Google Deskbar

[viggen]

A fantastic new feature introduced by Google Labs!

Googling without a browser. I really like this one...

[toolbar.google.com...]

The Google Deskbar is a free software download that appears as a search box in the Windows taskbar at the bottom right of most Windows-based PCs. Users enter queries into the search box and results are automatically displayed in a small pane that rises above the Deskbar and overlays a corner of the application they’re using.

[ct2000]

yep I see Puffin Deskbar in my Firewall software on
ggverschck64-80.exe after I installed Google Deskbar

[lasko]

After I perform a search in the desktop the mini viewer appears, now is their a shortcut to allow the mini viewer to expand into full screen? Currently I only see the icon on the top left.

I search > Mini View results > I close

or

I search > Mini View Results > Expand Window to full size

I have been using all the shortcuts but I cant see one that lets me open the mini viewer to full screen. I know you can do it by mouse of course.

If you do ALT + CTRL + G it takes you straight to the google desktop without having to use your mouse great :)

Overall I think its brilliant, Nice one Google :)

Whilst we are on the subject, what ever happened to the Google Shortcuts which was launched in 2002, its still in Labs and has never appeared?

I am not affraid of mice honest :)

[amznVibe]

LoL, folks, Google didn't write a browser, it's an interface into the IE engine that already pre-loaded in every version of windows since 98 (same idea as the Winamp browser and other browser integrations). Why do you think "IE 5.5 or above" is *required* - Microsoft could copy this idea in a heartbeat but kudos to Google showing the way.

[xcandyman]

One question: How do I remove the google search icon so I can save space on my deskbar?

Great tool!

[dazz]

Very nice!

Google 1 step ahead of the game again.

[benihana]

when i first read this thread, i thought 'why do i need anymore google?' ive got the toolbar for i.e., the search box in opera, a search on my custom start up page and a site/web search as the custom insert for webmasterworld.

how wrong i was.

its just like having google available in every application you have, and with the ctrl-alt-g to focus on the box, you barely have to move the mouse. fantastic.

nice one google.

[Tropical Island]

This is really great.

We answer dozens of questions from potential guests that involve finding other sites to direct them to. We are constantly opening browsers to find the info. This solution allows us to work from within Outlook Express.

Congratulations Google - another fabulous product!

[robjones]

This is excellent:) It's like they took the best features of the hotbot deskbar and made it even more convenient.
The mini viewer is really zippy on my computer too, it would be great if it could use the default browser as the engine though.
All in all a great piece of work :)

[2oddSox]

Not bad indeed. I noticed tho' about 5 mins after installing it that the version checker was trying to phone home. I presume this would auto update any newer versions in the same manner (forced) as the toolbar did (much to the consternation of a few people)? And I see a whole bunch of the ToS related to the toolbar not the deskbar so does that mean those sections don't apply, or was someone just getting lazy with the cut 'n' paste? ;)

Apart from that, the only thing on my wish list is I wish they'd let us get rid of that annoying 'Search the Web' icon on both the toolbar and the deskbar.

2odd...

[killroy]

Hah! And it takes a few clicks off of using a calculator!

Damn can't wait for them to include currency conversion A-La xe.com so I can use it as my calculation tool to see how much money I make off adsense in my local currency!

SN

[edited by: killroy at 11:41 am (utc) on Nov. 7, 2003]

[amznVibe]

I wonder why its called Puffin (internally)?

[Tropical Island]

Just discovered something that may or may not be something I'm doing wrong.

I've added a customized search for curency rates at MSN that pops up the actual page. Works great and I need it 4 or 5 times a day.

I tried to then add a customized search for FindWhat terms as I have a PPC account with them and they don't have a link to the term from their interface. For some reason I can't get it to work. Now this may be that G has blocked custom searches to other search engines or maybe I'm entering the string wrong.

Here's what I put:
http://www.findwhat.com/results.asp?mt={1}

Can anyone comment?

