Google Personalized Search Update

Will personalized search data restricted to personalized searches?

[ciaoenrico]

I've been trying to make better heads or tails of the latest Google announcement regarding the changes to their personalized search. That I'm finding so few other people talking about it makes me think I'm somehow making something out of nothing, so if you agree, I would appreciate being told so.

Still, has anyone read anything that may suggest Google will be incorporating personalized results into the general Google algo? For example, if one electronics store is added to Google Bookmarks more often than another electronics store, will that first store do better in SERPs for people who aren't logged into a personalized Google account?

Also, it's obvious that the opening of Gmail to anyone is part of this announcement. (Not that it was too difficult to get a Gmail account before last week.) This would mean, then, that they believe personalized Google searches will be more prominent as more people are about to switch to Gmail to use it.

Is this reasonable? After all, it takes a lot to get someone to switch e-mails. Besides, other than dominating natural and paid search, Google hasn't developed any products that have become anywhere near as popular.

So if no one signs up for a Gmail account, is personalized search anything anyone needs to worry about?