After months of testing and speculation, Google is finally releasing the next edition of Google search to the public, complete with a left-hand menu bar and even an update to the well-known Google logo.

The new version of Google has some major differences, but the changes can be broken down into three groups: design changes, the addition of a left-hand navigation panel and a more “unified” search experience.

The product that is launching today has been the result of countless experiments Google has run, many of which our readers have noticed. Patrick Riley, the technical lead for Google Web Search, told about those experiments and how they ended up in this edition of Google Search.

Design Changes: Simplicity Is Bliss

The first thing most people will notice are the design changes to the home page, search results page and the Google logo.

Here’s what it looks like:

The focus on simplicity hasn’t changed — in fact, that’s why Google created a new edition of the logo, which removes most of the shadow, some of the gradient and even the “TM” symbol at the end.

As Patrick Riley told me, the intention is to go for a cleaner and simpler look across the board. The new Google logo will roll out on Search starting today and will eventually replace all of the other logos on Google’s other properties.

The search results page has also been cleaned up. The traditional blue box that encompasses the search box at the bottom of the search engine results pages (SERPs) has been removed. The underlines under the numbers and several of the links have also disappeared.

Left-Hand Navigation

The design changes aren’t the biggest ones rolling out today, however; it’s the left-hand navigation that is going to be most obvious to users.

Whenever you perform a search with the new interface, the left-hand navigation you see above will appear. The top left should be self-explanatory; it lists the types of searches you can make, such as image search, shopping search and books search.

What you may not realize at first glance is that this is a dynamic sidebar; Google has designed it to change based on the type of search you’re making. If you’re looking for breaking news, Blog and News search is more likely to pop up, while if you search for clothes or shoes, Shopping Search is likely to appear in the list.

Below that section are the query related search tools — things such as related searches, Wonder Wheel, and timeline. Again, this section is dynamic and changes based on the type of search you are making.

Overall, the system is designed to help users refine search results by adapting to their search needs. However, the changes are also meant to “unify” the search experience — when you click on any of the menu items, it doesn’t take you to a completely different looking search results page. The left-hand menu will stay put as you search, which should make it easier for users to navigate the page.

The Experiments Are Not Done

While the new version of Google Search has officially launched, Riley told me that it isn’t the end of the experimentation or of changes to Google’s best-known product. He pointed to the countless iterations of Google over the years, as well as some different designs that the company tested out. Google will continue to run most of its search experiments as it rolls this version to the rest of the world.

What do you think of the new Google design? Are you a fan of the new left-hand nav? Let us know in the comments.

There’s no doubt Google has a sense of humor — its excellent April Fools jokes are a testament to that. But there’s a wealth of funnies that can found any time of the year too. Here we pull together a handy list of Google “Easter eggs” that you can uncover right now.

Bearing in mind we’re working up another list covering surprises that can be found in Google Maps, Earth and Street View, have we missed any other tricks from those crazy Google funsters? Do share in the comments below.

1. Try a Different Version of the Google Homepage

Sure, Google’s doodles make the famously sparse homepage a little more funky on certain days, but there are ways to jazz it up any day with some homepage tricks that will turn your search base into a pirate-, Klingon- or even Swedish Chef- themed online property.

Most of these work by entering an exact search term and then hitting the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button. There’s a ton of these, some of which have been active for a while.

Google nods to open source software with Linux- and BSD devil-themed options that can be activated by typing “google linux” and “google bsd” then hitting the IFL button.

Those partial to a bit of grog meanwhile can get their Google homepage pirated by doing the same with “xx-pirate.” Google will display in “hacker-speak” if you type in “google l33t.” The Klingon version can be found with “xx-klingon,” and if you want some bork with your Google, enter “xx-bork” to go all Muppet Show.

Even more options include pig latin (“xx-piglatin”), an Easter egg-themed page complete with bunny mini-game (“google easter egg”), and a dark gothic way to search (“google gothic”). Typing “elgoog” offers Google backwards, and there’s an Elmer Fudd tribute at “ewmew fudd.” Finally, it’s not quite a whole homepage change, but entering “ascii art” will make the Google logo display in that style.

2. See Quirky Calculator Results

While the few funny answers Google offers via its Calculator app don’t quite top the amusement to be had by typing 5318008 into your upside-down elementary school calculator, they are nonetheless another sign that the search giant doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Case in point — searching for the number of horns on a unicorn makes the Calculator app spring into life with the answer “1,” which is the same number it returns if you ask Google what the loneliest number is. Searching for “once in a blue moon” brings up “1.16699016 × 10^-8 hertz.”

And, always a classic, searching for “the answer to life, the universe, and everything” will trigger the Calculator display “42,” which we all know is a reference to Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

3. View Search Results Funnies

A classic, third-party search gag is revealed by asking Google to “find chuck norris” and hitting the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button. The result, in bold red, reads “Google won’t search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don’t find Chuck Norris, he finds you.” Suggestions for the next course of action include, “Run, before he finds you.”

Although not falling into the Easter egg basket, some of the auto-suggestions that can be found via Google’s search service are pretty funny, too.

4. Get Teddy Bears and Ninjas

Google programmers have messed around with code for both Picasa and Google Reader to yield some surprising results.

Taking Picasa first, when in the desktop software, hitting control-shift-y will make a teddy bear appear. Hitting the same combo again will give the first teddy a new buddy, and so on. It’s since been revealed this was the childhood bear of photographer and photoblogger Noah Grey who worked with Google on the project.

Reader, meanwhile, gets an even more comprehensive Easter egg. With a reference to the old Konami video game cheat code — that, depending on the game, would give you 30 lives or other bonuses — hitting up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, will make your RSS feed reader go into “ninja” mode.

As well as making some of the screen blue, all your feeds will read “30,” and some of the icons will change (e.g. the like/unlike buttons, which turn into animated hearts). A little cartoon ninja will actually appear on the right hand side of your screen.

5. iGoogle Theme Surprises in the Wee Hours

iGoogle skins are practically chocolate-coated with so many Easter Eggs to be found within. A wide selection of the themes — which tart up your browser bar with pictures that change throughout the day — have a secret that’s revealed at 3:14 AM PST every single day.

Selecting the “beach” theme will mean the Loch Ness Monster makes a mysterious appearance for one minute every day at that time. UFOs will hover over the skyline in “City Scape” and the Yokai, from Japanese folklore, show up in “Tea House”.

Meanwhile, a cartoon monster makes a brief appearance in “Spring Scape,” pi appears in the sky in “Sweet Dreams,” and the Northern Lights put on a show in both “Winter Scape” and “Holiday Village.” Still more include a snow tiger in “Aja Tiger,” pumpkins in “Autumn,” a galleon sailing along in “Hong Kong,” and a spider in “JR.”

It’s almost certainly no coincidence that “3.14″ are the first three digits of pi. It’s the kind of witty play on numbers the Google staffers seem to love and, let’s face it — so do we!