Google Squared Goes Live - A Spreadsheet Like Research Tool

Google Squared, which we announced earlier last month, has been officially released by Google. The new search tool provides research data in a spreadsheet-like format, or squares, that represents categories for your data. So instead of a results page filled with links, the data you are searching for is presented all on one page.

For an example, perhaps I was searching for a new Digital SLR camera and I knew I wanted a Nikon but didn't know which model I wanted. I could run a search for Nikon DSLR and I would be presented with several different Nikon models with the images and resolutions of each. If I knew of a Nikon camera that wasn't listed, I could add it to the Squared results at the bottom of the page. Maybe I want to get more specific with my search and I wanted to know what Optical Sensor Type each of the cameras utilize, I could add a new column for this and the results would be added instantly. I could then remove all of the CCD sensor type cameras since I was really searching for a CMOS-based camera.

If you get the results exactly as you need them, you can save your "Squares" if you're logged in, and come back to your results later. Especially handy if you are performing a lot of research and need to reference back.

Another cool search is Roller coasters. It shows the longest, tallest, and fastest ones around. You can even have it "Add the next 10" and keep adding them until you have a huge listing of roller coasters to compare with.

With the Roller Coaster search, I found a feature that I could find very useful but Google doesn't yet have. This would be a way to "Sort" results. In the roller coaster example, I would like the ability to click on the "Speed" category and have it automatically sort to have the fastest coaster at the top of the page, even if the fastest one hasn't yet been added to the squares. So what do you say Google?

In a way, it's similar to WolframAlpha as it's more of a research tool than a way to search the web, but both of the two searches are a bit different as WolframeAlpha searches for things never searched for before and Google relies on an index of data it's already found.

Go ahead and be Squared, give it a try!