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Google Labs just introduced a couple of interesting experimental features that you can test while performing a search on Google.

I subscribed to all of them and they look really nice.

Keyboard Navigation

Now you can easily navigate your search results as you are used to do on Google Reader. J/K lets you move to the previous/next search item then you can choose it by clicking enter.

Alternate views

This new features lets you choose different views of the search results page. Together with the standard list view, you now have the timeline view, the map view or the info view. In the first one, you will have a timeline which shows you what years are mentioned within the search results and how many results include that year; in the second one you will see a map with locations mentioned in the search results; in the info view you can see specific information related to your result, as shown in the image below.

Accessible view

This new view makes it easier to highlight, read and navigate through your search results. 

Unfortunately you can try only one of these new experiments at a time. I’m trying the alternate views, very useful (IMHO) especially for the timeline one. If you want to give it a try, just go to this page and choose the experiment you prefer. 

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Image via CrunchBase

Facebook released today a new feature (rumored some months ago) which lets users search the web through their Facebook global search box by integrating Microsoft Live Search.

This is a major feature which will leverage Microsoft Live Search engine and bring it to their enormous user base. Moreover, as AllFacebook.com highlights, the implications in terms of revenues for Facebook are going to be very important, becoming the most important bridge between users and Microsoft search engine with the additional ability to show ads which are relevant to the user’s profile.

I guess Facebook is deploying this new feature across its user base slowly, as usual, since on my account I’m still unable to get access to this feature (UPDATE: after some refreshes, I can see it now). In any case, I bet this will become the major news in the following hours.

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Today I’m spending some time at the Plug&Play Expo in Sunnyvale and I have to say I’m impressed. There are almost 40 startups presenting and showcasing their services and products and some of them definitely rock. I mean, many services I’m coming across really solve a problem and add value to your internet experience as well as your “normal” life.

One of them is Cooliris. In a nutshell, they offer a plugin/extension for the most popular web browsers which let you get access to web content from any website and in particular for those containing rich multimedia content in a very effective and way.

They basically provide you a 3D view of the content that you can browse and manage very easily. You can also share it by email simply by a drag an drop.

In the example below, I just made as search “san francisco” on SmugMug. CoolIris immediately provided me with the results of the search in a unique 3D interface through which I can browse photos, share them or jump to the original web address.

You can also switch to a filmstrip view similar to that provide by Adobe LightRoom.

Major serach engines are available, Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Photobucket, Amazon, Flickr, Smugmug. Down here the same search (”san francisco”) with YouTube. As a result, I get all the videos related to that keyword.

If your website is “cooliris enabled” your visitors will be able to see your content in a very attractive and easy-to-use way. A Wordpress plugin is available too, you can can choose what content you want to show to your blog readers by setting up a stunning slideshow available from your blog.

There is much, much more and I highly recommend to try it out. Really a great service which makes browsing a complete new experience. Kudos to Cooliris for this wonderful and very useful application.

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Technorati Tags: browsing, cooliris, facebook, Flickr, Google, luca filigheddu, Photobucket, Search, smugmug, yahoo, YouTube