Google Upgrades Desktop Search

By Greg McNevin

May 1, 2007: Vista beware - Google has just rolled out its latest desktop search application, Google Desktop 5, boasting support for 29 languages and Mac OSX alongside its instant search features.

Desktop Search works by indexing the contents of a drive, enabling local information to be scoured and results returned in the same time as search of the Web – more or less instantaneously. While Google beat Windows Vista’s instant search feature by several years, this release has seen a sidebar and gadget redesign, no doubt to compete with the Microsoft’s new baby.

Security has also been given an overhaul in this release, just in time too considering the storm surrounding the Adwords breach earlier this week.

“We care about your security, and have added a feature to make your search experience safer and easier by helping to combat both phishing and malicious software websites,” writes the company in Google Desktop 5’s features section. “Whether you’re clicking on links from documents, IMs and e-mails on your desktop or browsing the web itself, you may receive a warning when you’re about to visit a site that might be trying to steal your personal information or install malicious software on your computer, so you can decide if you want to use the site.”

The new release also includes new functionality for enterprise desktop search, including centralised management of gadgets, intranet search results and encryption.

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