Gadgets and gizmos

A new Google service looks like it could completely change the way we look for sites on the world’s largest search engine.

The idea is called Google +1 and it is going to work a bit like the Facebook option to “like” something. As you look at the results which pop up on screen you can add the +1 symbol to anything which you want to recommend to your friends,

It is possible that the activity on this feature will be added in the Google search algorithm at some point in the future but at the moment putting a +1 next to the search results won’t affect the order in which sites get ranked. What it will do is put your name next to the site when one of your contacts makes a search for this type of site.

The contacts that will see your likes are those which Google can take from your Gmail account, Buzz and Reader. One possible use is where you want to recommend something to a friend but either you don’t have the full details with you or they don’t have any way of noting down the full address. Just tell me what to search under on Google and then they can look out for your name next to the recommended site.

If you want to give Google +1 a try then you will either need to wait until it is released or else go to google.com/experimental. Once there you can click on the option to join in on the current trial.