Tag: Search

December 10, 2012December 10, 2012

Finding Internet Content the Easy Way with Soovle

Finding content on the Internet can sometimes be a challenge. There are people who will read this post who may be involved in writing articles for a blog, newsletter, or other publication that struggle finding topics that will interest their audience. While we can choose popular services such as what is offered by Google, Yahoo!, or Bing to search, each of these search engines are problematic.

Many people, when searching for a product, immediately head for places like Amazon, eBay, or Buy.com looking for the best price. In addition, people also check the retail websites to obtain product information for items that they may wish to purchase. Sometimes people just peruse these websites to read product reviews from those who have allegedly purchased a specific product or service.

We now have available to us Soovle, one simple-to-use search vehicle that will utilize the power of the following websites at once:

Google
Wikipedia
Amazon
Answer.com
Yahoo!
YouTube
Bing

To use Soovle is simple and straightforward. You only need to type in a search item, phrase, product, or service as you would during a normal search. As you type in the search term you wish to locate, each search service will start to provide the term for which you are searching. From this listing, you can then choose which search engine has the best results.

I have been testing Soovle for over a month and I have enjoyed the results Soovle has presented. I am using Soovle, set as my default search engine, for the Chrome browser without any problems or issues.

Soovle has a feature that I believe you will enjoy. If you wish to add or replace any of the standard search engines once you open Soovle, just click on Engines in the top right corner. You can control which engines best complete your searches and suit your needs.

Give Soovle a try and let us know what you think.

Comments are welcome.

Source: Soovle

May 29, 2012

Yahoo! Axis Browser Reviewed

Just when you thought that Yahoo! was down for the count, the company surprises us with a new browser. Even more surprising is that its browser, called Axis, is currently only available for the Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod. However, it is marketing extensions and add-ons for other popular browsers such as Firefox, Explorer, Chrome, and Safari.

In order to test this new browser, I downloaded and installed it onto my Apple iPad system. Now I would like to report my findings, observations, likes, and dislikes of Yahoo!’s first attempt at entering the browser wars. To give even further depth to my findings I had my wife, a big Safari fan, use the new browser over the Memorial Day weekend. Her thoughts and opinions will be included in my report.

When first coming upon this new browser from Yahoo!, I couldn’t help but wonder why Apple would even allow a third-party application on any of its devices. Could it be that it is looking for something to replace Safari? This concept may not be too far off since Apple has always been very territorial and protective when it comes to its software. This has included not allowing any third-party applications to circumvent the controls that it has built in to prevent hacking or tampering with its precious iOS. To me, this took on an even stranger aspect when one considers that Microsoft has its pinkies into Yahoo!. Could this mean that these two computer giants are considering working together? Far be it for me to know the answer, but it does appear that this is something that appears in the realm of possibility. I wonder if it is just me who feels this way, or do others in our community share this thought? Comments are welcome.

So moving on, I installed Yahoo! Axis and proceeded to take it for a test spin. I must admit, however, since I really like my Chrome browser, I wasn’t expecting much from this latest entry into the marketplace — but I was pleasantly surprised.

Over all, it was quite obvious that Yahoo! had done its homework in creating a browser that not only worked well but had been fine-tuned for mobile devices. The browser is both intuitive and responds quickly to commands. Additionally, I found that it provides an easy-to-use GUI that is a pleasure to use. In fact, it may seem somewhat familiar to anyone who has previously used the Pulse app since, as you can see below, its presentation is similar.

When first approaching the GUI, my thoughts were:

That it appeared as if it would be slick and easy to use.
Why didn’t Google think of this?
This is not a good browser; it is a great browser.

I know that, given this review, one might think that Yahoo! has paid me a huge sum of money to rant and rave about how wonderful Axis is. That isn’t happening since Yahoo! most likely won’t even know that I wrote this article. It is just that, for the vast majority of us who have been surfing the Internet over the last decade or so, we really haven’t seen any major improvement in browsers. In fact, given the vast array of browsers out there, most of us would admit that the differences are so minor that the programs appear to be merely clones of one another. This fact becomes even more evident when it comes to mobile browsers, which can leave the user feeling frustrated with their rendering of websites that makes navigation through them nothing but a chore.

