Virtual Google tour launched

The promo slot under the search box on Google.com has changed to be a link to visit the Google tour. It is the clearest set of instructions yet on how to use their suite of search tools and add-ons. Perhaps it is an admission that in the last year they have to an extent diversified from the "I'm feeling lucky" model, to the "well, if it isn't what you wanted, here is a directory, a catalogues search, Froogle, labs, images and news. We'll get it to you somehow." approach.

It called to my mind Marissa Mayer's interview on good experience from October 2002, about the man who emails Google every time they increase the number of words on their homepage. Quite what he'll make of this latest sell of their features I don't know.

A lot of wild speculation has been had that this signals the beginning of Google becoming a portal, with the increasing possibility that they will be slugging out against Yahoo!-Inktomi for domination of the worlds portal market. I think this is a bit premature - however, I can't help noting that the user interface for the tour is Google's first real break from its otherwise strict #FFFFFF background. And even more disconcerting is that at the foot of the tour, the link to the Services & Tools page forces open a pop-up window. Most un-Google. It does make you think they must have done at least a feasibility study of Googlemail.