Google Reformats Web Sites for Phones

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/query-less-ordinary.html' target='_blank'>http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/query-less-ordinary.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"If you search for [Super Monkey Ball DS release date] in an ordinary web browser on your PC, your first result is this complex, graphics-rich page. Search that same phrase on Google with your mobile phone, though, and your top result is this lightweight, phone-friendly version of the same page. That's because now whenever you click on a Google search result through your mobile web browser, Google automatically translates the page's layout to make it as easy as possible to read on a small screen. We also break long-winded web pages into smaller pieces and do our best to show you the portion that's relevant to your query, first."</i><br /><br />I have to admit that I don't do much searching from my mobile device. I have on occasion done some searching, but I didn't notice that the results had been altered to better fit my device. I like the idea, but I think there should be some indication on Google's part to let us know that they have modified the website. What do you think? Should Google just alter websites without telling you?

[PocketPaul]

I wonder how this works if the website was created to detect mobile devices and render differently already? Will Google pass the searcher through to the correct site or will they chew it up and spit it out the way they think it should look?

[edgar]

What's interesting is I am using Tweaks2k to manipulate the IE response to be IE6 on my MPX220. So it doesn't help directly.

But If I google from my favorites (www.google.com/xhtml) and then to the page it works great. Its like Thunderbrowser but not as slick :)

As to telling me - if you look at the address bar its a redirect through google, but without a frame at the top telling me so. IMHO, I prefer no google frame nor a redirect alert page. The phone browsing is slow enough and small enough as is.

I love the service, without the thunderhawk fee. Not as good, but good enough for me.This service provides alot more than just search. You can customize a home page with news, weather and RSS/Atom feeds and, gmail mobile and Google local too.

-Edgar

The google info page on mobile websearch is:
http://mobile.google.com/web_search.html or overall all mobile services at http://mobile.google.com

[brices21]

While I agree that it is "slick" for the most part, they really need an option to show an unformatted page. I have been stuck before where the information I needed did not come through on the translation. It was quite frustrating. My $.02

[shindullin]

An option to show the page unformatted is a good idea. Don't think that there needs to be any notice of re-formatting though. the address bar does show that it's been rerouted thru google. It's a nice feature. Really makes browsing easier and speedier, and it's free. What more could you ask for. Also if you don't like it, don't use google.

[jacklf]

btw, it does state that it's been reformatted (along with the option to return to search results) at the very bottom of the altered page.

[Mike Temporale]

btw, it does state that it's been reformatted (along with the option to return to search results) at the very bottom of the altered page.

Well, that's good to know, but that's not a good place to put it. Some pages can be really long. :(

Oh, and as for showing in the address bar; that's usually hidden on my device. I don't want to show it just to analyze the source of the page. ;)