Google Instant Speeds Up Search

Google unveiled its upgraded search function today called Google Instant, which refines searches as you type by predicting what you're looking for. More details at this "user's guide" from Search Engine Land, or see the video in the gallery for a demo. Early reaction:

• Better, but not a world-changer: The best part, writes Stephen Shankland at CNET, is that "I could continuously refine my search results as I went. Instead of having to search, check the results, tweak the search, check again, and so on, I could fiddle with the search terms as I went. ... It is for me an improvement, though not a revolution, in search."
  

• It's about volume, not speed: "Google just found a way to jack up the number of search results you see by doing nothing more than type in a word or two like you always do," writes Erick Schonfeld at TechCrunch. "Most people can scan results visually and can absorb a lot more information if it is streamed to them in this fashion rather than having to manually click through to see more results. If people get used to this, it will put pressure on Bing and other search engines to quickly follow suit."

(More Google stories.)