Just in case you weren't paying attention, Google just turned 10 years old. It's been a long time since we first got lucky, right? This monolithic super-company is clearly winning the search engine war, with between 60-80 percent of the market. So, just a thought: Can we please retire the term "Google killer?"

The phrase is a cliché -- a tired marketing slogan. It's also a fantasy, just like there was and still is no Microsoft killer. These two companies are so entrenched in the worldwide computing experience that no single company is going to knock them out completely. Additionally, consider a few of Google's recent successes beyond search: Chrome, Gmail, Gchat, GoogleDocs, GOOG411, Google Maps, Google Earth, Picasa, AdSense and AdWords. All useful, popular applications. So, why do we want a Google killer again?

No one is going to kill Google. But that doesn't mean new companies aren't looking to step on Google's toes while they carve a space for themselves. Three young search engines -- Blinkx, Mahalo and Cuil -- all have had their own share of recent success in the search marketplace, and each is doing its part to make the internet a little less Google-centric. This article outlines the role each of these engines plays in the search marketplace, as well as some of their recent successes and continued shortcomings.