Yahoo Testing Instant SearchYahoo Testing Instant Search

Instant search, now in testing, displays results while the person is typing a query.

Antone Gonsalves, Contributor

September 15, 2005

1 Min Read
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Yahoo Inc., trying to deliver more relevant search results faster, is testing an instant-search feature that displays results while the person is typing a query.

The feature displays a "search bubble" while the person is typing a keyword or phrase. A link in the bubble will take the user directly to the web page, or the person can click on "search the web." to get the full list.

Providing users with relevant search results quickly remains a problem for search engines, which still deliver long lists of web pages that possibly contain the information sought. On its search blog,, Yahoo acknowledges the problem, saying that words often have multiple meanings, making it difficult to guess the intent of the searcher.

The new feature, listed in Yahoo's site of beta projects is an interactive Ajax application. Ajax, or asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a web development technique that uses a variety of standard technologies. The applications run in a web browser.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based, Yahoo, along with rivals Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN, use beta tests in order go get feedback. In a string of comments, most users liked the feature, with one reporting a need for a broader range of supported queries.

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