In race with Google, it's consistency vs. 'wow'

Do Internet users prefer predictable services like Yahoo, or are they more interested in Google's wow factor?
The New York Times

The story "In race with Google, it's consistency vs. 'wow'" published July 24, 2006 at 5:49 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[itdoesntreallymatter]

Finally!

Finally someone said the same thing I said on my blog long ago:

"Google may be the darling innovator of the world, but its Yahoo which is actually doing the useful stuff, albeit without much noise and bells..."

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://techb.org/2006/06/09/yahoo-vs-google/" target="_newWindow">http://techb.org/2006/06/09/yahoo-vs-google/</a>

[searchinginseattle]

Ask.com

I would agree with the previous comment but argue that it's Ask.com doing some of the most useful stuff on the web in the past year, "albeit without much noise and bells."

1) New images database

2) Improved "Zoom" refinement features

3) New blog and feed engine available on both Ask.com site and Bloglines site.

4) More Smart Answers.
Just last week they launched a new one that takes popular feeds and places links from them directly on web results pages. They also have one where you'll find ANSWERS (not links) to World Factbook info. &lt;&lt;<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.ask.com/web?sourceid=Mozilla-search&#38;q=birth+rate+iceland" target="_newWindow">http://www.ask.com/web?sourceid=Mozilla-search&#38;q=birth+rate+iceland</a>&gt;&gt;

Also: <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://blog.ask.com/2006/07/introducing_rss.html" target="_newWindow">http://blog.ask.com/2006/07/introducing_rss.html</a>

5) Use of Binonculars feture.

[nnaik21]

disagree

i disagree. i've been using google since inception and it has always been and still is the best search engine out there. It ALSO has other features, and you can use them if you want to, but it is definitely the best at doing what you NEED it to do: search the web.

[TV James]

Yeah, finally!

Google has a bad habit of giving us the intial wow and then sitting back way too long as the others catch-up... and then keep going!

Here's my current list...

I've started the process of putting these requests on the more appropriate Google Groups, but they actually ought to have a "Suggestions/Feature
Request" category within each section.

Gmail
(1) "Map" link in contacts if address is stored
(2) "Add to Contacts" link on recognized address or phone number
(3) Ding noise for new messages, like what's now available for Google Talk (without having to install a tray item. If the AJAX can refresh with new messages, it can play a small ding noise.)
(4) Remember Chat/NoChat/HTML lite by computer, not by login (w/chat is blocked at work so I elect for NoChat version at work, but want Chat version at home)

Gmail-Contacts
(5) I cannot mark an e-mail address as "inactive" - If I can archive e-mail forever, then eventually someone's going to give up an old address, but I still need it tied to their contact so that when I view e-mails from them, these old e-mails show up.
(6) If a website address is added, it should be parsed out and available as a clickable link.
(7) Tabs - a long list is no fun to scroll through but sometimes search isn't the best option (sorry!)
(8) Ability to merge contacts

Local
(9) "Identify" option on maps, that can give you the address of the location you've clicked on. And then can search Google for that address. (big brother? maybe. Zillow uses Google Maps and offers the addressing part already.)
(10) doesn't refresh/update the search results as you move the map (see Live Local and Yahoo! Maps Beta)
(11) doesn't offer categories (see Yahoo! Maps Beta) - hopefully new deal with Verizon Superpages will solve this
(12) no way to close/hide the search results panel

Calendar
(13) Allow me to select an address from my list of contacts -- even if that contact isn't on the invite list.
(14) separate the "location" into two parts... a written description and a actual address.
(15) parse the comments so that maps and links are live
(16) allow for the deletion of comments

Talk
(17) doesn't show events from the calendar

[mikekrause]

I'll Take Google's "Beta" software over M$'s Release Software ANYDAY

You go Google!

[Shauheen]

Fact Check

As always, another article on news.com, which has mistakes, or shall I say misleads!

- "For example, it does not remember addresses, so users need to tell it where they live every time they want driving directions."

Well, perhaps you don't know how to use a webpage or you can easily have Google Maps set your default location.

- "Yahoo is in a position to further solidify its lead as the Web's most popular full-service Internet portal"

!!!! give me a break! read your own previous paragraph! "Google is continuing to extend its lead in users and revenue from Web search, while Yahoo's attempt to compete is foundering. Last week, Yahoo reported weak search revenue and said it would delay a critical search advertising system, sending its shares down 22 percent to a two-year low."

- "Yahoo is trying to fend off its rival by emphasizing the wide range and consistent approach of its Swiss army knife of services."

Yeah, and the service they are providing which is unique was ehhhh ....!!!!!????

...

[djacobsonw]

this is a NYT article

not written by a news.com reporter, so blame the new york times

[baswwe]

yahoo mail and messenger were down this saturday 7/22/06

talk about reliability!