Got a Nokia smartphone? Search Google faster than ever

Thursday, February 21, 2008 | 10:05 AM



At Google we like things that are fast: fast search, fast email, fast everything. In fact, we're so in love with speed that we don't even like the time it usually takes to launch a browser, head to Google and perform a search on our favourite Nokia smartphones. So, we decided to do something to speed it up.

From today, if you have an N-series or an E-series Nokia phone you can download a small search shortcut directly to your phone's homescreen. Once that shortcut is in place, you'll be able to bring up a Google search box (without opening your browser), type in a query and get straight to the results.

For those who are counting, that means fewer clicks and less time waiting for pages to load. Judging from our research, there is as much as a 40 percent reduction in the average time to complete an initial search. You can see just how much faster it is in this video:



So, don't take our word for it -- head to mobile.google.com on your Nokia device now, download the Google search shortcut and give it a try.

30 comments:

Pedro Macedo said...

Great job guys. I've already installed in my N93.

GothicLesPaul said...

This is really a fantastic piece of software. Well done. Searches are so much faster now. Thanks. Now, about a search engine for the content ON my phone...?

Tony Ruscoe said...

This looks and works great! My Nokia N73 is slowing turning into a GPhone! :-D

Quinn Comendant said...

Useful! Two suggestions:

1. Option to define a default browser. I much prefer Opera Mobile over the built-in browser.

2. Option to disable the "Press ctl to search" reminder. Reminders make me feel dumb. And it covers up my standby apps.

evil-doer said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

Archit said...

Works pretty well with my n95.

Really saves a lot of time! :)

Great job guys!

David Hulbert said...

Looks to me like the Google search app connects to your default network connection without asking you, which isn't a fair comparison.

If you set your browser to an HTML file on your phone with the Google form and set your browser to connect to a network connection without asking you then I bet you'll get similar results.

Still, looks like a good application - keep up the good work!

Tommi Vilkamo said...

Nice work. A minor request: could you turn off those reminders (for example, automatically after the first couple of reminders, or by allowing the users to turn it off)? It gets a bit annoying to get the reminder every time you go to the standby screen.

Simo Salminen said...

Nice!

Bug report:
There is a interoperatibility problem with a speed dial software called "skyequikey".

When you first open the search dialog, and type something, it will close the search dialog. The search works when the the dialog is opened second time.

If you switch to menu, and back to idle screen, the same buggy behaviour occurs.

RodrigoSol said...

Nice Job.

One suggestion:

I use many shortcuts with ctrl in my e61 as enable bluetooth and IR. With Google Search it doesn't works more. Please include a option that allow me change the Google search shortcut.

Thanks,

Rodrigo Sol

AccuraCast said...

Brilliant! I downloaded it onto my N95, and am loving it. Is SO much quicker than opening the browser, typing "www.google.com" then typing in a keyphrase etc....

Well done!

Jason Tabarias said...

Good stuff. I second the idea to select the browser which results show up in - I'm also an Opera user.

Unknown said...

Give me a direct link, please!
I haven't found some download link on mobile.google.com((

Chris said...

Would love to try it but as a Nokia E70 user, no link to download or access the app is showing up when I visit mobile.google.com. What am I doing wrong?

Marcel said...

I guess it works only with 3rd Ed, and because of this I can't see anything when i point my N70 to the google page...
Any chance to see this working in N70/2nd Ed sometime soon?

There are many people that still using 2nd Edition devices and like good ideas google is taking to Symbian.

Feng Run said...

Hi guys. I have a Nokia N81 and they removed the pencil key on the phone so I cant really activate the app easily. Would be great if there would be a option to change the shortcut key. And also set which browser or connection to use. And also even better if it can appear as a textbox as one of the active standby apps

Unknown said...

works great on Nokia E65, thank you ;)

Spectator said...

This button uses a lot of other applications like Nuance TALX etc. How your app interact with them?

triton said...

Does this app by any chance work for s60 v2 PHONES.. i have a nokia 6630 mobile. When i go to mobile.google.com. I dont get the link for this..

Fahed said...

wOrks great!

Should make a shortcut for apps like Docs! Please!

Cant wait for Google phones :P

r said...

Will this work for a HTC 8525?
-thanks!

Paul Kerton said...

It says N series and E series phones on the video, and on the blog.

There is a version for Windows Mobile and Blackberry also, for those who asked about HTC phones.

How does this work with the N96 though?

Ginger Yellow said...

No link on my Symbian 3rd edition N73 either. Please may we have a URL?

Peter Boh said...

The reminder is really annoying, please include an option to turn it off. Otherwise great application.

elladan said...

great, except for that pesky reminder which keeps popping up... could we please have an option to disable it?

Unknown said...

Works Perfectly on My N95. but I can't see press pencil imb to search text, I can Only See pencil, Other text shown as boxes.

Meaning of friends said...

what people who use other Nokia phones other than E and N series?
can't they use Google search on thier phones?

Michael said...

What happened to the download? I can't see it on my E71. :(

Unknown said...

I also cannot see any download link for the search application when I use my E71. Please help?

Michael said...

Well it looks like Google has abandon Nokia. Pitty.