Location-based searching using a search area that corresponds to a geographical location of a computing device

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, an indication of a geographical location of a computing device;

identifying, by the computing system based on the indication of the geographical location of the computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location;

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device, information configured to cause the computing device to present a user interface that displays:

(i) a search query input field,

(ii) an indication that the first search area identified by the computing system as corresponding to the geographical location represents a selected search area of the computing device, and

(iii) a selectable user interface element that is separate from the search query input field and that, when selected by user input at the computing device, permits user input at the computing device to change the selected search area from the first search area to a second search area, and causes the indication that the first search area represents the selected search area of the computing device to be changed to an indication that the second search area represents the selected search area of the computing device;

receiving, by the computing system and from the computing device, a request to perform a search relevant to:

(i) a search query entered by user input into the search query input field, and

(ii) the second search area, responsive to user input at the computing device having changed the selected search area from the first search area to the second search area through user interaction with the selectable user interface element;

requesting, by the computing system, the search based on the search query and the second search area; and

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device responsive to the computing system having received the request to perform the search, multiple search results that are relevant to the search query and the second search area.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, from among which the computing system selects the first search area as corresponding to the geographical location, includes the second search area; and

the selectable user interface permits user input at the computing device to change the selected search area from the first search area to any of the collection of search areas, including the second search area.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the collection of search areas includes the first search area, the second search area, and at least another search area that corresponds to the geographical location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface for display by the computing device includes a selectable element that, when selected by user input, results in the computing device adding a presentation of multiple user-selectable categories to the user interface.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the multiple user-selectable categories include a restaurants category and a bars category.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein user-selection of a selected category, from among the presentation of the multiple user-selectable categories, results in the computing device presenting a list of search results relevant to (1) the selected category, and (2) the selected search area.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the collection of search areas are assigned to corresponding scores, such that each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned to a respective score;

the computing system identifies the first search area from among the collection of search areas based on the scores assigned to the search areas; and

the computing system increases a relevance of a score assigned to the second search area with respect to a score assigned to the first search area, responsive to the computing system identifying that user input at the computing device changed the selected search area from the first search area to the second search area through user interaction with the selectable user interface element.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the second search area is completely geographically nested within the first search area.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first search area is assigned a first descriptive phrase of two or more human-understandable words;

the second search area is assigned a second descriptive phrase of two or more human-understandable words; and

requesting the search includes requesting the search based on the search query and the second descriptive phrase of two-or more human-understandable words, without use of geographical coordinates in the search.

10. One or more computer-readable devices including instructions that, when executed by one or more programmable processors, cause the performance of actions that include:

receiving, by a computing system, an indication of a geographical location of a computing device;

identifying, by the computing system based on the indication of the geographical location of the computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location;

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device, information configured to cause the computing device to present a user interface that displays:

(i) a search query input field,

(ii) an indication that the first search area identified by the computing system as corresponding to the geographical location represents a selected search area of the computing device, and

(iii) a selectable user interface element that is separate from the search query input field and that, when selected by user input at the computing device, permits user input at the computing device to change the selected search area from the first search area to a second search area, and causes the indication that the first search area represents the selected search area of the computing device to be changed to an indication that the second search area represents the selected search area of the computing device;

receiving, by the computing system and from the computing device, a request to perform a search relevant to:

(i) a search query entered by user input into the search query input field, and

(ii) the second search area, responsive to user input at the computing device having changed the selected search area from the first search area to the second search area through user interaction with the selectable user interface element;

requesting, by the computing system, the search based on the search query and the second search area; and

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device responsive to the computing system having received the request to perform the search, multiple search results that are relevant to the search query and the second search area.

11. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 10 , wherein:

the collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, from among which the computing system selects the first search area as corresponding to the geographical location, includes the second search area; and

the selectable user interface permits user input at the computing device to change the selected search area from the first search area to any of the collection of search areas, including the second search area.

12. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 11 , wherein the collection of search areas includes the first search area, the second search area, and at least another search area that corresponds to the geographical location.

13. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 10 , wherein the user interface for display by the computing device includes a selectable element that, when selected by user input, results in the computing device adding a presentation of multiple user-selectable categories to the user interface.

14. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 13 , wherein the multiple user-selectable categories include a restaurants category and a bars category.

15. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 13 , wherein user-selection of a selected category, from among the presentation of the multiple user-selectable categories, results in the computing device presenting a list of search results relevant to (1) the selected category, and (2) the selected search area.

16. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 10 , wherein:

the collection of search areas are assigned to corresponding scores, such that each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned to a respective score;

the computing system identifies the first search area from among the collection of search areas based on the scores assigned to the search areas; and

the computing system increases a relevance of a score assigned to the second search area with respect to a score assigned to the first search area, responsive to the computing system identifying that user input at the computing device changed the selected search area from the first search area to the second search area through user interaction with the selectable user interface element.

17. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 16 , wherein the second search area is completely geographically nested within the first search area.

18. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 10 , wherein:

the first search area is assigned a first descriptive phrase of two or more human-understandable words;

the second search area is assigned a second descriptive phrase of two or more human-understandable words; and

requesting the search includes requesting the search based on the search query and the second descriptive phrase of two-or more human-understandable words, without use of geographical coordinates in the search.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the first search area that corresponds to the geographical location is based on a speed at which a user is traveling or a direction in which the user is traveling.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the first search area represents the selected search area of the computing device comprises a text user interface element that includes at least one descriptive word associated with the first search area.