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A spring metamorphosis — Google’s new look  (View post)

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
14 years ago15,159 views

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/spring-metamorphosis-googles-new-look.html

<<Our new interface begins rolling out today globally across 37 languages. We are also launching the mobile version concurrently for English interfaces in the United States. Search on!>>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-rnxNFRAQA&feature=player_embedded

TOMHTML [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

Do they consider that the left sidebar is new, or just the refinements of the query?

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

According to the press release I just had they said the interface of the search results is completely new and ofcourse the logo is renewed.

Juha-Matti Laurio [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

About Google mobile changes:

http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/05/googles-new-look-for-mobile.html

Juha-Matti Laurio [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ibasBFrIzGg1lIH-2qmVvOPBxk3AD9FGPEGG1

('Google tunes up search results, touches up logo')

See "Also as part of Google's tweaks, the Google logo will lose the "TM" that signals Google is a trademark.".
It's still here (tested from Finland).

scjm [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

When I performed a query today and saw the new SERP, I said out loud "puke."

I can see it growing on me, but the one thing that stands out is the lack of a blue, underlined dictionary link to ease my mind that I spelled something correctly.

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logos/video_logo.gif

Above 7 comments were made in the forum before this was blogged,

andy kinsey [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

Funny thing is i've had this for ages when i've been signed into a google service, just not when i am not logged in .... it looks great, hover your mouse or click something and the menu bar fades in – great stuff from google

Nick R [PersonRank 1]

14 years ago #

I've had it a while when I was signed in. (And oddly enough I don't have it now that they're rolling it out.) I really liked it, it actually works great-- EXCEPT as scjm pointed out, I NEED my dictionary link. I can't believe they dropped that. I'm going to be begging for it to come back.

PLEASE, please bring back the dictionary link. (I wonder if a dictionary icon is going to show up on the left, if it looks like I'm trying to get a definition...)

Justin [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I'd prefer the old logo with a shadow and more depth. The new one is too bright and very flat!

Tim [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I had this on one of my computers two months ago and was completely befuddled. Now I finally understand it was just undergoing testing.

I don't like the new logo, but I like the rest of the changes on the main page. And I agree with you – I don't think I'll ever use the side bar, but it's not too intrusive.

Nick, I'm getting dictionary definitions in the pop-up suggestion box when I type a single word into the search bar.

TOMHTML [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

http://www.google.com/googleblogs/images/headers/ogb_header_full.png

http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logos/images_logo_lg.gif

http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/images/logos/product_search_logo_lg.gif

and so on

Jean-Philippe Martin [PersonRank 1]

14 years ago #

Visually I like it but I find it confusing.

A friend of mine want an option to go back to the old interface. He do not like the new at all. Particularly the left menu. He would have preferred that it was on the right.

TOMHTML [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

Except if you use an arabic language or if your content begins near the center of the page, the convention is to put the menu on the left side of the screen. Always.

Roger Browne [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

I personally think this screenshot from Google South Africa is funny.

The left sidebar is showing "Everything", below which is an option for those who want even more than everything.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2u7wyef.png

Roger Browne [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

The new results page is laid out just like the Bing results page, isn't it?

ianf [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

I presume the Everything icon & label are not clickable, while the hierarchical menu "More" refers to "More Google services," not contextual to search results.

Incidentally, I get the new UI only whenever results begin with corrected keyword, e.g.

Showing results for <corrected-keyword(s)>
Show results for <mistyped-keyword(s)>

and then the two directly-linked result pages are still of the old type.

IvanT [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I absolutely detest the left sidebar.

Roger Browne [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

[put at-character here]ianf: the "More" menu under "Everything" opens up to reveal the different types of search result: images, maps, news etc.

Logically it means "Specialize the results". Perhaps it should say something like "Options". In the google.com screenshots that Philipp posted, there are already some options displayed (News and Images) so the word "More" sort-of makes sense because it means "More options", but the South African search results show "More" directly below "Everything".

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/google-design-turned-up-notch.html

googlis regularis [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

.i like my search engine results plain, relevant and uncluttered.

This “toolbar” is nothing more than a waste of desktop real estate, it offers nothing new or of relevance… i for one would like to see a preference option to be able to turn off this “feature”.

I’m all for change and i guess so is google…

Juha-Matti Laurio [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

See

http://www.google.com/images/srpr/nav_logo13.png

George R [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

See the thread "Sanbar Search" for a search page that produces an old style results page. http://blogoscoped.com/forum/170629.html

Yv. [PersonRank 7]

14 years ago #

Not very orginal when new designs are rolled out, but I just don't like it. Why can't I remove the sidebar?

