Google Now's Personalized Search With Automated Results: Creepy Or The Future Of Search?

For more than a decade, online search has long relied on the same paradigm: a blank search box, and a user's query. But with the massive amount of data we're now providing to search engines on PCs and mobile devices--everything from location to calendar to browsing history--companies ranging from Foursquare to Bing to Airbnb are not just personalizing our results, but automating the process.

Google unveiled its latest innovation in the search space: Google Now. Rather than having to manually enter a question, Android users will soon have the option to see widget-like suggested results without even having to type in the search box. "You used to have to enter a search query or type in a street address, but that changes with Google Now," said Hugo Barra, director of product management for Android. "Google gets you just the right amount of information at just the right of time, all automatically."