A new Internet search engine format from Sunnyvale, California-based Web pioneer Yahoo that combines text,  images and video information on a single results page has been launched in a test form for Yahoo users in India, the company announced Thursday. Yahoo began testing its Glue Pages expanded search engine format Thursday with entries for some popular search terms in broad categories including finance, technology, travel, sports and health. The new Yahoo Glue Pages display traditional text based search results along with a screen full of various modules presenting information from a variety of Web sources including Yahoo, Google, Wikipedia and others. With Glue Pages Yahoo Aims For More Than Web Links As Yahoo looks to move forward after a reprieve from the hostile takeover attempt it faced from Microsoft which ended for the time being on Saturday when Microsoft withdrew its bid to buy the firm, Yahoo is seeking ways to gain ground on Web giant Google, and the expanded search results format offered by its new Glue Pages is one such attempt. "Searching on Glue Pages Beta will result in an experience that promises more than just web links," said Gopal Krishna of Yahoo India. "The new Glue Pages Beta feature for Yahoo India Search supports our strategy to make Yahoo the leading starting point on the Internet and demonstrates our commitment to provide a compelling online search experience," added Krishna. With the introduction of Glue Pages Yahoo appears to be looking to expand on the type of so-called universal search that Google launched in May 2007, which saw the Mountain View, California-based firm blend content from images, maps, books, videos and news into its industry-leading search results. Ask.com also recently implemented  expanded search engine results pages, or SERPs, a term coined by Brett Tabke, CEO of the WebmasterWorld Inc. online discussion forums. India presented Yahoo an ideal location for testing Glue Pages, according to Tapan Bhat, a senior vice president at Yahoo India, because of its large user and developer bases and abundant local content resources. A team of software engineers at Yahoo India, which has a research and development headquarters in Bangalore, developed the new Glue Pages released Thursday in a beta test form for all users of the Yahoo India site, yahoo.in. "The new concept has been developed by the company's software engineers at the Bangalore campus and the Beta version is launched here for the first time ahead of other global markets," said Yahoo India research and development chief operating officer Pranesh Anthapur. Yahoo Bonds Web Searches With Glue Pages India Test Users of Yahoo India's Glue Pages began seeing the new search result test format automatically for certain popular searches Thursday, although Yahoo offers the ability to easily switch back to traditional search results using a link on each Glue Page. Information shown on Glue Pages comes from third-party content providers and a number of Web sources besides Yahoo's traditional results, including the following:  | Yahoo Health | | | Yahoo Answers | | | Wikipedia | | | Flickr images | | | HowStuffWorks.com | | | Yahoo Groups | | | Yahoo News | | | Google Blog Search | | | YouTube | | | Quick Facts | | | MonsterTrak | | | WebMD | Yahoo Seeking Glue Page Sponsors Yahoo India allows content providers to apply for inclusion on relevant Glue Pages using an e-mail link on its Web site. Although the test was limited to Yahoo India, it could lead to changes in how Yahoo conducts its search operations in other countries, said Bhat, leaving open the possibility that elements from Glue Pages  may eventually make their way into Yahoo Web properties that when combined represent the most viewed portals on the Web. Yahoo users in the United States could see Glue Page features in the future, according to Yahoo India spokeswoman Kathryn Kelly. "We encourage other regions to develop things that work for their regions," said Kelly. "If it does get traction, potentially something like it could launch in the United States," Kelly added. Yahoo heralds the new Glue Pages search layout as a time saver. "In one click, browse through images, videos, articles, and more all on one page," Yahoo notes of Glue Pages, which also show links to other related Glue Pages. The updated search test in India is a part of the Sunnyvale company's Yahoo Open Strategy plan announced last month, Kelly said. The ambitious initiative, known as Y!OS, aims to unify Yahoo's online services such as e-mail, photo and bookmark management, instant messaging and calendar planning, by allowing Yahoo's 500 million monthly visitors worldwide to use a single profile and command center. "We will eventually open it up, so developers could develop customized search results for Glue Pages the way we're doing it for Search Monkey," Kelly said, referring to another name for Yahoo's Open Search Platform announced in February. Yahoo did not release details of when Glue Pages would be graduate from the test into more widespread release. Related Links:
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9:44 pm on May 8, 2008 (utc 0)
