Google yesterday released Google Personalized Web Search and Google Web Alerts, both debuting on Google Labs, that enable searchers to specify what interests them and to receive customized results based on those interests.
Google Personalized Search
Google Personalized Web Search uses personal preferences to deliver custom search results based on interests selected by users. Users can control the degree of personalization in their results using a slider, and see the results change dynamically as the degree of personalization changes. For example, music enthusiasts will see different relevant sites for a search on [bass] than people who indicate an interest in the outdoors. More information about both services can be found at http://labs.google.com.
Google Web Alerts
Google Web Alerts are automatic updates for web users who want to stay current with topics that interest them. After specifying keywords they want to track, users can receive daily or weekly email with links to new web page results, plus top stories from Google News that are related to each query. For example, Google Web Alerts can be used to follow the progress of a favorite sports team or a business competitor, all without having to perform searches repeatedly.
“Today, Google takes the first step in providing personal search results based on users’ preferences,” said Larry Page, co-founder and president, Products. “We can deliver search results tailored to your interests or promptly email you new information on any topic.”
The personalized search technology was probably tweaked by Google after acquiring Kaltix last year. Kaltix Corp. was formed in June 2003 and focuses on developing personalized and context-sensitive search technologies that make it faster and easier for people to find information on the web.
After the aquisition, Larry Page gave us these clues to look forward to; “Google and Kaltix share a common commitment to developing innovative search technologies that make finding information faster, easier and more relevant,” said Larry Page, co-founder and president of Products at Google. “Kaltix is working on a number of compelling search technologies, and Google is the ideal vehicle for the continued development of these advancements.”