With this new browser, however, both my wife and I found that searching for a term or a news heading will display results in a preview window (similar to how Pulse presents the information). However, what further impressed me was the fact that the search results contained not just typical, everyday sites, but sites that I had never heard of. Not only did I find this amazing, but I was surprised to be given access to this large array of available sites so quickly. These two performance factors are what make Axis stand out among other browsers, making it a great tool for those of us who need quick access to the Web on a regular basis. In addition, Axis has the ability to sync to your other mobile devices as well as your desktop browser, meaning that your information will be available to you wherever and whenever you need to access it.

My wife, on the other hand, is not as electronically intrigued as I am and is happy using the Safari browser with which she is familiar. She feels that Safari meets her needs and has no desire to start learning a new browser, no matter how simple it might be. In this, she has a very valid point. As she asked, “Why should I make a change if I am happy with what I have?” However, even if you are a loyal — but inquisitive — Apple fan, why not experiment and give the new Yahoo! Axis browser a try?

Of course, I don’t know how you will judge this new browser, but if you are like me and enjoy adventuring into the unknown, I would highly recommend you take the time to investigate what Yahoo!’s new Axis browser has to offer.

Note, however, that I did find one problem with the new browser that occurred when I attempted to use it as an extension for Google’s Chrome browser. In this case, I discovered that the new Axis browser became quite cumbersome and unnecessary. Of course. these are just my two cents’ worth and I would welcome your feedback.

Comments welcome.

Source: Yahoo!

CC licensed Flickr photo at the top of the page shared by bertboerland

January 18, 2012January 19, 2012

Why You Should Google Yourself

With the start of a new year, it’s wise to take the first steps toward improving your online presence if you haven’t, already. These days, it’s rare for an employer to not Google your name and see who you are outside of the interview. This gives them a more accurate perception of what you’ll be like after you’ve been hired. Unfortunately, not everyone has the best online presence.

Some people act as if their Facebook presence and what they post to the Web through various channels won’t negatively affect them. This isn’t true. If you proudly display pictures online of yourself drinking or taking part in lewd acts, this reflects negatively on you; the good impression you made upon a potential employer in that job interview is likely wasted if he or she happens upon a more… candid representation of your extracurricular activities in a Google search.

With the growth of Google and its social network, Google+, you can’t escape the wrath of Google — for better or for worse. The company recently pushed out a new social search feature that, by default, will give you search results based on you and who you know over what might be relevant for a search that someone else might make for the same subject. This has, of course, sparked controversy not only because Google is magnifying the importance of its own social media project (Google+), but also makes what might be otherwise obscure (and embarrassing) content that people have made over the years a little more visible when their names come up in search.

For example, because my name is less common than, say, “John Smith,” if you search for Craighton Miller on Google, you’ll find me in the top results — including my blog, personal site, and even my Twitter account. Over the past few years, I’ve worked hard to build up a positive name for myself online so that when I am Googled by a potential employer, this positive view of who I am is reflected. If you’re looking toward taking control over your online presence and putting your best face forward, creating a website or personal blog for yourself is an excellent first step. It’s pretty easy these days to set up a free WordPress.com blog, for example, to create a personal site or portfolio for employers to see.

And no matter how unique you think your name happens to be, there’s bound to be someone out there who shows up when others are searching for you; make sure that you stand out enough so there can be no doubt as to which you is being represented in the best light possible. If you’ve got an evil twin out there who shares your name and is constantly being disruptive in online communities, being aware of their misdeeds and taking measures to distance yourself from their transgressions can go a long way when it comes time to prove that you’re not that guy.

I recently went through an interview where my name was Googled right there in front of me; we were instantly able to bring up my personal site and see my portfolio and positive name that I’ve made for myself online. If I had not had such a visible online presence with sites that were clearly in my control, any number of other Craighton Millers might have the power to besmirch my good name through their irresponsible actions on other networks (like Facebook) and forums. In the case of this interview, it would have been easy for me to point out search results that pertained to me, but you’re not always going to be lucky enough to plead your own case. By Googling yourself often, you can be aware of doppelgangers out there who — inadvertently or purposely — might be mistaken for you. Then you can make an effort to counter this.

