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Keensurfer
Joined: Nov 05, 1999
# Posts: 885
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Posted: 2007-Oct-17 03:28
Google has been cleverly adding more and more tools to try and reinforce its stronghold online.
Google was the brainchild of a couple of really bright guys.
There's lots of bright guys and gals out there today that have the advantage of more powerful tools, faster internet speeds, and technology advents.
So.........who's on the horizon with a great search product that's either undercapitalized, or just awaiting their turn in the spotlight?
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SportsGuy
Staff
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3603
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Posted: 2007-Oct-17 12:52
Ask.com
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ClickIt
Joined: Jul 31, 2000
# Posts: 746
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Posted: 2007-Oct-18 02:20
Go local. Really well done hyper-local sites. Even with Ask, Google and the others adding maps and such, hard work, brains, lack of sleep and innovative features/funtions that are tuned to the local scene can be very, very cool.
Local sites also have the benefit of being able to generate revenue too, so there is a viable business behind the very very cool features/functions.
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Keensurfer
Joined: Nov 05, 1999
# Posts: 885
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Posted: 2007-Oct-18 12:27
What do you see in Ask? I wonder why the "Narrow My Search" feature seems to be popping up more and more. Is it really useful? I know myself, I find it distracting if I start typing something and the computer tries to finish my phrase for me. I do like the mouseover mini screen shot views.
Local, I agree...is certain to be a huge thing.
But there's so many smart people out there now that know what a huge industry search is. They're armed with great tools and minds.Surely there has to be a blow your socks off, why-didn't-I-think-of-that-before, outside-the-box, application. Heck there should be thousands of them with dozens of them being viable contenders.
What about AI (Artificial Intelligence)? What about search based on personal preferences? If I willingly share with my search provider that I like Country music, and then at some point I search for Music, it should know that I don't want Rap music results. Of course personal preferences should be able to be turned off easily. Those are just a few thoughts for a few minutes of thinking....there has to be something great next. I'm not trying to solve the problem, just trying to have some fun and anticipate what's next.
I got involved with trying to understand Search Engines 8 years ago and feel like it's similar to the commercial airline industry. Not much innovation in a heck of a lot of years. Whoop-eee do, someone figured out how to put TV service in a seat.
Or...has Search reached an Economy of Scale that's too time consuming, expensive, or difficult to make major improvements on?
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Prowler
Staff
Joined: Aug 14, 2000
# Posts: 1832
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Posted: 2007-Oct-18 13:27
You won't be seeing much of "blow-your socks off " kind of thing anymore. When Google entered the scene years ago - they didn't invent search engine concept. They just delivered search results better.
May be we have the next big thing right under our noses now. Only thing is don;t look for earth shattering discovery. Personal preferences when searching is possible right now - Google allows you to "remember" and save your personal preferences. Just sign in before you launch the search.
You can run your boiler plate type of customized search using the vast data of Google - Go for Google Custom search.
Like I said the technology exists right here. It needs someone to put together everything in the right way and market it as the best thing since sliced bread.
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Quadrille
Joined: Nov 15, 2000
# Posts: 1064
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Posted: 2007-Oct-18 15:18
Interesting to see Ask suggested as a possible next big thing; at first glance, not a likely candidate. Everything that Ask has done recently is pure marketing and gimmickry, and it's done them little good.
But they are tuned in to the 21st century vibe; content can be crap if you get the superficial stuff right. Television and magazines confirm this all the time. Image is all.
If Ask were to (for example) give the searcher the 'feeling of control' - by allowing intelligent presets and overrides, maybe even giving the searcher a 'search control panel' with their own defaults and radio button options, they could turn the thing around.
Google cannot do this; too big. Too big even to let you preset a preference for most recent news first (Duh!). Yahoo won't do this, they be too frightened of upsetting their 15-35 year old female loyalists (ok, tell me a corporation that isn't patronising and sexist!). And, of course M$N wouldn't do it unless they could monetise it instantly.
But Ask, with their desperation to be different, and so little to lose, could really make search swing.
They'd probably balls it up, though. The techies would come up with a great format, and the marketing suits would delete all the good stuff.
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ClickIt
Joined: Jul 31, 2000
# Posts: 746
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Posted: 2007-Oct-23 02:55
Consolidation of the hyper-local realm would not surprise me at all. I agree, the "blow your socks off" thing has already been invented - two or three years ago. But now we can look forward to the consolidation of the cool functions and features (currently existing as small start-ups, or just small companies) as they get bought out and integrated into geographically specific sites.
In some ways, we are revisiting what was attempted years ago with the Portals (so many of which flamed out). But in the interval, new tools/features/functions, and Web behaviors, have taken hold. Bring the existing stuff together - now that is something I'd bet good money on. What happens when the old, boring Yellow Pages (who are VERY good at what they do), and the Domainers (some of whom seem to be printing money in their basements), and the really well done local-interest social sites knock down the walls between their businesses? That keeps me up at night, trying to figure out how to put myself onto that gravey train.
It's time to go shopping - for existing companies! Ship the backroom stuff overseas (if you haven't already done so) and keep the local staff producing in the high value areas that the huge seach companies can't easily compeat in.
Hyper-Local search, from Googles' point of view, is a pretty tough nut to crack. But a local site with employees on the ground - people that know the local area - can beat the snot out of Google in some ways.
The sum of the parts is greater as a whole for hyper-local operators. I don't think of this as "if"; rather, I see it as being a matter of "when". This is going to be fun.
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