Neowin.net - Try Out Google's New UI

Try Out Google's New UI

Posted by Mr magoo on 26 March 2006 - 12:22 · 75 comments & 45654 views

Screenshots of a new results page on Google.com have been floating around the web for a few months now. The new 'style' had only been accessible to an apparently random selection of beta users, and members of Google's very exclusive pre-release group. Until now.

The new UI sports information on results in other sections (images, groups, froogle and news) that core users don't tend to use (screenshot). We've seen efforts in the past to combine the different categories together (e.g. image results at the top of normal search queries) and the latest design reflects a desire to spread interest across the sections. The new UI also cleans up the head of the page (significantly), and loses the light blue background bar indicating which page users are on.

To view the new UI, follow these simple steps...

1. Head over to google.com
2. In the address bar, paste one of the javascript commands (see here)
3. Enter a search query, and voila!

For UK and NL users, we've similar javascript commands to do the trick (see below). Other localised readers simply need to change the domain= element to reflect their locality. Our thanks to Brandon Live in the forums for the javascript magic.

View: Discussion

View: Google

US:
javascript:alert(document.cookie="PREF=ID=fb7740f107311e46:TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332:S=fNSw6ljXTzvL3dWu;path=/;domain=.google.com")

UK:
javascript:alert(document.cookie="PREF=ID=fb7740f107311e46:TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332:S=fNSw6ljXTzvL3dWu;path=/;domain=.google.co.uk")

NL:
javascript:alert(document.cookie="PREF=ID=fb7740f107311e46:TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332:S=fNSw6ljXTzvL3dWu;path=/;domain=.google.nl")

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#1 Posted by sagy on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:25: nice.. but whats with tht emoticon lol..

#2 Posted by Mr magoo on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:28: Yeah, blame the coders! I've updated it.

#3 Posted by blackice912 on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:32: Psh

On topic, though: Sweet trick! I think I'll stick with this search style for a while.

#4 Posted by Ideas Man on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:33: I don't quite see what's worth getting excited over TBH, they added some progress bar type things, wow, how exciting google. Can't wait to see how many people consider this bloat, because it looks like it to me (but then again, google is lord, so it's not bloat if Google steals your screen real estate is it?)

#5 Posted by simpleyred on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:33: i dont like it :no:

#6 Posted by domgrimm on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:34: I've run into it a few times whilst searching, I like it

#7 Posted by fairlie on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:35: It just doesnt seem as workable as the current UI.

#8 Posted by rIaHc3 on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:36: Its accually not that big of a deal and looks pretty crappy

(4 replies) #9 Posted by BBinder on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:43: How Do i head over to google.com the sad tw*ts automatically redirect me to google.co.uk, i never told them to do that

(3 replies) #10 Posted by wutang01 on 26 Mar 2006 - 12:44: How come I can't get this to work T_T

#11 Posted by 02030507 on 26 Mar 2006 - 13:19: :p I like it

(2 replies) #12 Posted by sagy on 26 Mar 2006 - 13:25: hey it doesnt work for me.. wht excatly do i do? do i take off google.com n type in the code or do i paste it after goole.com
sorry im kind of confused...any help pls?

#13 Posted by Smigit on 26 Mar 2006 - 13:39: nice screenshot....

edit: I liked the text at the top to swap to images ect. Side isnt as nice.

(1 reply) #14 Posted by ElectricDemon on 26 Mar 2006 - 13:42: The JS stuff doesnt work here in ffox, or ie..all i get is a dialog box with the same command i enter??

(1 reply) #15 Posted by barrix on 26 Mar 2006 - 13:50: not working
script not working
plz sb tell me in detail
i 'm from uk

#16 Posted by Neowave on 26 Mar 2006 - 14:12: Nothing to get exited about really.

#17 Posted by Digital on 26 Mar 2006 - 14:26: Personally, I don't find anything impressing in it.

(1 reply) #18 Posted by thefunky_monkey on 26 Mar 2006 - 14:31: how do you go back to the old ui?

#19 Posted by lexor on 26 Mar 2006 - 14:42: so, anyone got screenshots? for those who aren't in any of those countires listed?

#20 Posted by binime on 26 Mar 2006 - 14:57: yeah, i took a screenshot...

Googles UI

(2 replies) #21 Posted by altermind on 26 Mar 2006 - 15:43: ok.. for all those people who are having problems with this.. use internet explorer.. I tried this with firefox 1.5 avant browser and myIE2 no dice... normal internet exploer works... *sigh*

#22 Posted by beauvoir on 26 Mar 2006 - 15:55: i don't understand, i've been getting this for a whhile. i thought it was just a glitch,,,,,

#23 Posted by Pink Floyd on 26 Mar 2006 - 16:08: nope, it doesnt work for me either

(1 reply) #24 Posted by RangerLG on 26 Mar 2006 - 16:16: Works in my Firefox 1.5 here in the US. Don't really like it too much. Seem like a lot of wasted space below the links on the sidebar. Hopefully they won't be reserving that for ads.