A general rule of thumb that I like to use: If you don’t want the whole world to see what you have to say about something, don’t put it on the Internet. Once it is posted to the Internet, it is very hard to get it removed. For example, take Facebook and the photos that get posted there. If you delete a photo from Facebook, it isn’t really deleted; it stays on the network’s servers and can even show up in Google searches. Search engines like Google also cache websites; if users can access the site directly, an earlier, cached version can often be served up and viewed.

If you don’t Google yourself, then you won’t be prepared to explain any unfavorable results that might show up somewhere down the road — such as during that crucial job interview. Create a strategy to protect yourself from negative and irrelevant information, and be ready to answer for any lapses in judgment you may have had along the way. If you focus on optimizing your own content to reflect positively when your name is brought up in a search, you should see these good results crawl up toward the top over time. It doesn’t happen overnight, but the sooner you start being aware of how you’re perceived when your name is Googled, you have a better chance of taking control of that perception.

For instance, I have a friend who shares his name with a criminal. Unfortunately, because my friend doesn’t have much of an online presence, the criminal shows up at the top when his name is Googled. In short, if you care about your online presence, don’t be like my friend! Even having a personal blog that’s updated regularly should knock down such inaccurate and unflattering results.

Think of Google as Big Brother. He knows everything from where you live to who your family and friends are to what kind of music you listen to. He’s seen all of those embarrassing photos you’ve posted. I’m not repeating this point because I like to see myself type; I’m repeating myself to remind you that the Internet knows everything. Chances are that if you input any personal information to a website, it will show up somewhere. Remember MySpace? The information that you left behind when MySpace was in its heyday is still there and is indexed by Google.

In short: It’s never too early (or too late) to gain a positive influence online.

For the start of 2012, try to create a personal blog if you don’t have one already. It’s so easy these days — and can be done for free. My favorite blog website is WordPress. It provides free blogs that are easily managed and customized with hundreds of themes from which you can pick. If you are feeling a little more advanced, you can install its software on a Web host and expand your blog even more.

If you have some good Google search stories about what happens when you Google your name, feel free to leave them in the comments.

August 9, 2011July 25, 2012

New Google Search Android App Simplifies Interface, Adds Features

Despite being the #1 most important thing Google does, the search app for Android has always been a little sparse. Android has gone through several interface changes, but the Google interface has remained largely the same. Hell, even the Google Mobile Web Search page looks better than the stock Android app.
As you can see in the image to the right, the new Google app for Android matches the light text on dark background look of the rest of the Gingerbread OS, and overall just looks much sleeker than the clunky white interface of old.
The post on the Google Mobile Blog about this new search interface was removed a few moments after posting, but that should be coming back soon with an official announcement of the new search app. According to Google, here’s what the new search app brings to the table:

Suggestions grouped by type (suggestions for Web search as well as matches for the term on your phone), with Web suggestions appearing at the top.
Country-specific suggestions and search results for all countries with Google domains.
Long press to remove history items.
Faster, smoother performance, with an updated and simplified user interface.

It also looks like the new version will allow you to search within other apps on your device as well, rather than just the stock Google apps. In the settings page, you’ll see a “Searchable Items” page that will allow you to select which apps you would like to use for search. There’s also a new look for the Google Search Widget, which you can add like any other widget by long pressing on your home screen. Another cool feature is the ability to customize one of the search suggestions — just click the little arrow next to the suggestion and you can edit it before searching.
Once the new Google Search app goes live, you’ll be able to download it from the Market on all Android devices running 2.2 and up. Enjoy!

February 14, 2011

How To Block a Website in Google Search

Google is making an attempt to crowdsource against spam with Personal Blacklist.

Personal Blacklist adds an option under any Google search result that lets users remove an entire website result from the search. Additionally, it adds a link at the bottom of the search results pages so you can still see the results that were blocked. Users can also manage the block list by clicking on the extension icon.

