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Google.com has begun rolling out Google Instant.  This new feature not only performs a Autocomplete/Search as your type but actually performs a search based on what you have begun typing.  In preliminary testing, users can save 2-5 second per search.

The feature is described in detail at http://www.google.com/instant/  It’s a significant overhaul from the current search infrastructure requiring additional capacity from Google infrastructure to support the additional queries.

Key features:

• Dynamic Results – In addition to autocomplete/search as you type searches are performed and returned while you type.
• Predictions – the autocomplete attempts to predict and display your full query.
• Scroll to Search – You can scroll through predictions instantly with an arrow down.

Zeta byte

In case you didn’t know what a zeta byte is: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_gigabytes_are_in_a_zeta_byte

Availability

Google instant is available on Chrome, Firefox, Safari and IE 8 (we are not sure about Opera) in France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and the UK. 

A month ago I reported a screenshot of Google’s new layout in a previous post.   During my last few searches I’ve been given this layout.  The icons have been updated and take up less of the screen.  As well, the filtering has been compacted.

Sometimes I get so use to the Google.com search interface that I’m surprised when I don’t see it.  It looks like I got randomly shown this variation of the classic Google.com site.  On the left there is the Google properties and then some faceted search

What is interesting is if you scroll down a little you’ll see some biasing options.   Here there is an option for “more shopping sites” and “less shopping sites’”

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