An unofficial blog that watches Google's attempts to move your operating system online since 2005. Not affiliated with Google.

Send your tips to gostips@gmail.com.

June 18, 2011

Google Tests a New Interface

Another day, another Google experiment. This time, Google tests a new search button inspired by Bing and removes the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button from the homepage, probably because it's no longer useful. Google Instant makes the search button unnecessary most of the time, so Google could remove it altogether. It's interesting that the new design emphasizes the search button instead of making it less prominent.


Google's experiment highlights the header of the search results pages and uses gray/red icons and labels in the vertical navigation menu. Another change is that the "cached" and "similar" links are placed in the Instant Preview box, so they're more difficult to find.



All the icons and images for this experiment are available in a sprite.

{ Thanks, Juuso, François and Websonic. }

36 comments:

  1. Loooks awesome.

    Please make Gmail Interface look better. Needs a change :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I approve. What does the pencil icon do?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good question. It's probably added by the Scribe extension.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The "cached" and "similar" links will be available to those who seek them, moving them would reduce clutter.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That pencil icon is from my Google Scribe extension.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think it's awesome. But why the selected icon colored red?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like it. I think it's a good sign that Google has recently been putting more effort into UI / UX.
    BTW - "new search button inspired by Bing" - how do you know it was inspired by Bing?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bing is Google's main competitor when it comes to search. Whether Google likes to admit it or not, many of the design changes from the past 2 or 3 years were inspired by Bing. Some examples: the new image search interface with infinite scrolling, "more sizes" for image search, homepage backgrounds, interactive doodles, video previews. There are many UI features first introduced by Bing and later added by Google. Just install Bing's iPad app and you'll notice that Microsoft's search team creates great interfaces.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree that it is possible that it was inspired by Bing, but we can only guess, we don't know it for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  10. nice one, love it, I don't think it looks like Bing, it's a google interface as always, simole

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now everybody knows that i follow Google geek and Chrome dev relations.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Where is the link to translation tools?

    ReplyDelete
  13. type in "gay" and watch the rainbow ..

    ReplyDelete
  14. Very nice, long live the simple Google! :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fct_Hum2BfM

    ReplyDelete
  16. New video: http://youtu.be/vtELiwNmTSc

    ReplyDelete
  17. Cool design. Google has finally done away with useless junks.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I like the lucky button, it's quicker to enter a keyword and go directly to a site than to find it in my 2000 favs and/or type it into the address bar.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Here are some new images of it, from Google UK (not Finland! And thus, in English language):

    http://i.imgur.com/fZUe8.png
    http://i.imgur.com/LlPDT.png
    http://i.imgur.com/Dyy3f.png
    http://i.imgur.com/lT5bH.png

    ReplyDelete
  20. well its not something about inspiring, google is a king by its self...

    ReplyDelete
  21. google i am saying just dont give it a try,your originality is everything...

    ReplyDelete
  22. Very nice, long live the simple Google

    ReplyDelete
  23. not at all the beautiful blue buttons safety stands

    ReplyDelete
  24. New homepage!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYb-xBgZBNw

    ReplyDelete
  25. It looks very nice but prefer the colorful icons on the left side

    ReplyDelete
  26. Dear Google,

    Allow for users to toggle between Google Instant enabled and disabled on the main page.

    Disabled = No Google Instant, Classic view with 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button.

    Enabled = whatever you want to experiment.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Please change this '99 blue color of links in results to something more modern.

    ReplyDelete
  28. To be honest, the search result content now looks like the ad content on the original Google pages, even while the header and navigation look polished. The older interface looked more honest and clean... This one looks like its copied from some website.

    ReplyDelete
  29. That sucks. I like minimalism & clear interface, and don't need the left side panel. I want to see the number of matches (not being an English native speaker, it is useful to search in google which expression is used more often). The big blue button is unnecessary and is awful.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I do not like the blue button, but the search screen was beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  31. please enable the "i'm feeling lucky" button
    ...plz plz.....!!!!!!! :-(

    ReplyDelete
  32. i prefer the cached and similar links were made easy to find... but currently i see the cached in the same line of the web address but i cant find the similar links.. ( this similar links is very useful tough... :-(

    ReplyDelete
  33. Put it back. Lost the simplicity and cleanliness.
    Left Nav pulldown rediculous.
    Added pointless clicks to go anywhere.
    Return the simple text across the top.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.