Google updates Image Search with inline panel and more image information

Google's update to Image Search brings an inline panel, which is supposed to make search faster and minimise clicking.

 

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Google has rolled out another round of update to its Image Search that is supposed to make the search faster and require less clicks. The update bring in a range of changes, the images now being presented via an inline panel.

“Based on feedback from both users and webmasters, we redesigned Google Images to provide a better search experience. In the next few days, you’ll see image results displayed in an inline panel so it’s faster, more beautiful, and more reliable,” says Google in a blog post. “You will be able to quickly flip through a set of images by using the keyboard. If you want to go back to browsing other search results, just scroll down and pick up right where you left off”.

When users search for images currently, they see large thumbnail images for whatever they are looking. For example, someone searches for the Taj Mahal, the search shows up images of the monument. Clicking on the image enlarges it, and the web page is shown in the background. With the update, Google Image Search shows a display of smaller images with one main image at the centre enlarged, with more image information.

Google also explains what the tweak to its Image Search would mean for webmasters:

- We now display detailed information about the image (the metadata) right underneath the image in the search results, instead of redirecting users to a separate landing page.

- We’re featuring some key information much more prominently next to the image: the title of the page hosting the image, the domain name it comes from, and the image size.

- The domain name is now clickable, and we also added a new button to visit the page the image is hosted on. This means that there are now four clickable targets to the source page instead of just two. In our tests, we’ve seen a net increase in the average click-through rate to the hosting website.

- The source page will no longer load up in an iframe in the background of the image detail view.

- This speeds up the experience for users, reduces the load on the source website’s servers, and improves the accuracy of webmaster metrics such as pageviews. As usual, image search query data is available in Top Search Queries in Webmaster Tools.

resource:http://www.thinkdigit.com/Internet/Google-updates-Image-Search-with-inline-panel_13189.html

Confirmed: Panda Update 3.6 Happened On April 27th

Google has confirmed they have pushed out a refresh on the Panda algorithm on Friday, April 27th.

I noticed an uptick in Webmaster discussion around Google changes over the weekend, mostly at WebmasterWorld and asked Google to confirm if there was an update. Google confirmed they refreshed the Panda update on the 27th, but it was a limited update not affecting that many sites.

This was an unusual update being that Panda 3.5 was released on April 19th, making a 8 day gap between 3.5 and this update, 3.6. Typically Google pushes out a refresh of Panda every 6 weeks or so.

A Google Spokesperson said:

We’re continuing to iterate on our Panda algorithm as part of our commitment to returning high-quality sites to Google users. This most recent update is one of the over 500 changes we make to our ranking algorithms each year.

Read more : http://searchengineland.com/panda-update-3-6-on-april-27th-120227

Google AdWords under CCI scanner in India: Sources

Competition watchdog CCI has asked its investigation arm to probe the alleged discriminatory practices by Google relating to its AdWords.

NEW DELHI: Competition watchdog CCI has asked its investigation arm to probe the alleged discriminatory practices by global search engine Google relating to its AdWords, sources said.

The investigation, according to sources, was ordered after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) found "prima facie evidence" that Google has abused its dominant market position by being discriminatory in allotting keywords to matrimonial site Bharatmatrimony.com.

"We have asked the Director General (Investigations) to complete the probe and give a report on it within 60 days. Prima facie, we found evidence that suggests that Google did abuse its dominant market position," a senior official told reporters.

When contacted a Google spokesperson said, "We have not received any communication and therefore we are unable to comment on it".

In February, BharatMatrimony had filed a complaint against Google alleging that the multinational company has abused its dominance by engaging in discriminatory and retaliatory practices relating to AdWords.

The AdWords programme, in which Google sells keywords to advertisers and displays them in the form of short ads online, is a big money spinner for the company.

"BharatMatrimony... requests that the Commission investigate Google's practices and impose remedial measures to protect competition," match-making portal had said in a statement.

It added the "increasing number of competition law complaints against Google globally suggests a pattern of anti- competitive conduct that needs to be checked in order to protect Indian businesses and consumers".

In 2011, the advertising segment comprised 96 per cent of Google's $38 billion revenue.

BharatMatrimony is owned by Consim Info which has over 400 community portals and 15 regional portals.
Read More : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/internet/Google-AdWords-under-CCI-scanner-Sources/articleshow/13030539.cms

Now google released an update to the new Google bar on Monday April 9, 2012

Now google released an update to the new Google bar on Monday April 9, 2012. Now we can login upto 10 multiple a/c's at the same time through the default id.

In February, Google released an update to the new Google bar to consumer users. Beginning on Monday April 9, 2012, the new Google bar will begin to roll out to all Google Apps users in two phases:

Phase 1 (Rollout begins April 9) - If you've enabled the Google+ service for your organization's Google Apps account, users will see the new Google bar only when they visit Google+ pages, such as their Google+ stream.

Phase 2 (Rollout begins April 16) - All users will see the new Google bar at the top of all of their Google services, such as Gmail and Google Calendar.

Please see the links below for more information.

Release track:
Rapid & Scheduled

Editions included:
Google Apps, Google Apps for Business, Government and Education

Languages included:
All languages supported

See more : http://googleappsupdates.blogspot.in/