Launched in 1996 by two Stanford University students as a search engine called "BackRub", Google is now one of the world's most visited websites, receiving hits from school children to centenarians.

Although it has undergone several face- lifts, the site's interface has never changed significantly. Some find it a bit boring and seek alternatives - but other search engines, such as hakia.com or quintura.com, are not great options.

Here is the "solution". Many people - we can call them Google loyalists - have created attractive search engines. They are powered by Google Custom Search but are not affiliated with Google.

One of them is googlegooglegooglegoogle.com.br (yes, type "google" four times). The site contains four Googles searches in four separate windows on the same page. This website is very suitable for people who want to compare things on different websites and have a large screen.

Meanwhile, blackle.com, saveswatts.com and earthle.com are a few websites that aim to save energy. Their interfaces consist of black a background with very few images.

The websites claim that viewing a dark-colored site causes a monitor to use less energy. Some skeptics, however, say that the darker interface only effects cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors not LCD screens.

Blackle.com, for example, describes itself as a website created "to remind us all of the need to take small steps in our everyday lives to save energy."

For those who want a more personal taste of googling, there are sites such as googoth.com (gothic-themed Google), searchemo.com (emo-themed Google), ninja.com (ninja-themed Google) and even dinoogle.com (dinosaur-themed Google). Most of these theme-based versions Google variants offer no extra search features.

There are also lots of color-themed versions of Google such as thinkpinksearch.com which describes itself as "the most comprehensive search engine on the web... in pink!" Some similar websites are purpoogle.com (purple), oranjoogle.com (orange), bigbluesearch.com (blue) and reddle.com.au (red).

Not fun enough? These unique websites may interest you: thatsloco.com, toobigtouse.com and elgoog.rb-hosting.de. These sites function as search engines, but throw some humor into the fray.

When you access thatsloco.com, the site will greet you with a shaking "Google Loco" banner (loco means crazy in Spanish). Notice that the field in which we input search words is also modified so that its color change as we type.

Toobigtouse.com (aka Epic Google) has obviously been made for fun. Check out the homepage and notice that the text, button and logo all get bigger and bigger.

Don't worry. The elements will stop enlarging after a while. Search results on this site are also displayed in large text that fills the width of your monitor.

Though it might be a site dedicated for entertainment, this Google alternative may also be helpful for those who have poor sight.

Thatsloco.com and toobigtouse.com are also enhanced by a unique feature. The sites will search as you type and delete characters at random from your seach word which means you can have more search results with every keystroke.

You can also try Elgoog (elgoog.rb-hosting.de) if you want something really, really unique and bizarre. As the name suggests, it a mirror version of Google.

Yes, everything is horizontally mirrored except for the text field. Try typing "Jakarta" and you will end up on the Facebook page of someone called Atrakaj.

There are many Google Custom Search websites out there on the Internet. You should also remember that some sites may produce different search results. Google Custom Search owners are able to modify their search engine making the search results limited or focused on certain websites or topics.

Whichever websites you choose, there might be a few kinks to complain about. For example, all of these sites are missing Google's new search options, including the option to apply search filters.

Nevertheless, these jazzed-up Googles are fun alternatives for those who hate the plain look of the original website.

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