Google recently introduced twin cool features relating to its search services – one is for Android devices, while the other is on web search. But both are aimed at making user’s search experience no matter what the platform is – faster and more fruitful. So, let’s take a look into each of these two search-related features.

First up is Gesture Search for Android-powered devices running on version 2.0 or above in the U.S. This is a pretty cool method of searching content from Android phones. Not just cool but a faster way of finding information. And how does this feature works? Simply draw alphabet gestures on your phone’s touch screen and Gesture Search will give you a list of items that starts with the letter that you’ve drawn. It searches your phone’s contact, installed application, a bookmark or a music track.

It told you it was cool, right? Even cooler than the Nexus One’s voice-enabled search feature. In addition, this app (yes it’s actually an Android app) also learns your search history, so your phone’s search quality improves in time. Gesture search is available now for free in Android Market.

The other search-related feature is about making web search more personalized for individual users. And that is through star markers that will be displayed next to individual search results. If you mark a search result with a star, it will appear on a special list right at the top of your results when relevant, the next time you do a search.

What’s good about stars in search is that you don’t need to exert extra effort in managing or using them. It just might even remind you that you’ve actually starred items related to your current search activity. In addition, this feature also syncs with Google Bookmarks and Google Toolbar, giving you an automated way of seeing your starred items.

So there, two new, cool search related features that Google introduced almost simultaneously.  Which of these two search features will you most likely use?

Originally posted on March 4, 2010 @ 4:40 pm