With all the curiosities that are present in this world,
there are only few things that have concrete answers. Luckily, there is a nifty
search engine called Google. Google played a very vital role in the lives of
almost everyone. Whether one is a student who needs a basis to his homework, an
employee who is tasked to research for something or just a person who wants an
answer to anything under the sun, Google is their best friend.
Google, aside from being one of the most successful websites, earned the trust
of the billion internet users. Who would not love Google if with merely typing
some keywords; it will provide you numerous answers in just a spur of a moment.
But have you ever wished having the utility of Google in your own personal
computer?
Now there is this software that does the same thing in your very own computer. A
search engine for your PC has arrived. All of those are made possible by Google
Desktop. Apparently, this software is brought to you by Google itself. It is
created for the Apple Mac OS X, Linux, and Microsoft Windows operating systems.
To date, Google Desktop is still obtainable through download in various download
sites. All you have to do after downloading is to let it categorize your hard
drive. It does not affect your productivity and your computer’s speed since you
can simultaneously load it while you are doing something.
At first sight, the Google Desktop and Google web browser seemingly have the
same design. Google Desktop can give the ease of searching for a user’s files,
pictures, chat conversations, music, e-mail messages and a lot more. You can
even discover the files you forgot to have. A helpful thing that this software
has is its metadata search. Basically, metadata provides users search results
that goes beyond the literal keyword. It somehow explains other data and gives
information regarding a file’s content and context. Concrete examples of
metadata results are descriptions like image resolution, file type, and even
another data that is associated or has similarities with your search. It simply
stretches the possibility of finding more than what you need.
Alongside the main utility of Google Desktop, you can enjoy its further
features. One of which is the sidebar that is considered a noticeable feature.
The sidebar contains the pre-installed Google Gadgets: e-mail, photos, memo pad,
weather and news. If you want to acquire more gadgets depending on your
preference, there are many functional Google Gadgets that you can download. And
when you have this favorite gadget, you can move it away from the sidebar and
place it wherever you want. Usually, the sidebar is placed in the right side of
your computer desktop. But if you wish to remove the sidebar, you can freely set
it to Auto-hide mode.
Another feature is the deskbar. It is a box that serves
like a search bar that sits in the Windows taskbar. You also have the liberty to
choose whether keeping it fixed in the taskbar or make it a floating deskbar
instead. Searching is made easy since once you type your search keyword, results
will be immediately shown in the “Quick find” window. The Quick find normally
yields up to 6 of the most significant results.
Aside from gadgets, Google Desktop also involves plugins that lets your computer
able to index and search files from local e-mail databanks. It somehow syncs
with your e-mail services such as Gmail. In that way, the software can still
track your e-mail messages for your future necessity.
Google Desktop is indeed perfect for a computer user who has a pandemonium of
files and has no spare time to do some manual organization. Some would say that
it made available the service that other operating systems, particularly
Windows, fail to offer. Windows does not have the kind of speedy and accurate
search facility.
This revolutionary software definitely frees its users from having to search
folder for folder when there are direly needed files. It adds up to the
convenience a computer has to offer. Google Desktop makes your computer
searchable as stress-free as searching the web.
No one could ever take away criticisms when it comes to matters like this.
Google Desktop also faced such issues with security. There are said to be
reported events when the software tolerated malevolent parties to control the
user’s system. This is really alarming since some of these parties tend to
invade your system with force and eventually reach your most sensitive data. But
Google Desktop has taken this issue into control by launching a new software
version with a better scheme.
Privacy had been an issue then because some privacy groups raised their
sentiments about the privacy of a user. According to them, the software breaches
some privacy laws. They said that Google Desktop fishes personal information.
The feature that they specifically addressed was the Share Across Computers
wherein other people can gain access to the users confidential information. The
end user license agreement was a also controversial back then because there was
this statement saying that the user must agree with the potential changes in the
agreement. Their point is that it is unfair for the user to agree without
knowing the forthcoming terms and having to agree in the present.
In conclusion, what Google Desktop actually offers is a very complex utility
without having to deal with a complicated interface. Google Desktop is has a
clean and user-friendly interface. One must not worry about having to be a savvy
with computer technicalities to manipulate it. Also, it does not occupy huge
memory that is why there is no reason to fuss about a change in your computer’s
performance.
Recently, Google launched the newest Google Desktop version 5.9. It takes pride
in expanding its horizons by supporting 64 bit Windows and other browsers as
well. The new version promises to be better in terms of speed and performance.
Other users who have tried Google Desktop generally gave positive remarks about
the software. Most of them admit the relief it gave them especially with the
searching and organizing aspect. Perhaps, it is about time for you to see it for
yourself.