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Google bumps up size of search box

Company increases the size of its search box to try to make it "easier" to use. Whether that's the case is anyone's guess.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger

Google has enlarged its search box to make it "easier" for people to use, the company said late Wednesday.

In a blog post, Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president for search products and user experience, said the simple change to the company's home page "symbolizes" its "focus on search." She added that the adjustments to the height and width of the search box makes the company's home page "even easier and more fun to use." Yeah, I don't get it either.

Google said in an e-mail message that the new search box is "roughly double the size of the (original) search box." The company also made its search buttons "more similar" for those viewing Google "on different operating systems and browsers." Even with a larger search box, the company's search still only allows for up to 2,048 characters in a single query.

Here's a side-by-side view of the changes. Click on the link for a larger view.

Updated at 1:34 p.m. PDT to add Google's statements about its changes to Search.