iGoogle users can now add a Google Gadget to their homepage showing recommended searches, pages, and gadgets based on behavior across Google search properties. The new service builds on top of Google's search history trends data by adding recommended destination pages and new homepage gadgets. The widget was written by "Beverly Y." in Google's New York office.
I found the recommendations useful with some expected content and a few surprises thrown in as well. "Burning Man" might be geo-targetted since I live in San Francisco, but three RSS recommendations in the top 5 is right on. I was researching a trip to Napa for the crush season not too long ago, and Google recommended a hotel and a winery in the area in my suggested pages.
iGoogle is available for logged-in users only and allows Google to identify search history and click-throughs for each individual. It's also the homepage of Google's location services such as the Mountain View WiFi network, allowing focused user profiling and recommendations by frequented locations.
JSON API
Google's recommendations are returned using JSON and are available to anyone or anything with Google Account Authentication.
- Base URL
- http://www.google.com/searchhistory/trends?output=json
- Recommended searches
- op=rec_pq
- Recommended pages
- op=rec_up
- Recommended gadget
- op=rec_ig
Add a comment
Some comments may be placed in a moderation queue to ensure topical relevancy. You may contact author Niall Kennedy directly if you prefer to comment privately.