Inside Google Desktop

Google Desktop Update

2011-09-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

In 2004, Google launched Google Desktop, a program designed to make it easy for users to search their own PCs for emails, files, music, photos, Web pages and more.

Desktop has been used by tens of millions of people and we’ve been humbled by its usage and great user feedback. However, over the past seven years we’ve also witnessed some big changes in how users store and access their own data, with many moving to web-based applications. There has been a significant shift from local to cloud-based storage and computing, as well as integration of Google Desktop functionality (like local search) into most modern operating systems. This is a positive development for users and we’re excited that most people now have instant access to their personal information. As such, we’ll be discontinuing support for Google Desktop, including all of the associated APIs, services, plugins and gadgets.

As of September 14, Google Desktop will no longer be available for download, and existing installations will not be updated to include new features or fixes.

Thanks again to all of our users. It’s been a fun journey.

Posted by the Google Desktop Team

Google Desktop now supports 64 bit Windows

2009-07-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

Last September we released Google Desktop version 5.8, which was lighter, faster and free of trans-fats. We also asked for any feedback, and users responded with "how about 64 bit support?" Well, as of today Google Desktop supports 64 bit Windows - go ahead, give it a try.

In addition to supporting 64 bit Windows systems, Google Desktop now supports the latest browsers as well (Google Chrome, Firefox 3, & Internet Explorer 8). Most browsers now integrate safe browsing solutions to protect users from malware and phishing. This is similar to what the Google Desktop Safebrowsing feature accomplishes.

To ensure that Google Desktop offers an efficient, optimal experience we will be removing the Safebrowsing feature on July 31. We encourage everyone to make sure they are upgrading to a browser that protects them from malware and phishing.

We hope you enjoy using Google Desktop on 64 bit Windows systems!

Posted by Jason Arbon, Google Desktop Team

The Reader gadget

2009-06-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

Google Reader has finally come to Google Desktop, as announced on the Google Reader blog. This gadget is a convenient way to check your subscriptions and fits right in with the Gmail, Calendar, and Docs gadgets. Please give it a try and tell us what you think. And a big thanks to Arindam Sharma, who created this gadget during his internship at Google Bangalore.

James Yum, Developer Programs Engineer

Featured gadget: Task List and Timer

2009-04-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Name: Task List and Timer
Author: Adam Hotz
Description: Allows you to track tasks and the time spent on them.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Periodic Table Interactive

2009-04-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Name: Periodic Table Interactive
Author: Rosie Ojo
Description: Periodic table knowledge base of chemical elements, from hydrogen to ununoctium, with video demonstrations from internationally renowned chemist, Professor Martyn.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Tabbed Todo List

2009-04-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Name: Tabbed Todo List
Author: Teodor Filimon
Description: Helps you organize your to-do tasks better by allowing you to put them into tabs/categories.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Resource Hog Tracker

2009-04-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

Name: Resource Hog Tracker
Author: Prithvi Prabhu
Description: Tracks processes that consume the most CPU cycles, memory and perform the most I/O operations on your computer.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Economic Forecast Meter

2009-03-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

Name: Economic Forecast Meter
Author: The Idea Support Laboratory Hirameki Juku
Description: The sun shows next boom! When the number of sunspots increases, the economy gets powerful. This gadget shows the number of sunspots to predict the next boom.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

The Calendar gadget

2009-01-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a great holiday season and enjoyed exchanging gifts with loved ones. The lucky ones among us may have been bestowed a 2009 wall calendar for the new year.

If not, don't feel bad — you can always use the brand new Calendar gadget to keep track of your Google Calendar events. This new gadget works on the Linux, Windows, and Mac versions of Desktop gadgets, and it supports all Google Accounts, including Google Apps accounts. Check out the official announcement on the Gmail blog.

The Calendar gadget doesn't come with scenic shots of exotic locations, but it does have a day view mode so you can see what day it is at a glance.

Please try it out and let us know what you think.

Happy new year from the Google Desktop team!

Posted by James Yum, Developer Programs Engineer

Google Gadgets for Linux 0.10.4

2008-12-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

The 0.10.4 release of Google Gadgets for Linux is out, with optimized performance and memory consumption, as well as many bug fixes. To install or upgrade your copy of Google Gadgets for Linux, just download and install the binaries for your platform.

The new release supports more gadgets, including the recently released YouTube, Gmail, and Google Docs gadgets. Here's a picture of the YouTube gadget running on Linux.

The next picture shows the Gmail and Google Docs gadgets running on Linux. Note: If you've already unsuccessfully tried using the Gmail gadget, be sure to download the latest version of the Gmail gadget.

If you're a developer, try the dramatically improved Gadget Designer. It can now create new gadgets, and it runs as a separate application. Here's a picture.

As always, you can find the source code at the google-gadgets-for-linux project.

Posted by James Su and Kathy Walrath, Google Desktop Team

The Docs gadget

2008-12-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

We just released a neat little gadget that helps you find and open your Google Docs documents. And if you want to upload files to Google Docs, just drag them into the gadget. Please check out the announcement on the Google Docs blog.

This gadget has been well received among Googlers, and we hope you'll like it too. It runs on Linux and Windows and supports Google Apps accounts. Please try it out and let us know what you think.

We've released quite a few gadgets lately (Gmail, Google Docs, YouTube), but my favorite one is coming in January. Mark your calendar!

Posted by James Yum, Developer Programs Engineer

Winter Holiday Gadgets

2008-12-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for new Desktop gadgets to help you celebrate the winter holidays. Here's a guide to the some of the most recent additions.

