Google originally wowed Internet users with its refreshing simplicity. The search engine’s spartan, easy-to-use interface won over legions of Internet users at a time when other search engines — or “portals” — had become cluttered and confusing.
Google still has a flair for the understated, but the search engine giant has also been tinkering a lot lately with new search features and interface enhancements that many feel border on distracting. Here’s a rundown of what’s happened to your Google search page recently, along with some tips on how you can get back the simplicity you might miss.
Instant Search
If you start typing into Google, and the search field suddenly flies up to the top of your browser window, you know you’re dealing with the new feature that Google calls Instant. In essence, Instant attempts to update search results in real-time, as you type. So, for example, if you’re searching for “ms word templates,” the search results will be updated with each few characters.
Eventually, Instant figures out what you’re searching for based upon what others have searched for, and this usually happens a few characters before you finish typing. At that point, you can stop typing and simply select the best search result from those presented.
You might find Instant’s constant screen redrawing more distracting than helpful. If so, you can turn Instant off by searching for the faint “Instant is on” drop-down arrow to the right of the search field and selecting Off. You have to start typing, however, before that drop-down appears.
Google Stars
In an effort to make search results more personalized, Google introduced its Star rating system earlier this year. As a result, if you have a Google account and are signed in to the search engine, you’ll note that each item in a list of search results now includes a hollow…