Search Gets Even Faster with ‘Google Instant’

The mystery behind this week’s changing Google logo was revealed today as the company released its new searching platform, ‘Google Instant.’

In a San Francisco seminar this morning, Google announced it would be launching “Google Instant,” a faster, more interactive way to search the web.

When you search on Google today, your results will appear instantly.  Instead of clicking the search button or pushing enter to see your results, the results of your search will appear as you type. 

Not only can you see your search results as you type your query, but Google Instant will predict what you are typing and search for that word or phrase. As Google representatives explained in their seminar, typing the letter “w” will cause Google instant to display results for “weather.”  The presenter simply typed “w” and received the weather reports and important statistics for San Francisco weather.

Google breaks down their new search functionality into three key areas: Instant Results, Predictions, and Scroll to Search.

Instant Results: Instead of needing to choose one specific key word or phrase before you click the “search” button, you will be able to see results of any query instantly.  That way, you can find what you are looking for by simply changing around your search query; your results will constantly be updated and displayed.

Predictions: A key factor in Google Instant, prediction is a way for the search engine to accurately guess your search query before you have typed it completely. This is how you come to get weather results by simply typing “w.”  This feature is incredibly helpful when trying to remember a song, an actor, or a movie you might only remember a few minor details about.

Scroll to Search: When you have started to type your search query, a dropdown menu of possible search queries will appear. Instead of needing to pick one of those suggestions and wait for that search results page to load, you can simply scroll down through the suggestions and see the search results for each one instantly.  If you aren’t sure about the name of the author you are searching for, or can’t seem to remember the exact name of your favorite coffee shop, Google Instant will probably provide enough suggestions to guide you there.

The combination of predictions and instant results allows for the concept of scroll to search. Google Instant, according to Google, will save approximately 2 to 5 seconds for each search.  Therefore, it will save around 11 hours per second.

Whether Google Instant is necessary is up for debate, but there is no doubt that people will lovingly welcome it with open arms, as I will be.

Do you think Google Instant will make YOUR life easier?