Starting today, Google initiated a limited field run test of a new search method in which Gmail users will be able to search across their mail, contacts, Google Drive documents and Google Calendar appointments, that are relevant to the search term appear in the search results as you type all from the search bar at the top of the Webmail application.
The company explained the process said, “When you are looking for something, you should be able to find what you need quickly and easily without needing to think about where it might be, whether it is in your email or out on the public web,” Google software engineer Bran Moolenaar said in a blog post.
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Participants in the trial will first notice a kind of instant-search feel to Gmail search results, as most of the personalized information via the test run will be displayed in the auto-complete drop-down results in Gmail as you type, which you can see in the screenshot above. And it is not only limited to e-mail: The trial lets users search Google Drive and Google Calendar as well.
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However, if you are keen on getting personalized Google results in your normal searches, as well as expand Gmail search feature, you can sign up for the field run here. This field test is currently only available for users with an @gmail.com email address, and is only available in English. Now, when you click the Join button, assuming you are already logged into your Gmail account, you will see “Thanks for joining! You will get an email confirmation when your account is ready. You can return to this page to leave the field trial.”
Some other nifty features with the Gmail and Search field test run includes an enhanced flight tracking feature, which pulls flight information from your Gmail when you search and displays it in the auto-complete results, with a link you can click to view the confirmation message that is nestled in your inbox somewhere. New Gmail search under the field run also includes a consolidation of links that have been shared in Gmail that are relevant to your search term. If you decide the new search results are not quite your thing, you can leave the field run any time by returning to the field run page and unsubscribing from it.
As a matter of fact, the company originally commenced a field trial of a new search bar in Gmail this past August, and the feature was a hit, according to Google, prompting the company to expand field run to more users. Today’s trial brings other Google services back to Gmail.