To get started with the plugin, make sure you have downloaded and installed Google Chrome.
After you have set up Google Chrome, go here to get the plugin.
As soon as you have installed the plugin, you will get a red button on your Google Chrome toolbar. This is the populated list of websites that you have blocked.
If you want to block a website, make a Google Search of anything that you want. Below the title and description you will see “Block [website]” to the right of the similar button. Click this to add the website to your block list and any website that is relevant to your block will be removed from the list.
To remove or edit any blocked entry, select the red icon on the Chrome toolbar and all the blocked content will be populated into a list with easy remove/edit functions.

February 14, 2011July 25, 2012

Google Chrome Extension to Block Websites From Search Results

In a release Google today you can now block websites from search results with a new experimental Google Chrome extension that attempts to find and block the content farm websites.

Personal Blacklist, adds an option under any Google search result that lets users remove an entire website result from the search. Additionally, it adds a link at the bottom of the search results pages so you can still see the results that were blocked. Users can also manage the block list by clicking on the extension icon.

This Google Chrome extension is centered around suppressing the content farms, websites that create low-quality content that rely on search for traffic. Google in-turn acquires this information that you block and sends it to Google where it could become apart of Google’s search algorithm.

To put it simply, Google is looking into using blocked data to implement and control content farms. Google has had trouble targeting these content farms and by using users to get the data they can make a more significant impact.

I like the idea of user submitted feedback for content farm sites but it can easily be exploited by hackers with multiple computers hitting random sites throughout the day. I like the idea of, after a certain amount of hits it goes into a moderation queue where it is analyzed by Google workers to see if the site is truly a content farm.

February 11, 2011

GoodSearch – You Do The Searching And They Do The Giving

Do you have a favorite charity you like donating to? How about your local church for one of their ministries? GoodSearch is a way to generate revenue for your church, charity, school or organization every time you do a search using their search engine. Good Search is powered by Yahoo so you know that your searches will be what you are looking for, plus each search you do through Good Search generates revenue.

According to GoodSearch, each search you complete will generate approximately one cent to the cause of your choosing, and they provide this chart to demonstrate the amount of money that could be generated in one years time.

Charity or School Size	Number of Supporters	Average Searches Per Day	Estimated Revenue/Year
Small	100	2	$730
Medium	1,000	2	$7,300
Large	10,000	2	$73,000

On their website GoodSearch has a database of charities you can select from or you can add your favorite church, school, organization or charity to the list. Your computer will remember which you have specified to receive the revenue. It is that simple.

So how do you generate even more revenue from GoodSearch?

GoodSearch also has sponsor sites in their GoodShop web site. When you select one of the participating merchants, such as Amazon, Staples, Petsmart, FTD florist, eBay, Best Buy and many others, part of the commission paid when you make a purchase goes to your selected organization etc.

So how do you spread the word about GoodSearch and generate revenue for the church, charity, organization or others that you wish to support?

You can do like I am doing and write a Blog post about GoodSearch. Others suggestions include sending emails to garner support, distribute flyers at your church or school, you can even place a logo on your website stating you support GoodSearch.

Get creative and come up with your own ideas on how to get the word out.

The best part is that you will be supporting a group of your choosing and helping the group in a time when they need monetary assistance more than ever.

What do you think of this idea? Is it something that interests you or your supporters?

Comments welcome.

Source – GoodSearch

February 1, 2011July 25, 2012

Google Accuses Bing Of Stealing Search Results

Today Google is pointing the finger at Microsoft’s Bing calling the company out for stealing search results from its search engine. Google claims that it has run a lengthy operation that, it claims, proves Bing has stolen search results from Google. It says Bing watches what people are searching for on Google and clicking on the most, then it uses that information to improve its own search listings. So far neither Microsoft nor Bing have denied this action.

The result of all the piggybacking is supposedly improving Bing’s results while stealing information from Google’s own work. The metaphor Google uses is similar to leaning over during a test and copying off Google’s answer sheet.

“I’ve got no problem with a competitor developing an innovative algorithm. But copying is not innovation, in my book.” says Amit Singhal, a Google Fellow who oversees Google’s ranking algorithm.

In an email response sent to a writer over at Search Engine Land Stefan Weitz, director of Bing, responded with a statement that did not deny Bing’s actions:

As you might imagine, we use multiple signals and approaches when we think about ranking, but like the rest of the players in this industry, we’re not going to go deep and detailed in how we do it. Clearly, the overarching goal is to do a better job determining the intent of the search, so we can guess at the best and most relevant answer to a given query.

