They had to respond to Bing eventually, and today is the day. Starting this afternoon, and rolling out over the next few days Google is releasing the ability around the US and the world to upload a custom image as the background of your Google.com.
Might that not clutter and stain the wonderfully minimalistic Google.com that we all know and love? That depends on what image you select, but the option to do so will soon be yours. Google will let you use an image from your computer, from Picasa, or from a library that they have selected.
Head to Google.com and look in the lower left hand portion of your screen. If you see an option to change your background image, congratulations, you are among the first in the world to be able to do so. If not, check back and give it a try when the option appears.
Google’s official comments on roll out are as follows:
We are beginning to roll out this new feature to users in the U.S. over the next few days, so if you don’t see a link in the lower left-hand corner of Google.com now, check back soon. For those of you outside of the U.S., you can expect to see this new feature in the coming days as we roll it out internationally to offer similar, consistent experiences globally.
If you want to go the exact opposite direction you can do what some people have been enjoying for some time and host your own insanely minimal version of Google.com on a personal server. Really, we mean minimal. Take a look at this:
But if you want to enjoy the new Google offering, you can do so. This is an example of what it can look like:
Bing much?
so…first google takes yahoo’s idea…then they take apple’s idea…now they’re taking microsoft’s idea
i’m beginning to see their business model.
Hardly any ideas are original, only derived from somewhere else. What really matters for me is how good the implementation of a feature is.
apple’s never had any ideas they haven’t stolen.
I like bing better
Microsoft took Google’s ideas. And as for Bing ; it is for losers.
First Google copies Bing’s search refiners and now they are copying their homepage image. Halarious. Seems to me like Bing is leading the way in the search market. I really like Bing’s thought leadership. BTW, I think that Bing maps is really fantastic – even better than G maps.
Oh, does Bing really allow personalization, a full-page user photo?
Nice post,Google lets the user customize its home page with their personal images. This is a great way to bring back the user to their search.
Or you know you can use the iGoogle page and have a screen full of useful things instead.
Copy or no copy, Google has a clever and better way of engaging the user.
Bing has loads of options to “download Bing wallpapers for your desktop” and shows professional images on their home page.
Google lets the user customize its home page with their personal images. This is a great way to bring back the user to their search.
I think the eye candy Google offers is for those who like eye candy. :)
Still, it is not those images or users interactions that matter. What matters is the ability to deliver!
Google has been performing there! So I wonder how many would migrate to Google’s home page just because they can customize it.
It is not an issue. In search engine technology Google have so many own ideas.
From a user’s perspective, this may be exciting, but for the company – Google- I think they can anticipate the wave to go either way.
1) Users who are not familiar with image manipulation may upload large images and blame the load time to google >> Bad news for G
2) Uniqueness is important. I am afraid some people may lose to that aspect a bit.
In the end, however, google topples bing and anyone else by a thousand fold :)
As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. :-)
I, personally, like the Bing method better not only because the photographs are incredible, I get to learn a little bit more about the world around me. The personal pictures thing is a great option, but I already have them on my computer background and the picture frames.
Couldn’t be said any better!
Seems to me like Bing is leading the way in the search market. I really like Bing’s thought leadership. BTW, I think that Bing maps is really fantastic
I wonder how many would migrate to Google’s home page just because they can customize it.
Wow that is great and I hope it remains that way and also do a little more innovation…
Thanka
For homepage customization with my pictures do I upload my picture by login to my Google Account. Can anybody explain the detail procedure.
very good post…
I agree 100% with Jan