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Google Adds Mac-Specific Search
Posted by Adam Pash at 8:00 AM on May 3, 2008
If you run into a problem on a Windows computer, all you have to do is type a little description of the problem and Google takes care of the rest; Mac users, on the other hand, often need to include a little context in their search—instead of typing a query like text editor, you type text editor mac. Google's Mac-specific portal, found at http://google.com/mac/, now includes a Mac-specific search box. It's not groundbreaking, but the guaranteed Mac-specific results could come in handy next time you're looking for a specific application or you're troubleshooting your Mac.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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adria.richards
Posted 8:36 AM 3/5/08
Move over Windows, you're no longer top dog! I must try this out and see how accurate it is. Linux users must be wondering if they're next for OS specific search engines.
Extensions, plugins, gadgets, widgets and Add-ons will benefit from this specialization.
What's next? Google knowledgebase? Keep a family knowledgebase of addresses, phone numbers, maps, relatives and events? Easily monitor your children's home work and receive email updates directly from their teachers? Track your family's flight reservations and the dog's vaccinations too!
adria.richards
sw2
Posted 8:33 AM 3/5/08
A few more special searches (Microsoft, Uncle Sam, Linux, etc.):
[www.google.com]
sw2
wtb
Posted 9:04 AM 3/5/08
They've had that for years... I forgot about it, though.
wtb
Mr.Purple
Posted 9:01 AM 3/5/08
This has been available for years.
Mr.Purple
BaseVilliN
Posted 8:55 AM 3/5/08
There is a linux specific portal. Click sw2's link.
BaseVilliN
Reilaos~
Posted 9:31 AM 3/5/08
There's two buttons. It's obviously not a true mac.
Reilaos~
Quine
Posted 9:22 AM 3/5/08
I just tried it to see how well it could find os x customization sites, and...it did horribly. It reported a full page of windows sites including many with "windows" in the url.
I'll stick to regular googling and sticking os x at the end of everything.
Quine
jstark101
Posted 9:22 AM 3/5/08
That saves having to type 'Mac OS' in front of everything, but I wonder if there's a disadvantage to searching filtered pages.
jstark101
JWo
Posted 11:42 AM 3/5/08
This was around circa jelly bean iMacs...
@ Reilaos, tired of the two-button ignorance.
JWo
Adam Pash
Posted 9:35 AM 3/5/08
@sw2: Very cool, thanks for that link.
Adam Pash
The How-To Geek
Posted 11:54 AM 3/5/08
@Adam Pash: I just noticed... the via link is to SimpleHelp but it has the wrong title. Copy/paste malfunction! =)
The How-To Geek
Dooga
Posted 1:23 PM 3/5/08
Did anyone notice the logo for Google "Mac"?
[www.google.com]
Why do they get the shiny stuff? I guess Windows users just don't have an appreciation for web 2.0 reflections.
Dooga
alexjohnc3
Posted 2:13 PM 3/5/08
In other news, Google now has an e-mail service called "Gmail" that has 1 GB of storage!
alexjohnc3
Intelman
Posted 2:51 PM 3/5/08
Google does have...
[www.google.com]
Intelman
sprockin
Posted 4:38 PM 3/5/08
They've had the mac search for years
sprockin
phoenix
Posted 12:19 PM 4/5/08
Argh. There used to be a site (HotDaddy) that let you search each of the Google specific sites, like Google Music, Google Mac, Google Windows, Google Linux, Google _____. Looks like the name and brand have been taken over now, but it's worth knowing that Google has all of those sub-portals.
A lot of them are here:
[www.google.com]
But it's worth knowing that you can try google.com/anything and see what turns up. :D
phoenix
Reilaos~
Posted 1:34 PM 4/5/08
@JWo: Worked with a jelly-bean iMac. Also have friends with mac laptops. They all have one button for a mouse, and a strange gesture to fake a right click. Or otherwise bought a Microsoft mouse.
Hence, not two buttons.
Reilaos~
Dooga
Posted 3:00 PM 4/5/08
All of these arguments are old:
For Mac:
1 button mouse
no software
can't play games
For Windows:
Blue screens
Filled with viruses
crashes often
Dooga