The red flags and bell whistles went up way back in October 2010, when Google noticed an increasing overlap in search results of the top 10 searches over earlier months. The indications also increased when Google noticed the number one search result was strangely the same one Bing came up with.

How Google’s Operation Worked

After seeing all these warning signs, Google decided to do a little test of its own to prove that Bing was piggybacking off of its results. So Google hatched a plan; for the very first time, Google built in code to the search engine to force one search result above all others.

Google chose a particular search term that did not come back with any results on either Google or Bing and decided to lay its trap.

When the plan was all set up in December of 2010, Google told its employees to go home and with the Bing toolbar installed on Internet Explorer, search for one particular search term on both Bing and Google. The searching operation started on December 17 and by the turn of the new year Bing was showing the same, fabricated result as Google in its search query.

Needless to say, Bing has some explaining to do. Many sources say that what Bing has done is not illegal, so no legal action can really be taken.

Microsoft says that it has not copied anything, but what do you think?

November 24, 2010

Google On A Hiring Spree

Facebook is said to be hot on the heels of the likes of Google, among others. Unwilling to take this laying down, Google’s on a hiring spree to keep themselves ahead of the game. And if done correctly and no losing more people to Facebook, this is a strategy that could work. But there are still other challenges that must also be met though.

First of all, if Google has taught us anything, it’s creating is much easier than competing. Let Facebook becoming the bandwidth black hole it is and pursue relevant ways to keep the search experience going forward. Facts are that while earnings with Facebook ads may be gaining major steam, Facebook ads are generally…crap. They offer most people zero value and are mostly get rich schemes.

Here is where Google needs to step it up. While they have the best advertisers at the moment, Facebook could eventually take this away. Well, if they can get enough Facebook users looking to spend money on products and services in which advertisers could target. Yes, this and this alone will likely be Google’s saving grace. Best hire those who can keep the mindshare on offering value instead of fluff.

November 24, 2010

Blekko Partners Up With DuckDuckGo

I’ve been using DuckDuckGo off and on since its launch. Best for some search queries and not so much for others, it’s one of those search engines that I see honestly as having the biggest impact on doing something clever and effective in the search engine space. If you are researching something through search, DuckDuckGo can’t be beat by anything in my experience.

Then came the news that Blekko partners up with DuckDuckGo. Clearly a game changer for both companies, since Blekko has a good handle on finding relevant data from hash tags. As the article explains, both companies are trying to do what Google is clearly struggling with — eliminate search spam from the index that each of us find every day. A noble idea to be sure.

Now for the big question! Can the two search engines make a big enough ding in the worlds of Google and Bing/Yahoo! for any of this effort to be recognized? Depends. With time I see DuckDuckGo offering more relevant data than Google for organic search results. Better ranking based on content, not so much on “page rank”. But at the end of the day, DuckDuckGo needs someone to help get the word out. A technology evangelist of sorts. Get one who knows how to find Google complaints, make videos and offer solutions to frustrated Googler’s, the success will follow for DuckDuckGo.

November 22, 2010

TSA Pat Down Leaves Cancer Survivor Covered In Urine

We have all heard of the outrage over the new pat down search policy that the TSA has instituted. When I read this story I felt anger that anyone would be subjected to a pat down search, especially for those who are wearing urostomy bag, for the collection of urine. For one cancer survivor his experience left him covered in urine, after the pat down search.

Here is his story:

Due to his medical condition, Sawyer asked to be screened in private. “One officer looked at another, rolled his eyes and said that they really didn’t have any place to take me,” said Sawyer. “After I said again that I’d like privacy, they took me to an office.”
“One agent watched as the other used his flat hand to go slowly down my chest. I tried to warn him that he would hit the bag and break the seal on my bag, but he ignored me. Sure enough, the seal was broken and urine started dribbling down my shirt and my leg and into my pants.”
The security officer finished the pat-down, tested the gloves for any trace of explosives and then, Sawyer said, “He told me I could go. They never apologized. They never offered to help. They acted like they hadn’t seen what happened. But I know they saw it because I had a wet mark.”
Humiliated, upset and wet, Sawyer said he had to walk through the airport soaked in urine, board his plane and wait until after takeoff before he could clean up.

