Just when you thought that Google is running out of ideas for their products, something unexpected was introduced - a new search engine!

I am sure everyone is confused - why would Google make such a move when they already have the most popular search engine in the world (Yahoo! fans, face the truth)? The answer is actually quite simple - but this is just my opinion - innovation. Even though it is so widely used, we must admin that Google's search engine is a bit old-fashioned. Unfortunately, they can't just upgrade it all of a sudden, as I am sure it would annoy a lot of people. So they needed a site to test all the new technologies - and that's how SearchMash was created.

The first thing you notice when you open the web page is the typical Google design, simple and fast. No unnecessary images, tidy code and great design (though this is rather subjective). The whole page consists out of a logo, a search box and a few links. And that's where we notice the first change - no search button! Sincerely, I think it should have been removed years ago. After all, it is far more easy to hit the Enter button than to move your hand from the keyboard and use your mouse. What's more, when on the results page, you don't even have to move to the search box, since anything you type will be entered there automatically; neat, isn't it?

Since I started with a minor change, it might be a good idea to move to a bigger one, and that is actually the way the whole search engine works. A technology so popular nowadays, and not without a reason - AJAX. After submitting a query, you will be redirected to the results page normally (with no use of AJAX), but any further navigation (apart from choosing one of the result, going to the SearchMash homepage and entering a new query) will be dealt by AJAX. Click this link so you can see what I am talking about.

When the results page opens, you will be provided with twenty results. However, at the end of the page, there are no links to view other results, there is only "More web results »". If you click it, ten more results will be displayed on the same page, which will scroll down a bit for you Unfortunately, you can view only up to one hundred results, which shows us that this is not intended to be a serious search engine.

Also, besides searching for regular pages, you can do the same with images, blogs, videos and Wikipedia definitions. Searching these is also accomplished by the use of AJAX, which is useful, since you don't leave the regular results page. And to make things even better, video results are opened on the same page, instead of redirecting to YouTube. If you need more results, one click is all you need, since all four can be displayed the same way as regular results.

And finally, almost everywhere, you will see the question "Is this/that useful to you?" I think it's now rather obvious what Google is doing - market research. And if you ask me, I think that "upgrading" the main search engine would be a really good idea. But I do hope they don't limit the results to one hundred

Usually I don't go through more than 50 results, I just use more keywords or quotes or something. I might use this more than the regular Google search now, it looks like it'll work better. Interesting how there's no Google branding on the front page, just the terms and privacy pages.

hey, that is quite a cool search engine. I will start using it but that is only when i stop typing google in the address bar when ever i need to search for something . i guess this is a type of reflex whenever i wish to search on the internet

This is a very cute search engine, i will start using it more often, it's very fast and the design is simple but complete.

BTW, i never look more than 50 results instead i make a new search with more search terms.

Best regards,

That's exactly the main thing I like about Google If you are just a bit experienced with search queries (i.e. which is is ought to give you the best results) you will probably find what you need on the first page - at least that's the case with me.

Very nice, I like seeing sites using ajax for useful stuff like that rather then simply using it to make a more attractive website I really really like the basic stretching of the page for more results concept, I always hated thumbing through pages of results.

I too am like most here where if I have to go through more then 100 results, well, thats when I try searching again as obviously my first attempt fired too wide a range.

Very interesting indeed, I'll toy with it a bit next time I have something worth searching hehe.

I have qualms about using something like Ajax for something as basic as a search box. I just feel like a non-ajax-ified version along with an ajax-ified version would be nice. After all, I tend to have Noscript on, so the first thing I see is no results, which leaves me pondering.

On the other hand, once the results are loaded, the design is great and the results load really quickly. (Far superior to non-ajax-ified search). I also like how it's really quick when loading images and videos of the same search query and keep things all on the same page (ahh, the power of ajax).

As mentioned above, I also almost never look at more than 50 links worth of search results. It's rather tedious if you haven't found it quickly and typing a new word/word combination in seems to work better.

Mmmm...not always the case here. Then again, some of the stuff I search for is rather weird as well; it's usually things that aren't so easily found, and a quick change of keywords usually brings me to what I want.

As for the removal of the search button--it depends. Though it usually IS easier to just type enter, there's the factor that users are familiar with a certain kind of interface, and loss of familiarity leaves them confused. I also sometimes use the search button simply because I spend the bulk of my time on my mouse rather than on my keyboard.

This post has been edited by Arbitrary: May 30 2007, 12:11 AM

Wow, it looks cool. As soon as they'll make a toolbar for that then I'll move on . I never type google in the address bar, I just use the toolbar to search for something. This might change once there is a toolbar for it though.

I see that it works much faster and more effecient than Google, so they have done a good job on improving themselves.

I think that as long as a user is satisfied with how they search, there will be a search engine that is right for them.

I have Firefox running as my default, and I LOVE the Googlesearch beside the address bar. I use it religiously! All I usually do if I want to keep the flow going is just type it in, and then just open a new tab... And I am still surfing away!

My wife uses IE and that Search engine doesn't really do it for me. I don't know why. And I know that Dogpile is also available, but I don't see much change from using Google...

I did however just use Searchmash, and I think it's like PSP to PS2... use it on the fly!

I don't mind seeing so many pages of results... I just get upset once realizing the links that correspond with your search, well, don't seem to match as well. That's when the results will start to mesh into something completely different, or it goes a bit off topic, or into a different language. I don't mind that it goes different language, but I am only fluent in English.

But overall, I think that Searchmash will be good for the speed demons of surfing. Need it right now will work very well if the first results are guaranteed to be what is needed. And Google could be for matching funny images that don't come close to the search words! That is funny!