Yahoo intros Search Direct, takes on Google Instant with insular effect

Mar 23rd 2011
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Remember Google Instant ? Now, Yahoo’s got something like that — it’s called Search Direct — and prefer Instant, it includes a search box that quickly and automatically suggests results as you type. Unlike Instant, though, it won’t update all of the results page to mirror the result of your potential search, but rather just the enlarged search box you spot immediately above, providing as much as ten suggested queries and 3 suggested results — making it a bit speedier (we were capable of apply it to our 3G phone connection quite easily) but in addition fairly limited when put next. It’s also somewhat… ahem… self-serving , as any search that occurs to incorporate an identical letters as one in every of Yahoo’s own services will promote them mainly others within the results — actually, only five letters of the alphabet presently raise anything but a Yahoo website because the first result when typed in solo.

I = iTunes
J = Jennifer Lopez
Q = QVC
X = Xbox 360
Z = Zsa Zsa Gabor

A few of the improved functionality is pretty useful, though, as that Xbox query will instantly raise prices for the console, and you’ll type in “movies” or “weather” and your zip code to instantly plan your night out. (“Restaurants” and “food” don’t work, though.) Anyhow, Search Direct is in beta. Why not give it a go?

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Yahoo! Introduces Search Direct – a less complicated Method to Find Answers Fast

New Yahoo! search technology adds immediate, rich media content, going beyond just links

SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO – News), the premier digital media company, today announced Search Direct, which delivers answers and direct access to websites before you complete a question, hit the hunt button, or visit a search results page. This search innovation supports Yahoo!’s option to fundamentally shift the way in which people experience the internet – by providing the richest, most integrated content faster and more efficiently.

This new feature, currently in beta, taps into Yahoo!’s unique opportunity to mix content and structured data and to produce a rich search experience. Search Direct predicts search results as fast as somebody types, character by character, and presents those results dynamically, generating a quick, simple search experience that goes beyond an inventory of blue links. Search Direct rolls out in a public beta to Yahoo! users around the U.S. today, and may be available in other Yahoo! products and markets later this year.

“With today’s launch, direct answers – not the hunt results page – is the first focus. We’re redefining the quest process and prominently displaying direct answers where search decisions are being made,” said Shashi Seth, senior vice chairman, Yahoo! Search and Marketplaces. “Search Direct is evidence of Yahoo! continuing to guide innovation in search, enabling people to do so faster, find what’s major, and sample what’s possible with the subsequent stage of search technology.”

With Search Direct, Yahoo! content is combined with information from the net to supply rich answers, not only links, and to provide people the choice to instantly engage or continue to a standard search results page. During this beta release, coverage includes top trending searches, movies, TV, sports teams and players, weather, local, travel, stocks, and shopping categories now available at search.yahoo.com.

Trending Searches – The instant the cursor hits the quest box, top search trends appear and are updated every 10 minutes to display the most recent and greatest search trends.
Search Previews – Search Direct predicts the quest term as you type, providing the ten likely searches. You may then easily scan each solution to see the related top results and find the suitable match to your needs.

Direct Answers – For lots common searches, Search Direct provides instant answers before you click the hunt button. Find an address or phone number, a 3-day weather forecast, financial stock performance, the pinnacle trending stories at Yahoo! News, or when and where a film is playing – all without going to a results page.

Direct Results – Whilst you scan the hunt options and find the positioning you would like, Search Direct provides exactly that – direct access to the positioning. Not more overwhelming pages of links.

Rich Content – For all top searches about sports, top news stories, and finance, Search Direct displays rich content that only the sector’s largest digital media company grants. For instance, type “n” to get the Yahoo! News display, which always shows the end two trending stories.

Yahoo! will continue to improve and update Search Direct with new content, together with popular music and native listings. For additional info and a demo video of Search Direct from Yahoo!, visit search.yahoo.com and our company blog, Yodel Anecdotal, at yodel.yahoo.com.