(1 reply) #25 Posted by Eli on 26 Mar 2006 - 16:29: Live in Canada?

javascript:alert(document.cookie="PREF=ID=fb7740f107311e46:TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332=fNSw6ljXTzvL3dWu;path=/;domain=.google.ca"

Works

EDIT: Damn emoticons. Just change .com to .ca

#26 Posted by slimy on 26 Mar 2006 - 16:49: doesn't look that great at all :/

(1 reply) #27 Posted by saccrant on 26 Mar 2006 - 17:30: i'd say microsoft's live search looks so much better.

#28 Posted by Ravensworth on 26 Mar 2006 - 17:34: They ruined Google Groups already, I guess it's time to ruin the search engine too.

#29 Posted by digitalsoft on 26 Mar 2006 - 17:55: right, i got it working... i hate it.. how do i get my google back?

#30 Posted by jivemastert on 26 Mar 2006 - 18:03: yeah that really sucks. One of the first things by google that i don't like. make it go away now.

#31 Posted by elliot on 26 Mar 2006 - 18:22: Completely pointless, waste of space.

If i'm search for something I already *know* whether I should be on image, web, news...

#32 Posted by thebangles on 26 Mar 2006 - 18:43: I get something like "PREF=ID......." (followed by a LONG code of some descript)- any solutions?

(2 replies) #33 Posted by rovman on 26 Mar 2006 - 18:47: I don't see what the big deal is, i mean its extactly the same as it is now except has an extra column on the left. Its about 30 seconds worth of HTML coding, why does this need to be "BETA" tested exactly?

I'd hardly call it blaot either, it just moves the links from the top of the page to the side instead, its not like your going to be sitting on the search results for hours trying to work around the edges of the "bloat"

#34 Posted by McG on 26 Mar 2006 - 19:34: Yuck. Pointless.

#35 Posted by thenay on 26 Mar 2006 - 19:36: I like the old way better

#36 Posted by disturb3d on 26 Mar 2006 - 20:16: Ew, i rather the old one.

#37 Posted by digitalsoft on 26 Mar 2006 - 20:28: To everyone who wants to revert back to the previous google look: just clear your cookies for google...

#38 Posted by advancedboy on 26 Mar 2006 - 21:35: UNIVERSAL WORKING WAY OF AWESOMENESS:

Go to Google.Com, you will be redirected to the Google for your country (ex. I am Canadian, so Google.Com points to Google.ca). Now, after the redirect, paste this in the address bar:

javascript:alert(document.cookie="PREF=ID=fb7740f107311e46:TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332:
<put these two lines together, no spaces... there becomes a smiley in the code if you don't>
S=fNSw6ljXTzvL3dWu;path=/;domain=."+location.href.split('/'[2].substr(location.href.split('/'[2].indexOf('google'));

Now HIT ENTER, you will get a little alert that shows the code you put in the address bar. Now search for something, and it will work.

BTW: that code works for ALL LANGUAGES/COUNTRIES and I would reccommend you put that one in the news post.

Last edited by advancedboy on 26 Mar 2006 - 21:56

#39 Posted by Stegrowe on 26 Mar 2006 - 21:41: dont work for me

#40 Posted by Gamerhomie on 26 Mar 2006 - 21:43: My friend has had this for a while, I hate it. It doesn't add anything, it detracts from my searching.

#41 Posted by maulia on 26 Mar 2006 - 22:22: It doesn't make a different much.... only the images-web thingie is put on the left...

(4 replies) #42 Posted by divertom15 on 26 Mar 2006 - 23:31: I find this also cool and it works with the javascript hack! (makes your google page appear as the google "redux" redesign)
Warning: Requires Greasemonkey

http://buckymatters.com/googleredux/

Screenshot:

#43 Posted by factoid on 27 Mar 2006 - 00:33: i prefer live search... i think that it looks better, and someday it will come out of beta...

#44 Posted by AionXn_ on 27 Mar 2006 - 04:39: cool

#45 Posted by Xilo on 27 Mar 2006 - 04:46: Well shoot. Looks like I was one of the selected random testers. I've been seeing this new layout for a while now. I was wondering what the hell happened to google.

#46 Posted by osirisX on 27 Mar 2006 - 05:15: Those bars don't seem to be of much help and need to be placed elsewhere.

#47 Posted by NewXStar on 27 Mar 2006 - 06:34: N I C E

#48 Posted by Xerxes on 27 Mar 2006 - 07:03: I don't get it, it looks the same to me

#49 Posted by vipwoody on 27 Mar 2006 - 10:27: guys i am using Firefox 2.0 Alfa, it is not working.

anyone with the same problems?
thanks

#50 Posted by m-head on 27 Mar 2006 - 19:55: I've just tried it, and I don't like it.

#51 Posted by GoldenSheep on 28 Mar 2006 - 06:38: I had this for awhile too I don't know how I got it, I thought it was like that for everyone

#52 Posted by icat on 28 Mar 2006 - 20:21: rather interesting

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