Google Search Box and Buttons Get Supersized

[physics]

[googleblog.blogspot.com...]

The new, larger Google search box features larger text when you type so you can see your query more clearly. It also uses a larger text size for the suggestions below the search box, making it easier to select one of the possible refinements.

I wonder if this will lead to more long-tail searches. This is even more interesting considering the fact that Google recently moved AdWords ads closer to the organic results in the SERPs [webmasterworld.com]. Seems like a lot of tweaks lately for the old Google.com. Wonder what the motivation is.

[true_INFP]

I Wonder.. is it because Bing has bigger font?

Yes, that's what I thought as well. Looks like they might be Bing followers now.

[anallawalla]

I too wasted time trying to shrink the search box font (Ctrl+Scroll wheel). I'd like to see this an option that I can change back to the smaller size. Not happy.

[proboscis]

For me, it is easier to use, I asked my 20 year old son how he liked it and he said he didn't even notice the difference...

[michaelj72]

tacky. and too big. that was my first thought

i don't really like it yet. but hey, i'm a creature of some habits so it will take a while to get used to - and do i have any choice? at least i can stick with the yahoo classic.

[Robert Charlton]

I tend to be a creature of habit too. It will be interesting for me to see how long it takes me to get used to the change.

I've long felt that some modern sans serif fonts seem to cohere more as a block at small font sizes than at larger sizes. Even though they're easier to see at larger sizes, the words and paragraphs seem to hang together better when the letters are smaller. This is probably why many designers like to keep them small.

I'm sure Google has tested the hell out of this change, but I feel like there is less graphical coherence of the search text at the larger size, even though it is a lot easier to see.

And the Google logo on the home page is looking a little bit shrunk now.

[mambate]

no sense...

[James_WV]

I'm hating the change - looks really childish to me - I use chrome a lot though so use the omnibox, all I have to do is scroll down quick when the results come up so I don't have to see the text

[super70s]

I hate it!

Who approved this change?

Eric Schmidt's grandmother?

[Badcol]

I don't think Eric Schmidt had anything to do with it.

I put "Who approved this change?" into Google and got 127 million answers ... Not really Eric Schmidt's style ;-)

[cleanup]

I guess the web users that matter are having to use reading glases now (I know I am!)

[CWebguy]

I saw the increased size and just thought it was a problem with my browser :) haha, good to know

[KlingWRAP]

Bingo! Google users are geting older and can't read as well and so why not copy the BING size which is what the kids are all using this week!

I'm soooo glad I had laser surgery when I was 14!

[Robert Charlton]

I Wonder.. is it because Bing has bigger font?

Google users are geting older and can't read as well and so why not copy the BING size...?

It's hard to compare Bing to the old Google font now, unless someone wants to go back to the screen capture that Google had posted.

Compared to the new Google search box... the Bing box is a bit higher, but not as wide as the new Google box.

But the Bing font is actually about 2px smaller and less bold than the new Google font.

I wonder if Google has a Bing comparison team. ;)

[lavelle72]

Anyone noticed any other discrepancies since this change? I've been seeing an odd issue with a ranking tool and google.com

[jaiganeshv]

It encourages people just copy and past stuff into the search box, hit enter, and wait for the direction form Google. It shows people wanting more from Google :)

[kinley]

Whether it is "Big" or "Small", what difference would it make to SERPs :D

[Badger37]

Is it just me or has Matt's blog also got M U C H B I G G E R?!

I don't visit his blog very often these days but the fonts look much larger to me...

Perhaps Google employees have all had their screen resolutions increased recently :)

Google - please give us users an option to return to 'classic' size.

[lavelle72]

That's true Kinley but I thought they'd maybe made some otbhe changes. It's actually the SOAP API key that's no longer supported

[Badcol]

Just noticed my .co.uk search box is back to small fonts, sandbox is still large though.

[dstiles]

Not here it isn't. Damn stupid, assuming we've all got hi-res screens.

[Wicketywick]

I don't care if they changed the fontsize.