Google touts new features in desktop tool

Google announced the finalized version of its Google Desktop 2 application on Thursday and outlined its new features.

Google Desktop 2, a free downloadable application, combines desktop search and the Google Sidebar, a floating tool palette that offers personalized news and other information based on a user's habits.

Dozens of new third-party Sidebar panels are now available, Google said, like iTunes, dictionary Winamp and an American Express panel to track and view credit card transactions in real time. The new software can also display maps related to the sites one visits while surfing the Net.

In addition, developers can use simple JavaScript to write plug-ins for Google Desktop 2, the company said.

Google Desktop for Enterprise, also free, now provides enhanced administration, integration and security features for corporations that want to let employees search for data on their desktop, intranet and the Web, Google said.

Google also launched a new Google Desktop Blog on Thursday.

Google faces competition in the burgeoning market for desktop search from Yahoo, Microsoft and other companies.

[Earl Benser]

Possibly a good idea...

.... but the first drawback is that you have to run Windows to use it.
Apparently a positive is that you don't need to run IE.

[Rolndubbs]

What a shocker

Taking a shot at windows when microsoft is mentioned only as competition for google desktop. Are you sure your and Ty aren't buddies?

[sokorie]

what planet are you on ?

of course it runs on windows. what else is it going to run on...LINUX ? if google think they can do better , they should develop their own OS , instead of co-tailing on Bill Gates foresight and genius

[Betty Roper]

Gee...

I guess that makes Google Desktop another popular Windows app.

Wait till

Microsoft vista comes in to wipe out these desktop solutions.

[vikram.s]

that maybe tough...or wait..

you were being sarcastic, right?

[older_but]

G could pay a little more attention to delivering on their promise. I'm signed up for US news and it seems 50%+ of the items are BBC, Observer or Guardian.

Plus, it's supposed to "learn" my likes. I do a "delete" on all those employment listings (mostly in UK) but they keep coming back.

Not exactly a confidence builder