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March 20, 2009

Google Tests Enhanced Suggestions for IE8

Internet Explorer 8 has been released today and there are many reasons to download it if you use a previous version of IE. Microsoft has finally released a standard-compliant browser, tabs run in separate processes, the annoying modal dialog for finding words in web pages has been replaced with a less intrusive bar, the search box includes suggestions, the browser is faster and more polished.

Speaking of search suggestions, Google tests two features that could save a few clicks: displaying the top result for navigation queries, which usually have a single best answer, and showing ads related to the query at the bottom of the list of suggestions. I don't see the two features, but Sterling, a reader of this blog, spotted them while testing IE8.


Google also tests enabling search suggestions in Image Search:


In other news, Google Maps Germany added a questionable feature that shows suggestions when you start to enter a location, after being tested in Google Maps China. If you are logged in, the first suggestions are from your list of saved locations.


{ Thanks, Sterling and Luke. }

7 comments:

  1. Do You think will Internet Explorer 8 be able to challenge the growth rate of Firefox and Chrome ?
    Cyber Realm

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  2. When is Google going to fix a lot of the annoying bugs in Chrome. I know it's beta but there are a lot of simple but annoying problems that should be fixed already like printing issues, links not working, funny looking pages, etc. When I try them in IE, they work.

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  3. As long as they keep the saved locations at the top when we are logged in, this new feature in Google Maps seems really useful.

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  4. Microsoft advertises on Google network?

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  5. ...I didn't see any Microsoft ads here. There's an article by a person talking about MS products. There's an ad that mentions Microsoft but it's by a third party. (YMMV)

    Lastly, why wouldn't they though. The old days of "choke off their air supply" or "heavens, they're getting a larger percentage of a vastly expanding marketplace," (the market share myth,) are over!

    Companies that have policies like "No XXX corp products in here" are companies that are headed for the tar pits. Today's world demands that you be straight and honorable about the other guy's products. Use them if they support your succees in business.

    The modern consumer can find the truth, so you only damage yourself if you lie about the other guy or his product. Try outperforming them! I don't know it's just an idea.

    ---v

    I do find it interesting that in both of the stories I've read here about IE8, there's a very clear place that allows you to download Chrome. It's what I recommend.

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  6. When are people going to comment on the topic of the story and not ask mundane irrelevant questions? I get the irony.

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  7. ads on search suggestions sounds interesting to me. Is Google using them from AdWords?

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