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StickToTheScript
10-16-2013, 03:35 PM
I noticed this on Reddit this morning and it cleared up some things that I was noticing about Google Search.

http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/10/google-hummingbird-where-no-search-has-gone-before/


Google has made several major changes to its search engine over the past several months. Search geeks have been debating (and complaining about) Enhanced Campaigns, the new look for mobile search results, Penguin 2.1, and several other technical updates — but the average Google user probably hasn’t noticed much of a difference. And that’s exactly what Google wants.

The most recent update was announced just recently during Google’s 15th birthday celebration. Nicknamed “Hummingbird,” it represents the biggest change to Google search since 2001. It’s not just a tweak to the search functionality — Hummingbird is a completely new search algorithm that affects 90 percent of all searches. The most interesting part is that Hummingbird actually launched a month before the announcement… and no one noticed. Once again, that’s exactly what Google wants.

Google has updated its search algorithm many times over the past few years, but previous updates were focused on making Google better at gathering information — for example, indexing websites more often and identifying spammy content. Hummingbird is focused on the user. It’s about Google getting better at understanding what searchers really want and providing them with better answers.

The biggest improvements involve longer search queries. Rather than just examining each individual word in a search, Google is now examining the searcher’s query as a whole and processing the meaning behind it. Previously, Google (and most other search engines) used more of a “brute force” approach of looking at the individual words in a search and returning results that matched those words individually and as a whole. Now Google is focusing on context and trying to understand user’s intent in order to deliver more relevant results and better answers. Google has made search more “human friendly” by making Google better at understanding language and how people communicate.

Most people won’t notice a huge change in the search results, but for longer, more complex, conversational queries, Google now gives much better answers. For example, say a user searches for “Hair salons near my house.” Previously, Google would analyze each word individually and provide results based on that — so you might get a Wikipedia article about hair salons, some map results based on your current location, and home improvement websites with pages titled “my house.” With Hummingbird, Google better understands what you’re asking for, and displays a list of hair salons near your house (provided you’re signed in to Google and have provided them with a home address in Google Maps). The results match the meaning behind the search, rather than just individual words.

Mobile searches are a very significant driving force behind this change. When users search on their smartphones, queries tend to be shorter — users don’t type as many words as when they’re using a full-size keyboard. But that trend reverses when voice search is used. Voice search queries tend to be longer, more complex, and more conversational. As we edge into the era of wearable tech, Google is making sure they are ready to provide the best voice search experience around.

Signed in users will be the biggest benefactors of these improvements, and this is the best example to date of Google tying all the information it has about its users together to improve their experience. In addition to the search query, additional information is pulled in from the user’s location (and saved locations), social connections (on G+), time of day, even previous searches.

Examples of previous search data take us back to voice search, and Google Glass. Google can now understand continuity in sequential searches — the oft-cited example is a Glass user asking, “When was the Eiffel Tower Built?” followed by, “How tall is it?” Google’s Knowledge Graph, its encyclopedia of 570 million unique concepts and the relations among them, helps power these kinds of interactions.

Ultimately, this is the driving force behind Hummingbird — making sure Google is prepared for a future where its users interact with it constantly, quickly, and verbally. By making its search engine better at understanding people, Google is paving the way for the future. Before too long the idea of typing a search on a keyboard will seem very quaint indeed.

Did anyone else notice that something was a bit different?

Oh, and for those who are interested in Android 4.4 Kit-kat, take a look at this:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57607755-94/tweets-suggest-android-4.4-kitkat-launch-set-for-oct-28/


A Twitter page for KitKat seems to indicate the next Android distribution will be available later this month.
The Twitter page @KitKat on Tuesday posted an image of an Android logo in full KitKat chocolate with the title "Everybody dance now." Earlier on Wednesday, the same Twitter feed posted an image featuring KitKats used to design "This is it."
At first glance, such images might not matter. However, eagle-eyed observers noticed that the first image seems to relate to the song "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C+C Music Factory. The band was originally named The 28th Street Crew. In addition, "This Is It" is a Michael Jackson movie that was released on October 28.

The Killer
10-16-2013, 04:02 PM
Knew about them changing the new algorithms, read it on bbc news like 1 week ago?
But on the other side I'm intrested in kitkat :P
No major changes that I can see in the image gallery other than printing. Which was previously available via apps #Disappointed (http://villavu.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Disappointed)

Flight
10-16-2013, 04:36 PM
Knew about them changing the new algorithms, read it on bbc news like 1 week ago?
But on the other side I'm intrested in kitkat :P
No major changes that I can see in the image gallery other than printing. Which was previously available via apps #Disappointed (http://villavu.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Disappointed)

In their defense we won't know for sure what all the key features are until it's been officially released. For me it's worth waiting.

StickToTheScript
10-16-2013, 04:43 PM
Knew about them changing the new algorithms, read it on bbc news like 1 week ago?
But on the other side I'm intrested in kitkat :P
No major changes that I can see in the image gallery other than printing. Which was previously available via apps #Disappointed (http://villavu.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Disappointed)

I haven't seen a whole lot but I heard there is not a lot of graphical updates. I hear that a lot of the updates will be more in the background. One I heard about was that you will be able to set your own default texting app, so you can use ones other than just their supplied one.

Thats just one thing that I have heard. I could be wrong...



In their defense we won't know for sure what all the key features are until it's been officially released. For me it's worth waiting.

I cant wait for the release. I have my tablet and I wonder what kind of updates or improvements might come out with it!

The Killer
10-16-2013, 04:56 PM
In their defense we won't know for sure what all the key features are until it's been officially released. For me it's worth waiting.
Yeah more than a valid point :)


I haven't seen a whole lot but I heard there is not a lot of graphical updates. I hear that a lot of the updates will be more in the background. One I heard about was that you will be able to set your own default texting app, so you can use ones other than just their supplied one.

Thats just one thing that I have heard. I could be wrong...




I cant wait for the release. I have my tablet and I wonder what kind of updates or improvements might come out with it!

Don't care about texting apps tbh, the default one is fine :)
but yeah looking forward to updating my google nexus 4 to kit kat :p

StickToTheScript
10-16-2013, 06:44 PM
Yeah more than a valid point :)



Don't care about texting apps tbh, the default one is fine :)
but yeah looking forward to updating my google nexus 4 to kit kat :p

Yeah. I hope there are some awesome graphical updates. I recently found out that they might make the apps on your home screen and in your app finder more of a flat look.

Anyways, hopefully my TF300T will run it nicely.

Hazzah
10-17-2013, 02:21 AM
I did notice the google thing, it hasnt seemed to have really changed anything since I always search from a computer.