New Search Engine on the Net
Aug. 17 -- Move over Google — there's a new kid on the search engine block.
Touting more comprehensive searching capabilities and a more user-friendly service, start-up search engine Teoma is gaining notoriety and popularity the same way Google did a few years back. Teoma searches topics, organizes results, and presents the information differently than Google and other search engines such as AltaVista.
"It's a Web site that provides information for people who either want to use search engines better, or for those who have Web sites and are trying to be found on search engines and want to improve their listings," said Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch.
One-Stop Search Site
The major difference between Teoma and Google is that Teoma breaks down search results into three areas: Web pages grouped by topic, Web pages, and expert links. Google presents search results in one list, which is generally sorted by the popularity of the page.
Teoma CEO and President Paul Gardi said he believes the advanced features will win over users. "Users can now come to one search engine and get everything they need," he said. "This is the first technology that is challenging Google."
Teoma was born out of a project started at Rutgers University in 1998 headed by Professor Apostolos Gerasoulis, who is now the chief technology officer at Teoma. The company currently has nine employees and says its search product is still in beta and, as a result, limited.
"Teoma offers a better way for people who are searching and narrows down what they are looking for," Gardi said. "The user can see the results broken down by different categories."
Not Ready for Prime Time, Yet
Teoma currently has a database of approximately 100 million Web pages, according to Gardi. Once the company builds and indexes at least 250 million pages, it will then consider itself out of beta and in possession of a real, measurable product, he said. Gardi said he hopes to achieve this goal by the end of the year.