-22-2006 @ 1:27PM
arses mcgee said...
google used to have keyboard shortcuts in google labs... seems they were quietly retired for wahtever reason.
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4-22-2006 @ 3:54PM
Razib Ahmed said...
Great new feature and this will only strenghten Google's position in the search engine world. I do not know why Yahoo does not give enough focus on its search engine. Yahoo is too much concerned about making money from its portal instead of improving its search.
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4-23-2006 @ 12:51AM
James said...
Hey,
these are real, i stumbled across them the other day doing a search for "search" (just to see what happened...i'm that boring). This just seems to bring up a regular page now though. They must be showing them randomly
Under those arrow twiddle thingys, you could actually reveal a search box for the particular search engines returned in the list.
Interestingly enough, the search term "search" returns (in this order) Lycos, Altavista, MSN Search, My Excite, and then Google. Weird.
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