Google has launched two new webmaster tool features in its all new Labs section to help website owners and webmasters, with broader viewing of their web pages. The release of features ‘Fetch as GoogleBot’ and ‘Malware Details’ have been purposely done in the Lab section to get user feedbacks, before making it an official release.
Both the features serve individual purpose and help in viewing web pages from perception of a Google spider or bot.

Fetch as GoogleBot is designed to allow users to view their web pages through the perception of a GoogleBot. In simple words, one can see the web pages through the eyes of a web page crawler when seeing a page on a particular domain.
The feature is easy to use, you just have to type the name of whatever page you want to view, if its home page you need not type anything, then click on the button ‘Fetch’. Next step, hit the button ‘Success’ and get the view of the page through a Googlebot’s eye. 

Fetch as GoogleBot Feature

New Feature at Google Webmaster tools: Fetch As GoogleBot

This ‘Fetch’ feature works well to assists webmaster in seeing if there is any bug on the web pages of their website.

The second feature released by Google in Google Webmaster Tool’s Lab section is Malware Details. This extensively important feature makes work easier for webmasters, who have to go through monotonous process of detecting and cleaning a website infected with malware.

New Feature at Google Webmaster Tools: Malware Details

Malware Details Feature at Google Webmaster Tools

Earlier, Webmasters had to rely on Google SERPS to see if the website bears a “This site may harm your computer” notification. Now, the Malware Details are just available under this very new section and as soon as it is detected, you can take corrective measure to get rid of any thing malicious on the server.

Overall, we feel that the two new features are good, although there are a handful of free Website Crawler Simulators as well as Malware Detecting tools available online, but when it comes right from the labs of Google, it surely can’t be overlooked!

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Our day starts with offering prayers to the Google God (pun intended), Just as our systems powers up, the browser takes us to the Google homepage. And Voila! What we see today is either a dejavu or perhaps some browser UI settings at work. Well, not really, but what is it actually? Alright, here it is:

Google Search Box Prior to 9/9/09

Google Homepage and New Search Box as on 10/9/09

Just as you can easily see the difference, the search box has gone even bigger, bigger than the logo itself. And no, it doesn’t ends here, type something into the box and that is plus sized too!

At first we mistook it as a browser setting and started to fiddle with the CTRL+Scroll Wheel Movements to adjust it to solace, but somehow things remained unaltered. Then was the time for us to think that “It’s the time for change!”

Who else other than the Horse himself could clear it up? We heard it right from the Horses mouth:
Google’s Official Blog posts about the recent changes.

Google’s very own Marissa Mayer said:

“For us, search has always been our focus. And, starting today, you’ll notice on our homepage and on our search results pages, our search box is growing in size. Although this is a very simple idea and an even simpler change, we’re excited about it — because it symbolizes our focus on search and because it makes our clean, minimalist homepage even easier and more fun to use.”

And that’s not the first time Google has made such changes, History holds it all and you can check out the evolution right here:
Google’s Homepage Evolution

And since all these statements are quiet plausible, what happens when it comes to Image, Video Search?

Although the change is evident when we search the Web Results at google, but nothing is yet implemented at the Images and Videos page. Nor it has been to Map, News, or shopping either.

Old Format of Boxes and Text for Google Image Search

The video search page suffers from the same Old format:

Old Format of Search Box and Text for Google Video Search

Are they not a part of Search? Or may be they are just out of focus at the moment.  Enough said!

Just a mop up: If you’re reading this Google, fix it up! We are looking forward to the changes to show up on other channels too! Let the usability revolution begin and spread into the whole search world of Google!

Worth mentioning, we did not miss a chance to notice the special logo coming up yesterday, 9/09/09 at the special time of 09:09:09. Worth a glance:

Google's Doodle for 09/09/09

 A phenomenal doodle for a phenomenal event, Kudos!!

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Bing is the latest talk of the Web town! Successor to Live.com, Microsoft’s new hope Bing has captured the Search Engine arena and armed itself with an advanced weapon to crunch Google’s market share in the coming time. (Well, surely time will tell more about that!)

Planning to spend a whopping $100 Million on its advertising, seems Microsoft is hell bent in making ‘Bing’ a well known brand name by the time the campaigns are over!

It’s Microsoft’s endeavour to compete with Google in their game. History reveals a lot about their obvious prior attempts to do so, but it was dust all the way in Microsoft’s hands, eyes, even in mouth!
But this time, Steve Ballmer seems to be playing much more safer. It starts with his naming his Search Engine “Bing”! “The name is short, easy to say, and works globally.”
I guess he is right! After all, Microsoft has always been known for naming its product in a crisp manner just like “Internet Explorer” or perhaps “Office”. Bing is something innovative, short, and sweet and perhaps looks trendier.

A “Decision Engine” as they call it, has that “effervescent” factor to it with its high end graphics, glossy feel, awesome pop up dialog effects, and well, its not just limited to the design!
The Search Results are more refined and more “on topic” than the previous blatant Live.com results. Hence, it’s not just something for play, as Microsoft plans doing some serious business this time!

We just tested this much hyped Bing.com against Google for a search term “Fathers Day” and guess what?? Bing.com has superb results to offer, while Google has its conventional set of results.
Well, according to us, this new “Decision Engine” actually works!
How? Well, see this…

Bing Search - Fathers Day Query

 Well, for starters, at least this newbie shows when “Father ’s Day” is celebrated! Something any surfer would want to be informed about first!
On the other hand we have our very own Google, which had something else for us to see. Check this…

Google Search - Fathers Day Query Results

Bing had almost 158,000,000 results for the term, and that too precisely sorted, while Google has lesser results and that too with a “News” section as a result on top of it. Not to forget the usual Youtube.com link which comes up for this search! Sigh!
Seriously Google, did you really think we were there to read News on Father’s Day!

Anyhow, certainly Bing.com gets the accolades for showing up informational results, or at least the ones we wanted to see first! Now that’s a smart decision there!

But wait, we have some more insight for you on this new kid in the block! For the terms that are not so popular, Bing actually has the same feel as Google, as it just shows those heavy Sponsored listings on top of the page and on the right as well.

But the “one of its kind” feature that Bing.com gives its users is that, if you hover over the link towards the left, then it’ll actually show you a brief description of what that page actually contains in terms of text on the extreme right of the SERPS.
Now that’s something refreshing!
We think, Google has a long way to go on this route! Right guys?

But hold on here guys, we’re not suggesting that we love Bing.com just the way it is! As far as we’re concerned, it still needs a little polishing here and there. But then, we surely think it’s far better than some of the other SE choices we have, “Wolfram Alpha” for starters! Well, alright, let’s not go there; it’s not even in the league of comparisons!

Coming back to Bing, according to Microsoft, they’ve been working to enhance it even more, and not only for the US version, but for the location specific versions. Good thing!
Seems like this time Microsoft has its eye right on the target and knows how to reach there. The pointer still aims at Yahoo which almost has twice the market share than Live.com. Good enough Mr. Ballmer, coz if Google is your target, you’ll at least end up beating Yahoo on way we assume. Things with Bing.com look good for now, but we think it’s too early for a final verdict.

For now, all we can say is Good Luck Bing… and happy reading green-eyed Google!

And for all of you who’ve had a look at this latest “Bing” buzz in the Search Engine market, tell us what you feel! Do you think this “Bing” has that “Bling”?

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