	Snowman by Benjamin Schirmer Every desktop needs a snowman. To switch accessories, just click the part you want to change.
	Hanukkah Menorah Two by Glenn Rivkees Use this gadget to help you keep track of when Hanukkah starts. Once the Festival of Lights begins, the gadget keeps each night's candle burning on your desktop.
	The Dreidel Game by Glenn Rivkees Whether or not you've ever spun a real dreidel, now you can play with your own e-dreidel.
	Christmas Hat by Lahiru Lakmal Priyadarhsana If it's Christmas, it must be time for Christmas hats! Put a photo of your loved one into the special Christmas photo frame, and then adjust the hat for a perfect fit. Click the snowflake in the bottom-right corner to show and hide the settings, or right-click for the context menu. You can even drag and drop a photo into the frame.
	Countdown to New Year 2009 by Teodor Filimon This multi-purpose gadget gives you snow, carols, gift shopping, calendar, the time left until Christmas, and finally a countdown to the New Year!

Want to see other seasonal gadgets? Check out the holiday gadget page.

Happy Holidays from the Google Desktop Team!

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

The YouTube gadget

2008-12-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

The Google Desktop team is pleased to release a YouTube gadget for Google Desktop. It plays YouTube videos right inside the gadget and shows a feed of the day's most popular videos. Please check out the official announcement on the YouTube blog.

Watching YouTube videos is a favorite pastime of mine while waiting for code to compile or team meetings to conclude. Now with this gadget, I am able to waste time more productively, as I can bring up the gadget in an instant and search for videos (hint: pressing the shift key twice brings up all your hidden Desktop gadgets).

Please give it a try and stay tuned for more new gadgets ...

Posted by James Yum, Developer Programs Engineer (Google Desktop Team)

The Gmail gadget

2008-12-02T16:51:00.000-08:00

Google offers a free, search-based webmail service called Gmail. Yes it's completely free, vanquishes spam, and includes over 7 GB (and growing) of space so you'll never have to delete another message. Not convinced? Just search Google for "i love gmail" and behold the many positive testimonials and reviews.

We like this Gmail so much, we developed and released a Desktop gadget that you can use to monitor your Inbox, read messages, and compose new emails. Check out the announcement on the Gmail blog.

Please give Gmail and the gadget a try, spread the word to all your friends, and let us know what you think about the gadget.

More information | Download gadget | Gmail

Posted by James Yum, Developer Programs Engineer

Featured gadget: On-Screen Ruler

2008-11-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Name: On-Screen Ruler
Author: Edwin Lee
Description: Ruler on your desktop to help you align your on-screen elements, and measure the number of pixels between them.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Google Gadgets for Linux 0.10.3

2008-11-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

The 0.10.3 release of Google Gadgets for Linux is out, with bug fixes and major feature enhancements. Most notably, now Linux gadgets can use most of the features introduced in the 5.8 release of Google Desktop for Windows.

If you have a previous version of Google Gadgets for Linux, we encourage you to upgrade to this version. Just download and install the binaries for your platform.

With the 0.10.3 release, gadgets can run seamlessly within KDE4's Plasma environment, as the following screenshots show. For more information on KDE4 and gadgets, see the KDE4 Plasma page in the google-gadgets-for-linux project.

Thanks for reading this, and remember to download Google Gadgets for Linux!

Posted by James Su and Kathy Walrath, Google Desktop Team

Featured gadget: VTM Wheater Map

2008-11-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

Name: VTM Wheater Map
Author: Stefan vd
Description: Show the VTM Wheater Map from Belgium.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Photo Frame

2008-11-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

Name: Photo Frame
Author: Google
Description: Keep your favorite photos, nicely framed, on your desktop. You can choose from several frames and themes.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Radio Energy Zürich

2008-10-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Name: Radio Energy Zürich
Author: Andreas Horlacher
Description: Listen to online radio from Energy Zürich

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Precious Metals Spot Prices

2008-10-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Name: Precious Metals Spot Prices
Author: Rosie Ojo
Description: Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium Spot Prices, with live 24 Hour Spot Charts. New York - London - Hong Kong - Sydney - Zurich.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Persian Calendar

2008-10-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

Name: Persian Calendar
Author: Mehdy Bohlool
Description: Persian Plus Georgian Calendar

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Featured gadget: Communicator

2008-10-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Name: Communicator
Author: Andreas Horlacher
Description: Communicator translates from and to a few languages using Google translation services. It comes with the popular 'communicator' design, as seen in Star Trek.

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Slideshow for Facebook

2008-09-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

This week, we're excited to release the Slideshow for Facebook gadget.

Designed for Facebook users, this gadget connects to your Facebook account and finds a wide variety of photos from your friends' collections. These photos then appear, one-at-a-time, in the gadget's frame. It's an automated slideshow — an easy, great way to stay in touch with old friends!

Posted by Larry Gadea, Software Engineer

Featured gadget: Periodic Table

2008-09-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Name: Periodic Table for Google Desktop
Author: Paul Alan Freshney
Description: Detailed information on every element

More information | Download gadget

Each week this blog features a recently added Google Desktop gadget that looks promising. If you'd like to see all new Desktop gadgets as they're published, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Posted by Kathy Walrath, Technical Writer

Linux updates

2008-09-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

If you use Google Gadgets for Linux, be sure to get the 0.10.2 version, which was released Saturday. It fixes over 20 bugs, enabling support for many more gadgets.

Don't feel like compiling the code? No problem! It's now easy to find binary packages created by the community, thanks to a new page that points to Google Gadgets binaries for the major Linux distributions.

Posted by James Su and Kathy Walrath, Google Desktop Team