Here’s the official announcement on the change in Google Places – which Google is calling “Place Search”. Note that if Google doesn’t automatically serve up integrated local results, you can now select it in the left column.
For example, a search on “Dentist Tampa” gives old-style local listings, but clicking on the “Places” button gives integrated listings, which however, exclude videos and other “universal search” items. If you then click onto page two, you get only places results whereas, if Google is computing you are looking for local results (search Tampa Dentist to see the difference – and note that word order matters!) you get very different results on page two.
On a search for “Clearwater website designers”, Google is so un-convinced you’re looking for local results you have to click “more” in the left column even to get Places as a choice.
You can also see the “snippets” the information lines, will change sometimes.
Lots more to learn about what this all means….