Encountering a Google Live Test
This past weekend I've been playing with an interesting live test on Google.com. My account has been activated for what I'm calling "Minimal Google." When the page is loaded, all you see is the search field, and the text "©2009 - Privacy" until you move the mouse. Mouse movement triggers the rest of the interface to fade in via Javascript.
This interaction is striking because I never end up moving the mouse for 80% of the queries I do. All I do is hit Apple + T to open a new tab, and start typing since I'll be focused on the search field when Google loads. After I'm done typing, I hit enter to execute the search without ever touching the mouse. I'm assuming they are willing to try this test out because power users won't move the mouse and if you do need to click a link, the first step is move the mouse, which will trigger the fade-in.
Obviously this is not fool proof because many older internet users will hunt around the screen to find their target link with their eyes before even moving the mouse. In the age that Google is diversifying into other product areas, this test clearly proves that they are still willing to push the boundaries to let you know that Google, at its core, still does search.
