search engine

Google is about to take over "am I sick" searches. They're going to do this with smart parsing of the terms you search - sussing out the ones they're able to tell you more about. If, for example, you search for "why does the left side of my head hurt", Google will tell you about the sort of headache you likely have. And why? Why would Google take the time to do this? Because "roughly 1 percent of searches on Google (think: millions!) are symptom related," according to Google's Veronica Pinchin, Product Manager.

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Google is going to add shopping advertisements to its image search, presenting related products to browsers and giving them a way to click-through and buy. The advertisements will show up for users on mobile, with Google saying that this year has seen 34-percent of online purchases happening through mobile devices. Likewise, the company says it has seen the number of mobile shopping searches on its own service jump 30-percent in the past year.

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Cortona's web search abilities no longer include Google in a move Microsoft calls its "Personalized Search Experience in Windows 10." According to Ryan Gavin, Microsoft GM of Search and Cortana, "with Windows 10, we have invested in delivering comprehensive, end-to-end search capabilities that make Windows more personal, intuitive and helpful." It's become apparent that users who've put Google's Search into that mix are no longer welcome.

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Google is changing the way it handles "Right to be Forgotten" requests, taking into account location in a further attempt to appease European privacy regulators. Although the search company - among others offering search engine services in Europe - has been delisting select entries from its search results since May 2014, the way in which that process is handled is now getting tweaked.

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Google's controversial "Right to be Forgotten" system will be expanded to the US version of the search engine, following a lengthy battle with privacy regulators. The tool launched back in May 2014, a way for European users to request personal details be removed from Google's index on the grounds that they were outdated or incorrect.

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Microsoft has pushed out what it says are “major updates” for both the Bing Android and iPhone apps. Firstly, the Bing App for iPhone introduced in November has arrived on Android, and both apps are getting new features over past iterations. Among other things, Microsoft has announced the apps bring a new integration with GasBuddy, making it easier to find cheap gas wherever a user happens to be. iPhone users are also getting something special — dedicated deals including both coupons and offers, a feature that will arrive later on Android.

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Google Drive users on Android, iOS, and desktop-based web browsers have been given a boost in functionality this week as Google kicks search in the bum. Users will be able to search not only terms, not only titles of files, but file types as well. Users on all platforms will be able to search for file types, and all platforms will now have quick-access to Advanced Search straight from the standard search box in-app.

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What you might know as the Alphabet in English is known as the Aurebesh - also correct as just "Aurebesh" in Star Wars. This set of letters works much like a standard 1:1 code, where each letter of our Alphabet has its own unique character in the Aurebesh. There are also characters for basic punctuation and the numbers 1 through 9 and zero, too. Today, Google provides all of you Star Wars scene code-crackers with a helpful tool - Google Translate. Actually an update of that tool, as it were.

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This morning the first big Google-made Star Wars easter egg was revealed, creating an "opening scrawl" of their search results. This is just the first of a collection of easter eggs that'll be revealed over the next few weeks, each of them likely deep within Google apps. To activate this particular hidden secret, you have only to type "a long time ago in a galaxy far far away." When you do, you'll find your search results turned to the classic Star Wars opening storyline in space.

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So you're all about your Google app on your iPhone or iPad, yes? You're lucky, because right now you're able to get an update that'll make it look a whole lot nicer than it did yesterday. Today you'll get a "fresh look and feel", according to Google, directed directly at voice search. You can say "OK Google" with the best of them and ask your iPhone or iPad's Google app whatever you want - go on, ask it when Star Wars is going to be released! It knows!

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This morning the Halloween Google Doodle was launched, bringing on the company's Global Candy Cup 2015. This is a contest of champions, to be sure. Not at all like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Except basically the same thing. Pick your house, then get to brooming. You'll be able to play this game on your desktop machine - your laptop, that is - or on your mobile device in the Google Search app. You'll be flying a broom through spooky ghosts and creepy bats on your way to victory - capturing candy along the way.

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Today Facebook updated their Facebook Search feature to include ALL public posts. Before today, this feature only searched through your friends posts and those posts you and your friends were tagged in - now it's everyone, everywhere. This might freak a few people out. But don't worry! There's a (relatively) simple way of pulling your content from the public eye, and part of it can be done from your smartphone or tablet.

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