ResearchBuzz

GenieKnows has launched a search engine focusing on content for video gamers, now available at http://www.genieknowsgames.com/ .

In addition to the search engine query box, the site also features a tag cloud (I’m starting to like tag clouds a little better for browsing), featured video, and a gaming blog.

I’m happy to report that the search engine passed the Strawberry Shortcake test with flying colors, getting me lots of results that were oriented toward the character’s video games (in case you needed a cheat against a Purple Pieman boss.) I noticed that more recent games tended to get more results than older games (perhaps differences in which Web sites are talking about the older games?) and I’m not sure that quotes for phrases are recognized; I did a search for “Emperor Rise” and got results for Emperor, Rise of the Silver Surfer, etc…

Search results included the usual title/extract/url pattern, though FeedBurner content also had a little flame icon next to it. Links allow users to submit sites as broken or spaham. Look to the left of the results page to see that results are divided into categories — cheats, fans, blogs, articles & reviews, etc.

I did notice that in one category — software — the results weren’t as good, and there was a little bit of spaham (though it was quickly reported.) It would be nice if search results in the blogs & news categories could be ordered by freshness, as well. It’ll take a little extra searching to get around if phrases don’t work, but this could be useful next time I need a walkthrough…

Don’t know a junk bond from a hole in the ground? Boy, are you in luck. There’s a new site with over 20,000 business-related definitions. Check it out at http://www.businessdictionary.com/ .

You can browse the dictionary by subject areas (over 40 of ‘em, from Accounting & Auditing to Securities & Futures Trading) or you can do a dictionary search. (There’s also a list of popular terms. Wait a minute. People don’t know what accounting means? Oh, these are a list of terms that everybody SHOULD know. Okay. I’m better now.) If you want to read the whole thing you can also do a letter browse.

BusinessDictionary also offers search suggestions. I started typing a search term (forensic accounting and got several suggestions, including forensic audit, forensic engineering, and forensic medicine (forensic medicine?).

A sample search for junk bond actually brings up two results — junk bond and junk bond fund. Click on one and you’ll get a definition that has several of its own words crosslinked to other definitions. You’ll find out what subjects the definition is filed under, and sometimes also what other definitions include the word/phrase for which you searched. Links allow you to print the definition or mail it to a friend.

Neatly-designed, quick, and with a lot of definitions. Nice.

Google News has recently announced that video search results will now be included with a Google News search. The announcement also included a tantalizing but limited list of sources used, among them CBS and Reuters. (More are expected to be added.) The new feature is currently available only for the US, UK, and Ireland (and not Canada? Odd…)

There’s a little icon next to video results, and they’re included as a supplemental link at the bottom of a news story. I must say, I had a hard time finding video results, even browsing the top stories. Maybe I’m picking bad keywords.

I suppose that the next logical step will be to take the new comments that Google recently announced, and open that for videos (on YouTube) of people talking about a particular story….