According to Google’s Official Blog, Google Desktop 2.0 has come out of beta testing and includes a few more enhanced features than it’s predecessor including new panels for its’ popular sidebar as well as plug-in scripting support such as JavaScript and VBScript. One feature the folks at Google seem to be touting is its’ new mapping panel for the Sidebar “which lets you do all the usual cool maps stuff — local business info,
directions, sightseeing — plus a new one: finding new locations
relevant to the web pages and emails you’re reading and showing them in
your maps panel.” I haven’t experimented with it yet but I think it will wind up being something I will soon hate to be without.
Now, personally, I’m torn on which desktop search application to use on my machines. I enjoy the fact that Google has brought desktop search to light thus having many of the biggest tech giants (including Apple, Microsoft, and Yahoo!) following in its’ footsteps…each bringing its’ own quality product with them.
However, I don’t think Google Desktop cuts it yet for business use – mainly for speed and compatibility. I feel as though, based on my own tests, that MSN Desktop Search is faster – the deskbar and the find-as-you-type method by which it delivers results is positively instantaneous the majority of the time. The same cannot be said for Google Desktop. Both Google’s deskbar and the web interface seem to deliver results fast but not as fast as MSN’s. Is this just me? Has anyone else noticed this? I’m going to be honest and say that I truly do loathe giving props to Microsoft in any shape, form, or fashion but I think I have to – at least in terms of business use. One big winner for me is MSN’s ability to index, without use of additional plug-ins, archived e-mails within Outlook as well as Outlook’s other folders is, hands-down, a big plus for the business user.
I’ve mentioned business use for these products a couple of times so let me elaborate on that just a bit. I do two different types of work: I.T. at a small, non-profit organization and then I do Web and graphic design for my own little company in my spare time. When it comes to my own company there’s no way I’d be able to use MSN Desktop Search because it’s just not compatible enough. The amount of plug-ins available for Google Desktop far outweigh the amount available for Microsoft’s product…mainly due to Google’s total acceptance of plug-ins presented to them. Therefore, I can pretty much search everything from the most obscure, hidden file on my computer to entries in my Thunderbird inbox and have the results delivered to me in a tab of my already-open Firefox window. That’s a big plus.
What do you think?
Technorati Tags: Google, Desktop Search
Have a look at Yahoo’s desktop search. It’s based on X1 search, and is pretty amazingly powerful. It’s quite heavyweight, but the power of its searches is second to none I’ve seen.
How does Yahoo!/X1 work with Outlook’s tasks and archived messages, I wonder?