RSSGoogle Desktop 4 Gets Gadgets
By Nate Mook | Published June 27, 2006, 3:58 PM
Google on Tuesday released the final version of Google Desktop 4, the search engine's desktop search utility and sidebar application. The new release brings tighter integration with Google services, and new "Google Gadgets," which expand the capabilities of previous sidebar plug-ins.
Like the gadgets supported by the Windows Sidebar in Vista and those offered in Apple's Mac OS X dashboard, Google Gadgets are mini-applications that range from games to system utilities. Google has provided a new SDK and Gadget Designer application to aide development.
"You can now easily manage your projects and files, visually design your gadget UI (no need to handcode the xml), edit your script code and preview changes instantly (no more restarts), view debug messages with the built-in debug console, automatically generate the gadget package and manifest and much more in an integrated development environment," explains software engineer Satish Sampath.
The company has made available a number of gadgets to go with the launch of Google Desktop 4, and has announced a contest for developers. A panel of judges will select three winners based on popularity, visual appeal, use of new features and creativity, awarding $8,000 in cash. Submissions will be accepted until July 31.
Google Desktop 4 also closely connects to the company's personalized homepage service. Google Gadgets from the homepage can be added to the sidebar, or anywhere on the desktop. Microsoft offers similar capabilities in Windows Vista and its new Live.com portal.
Other new features of the release include improved indexing of content on a PC for searches, with support for manual re-indexing. Google has additionally added a way for users to remove deleted content from their search cache with an option in Desktop preferences.
Google Desktop 4 is available for download from FileForum.
I just don't get it. I think gadgets are useless memory hoggers. They serve very little purpose other than looking pretty.
I wonder why many companies like the idea so much.
Maybe I'm just getting old...
Score: 0
|It's the old bandwagon very similar to that of 'What is this product missing... I know! Let's put a radio in it!'.
One does it and nobody realises it's a fad until it's far too late.
Score: 0
|How nice. It will no longer include deleted files in its search.
Seems to be a difficult idea for the mighty Google programmers to grasp. File not there, not interested in what it contained.
At least it has pretty shiny things to annoy you with. Let the traffic cams roll!
Bah!
Score: 0
|For my needs Locate is good enough,
and im still thinking what is the point ?
nothing more than an eye candy.
good way to waste sys resources
Score: 0
|That last statement was very Haiku...
Score: 0
|except he's missing the nature reference .p
i figure i'll give this a try, but i'm not expecting much... the last couple versions were ok, but didn't impress me much.
Score: 0
|Try Locate too.
You will love it !
Score: 0
|Locate is kinda ugly and clunky. I do like Avafind though and the scout feature is great, sadly it's shareware though.
Score: 0
|