Amazon unwrapped its A9 search engine today, which derives its results from a combination of sources: Google (Web and Images), Amazon (book and "Inside the Book"), Gurunet (reference information) and the Internet Movie Database (an Amazon subsidiary). The combined results, in addition to support services such as a toolbar and server-stored bookmarks, are, frankly, superb. A small piece of screen real estate is devoted to sponsored listings—I haven't seen more than two text ads for any search. Vertical resizable columns separate information types, which can be turned on and off with buttons. No other service integrates the functions of a search engine (like Google) and an answer engine (like Gurunet) as elegantly or concisely as A9.
New A9 Engine Uses (and Competes With) Google
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. To bad they don't let you put it on your site yet. Well Actually you could put it on your site and do site search. Maybe I will have to write a script for that.
Posted at 4:42AM on Dec 19th 2005 by David Krug
3. The drag and drop feature is so cool! This is the greatest thing for me -- and they have IMDB in there. I echo all praise.
Posted at 4:42AM on Dec 19th 2005 by AG - Spyware Remover
4. I have to admit to liking this thing more than I thought I would. It is nice to have all this presentation flexibility. It is nice that Amazon already knows me and offers recommendations (even if they are a bit wierd). The intriguing thing to me is how Google will respond. For more thoughts on the marketing strategy of all this see http://marketingplaybook.com/2004/09/16/a9_what_play_is_it.html
5. I like the history feature, it's a nice idea so you can re-run previous searches.
But the JavaScript menu seems to "jump" around a bit when I scroll up or down on the page.
Otherwise, it's looking quite nice. Though, for now I don't have any need for any of the additional features that it provides over Google. Which in my mind, means I won't be moving to using a9.com as my main search engine anytime soon.
Posted at 4:42AM on Dec 19th 2005 by William Luu
6. Really think this is interesting. And I like A9. Seems to me that AMZN is being smart, not attacking GOOGLE but coopting it. They have everything to gain, even if it does not become a top 5 search engine. for more see http://marketingplaybook.com/2004/09/16/a9_what_play_is_it.html
1. You can actually drag and drop the search result links into your A9 bookmarks 'tab' on the same page, right into the appropriate folder. Amazingly well done!
Posted at 4:42AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Joost Schuur