Google Gunning for the Desktop Search Experience

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/11/07/HNgooglesearch_1.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infoworld.com/article/03...lesearch_1.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Internet search giant Google Inc. is looking to make inroads into the desktop with the rollout Thursday of its free Google Deskbar software, which allows Windows users to search the Web and applications without opening a browser. The Deskbar appears as a small inset window on the Windows toolbar and lets users perform searches without leaving desktop tasks as long as the computer is connected to the Internet. Keyboard shortcuts allow users to run queries, typing "Ctrl+Alt+G" to perform Google searches from applications, for example. There are also keyboard shortcuts for Google News, Images and the company's Froogle shopping comparison searches."<br /><br />We've heard that Microsoft wants to make Internet-based searches function like they're local, and it seems so does Google. It will be interesting to see who eventually comes out on top here. Anyone taking bets?

[Thinkingmandavid]

:google:

[Kaber]

My money is with Google. They know what they are doing. Google News and Google Toolbar are great examples of how far ahead they are looking.

[ctmagnus]

Google! Google! Google! :rock on dude!:


Google's site for the download is at http://www.toolbar.google.com/deskbar/

[JustinGTP]

And just think, I didnt like Google when they first started, I liked Yahoo! much better and I didnt want Google to take over Yahoo! because Google, when typing in a search, in the description would only give you a little bit of information and then an elipses (...). Now, I love it and prefer it, it searches much better than MSN and Yahoo! now, MSN is total crud; have you ever tried doing a search on MSN?

-Justin.

[ricksfiona]

Google. :wink:

[Janak Parekh]

I installed DeskBar earlier today and it's awesome. They've done clever work in wrapping IE into a little popup window...

--janak

[Pat Logsdon]

My bet's on Google as well. Any company that can go as far as they have using pigeon-based technology (http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html) has got to be pretty special.

[Jonathan1]

Microsoft. Because they can pour gobs of money at a problem. After the 2nd, 3rd, 4th attempt they will get it right. The Pocket PC is a prime example. When it first came out everyone scoffed at the notion that it would dethrone Palm. We haven't gotten there yet but they are no longer a joke. MS will throw millions at it and one of two outcomes will happen:
1. Either stick with it until they win.
2. Get bored with it and move onto something new. (Rumors of MS's focus on Smartphones instead of PPC's come to mind.)

You don't compete against MS. You try and survive.

[Mike Temporale]

I installed DeskBar earlier today and it's awesome. They've done clever work in wrapping IE into a little popup window...

--janak

I just installed it too. Very slick. The only thing I don't like, is that it doesn't seem to clear the last searched values. It would be nice if, after 60 seconds of no use, it cleared the input box. No biggie. Still really cool.

[TopDog]

The only thing I don't like, is that it doesn't seem to clear the last searched values. It would be nice if, after 60 seconds of no use, it cleared the input box.
But it does... at least at my PC!

I love the Desktopbar, I use Opera most of the time, so I didn't really get so much out of the Toolbar, bur Desktopbar is awesome!

[Mike Temporale]

The only thing I don't like, is that it doesn't seem to clear the last searched values. It would be nice if, after 60 seconds of no use, it cleared the input box.
But it does... at least at my PC!

Really?? I guess I'm just too impatient. I will try and resist the urge to clear it next time. :mrgreen:

[Kevin C. Tofel]

We've heard that Microsoft wants to make Internet-based searches function like they're local, and it seems so does Google. It will be interesting to see who eventually comes out on top here. Anyone taking bets?

What I find really interesting is that Google rolled this out right around the time that InfoWorld (http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/10/31/HNmsgoogle_1.html) reported Microsoft may be interested in purchasing Google..... :?:

KCT

[Ed Hansberry]

I just don't have room for this. See why at http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182389#182389 :cry:

[kwerner]

Paste this into a text file named googlesearch.reg:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\g]
""="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%s"


Right click on the .reg file, and select merge.

Right click on your taskbar and select Toolbars-Address, to add an address bar to you taskbar.

Just type "g search string" in any address bar (ie, the taskbar, etc) and it will do the google search for you and pop up a browser with the result.


Now you have a google search engine in your taskbar :-) This also works good for dictionary.com, etc. Jest create new reg files and change the g to whatever character you want. Stick "%s" in where you want the search string to go in the URL:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\d]
""="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=%s"

[dave]

gimme microsoft.



resistance is futile.

[yvilla]

I would say Google. The toolbar is fantastic!

But, I don't get this one. Somebody help me out here please -- what is the point? Why not just open your browser? (And wouldn't it often be open anyway?)

[jeffmd]

i dont think id care for the deskbar, but I do have googles ie toolbar installed. Im allways using google so having a search window ready at the top (same line as url bar) and the bonus of a popup blocker is a sweet deal.

[Janak Parekh]

But, I don't get this one. Somebody help me out here please -- what is the point? Why not just open your browser? (And wouldn't it often be open anyway?)
The slide-up window is less obtrusive. For example, you can use it to be a desktop calculator or dictionary that doesn't obscure what you're working on.

--janak

[Ed Hansberry]

Calculator? anyone got screenshots of a link to images? I may reconsider if it is more than what I get by typing CTRL-O "goo searchterm" currently in IE6.

[Janak Parekh]

You already know about Google's calculator (http://www.google.com/help/calculator.html), right? It's amazingly sophisticated. My favorite example is the infamous 1.21 gigawatts (http://www.google.com/search?q=1.21+GW+%2F+88+mph) reference...

So, combine that with Deskbar and you get:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/misc/google-deskbar-calculator.png

No, Deskbar isn't that sophisticated, but I personally find it handy. :) Even if you don't Deskbar, check out the Google features page (http://www.google.com/help/features.html) -- all of them obviously work from within the browser. It's amazing what Google has done with a simple text field...

--janak

[Kati Compton]

You're not going to the internet to research the answer to "5+5" are you? 8O 8O 8O


:wink:

[Janak Parekh]

You're not going to the internet to research the answer to "5+5" are you? 8O 8O 8O
You obviously see how far Google has taken over my life... :razzing:

--janak

[yvilla]

Well, Janak, I didn't know about Goggle's calculator. Cool! Now the deskbar thingy is starting to make more sense to me. 8)

[Janak Parekh]

Well, Janak, I didn't know about Goggle's calculator. Cool! Now the deskbar thingy is starting to make more sense to me. 8)
The dictionary definitions are sort of useful as well. You can start to envision Google's slow, conservative growth from a search portal into an all-purpose tool, and Deskbar is just an extension of that...

--janak

[TopDog]

Just type "g search string" in any address bar (ie, the taskbar, etc) and it will do the google search for you and pop up a browser with the result.
Thats just like in Opera... thanks for the tip, I'm so just do doing this in Opera, that I do it in IE too, but it didn't work until now, thanks!