Google is creating an information bridge between its influential internet search engine and its widely used Gmail service in its latest attempt to deliver more personal responses more quickly.

The experimental feature unveiled today for Gmail users will enable Google's search engine to mine the correspondence stored within a user's Gmail account for any data tied to a search request. For example, a query containing the word "Amazon" would pull emails with shipping information sent by the online retailer.

The destiny of search is to become that perfect Star Trek computer
Such Gmail results will typically be shown to the right of the main results, though in some instances, the top of the search page will highlight an answer extracted directly from an email. For example, the request "my flight" will show specific airline information imported from Gmail. Something similar could eventually happen when searching for a restaurant reservation or tickets to a concert.

Although Google has a commanding lead in internet search, it remains worried about the threat posed by social networking services such as Facebook Inc. As social networks have made it easier to share information online, the web is starting to revolve more around people than the keywords and links that Google's search engine.

Advertisement Google has been trying to adapt by building more personal services and plugging them into its search engine.

Blending email information into general search results could raise privacy worries. Google is trying to mitigate that by showing Gmail results in a collapsed format that users must open to see the details. For now, users must sign up to participate.

Google ran into trouble over privacy in 2010 when it tapped the personal contact information within Gmail accounts to build a social networking service called Buzz. Google set up Buzz in a way that caused many users to inadvertently expose personal data from Gmail. An uproar culminated in a Federal Trade Commission settlement requiring the company to improve its privacy controls and undergo audits for 20 years.

Google is treading carefully as it hooks Gmail up to its internet search engine. The new feature initially will be available to 1 million Gmail users who sign up at g.co/searchtrial . That's a small fraction of the more than 425 million Gmail accounts that have been set up since Google launched its free email service eight years ago to compete against the offerings from Yahoo and Microsoft.

After getting feedback from the test participants, Google hopes to give all Gmail users the option of plugging their accounts into the main search engine, according to Amit Singhal, a senior vice president for the company.

Singhal said Google is also willing to display information from other email service in its main search results. The gesture could avoid spurring additional complaints about Google abusing its position as the internet's search leader to favour its other services. That issue is the focal point of an antitrust investigation by antitrust regulators in the US and Europe.

Microsoft said it has no plans to make information in its competing web mail service available to Google's search engine. Yahoo, which operates another Gmail rival, had no comment.

When it started in 2004, Gmail provided 1 gigabyte of free storage, an amount that was unheard of at the time. Now, many long-time Gmail users have 10 gigabytes of storage. That has turned Gmail into a valuable storehouse of personal information going back several years.

Gmail users already can pluck information contained in old correspondence by conducting a search within Gmail. Google is betting Gmail users will appreciate being able to eliminate a step by including any relevant email information alongside the results of its main search page.

In the process, Google is hoping web surfers will have even more reasons to use its dominant search engine, which already processes more than 100 billion requests every month.

Luring more queries is crucial to Google because they give the company more opportunities to show the ads that generate most of its revenue, which is expected to exceed $US49 billion this year.

Personal information from Google Plus, a social networking service started last year to compete with Facebook, has been featured in Google's main search results since January.

Ultimately, Google hopes to know enough about each of its users so it can answer their questions with the precision and insight of the artificial intelligence that so far has been the stuff of science fiction.

"The destiny of search is to become that perfect Star Trek computer," Singhal said.

In another step toward that goal, Google said on Wednesday in the US that it will soon be releasing an improved version of its voice-powered search application for Apple's iPhone and iPad.

Google released the tool last month on its Nexus 7 tablet computer and other devices running on the latest version of its Android mobile operation system. The version for Apple's operating system, expected within a week, will be an alternative to Siri, the built-in virtual assistant on the iPhone 4S.





Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/google-to-include-peoples-gmail-in-search-results-20120809-23vnn.html#ixzz232u8Tyvr

I hope this won't be an invasion of privacy.

@Afam, hope so too

Still yet to understand what exactly they are trying to do but i know google know better than let people's info get out..

@Afam,
Privacy! I doubt if there has been any online.
So be careful what you 'say' online, either in the form of email or post on forum and other social media

Lie lie I won't sign up to the service - despite I love gmail so much - even their text sms stuff I won't sign up it will be so disturbing to be getting alert every moment to ma blackberry- I already synced ma gmail to ma BB na so wats d need for the sms - so every spam mails dats been sent will be noisy to me -wit alert tone
Google una don dey over do oo - why would some body search by inbox

Seton: @Afam,
Privacy! I doubt if there has been any online.
So be careful what you 'say' online, either in the form of email or post on forum and other social media

You can't have privacy in public places like forums, social media etc.

Ah well, one more reason to stop using emails. . .I never really fancied it anyway. I mean what do I need an email for when I can send smoke signals.

There's a way to delete those results stored in your gmail account. I did, I was so surprise to see the history of my search stored up to the extent of some ridiculous content I would not love to mention here.

i got my nexus 7 a month ago and it has all the features that you just mentioned.................for some reason i think is cool but it somewhat leaves u vulnerable.................

but men i love my nexus 7 more than my apple computer or anything.........

I just don't get it!

Revolva: Lie lie I won't sign up to the service - despite I love gmail so much - even their text sms stuff I won't sign up it will be so disturbing to be getting alert every moment to ma blackberry- I already synced ma gmail to ma BB na so wats d need for the sms - so every spam mails dats been sent will be noisy to me -wit alert tone
Google una don dey over do oo - why would some body search by inbox

I signed up when they first started but I had to deactivate the service cos of too much disturbance. I love Gmail even more than yahoo but its still my secondary email. My blackberry suffer with their SMS.

G stands for Greedy. After everything they control Wtf.

With this,that means FBI has certain stake in Google

you can only search your gmail account...

Google and its allied products are eyes on the sky. I dont have to say more..

Ranks007: There's a way to delete those results stored in your gmail account. I did, I was so surprise to see the history of my search stored up to the extent of some ridiculous content I would not love to mention here.

How did you do it?

afam4eva: I hope this won't be an invasion of privacy.

Privacy? You kiddin right? Lol.

You lost that a long time ago. I can tell where you are right now and even the color of your shirt! Hahaha!

Ranks007: There's a way to delete those results stored in your gmail account. I did, I was so surprise to see the history of my search stored up to the extent of some ridiculous content I would not love to mention here.

You could avoid this by ensuring that, you are completely sign off from your gmail account and any other google services, before doing any search with google...Else, your searches can be stored and linked to your identity.

.

What about privacy issues?...

Google just keep searching for what is not lost. I believe there's already a 'search mail' box in your mailbox where you can search for a query in your mail correspondence.

I CAN'T JUST BELIEVE THIS.. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?
http://bunnaj..com/

this can't go well with the people.

mkmyers45:

How did you do it?

here bro...wipe 'em off

https://www.google.com/history/

Very wrong move Google.

ANd you thought you had "Free email"
Now you know who truly owns your email box.

good thing I have my own email server

I knew there is nothing lyke privacy already...bt wt ds u wil b xposed more than u thin.

afam4eva: I hope this won't be an invasion of privacy.

waiting