What ever happened to common sense? I realize that TSA agents have a job to do, but there has to be exceptions to any rule. In this case the man had to suffer the indignity of having urine soak his clothes until he could clean himself.

What do you think?

Comments welcome.

Source – rawstory

November 15, 2010

Facebook Vs. Google And Other Fables

Despite all of the Web 2.0 this and mobile Web that, we still (last time I checked) rely on a value based society. While there is some money to be made in the latest social fads, the fact of the matter is that Facebook advertising is, and has continued to be, a joke. Forget about ad revenue or the potential for such. Most of the ad content on Facebook is how to hook up with people for relations, get rich quick or, at best, promoting some cause no one even really understands. How is this competing with AdWords/AdSense — where the ads and advertisers delivered here are selling actual items of value?

Cards, computers, and services. You name it, Google has advertisers for it. And yet Facebook is going to magically come along and swoop up the world with get rich quick schemes or other stupid ads no one cares about. With behavioral targeting, Google is way ahead of the game. It’s got advertisers worth paying attention to. Again, point to Google. How about the people who still have an income despite the rough economy? Once again, I point to Google’s users vs. the folks screwing around on Facebook playing Farmville and other meaningless pursuits.

Could Facebook win over Google in raw revenue? Possibly, sure. Crap ads with get rich schemes pay pretty well last I looked. Does this mean that people will start taking friend recommendations over Google search results? Nope, keep dreaming. It’s the same argument that had people saying Twitter was going to win the day over search engines. The fact is that people want accurate results, not results based on emotion of personal agendas. Social media can’t deliver here. The best we can hope for are Facebook and Twitter to remain powerful tools for communication and community. As revenue powerhouses, again, perhaps. But their value is nothing to people who work for a living and are not spending all their time sharing the latest virtual exploits with virtual pets and other such nonsense. Google owns Facebook in the value department.

November 11, 2010

Ask.com Changing Search Niches

Finally, we see Ask taking a stance that in my estimation, will be vastly more profitable for the search company in the long haul. Ask.com has opted to return home to its roots, back with the idea of questions getting answers. It’s about time!

Frankly I am excited to see how things play out for Ask.com with the switch back to its roots as I believe this is where they’ll find their best bet. Fact is, by centering their indexing to sites that deal specifically with questions and answers, Ask sets themselves up to be something different that all of the others search engines out there.

Does this mean that it’s going to turn into Yahoo answers or WiseGeek? Not at all. Rather than trying to house all of that magic in-house, Ask is looking to make finding answers, easier. This makes a heck of a lot more sense than Ask trying to compete against the major players like Google.

November 9, 2010

Google Instant Previews

It’s a clever idea. Taking a page from Ask.com’s Web site preview and actually doing it in such a way that people can “preview” enough of the page before actually visiting it. While I don’t see Ask offering this functionality now, at one time it did and the windows provided were always too small to really use. After trying it out myself, I was amazed at how easy it was to roll from preview to preview without missing a beat. Another advantage I found was being able to spot the right page from the wrong page, quickly. Like if I was looking for a LinkedIn page belonging to someone, this preview feature would help me to make sure it’s the right person showing up in the Google results before I ever clicked it. That is just awesome.

Now for what I wish was included: news. Realizing how much more difficult this would be, I’d love to have this functionality on Google News in a big way. Movable preview windows. Not a deal killer by any stretch, it would be helpful to be able to move a preview window over if I needed to. Preview two or more sites at once, while moving them for comparison. Come on, I cannot be the only guy who feels this way?

The Google Preview idea is going to be a hit once it goes live. I mean, what’s not to like? Unlike the auto-complete functionality for results that can become annoying, if Google keeps the setup the way it has for testing, along with adding some of the new features I’ve discussed above, I believe we could have a huge hit on our hands. This is not to say that it’s going to revolutionize anything really, but it sure does make things a lot faster when it comes to sorting and sifting, that is for darned sure.