Google confirms that it's testing a way to preview and search within the results returned by its very popular search engine.

In the past few weeks, some observers have spotted a graphical element shaped like an arrowhead next to the results from using www.google.com. When clicked upon, the arrow expands into a small window containing an image and more text from the site, plus a way to search the site further.

The new features suggest Google's begun incorporating technology it recently purchased from Ori Allon, who developed an Internet search-engine-bending technology while studying at the School of Computer Science, University of New South Wales. Google didn't immediately comment.

CyberNet Technology News has screen shots of all the new pieces at work simultaneously.

As to the preview feature, search engine Ask.com introduced something similar about two years ago. Its search results are accompanied by a graphic shaped like a pair of binoculars, which expands into a smaller version of the entire Web page represented by the result.

Google, Ask, Yahoo and other search engines are all making these kinds of changes lately. It's part of the never-ending tinkering all Internet search providers must do to keep ahead, or apparently, in Google's case, catch up to competitors.