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New Yahoo Image Search Better Than Google's

Written by Marshall Kirkpatrick / April 3, 2009 1:25 PM / 17 Comments

Yahoo unveiled major changes to its image search service this morning and the user experience is now better than Google Image Search. Google may have all kinds of special collections (like the new Life Magazine archives) but Yahoo's image search is just more pleasing to use.

The new Yahoo! interface includes more recommended search queries for related images than Google, a next-image picking slideshow on each image's page, and an easy direct link to the image itself. Unfortunately, there is not a filter by copyright conditions, which is a major shortcoming.

Google's interface does not make it as easy to scan through multiple images as quickly, but both could use meaningful support for limiting searches to Creative Commons or public domain images. The new Yahoo! Image Search option of limiting to within or outside of Flickr isn't really useful at all.

None the less, we're impressed with this small change from the search giant and we expect that for casual image searching, Yahoo may now be the engine of choice for more people.


Comments

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  1. Did anyone here tried Live Search Image Search !!

    Posted by: Michael | April 3, 2009 1:44 PM



  2. Very neat stuff. I'm hoping changes to the rest of their search offerings are forthcoming.

    Posted by: Brandon J. Mendelson | April 3, 2009 2:41 PM



  3. This is so funny. The author of RRW is always very subjective. Can't you let ppl judge by themselves????

    Posted by: Vic | April 3, 2009 3:40 PM



  4. They both work with Cooliris, if you're not using that to surf the results then you probably need to look into it.

    Posted by: Anrkist | April 3, 2009 8:04 PM



  5. Yeah I use Live Search Image. Its really very cool infact better tan bith Google and Yahoo.!

    Posted by: Nikhil | April 3, 2009 9:47 PM



  6. in terms of most search vertical Live Search is always better than Google. but in image search even ASK image search is as good as Google's. no news in that.

    Posted by: Avatar | April 3, 2009 10:18 PM



  7. @vic what is wrong with being subjective? There is no such thing as a completely objective story, they all lean one way or another. Also remember that this is a post talking about Marshall Kirkpatrick's first impressions regarding Yahoo's new image search, that is what the post is about. Would you rather have read:

    "Yahoo has a new image search, go look at it."

    Maybe with a pretty image above and a link below. I don't know about you but I'd rather read what other people think about it.

    Posted by: mickerlodeon | April 4, 2009 12:54 AM



  8. I dont think RWW is subjective mhe just said what he think is good and after try I think that is fair opinion I agree it is better then the Google image ,it is more Fresh look,that is my last conclusion

    Posted by: Payment system | April 4, 2009 2:11 AM



  9. Live Search for images is actually way more better than Yahoo or Google's

     Posted by: Imran Author Profile Page | April 4, 2009 2:52 AM



  10. Ya, Yahoo has always been known for its pretty interfaces, and Google for its simplicity.

    Posted by: Urzut | April 4, 2009 4:08 AM



  11. Live Image search is probably the best image search currently out there. It provides relevancy and a great user experience. Perhaps Image search, or some other niche topic, is the new way to make in roads into Google's search empire.

    Posted by: NTSLimo | April 4, 2009 6:20 AM



  12. I wonder if they are using the ESP game that Luis Von implemented. Google had purchased this technology, but it is a fun game that has real people competing to tag images since computers can't recognize images the way humans can. Check it out - http://www.gwap.com/gwap/gamesPreview/espgame/. Luis also invented the captcha and now the recaptcha which now helps to digitize books.

    Posted by: homepage | April 4, 2009 7:07 AM



  13. Let's check it out

    Posted by: Jorg Jansen Posted on FriendFeed   | April 4, 2009 7:13 AM



  14. I would have to see it, to believe it.

    Posted by: Edgardo R. Baez | April 4, 2009 5:30 PM



  15. One of these days I will try it and then I will perhaps write my own article

    Posted by: Cheap Texas Divorce | April 4, 2009 5:31 PM



  16. I am a very loyal google image user, and I can not believe Yahoo will seriouly make a dent in its userability. It will take a long time to convert someone such as myself and I believe google's power is not is its userability but rather is overall library and speed.

    I will try yahoos image service but until it can move to the spee of google...google image I will do!

    Posted by: Collegiate Chris | April 11, 2009 3:59 PM



  17. thanks so much 4 a nice topic. it's really a wonderful

    Posted by: صور | February 8, 2010 4:57 AM



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