Search Engine Taste Test - Huckabuck

Posted by Jim Stroud

April 13, 2006

There is (another) new search engine in town and its name is Huckabuck.

From their website…

HuckaBuck.com is a metasearch interface that takes the words you type into its search box, and queries Google, Yahoo!, and MSN simultaneously to deliver results that are more comprehensive and more relevant than results from a single engine.

I have not played with this site extensively yet, actually I only just discovered it. I thought it was worth a tire-kick or two, so here I go. One thing I thought was cool about Huckabee was its dedication to charitable initiatives.

Also from the website…

“Huckabuck is committed to giving back to New Orleans, our hometown. Following the hurricanes, we wanted to create a way to raise awareness and generate funds for New Orleans. As part of our ongoing social mission, Huckabuck will serve New OrleansÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ rebuilding efforts by donating a portion of our profits every year to these deserving charities… every time you search on Huckabuck, you are helping rebuild New Orleans.” (nice angle)

Here are a few screenshots of Huckabee in action.

1. Here is something I have not seen on a search engine. Look what happens when you click on the tiny keyboard to the left of the search button.

Abracadabra! A virtual keyboard pops up for mouse only search.

2. Another nice gmmick they have going on is a slide bar (a la MSN). You get to it from the “Search Tuner” button.

This is kinda coolas well because you can weight your results according to your favorite search engine. Meaning, if MSN is your favorite engine, you can have more results from MSN verses Yahoo and Google. (And as an extra feature, you can change the color of the interface and set the number of results that return per page.)

3. As you type in your query, Huckabuck suggests key terms for additional searches. (Like Yahoo… Okay, I can’t help comparing.)

4. From what I can tell, there are no secret syntax commands outside of “intitle” and “inurl,” but this is only my first go.

SO that’s it for now. Go check out Huckabee for yourself and support a good cause whil you’re at it. Oh and in case you are wondering where the name came from, here is another quote from their website…

“Well, when huckbuck is not a search interface, it’s a homemade frozen, summer-time treat enjoyed by New Orleanians. TheyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re sort of like snow cones, frozen cups, and completely unique to New Orleans. The are made in the summertime by loving mothers, and children buy them on their way home from school for a nickle. They are still served to this day at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and in neighborhoods around New Orleans.”

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