[jpavery]

WOW!
Maybe Google does have the b*lls to take a stand against Mr. Gates and his crew.

So what we need next is a good way to search our own PCs... which MS says they may do in the next OS release. I must admit it would be nice to search my own PC for stuff... I have about 40 GBs of data on here... I strive to be organized, but occasionally I forget where I put things.

The search that MS offers now is OK, but it has to scan your entire PC... wouldn't it be nice if you typed in: proposal for SE work to ECI... and bang! there it is... verus trying to remember who at ECI you wrote the proposal for and so on....

I do freelance work for a College - and I swear to God we spend a 1/3 of our time looking for stuff... so Google - please be the first to supply this. When I installed the task bar and you asked to collect annyomns stats I said yes because I believed you. If it were MS... no way... I would have my little Zone alarm making sure it was under lock and key.

You will be hearing a lot from me today
JP

[killroy]

Oh Beautiful, I CAN do currency conversion. I just have to make a seperate entry for each currency:

MTL To USD
h*ttp://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi?From=MTL&To=USD&Amount={1}

USD To MTL
h*ttp://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi?From=USD&To=MTL&Amount={1}

GREAT!

Now if they would let me use prefixes so I could just type:
u2m 26 [ENTER]
and get me conversion pronto without messing with the mouse.

Hear me GoogleGuy?

SN

[Yidaki]

I wonder when will people start to change their prefered non-win-os to windows just to be able to use all the nice google tools ... me never, even if it'd be possible to find gold by using google's windows tools 'n bars.

[killroy]

Oh gee....

Whois lookup, validator, keyword check... it'll ALL go in there!

Now let me define a login page first, so I can check pries in adWords and my AdSense earnings also fomr the toolbar!

SN

[skipfactor]

Pasting stats search phrases then using the mini viewer to check rankings is a breeze & consumes a lot less real estate, very nice.

[trillianjedi]

Being in the top 10 is no longer going to cut it with this product - #1 and #2 will become the critical placements to have.

TJ

[killroy]

Uh, Uh, Uh, here is another good one:

Name: Open Site
URL: http://www.{1}

Loads site into mini-browser without extra search.

OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let us define prefixes. There will be so much stuf fthat short cuts won't cut it... and sometimes when you're typing, typign two letters more is faster then short cut keys.

SN

[skipfactor]

Being in the top 10 is no longer going to cut it

Good point on the mini browser, staggered listings even better. Notice the AdWords are about the closest item to the pointer after search.

[robjones]

Uh, Uh, Uh, here is another good one:

Name: Open Site
URL: http://www.{1}

Loads site into mini-browser without extra search.

Excellent :)

[jady]

I love it! But sheesh - if this isnt "Big Brother" I dont know what is! Great job Google..

[killroy]

Ok, so now it's about time for the interface to the MS speech recognision engine..., ehrm.

You read it here first!

SN

[Tropical Island]

Great find Kilroy.

Can anybody help me with the FindWhat problem in mess. #48

[jbinbpt]

The mini browser renders beautifully any page I accessed. Anyone having problems with the mini browser?

[Chndru]

>Microsoft could copy this idea in a heartbeat
Yeppers.

>the interface to the MS speech recognision engine.
That could be a very nice idea. They already have voice search for a while at [labs1.google.com...] If they could bring it on the desk/toolbar! That would be one helluva idea of cool (very cool) browsing.

[Slud]

Anyone else notice the moving eyes on the binoculars? Nice touch, but kinda creepy.

Isn't there some app for the X Windows system called "eyes" that does something similar?

[werty]

Here is one that we all should add:

http*//www.google.com/search?q={1}+site%3Awebmasterworld.com

[Chndru]

Ctrl+D, Ctrl+N and Ctrl+F shortcuts conflicts with the browser controls, when the browser is open.
don't know why someone would want to do a google search on mini-viewer, when they have the browser opened. but just a point

[EliteWeb]

Neat but I wont install. Not my style, I always have the browser open anyways :D