Google Instant Search added a revolutionary touch to Google recently, but its effects have rippled across the technology landscape to affect sites like YouTube and now iTunes as amateur developers take Google’s idea and run with it.
iTunes Instant
Stephen Ou, a fifteen year old programmer, launched iTunes Instant which is a utility that creates instant iTunes search results as users look for downloads from the iTunes Store. Ou has told media outlets that he had an idea like this before Google came out with its Instant Search product, but that would mean that the timing is eerily coincidental.
Ou decided to apply the idea to create his Web-based iTunes search tool because of continued frustration with the latency he experiences when trying to search using Apple’s search mechanism.
Rave reviews
The new iTunes Instant by Ou seems to have been well received, with some users noting that Google Instant had less impact because Google was not very slow to begin with. The iTunes Store, on the other hand has long frustrated users by its slow search facilities. The new search function by Ou is sure to save Apple users a lot of time. The search tool is located at http://labs.stephenou.com/itunes.
New career opportunities
Through its release of its “Instant” concept, Google has spawned opportunities for aspiring programmers. The creator of YouTube Instant, Feross Aboukhadijeh, was offered a job by YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley after he discovered the utility and was impressed by a job well done.
Even if he doesn’t get a job offer from Steve Jobs, Ou has a way to help make money from his new creation: Apple affiliate links. He’s hoping that the traffic coming to use his iTunes Instant Search utility will result in a surge in affiliate business.
Instant everything
As the “Instant” phenomenon spreads across the Internet, expect everything to become “Instantized” as programmers seek to demonstrate their ability to interface with various APIs for the various search services that exist on the Net.
Opportunities for high profile “Instants” are still available. Consider Bing Instant, Yahoo Instant, EBay Instant, Amazon Instant, and – when tax time comes around – IRS Instant.
The ability to save time when searching on the Internet could be the gift that Google keeps giving: one small upgrade to its search service may have permanently changed the definition of minimum requirements for a search box on the Internet.
Sources:
Ehrlich, Brenna. "15-Year-Old Creates iTunes Instant." Mashable. September 14, 2010. http://mashable.com/2010/09/13/itunes-instant/ (accessed September 15, 2010).
Valentino-DeVries, Jennifer. "Google Creates ‘Instant’ Celebrities." Wall Street Journal. September 14, 2010. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/09/14/google-create s-instant-celebrities/ (accessed September 15, 2010).