1. The main feature of this search tool is that it has the ability to search multiple databases and put those in front of the user, rather than making them compare popularity between the separate sites.

2. This search tool uses an algorithm which combines the preferred search preferences with popular searches and ad based content to create an interface similar to Google, but more complete (depending on the kind of information you're looking for).

3. Dogpile is a general metasearch tool, separating itself from a more specialized engine such as SurfWax, which is also a metasearch tool, but it only compiles news articles. Dogpile is very similar to Google (in fact, one of the places it pulls info from is Google, as well as Yahoo).

4. Subject directories tend to lean towards educational and credible resources, not just general and popular sources like Dogpile does. Dogpile is not a good search tool to use if you are looking for credible or scholarly information, it would be better suited for looking for recent items or something of popular culture, or a very specific subject.

5. Dogpile is not different in terms of it's functionality of a search operator that uses Boolean operations. All of the same operations that one uses in a directory or in Google, they could use on Dogpile.