Google's latest feature: preview search

[HansV]

Google introduced Preview Search today: next to an increasing number of search results, you'll see a magnifying glass icon:

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If you click the icon, you'll see a (cached) preview of the web page; clicking on the image will take you to the page.

x395.png

Once you have clicked on a magnifying glass icon, you only need to move the mouse pointer to another one to see the corresponding preview - no need to click again.
This lasts until you click elsewhere, or navigate away from the search page.

[PaulB]

Not seeing it, Hans. Is this being rolled out by region?

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[HansV]

Not seeing it, Hans. Is this being rolled out by region?

That could well be - the previous one, "instant search", with search results being displayed while you type in the search box, was rolled out over a period of two weeks or so.

[PaulB]

Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for it.

[HansV]

You can try it by following this link: http://www.google.com/webhp?esrch=instantpreviews" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulB]

Thanks, that link works. Guess I'll just have to wait for it to be rolled out at Google.ca.

[HansV]

I don't know how Google plans this - it already works "out of the box" for me in Internet Explorer, but not in Firefox...

[viking33]

I don't know how Google plans this - it already works "out of the box" for me in Internet Explorer, but not in Firefox...

Ah, I noticed the little hour glass icons and clicked but nothing happened.... because I'm using FF.

[Argus]

You can try it by following this link: http://www.google.com/webhp?esrch=instantpreviews" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was going to ask you about which browser, but I know that you use IE most of time even if you have several browsers.

Also, I notice in Fx, with your direct link for the “experimental search” to test this (obviously one need a Google cookie as well), you don't have to click on the magnifying glass; anywhere around the link, under the search box works as well. One can notice that the magnifying glass is active if one hover the mouse pointer in the area.

And it also seems a bit wonky with Fx and the test link, since I sometimes get the magnifying glass but preview doesn't work, as mentioned by Bob (if I assume “hour glass icons” = magnifying glass).

Then of course the preview or not depends on how/if IE is "locked down".

BTW, I found some odd result; it seems like it in some odd cases places a cookie for the site you preview, I can't repeat it every time but tested more than once. And no, I didn't click on the preview to visit the site.

[PaulB]

I tried a normal Google search using both Fx (my default browser) and IE. Neither gave me the 'preview search'. However as I indicated above, the link provided by Hans does work, at least with Fx.

I'm puzzled by the number of search results. Fx indicates about 43,000 results when googling for site:eileenslounge.com while IE only finds about 7,000. What's up with that?

[HansV]

Fx indicates about 43,000 results when googling for site:eileenslounge.com while IE only finds about 7,000. What's up with that?

The number of search results has been varying wildly recently, and apparently it depends on which Google server you get.

[stuck]

Works for me as described by Hans using FF 3.5.15.

Ken

[Argus]

Today I see the preview at google.se. As Hans said, I don't know if it is different for different locations but it is there using Fx at .se and at google.co.uk. (If I'm going to use it is a different matter, I guess it can be a handy tool sometimes, in the end it's just another feature in the search engine war.)

[viking33]

in the end it's just another feature in the search engine war.)

Yep, those cowboys are still fighting the engines, so it seems.

[PaulB]

The feature shower up at Google.ca yesterday.