Google search results have started incorporating information from previously separate sources into a single set of results. These sources can include videos, images, news, maps, books and websites. In time, users will notice the additional types of content integrated into their search results.
Google's goal for universal search is to ultimately search across all its content sources, compare and rank all that information in real time, and deliver a single, integrated set of search results that offers users precisely what they are looking for.
"Our focus has always been making our users' search experience as simple and straightforward as possible," said Marissa Mayer, vice president of search products and user experience at Google. "The ultimate goal of universal search is to break down the silos of information that exist on the web and provide the very best answer every time a user enters a query. While we still have a long way to go, today's announcements are a big step in that direction."
If a user searches for information on the "Star Wars" character Darth Vader, Google now delivers a single set of search results that include images of the Darth Vader character, a humorous parody of the movie, a link to information about a Darth Vader gargoyle on the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., as well as websites focused on actor James Earl Jones, who provided the voice for the character.
The results are ranked automatically by algorithms in order of relevance to the query; the user would no longer be requited to visit several different Google search properties to find the different kinds of information.
Google has started deploying a new technical infrastructure that will enable the search engine to handle the computationally intensive tasks required to produce universal search results.
New dynamically generated navigation links have been added above the search results to suggest additional information that may be relevant to a user's query. A search for "python" now generates links to Google blog search, Google book search, Google groups and Google Code, to let the user know there is additional information on that query in each of those areas. Users can now find a wider array of information on topics, including data types they might not have initially considered.
Google's homepage and a number of applications have also been updated with a new navigation bar to provide easier access to popular Google products. The familiar links above the Google.com homepage search box hve been replaced with a navigation bar at the top left of the page with Google search properties and products including Gmail, Google calendar and Google docs & spreadsheets available in the toolbar or the adjacent drop-down menu.
For more information, visit the Google.com website.