Today, we’re introducing a new feature that brings a whole new level of personalization to Google by letting you add a favorite photo or image to the background of the Google homepage.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/freeze-frame.html

I already see the feature, I like the option but I won't use it.

I don't see the feature yet on my Google homepage. What is the URL that you get when clicking on the link to personalize your page?

BrianS It opens a popup to select a wallpaper. I have an example here:

http://www.websonic.nl/nieuws/nieuwe-google-homepage-personaliseren-met-eigen-afbeelding-5741

On second thought, I'm maybe going to use it :-).

Upload yours!
http://www.zorgloob.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Google-background-personnalise.png

http://i47.tinypic.com/250qbv5.png

Here:
http://www.websonic.nl/nieuws/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/google_homepage_image_big.jpg

Something I threw together quickly. I expect there'll be a lot of better ones :P
http://sites.google.com/site/mrrix32/Home/blogoscoped/googlescrn.png

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4667229543_0e97a35a01_b_d.jpg

(via http://www.flickr.com/photos/oweniverson/4667229543/sizes/l/)

Black turtleneck tees I can accept. Washed-out jeans I can swallow. But what's with the whitish sneakers to go with that. Where are the Jonathan Ive/ http://www.trinnyandsusannah.com of Apple CEO's personal style when we need them most?

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6011/bbbwg.jpg
Google is going to regret this.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LM1WnD4UJO0/TAkDco7zJoI/AAAAAAAArUU/lvV4H-AjNas/s144/desktop.png

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TimxpWqdAugqXOaCXQWDNA?feat=directlink

I pasted the wrong (i.e. super-tiny) link a moment ago. Hopefully this is larger:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LM1WnD4UJO0/TAkDco7zJoI/AAAAAAAArUU/lvV4H-AjNas/s800/desktop.png

mine looks fantastic with this wallpaper – http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper_beta/D440c669/01341_headingwest_1680x1050.jpg

Ugh, let's try that again.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wg-tDxjkNnU/TAkDojXVMWI/AAAAAAAABrY/wFG3g02K5d4/s1152/screenshot_001.png

Feature isn't avaible in HTTPS version of google search

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/1787/fits.png

background pic?

my background is empty, clear, simple.

I'm not using the background I uploaded above, it was just to demonstrate a way to play with the interface. I'm keeping it plain white, for the few times I actually see the homepage.

Forum software says that 1st post was submitted '1 day ago', but it was on Wednesday already. I.e. two days ago.

Juha-Matti Laurio
I've also noticed that. Maybe the values are PHP floored.

This page is also new,

https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=ig&ltmpl=addphoto

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7422/spellbing.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4669142661_67214090a1.jpg

Andy

I was thinking of doing the same thing, except do the mouse pointer, instead of Google's logo!

Andy, @drtimofey

The text field & search buttons would also be good targets of this.

People actually use the Google home page? That's what your browser's address bar and search box are for. I haven't seen the Google search home page in ages...

Covered at

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2010/06/add-background-images-to-googles.html
too.

http://i47.tinypic.com/73mowl.png

A friend of mine is building up his company called "presque parfait" (almost/nearly perfect).
I thought a wallpaper stating that Google was nearly perfect would be fun :).

http://twitpic.com/1txoju

Very nice feature. I love Google

this is mine:

http://i49.tinypic.com/x37dk8.jpg

Very Very Nice, I Love Google

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/9850/googlet.jpg

I wanted my homepage to be as minimal as possible but I also wanted to be able to customise my experience and not be tied down to Google's draconian restrictions on their website's design.

I value Google giving us this option to change our background finally and decided to upload this picture to use www.oaklandpartnership.com/2008%20News/ big%20white%20box.jpg

["big white box" indistinguishable from a picture that doesn't load; unlinked -ianf]

While being very modern and clean, it also brings a certain familiarity to the Google Homepage I'm used to. Thank you Google!

http://file.status.net/identica/pla1-20100603T233725-x92bkvf.png

It seems available in US only!

It will roll out to the rest of the world.

most useless blogoscoped blog entry of the year +1

I use a shot I took in Death Valley last winter...

http://twitpic.com/1utbiw

I don't need any background image on my google homepage.. I still prefer the simple and classic one..

http://www.webpagescreenshot.info/img/70553368201052434AM.asp

Like dumbastic, i prefer plain white. Background pics tend to cover the whole thing that i sometimes can't see what's in it. Yes, it depends on the background but i just don't see the need to do so.

It really depends on the user though, some wants it personalized, others want it simple..

The UI texts have been localized this week for changing the background pic

Also see: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/art-of-homepage.html

Now launched in the UK with a background of trees and giving me no option to change it. The link says "Curious about today's homepage? Add your own background image now" and takes me to the Google Accounts page. I presume it will only last 24 hours, Nevertheless, very annoying.

$Bing++;

Google...........more like BinGo.

http://yfrog.com/c9bingofj

Instructions say that you can deselect an image at the lower left portion of the screen but that feature isn't implemented yet.

If I wanted cute and ineffective, I'd use Bing.

I don't like it. I like when it was plain and simple. Don't care much about picture background. I can do that to my desktop wallpaper. If they don't give you the option to turn that off then I will not go to their homepage anymore. Probably just use the Google search bar instead.

Discussion 'get rid of google background?' on related Help forum:

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Web%20Search/thread?tid=5362d87a4b4d2e16&hl=en

Google killed it because of the complaints en the many searches, see Google Trends for removing the background.

When this was happened exatcly?

Also

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1653797/google-enrages-users-hours-imposed-images

Google's people are technically brilliant, but not always so good at understanding human psychology.

If they made the background image option "invitation only", they'd have a long list of people queueing for invites.

If they made the background image a selectable option, they'd have some people activating a background image, and others leaving their page white, but everyone would be happy.

But force it onto users, and it's guaranteed that there will be a lot of bad vibes surfacing.

Quoting The Inquirer article:

"....
Google admitted to The INQUIRER that the homepage could not be restored and advised that "If you prefer to have a clean, simple look, you can change it to another colour using our background image feature. All you need to do is sign in to your Google Account to change your background.
...."

Google now shows four coloured dots on the Google logo to allow users to show the day's doodle.. also acts as an alert because if you use your own background, the doodle is not shown.

Roger Browne

I agree with you word to word.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=184603&id=711011880&saved#!/photo.php?pid=4823537&id=711011880