Bri. [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

Why add an ugly sidebar when all of the options were already there along the top? I preferred simple-looking Google – this new version already seems dated and cluttered. Boo.

ianf [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

Personally, I don't like the sidebar either, but "ugly" is not an argument. I think it lowers the overall comprehension, and speed of occular acquisition (=perusal/ recognition/ reading) of the results page, by inserting a purely-administrative column in place of where the response/ anwers used to be (results that are the MAIN, if not the ONLY raison d'être, of the Google page). Where previously there was an obvious left-hand-margin for the eyes to "latch onto" when scanning the results column line after another, there now is a gutter to a different text column, which the eyes have to scale/ jump over in their saccadic journey to subsequent result lines. Clearly, a transgression of a variant of http://google.com/search?q=Fitt%27s+law

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

At this moment, http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=all still has the old interface for the fans. Ionut pointed out at Twitter that there is a Greasemonkey script to hide the sidebar.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/76203

George R [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

There is now an unofficial way to set your preferences to generate classic results pages. http://blogoscoped.com/forum/170629.html#id170657

Da Man [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I hate Google's new look. One thing I like about Google in the first place is that it's layout was unlike any other search engine, it was clean and simple. Now they have to add a grotesque side bar, making it seem like all the other search engines available. It is horrid.

ianf [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

An individual's hate is not a valid argument. Not speaking for Google, I can assure you that that change has come about after lengthy ergonomic studies which, at some point in the process, delivered convincing "numbers" that the new 2- (and no doubt soon to be 3 column format) result page layout is better overall –allows all kinds of people to find results within page, not solely those with 20/20 vision– than the old single-column-with-ads-to-the-right one.

By the looks of it I believe Google is trying to achieve a more uniform, "cleaner" look akin to the 3-column Gmail in message view mode (folders and services; message content; ad column). And it is not as if the old layout was uncluttered – sometimes it came with sponsored ads in 2 columns above the main results, sometimes with other elements, not exactly an image of calm, unchaotic printout.

D Green [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I prefer the old look, the bar on the left gets right on my tits.

Alex Ksikes [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

[put at-character here]ianf: Did they try to optimize the user experience or did they try to optimize profit? By having the bar to the left (like Bing does), they are trying to bring more traffic to all the other Google services that themselves feature ads.

Simply search for "buy" and nearly a third of the page the user sees is now dedicated to ads. Switch to images, maps, products easily and stay within the Google network to possibly click on more ads and therefore more profit for Google.

Heyn Michaels [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I dont like it – period.

Have revised my IE homepage to the classic page still active.

I know all the arguments but, if Google takes down thje classic
page forcing me to accept the new look/features, I WILL abandon
Google permanently – period.

Good luck to me!

  

vertex [PersonRank 1]

14 years ago #

i dont like it either.

the results look squashed and the left bar is a distraction.

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

Related userscript,

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/76189

WebSonic.nl [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

Only sometimes Google doesn't show /search/ in the url and then the above script is not working.

George R [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

[put at-character here]WebSonic
I am not sure if changing Google preferences will always work properly with languages other than English. Other than that is there any advantage to using this userscript over changing your Google preferences to show classic results?

Dwight Stegall [PersonRank 1]

14 years ago #

Bookmark the following link. It will give you the old "Show Options" menu on the search results pages.

http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=all

Chris W [PersonRank 1]

14 years ago #

http://www.google.com/corporate/ux.html

"Above all, a well-designed Google product is useful in daily life. It doesn't try to impress users with its whizbang technology or visual style – though it might have both. <b>It doesn't strong-arm people to use features they don't want.</b>"

nick jett [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

I dont like it, i prefer the old look.
<a href="http://www.gifts4anyone.co.uk/free-nintendo-ds.html">free dsi</a>

drtimofey [PersonRank 10]

14 years ago #

I'm a designer and I'm loving it!!

Google colors are now eye candy! Something you want to touch and smell. It looks happy and almost remind you of your childhood memories.

Sidebar is positioned precisely below the logo, giving you search results right under the same query you've just entered!

Allow your bodies to relearn Google!

Dee [PersonRank 0]

14 years ago #

It would be great if it actually looked like the sample images. But none of them show the large column of advertising on the right hand side! On my 17" monitor all the search results are squashed up in a column in the middle, making it much harder to read.

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