The revamped Google News homepage concept is centered around a section called “News For You” that consists of a stream of headlines users can tailor to their interests.
The new Google News design will be rolling out to U.S. users over the next day or two. (Credit: Google)
Google did not explained as to how it is going to generate automatic suggestions, but users will be able to accommodate them by specifying subject areas they are interested in. Under the “News Settings” tab, Google News visitors will also be able to indicate what news sources that they would like to see more or less often.
“We are striving to better highlight interesting stories you did not know existed and to make it easier for you to share stories through social networks,” said Kevin Stolt, a Google software engineer, in a blog post.
To make the stream most useful, click on the “Edit Personalization” box, users can define their level of interest in various subjects, such as business, health and sports, and headlines along those topics will appear.
However, users will have to log in first with the result to view the headlines based on their stated interests.
“Users can select to view the stories by Section view or List view, and reveal more headlines by hovering over the headline with your mouse,” Google wrote in a blog post. “We will remember your preferences each time you log in.”
Further to the customizable news articles, Google will also display links to topics that are being extensively covered by many news outlets along the left side of the home page.
The redesign will also more vividly display the Spotlight section, which emphasizes stories that Google says have more lasting interest than breaking news. That has been one of the most popular sections of the page since it was introduced last year, Google said in a blog post about the changes to the site.
Google has also included a drop-down menu at the top of each story section to share the group of stories with friends via Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz or Reader.
To cancel the customization, simply hit “Reset Personalization.” If you do not wish to customize, just close the “Edit” box. Google has also included shortcuts for easier navigation. Select the question mark key while in Google News to pop up a list of shortcuts.
The current modifications come as other major news sites, including CNN.com and Reuters.com, have added new customization features for users as part of their own recent redesigns, but have not made them a centerpiece.
The changes will initially start to appear in the English-language of Google News in the U.S., but will be rolled out in other countries and languages over the next several months, Google said.
Just last week Microsoft unveiled updates to its Bing News page, adding a capability for users to indicate their location to get local news and refreshing content more often.
Peep through a detailed description of the updates here. A video overview is below: