Version: 2008

February 8, 2006 9:00 PM PST

Google updates desktop search tools

  • 22 comments
Google is adding new features to its Desktop search program, including further customization of the Sidebar and the ability to send information directly to a friend's desktop, search on multiple computers at once and lock the search function with a password.

The new features are expected to be released Thursday for Google Desktop, a free downloadable program that lets users search for files on their hard drive using keywords and to launch applications. The accompanying Sidebar is a floating tool palette that offers personalized news, RSS feeds, weather, stock quotes and other information based on a user's preferences. It also displays scrolling lists of the most recent e-mail and offers a scratch pad and to-do list.

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Video: Google's new desktop search
CNET News.com's Elinor Mills describes the new features of Google Desktop 3.

With the new beta version of Google Desktop 3 users can drag Sidebar modules to any location on the screen they want. Users also can e-mail news links, notes and other information to others or send them through Gmail Chat or directly to their Sidebar using Google Talk. Google Desktop search can now be locked with a Windows password to prevent others from searching for files.

People who regularly use several computers can now use Google Desktop to search for items stored on multiple computers simultaneously, even when they are not connected to the Internet. Once the Search Across Computers function is enabled, text copies of documents and Web history are automatically transferred to the other computer that has Google Desktop installed, said Sundar Pichai, director of product management at Google. When the user searches on one computer for information, the second computer is automatically searched.

Google will delete any copies of the files from its servers within 30 days and encrypts the data, he said. Google automatically excludes from being transferred any password-protected files and secure Web pages, and users can exclude any folders or files, he added.

Other new features include advanced search forms, spelling suggestions for queries, the ability to disable indexing, the addition of zip file indexing and an improved preferences page.

Google Desktop is available only in English now but will be released in 16 languages by the end of March, Pichai said.

New MSN Search Toolbar with Windows Desktop Search last May and is planning to include its Sidebar product in the next version of its operating system, called Windows Vista. Yahoo Widgets is based on the Konfabulator program that Yahoo acquired last year. And Apple Computer offers Dashboard for the Mac OS.

See more CNET content tagged:
Google Desktop, desktop search, Google Inc., password, Yahoo! Inc.

Add a Comment (Log in or register) (22 Comments)
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Who cares!
by 207495111267145837975635436522 February 9, 2006 8:07 AM PST
Please stop it with this Propaganda about Google!
They have a web site and they can report to people that they have added a feature to their Tool bar.
Tell us some real news about the world of search.
Like who is doing new things?
What are the problems with Google, etc. to improve on?
Stop it with this daily Propaganda about Google adding next to nothing to software that very few care about.
I mean who for goodness sake uses a stupid tool bar anyway. That is why we have a web browser.
Reply to this comment
Agree, sort of...
by Techno Guy February 9, 2006 9:06 AM PST
I do think it is within the scope of CNet's tech news to report on updated software, such as the Google Toolbar. But I agree with Sandra that Google gets a lot of free, favorable coverage, enduring as something of a darling of the tech press, including CNet.

The willingness of Google to bend to the demands of the Chinese government in filtering its search results should be enough strip Google of its cherubic halo. Google should be covered like any other tech entity with a product, its darling status discarded like the words "liberty" and "democracy" in its Chinese search results.
View reply
Get a clue fool.
by anarchyreigns February 9, 2006 12:24 PM PST
You're getting really annoying with your complete ignorance regarding tech reporting. Every ******* tech news (as well as non-tech ones) organziation has reported on this. The AP, Reuters, PC World, PC Magazine, AFP, CNN, MSNBC, are just a few of them.

Eveytime Cnet does a story regarding either Microsoft or Google or Yahoo! some ignorant wannabe such as yourself comes here and spouts off utter nonsense. If you're going to *****, at least get the product right...it's their desktop search program...not a toolbar, fool.

One more thing, look the word "propaganda" and learn how to use it correctly!
View reply
Who cares!
by 207495111267145837975635436522 February 9, 2006 8:07 AM PST
Please stop it with this Propaganda about Google!
They have a web site and they can report to people that they have added a feature to their Tool bar.
Tell us some real news about the world of search.
Like who is doing new things?
What are the problems with Google, etc. to improve on?
Stop it with this daily Propaganda about Google adding next to nothing to software that very few care about.
I mean who for goodness sake uses a stupid tool bar anyway. That is why we have a web browser.
Reply to this comment
Agree, sort of...
by Techno Guy February 9, 2006 9:06 AM PST
I do think it is within the scope of CNet's tech news to report on updated software, such as the Google Toolbar. But I agree with Sandra that Google gets a lot of free, favorable coverage, enduring as something of a darling of the tech press, including CNet.

The willingness of Google to bend to the demands of the Chinese government in filtering its search results should be enough strip Google of its cherubic halo. Google should be covered like any other tech entity with a product, its darling status discarded like the words "liberty" and "democracy" in its Chinese search results.
View reply
Get a clue fool.
by anarchyreigns February 9, 2006 12:24 PM PST
You're getting really annoying with your complete ignorance regarding tech reporting. Every ******* tech news (as well as non-tech ones) organziation has reported on this. The AP, Reuters, PC World, PC Magazine, AFP, CNN, MSNBC, are just a few of them.

Eveytime Cnet does a story regarding either Microsoft or Google or Yahoo! some ignorant wannabe such as yourself comes here and spouts off utter nonsense. If you're going to *****, at least get the product right...it's their desktop search program...not a toolbar, fool.

One more thing, look the word "propaganda" and learn how to use it correctly!
View reply
searching across multiple computers
by mcepat February 9, 2006 9:14 AM PST
Microsoft has been there and done that with Windows Desktop Enterprise Search Tool, note this not the consumer msn desktop search http://www.microsoft.com/windows/desktopsearch/enterprise/default.mspx

Interface and intergration with other apps blows away google desktop
Reply to this comment
RE:searching across multiple computers
by itworker--2008 February 9, 2006 10:02 AM PST
And Cnet makes no mention of this. Funny how Cnet always has bad things to say about MS


Hey maybe Cnet networks wants Google to buy them?
Also worth noting..
by M A February 9, 2006 10:41 AM PST
Win XP already has this built-in.

XP's built-in indexing service automatically connects to other XP computers running the indexing service, so you can search on other computer's indexes.

I think it works the same way in Win 2000 as well.
searching across multiple computers
by mcepat February 9, 2006 9:14 AM PST
Microsoft has been there and done that with Windows Desktop Enterprise Search Tool, note this not the consumer msn desktop search http://www.microsoft.com/windows/desktopsearch/enterprise/default.mspx

Interface and intergration with other apps blows away google desktop
Reply to this comment
RE:searching across multiple computers
by itworker--2008 February 9, 2006 10:02 AM PST
And Cnet makes no mention of this. Funny how Cnet always has bad things to say about MS


Hey maybe Cnet networks wants Google to buy them?
Also worth noting..
by M A February 9, 2006 10:41 AM PST
Win XP already has this built-in.

XP's built-in indexing service automatically connects to other XP computers running the indexing service, so you can search on other computer's indexes.

I think it works the same way in Win 2000 as well.
already made outlook crash 3 times in 2 hours
by djacobsonw February 9, 2006 12:06 PM PST
This tool is in beta, but beware--it messed up my Outlook ost file. even after I uninstalled and restarted by PC, Google Desktop was back, asking me for preferences! Ugh.
Reply to this comment
already made outlook crash 3 times in 2 hours
by djacobsonw February 9, 2006 12:06 PM PST
This tool is in beta, but beware--it messed up my Outlook ost file. even after I uninstalled and restarted by PC, Google Desktop was back, asking me for preferences! Ugh.
Reply to this comment
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