If you thought Google was fast before, get ready for it to be faster.  The mystery surrounding the Google logo and Google homepage changes has been solved – it all seems to have been a digital drumroll for Google’s new Google Instant. Google Instant is what the name implies: instant results, even before you’re done typing.

Auto-complete is now obsolete, as Google Instant is the next step in predictive search technology.  The Google Instant search enhancement looks just like the standard Google search, until the search bar moves to the top of the page and your results begin cascading below.

According to Google, Google Instant can save you between two and five seconds on every search, which can be particularly important if you’re just dying to see Lady Gaga’s new outfit or if you have to find your local poison control number.

With Google Instant, you can preview pages before you’re done typing your query, which may cause you to change your search terms to get better results. And don’t worry, auto-complete is still part of the process, it’s just integrated with Google Instant.  If you don’t like Google Instant, you also have the option to turn it off.

Google Instant in Action Pictures