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DESCRIPTION
Google Desktop is a desktop search application that gives you easy access to information on your Mac and from the web. Desktop makes searching your own email, files, music, photos, and more as easy as searching the web with Google.
- Find and launch applications and emails from your desktop
- Add Google Gadgets to your Dashboard and iGoogle page
- Develop and share new Google Gadgets
WHAT'S NEW
Version 1.6.0.1552: Feature improvements:
- Google Updater is no longer required to install or uninstall Google Desktop.
Known issues:
- Installation issues
- During initial indexing, Google Desktop may have a noticeable impact on your computer, especially if your hard drive is highly fragmented or low on disk space. We've designed Google Desktop to be usable - if a bit sluggish - during this period. Once indexing is complete, your computer should return to its normal, speedy self. To expedite indexing, we recommend that you have at least 10 percent disk space remaining and defragment your hard disk before installing.
- If you put the 'Double Click to install Google Desktop' file on a FileVault volume before running it, you may see an error message stating that you need insert a disk. To avoid this issue, don't move the file out of the DMG before running it.
- Mail and browser issues
- Indexing Gmail may take a long time because emails are downloaded in batches; each 'batch' is separated by two hours, and there's no progress meter.
- If you use MailTags, you need to delete the existing MailTags Spotlight importer from /Library/Spotlight or ~/Library/Spotlight and reinstall version 2.0b9 or later. Earlier versions cause crashes during indexing.
- Inability to search for MailTag tags in emails; the mail contents themselves can be searched normally. We are working with the MailTags author to resolve this.
- If you have both Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 installed, you may see a message appear in the following instances:
- The first time you launch Firefox 3 after updating to the latest version of Desktop, an 'Add-on' dialog will appear and the Desktop Search 1.1 extension will be installed.
- If you launch Firefox 2 after having launched Firefox 3 and installing the Desktop Search 1.1 extension, you'll see an 'Incompatible Add-ons' dialog. If you see this message, click Don't Check. Despite this message, both Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 should work normally with Google Desktop.
- Indexing issues
- Desktop may slow down and appear unresponsive when completing an operation that involves a lot of files, such as installing Logic Studio. It will eventually catch up.
- Other issues
- We've received reports of some CVS (Concurrent Versioning System) updates failing with I/O errors. The workaround is to disable indexing during the update and re-enable after the update is complete.
- If you're working with programs like CVS or SVN (Subversion), you may experience large amounts of file I/O. There's a known issue in Mac OS 10.4+ where large amounts of file I/O may cause a kernel panic. To resolve the issue, we recommend adding any CVS or SVN associated items to your Privacy list.
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.4 or later.
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SCREENSHOT
| Developer: | Google |
| Downloads: | 20,640 |
| - Version d/l: | 2,251 |
| Utilities: | Desktop |
| License: | Free |
| Date: | 01 Oct 2008 |
| Platform: | PPC/Intel |
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| Google Desktop User Reviews (53 posts) | Write A Review |
 | Oct 2 2008 |
PETER DA SILVA Thank you for removing Google Updater from this product. Not only is GU unnecessary bloat, but I'm worried about the security implications of the extensions it implements in browsers that allow you yo "push" an update from your website. Google: I've asked this in support requests, on your forums, in email to your security people, and even on slashdot... could you explain the security model of Google Updater, and the undocumented _GU_*() javascript API in Firefox and IE?
(Version 1.6.0.1552) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Oct 2 2008 |
EDIFIED Works great EXCEPT for Google Update running in the background ALL the time, with no option to do manual update (for those of us who use our equipment for things like presentations and live production where you can't have update popups run rouge. And what's up with an update process running as root? So much for do-no-evil. Dear Google, Mac users would love you if you used Sparkle with an option for manual updates!
(Version 1.6.0.1552) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Oct 2 2008 |
NESSUNO It took me hours to DE-install all of G.D.'s background-process-based b...s... - after finding that it's not even worth trying.
(Version 1.6.0.1552) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Aug 22 2008 |
HOTFREAKS One warning to potential Google Desktop users: This is a very poorly-supported project. Do not expect to get responses from Google via email or via posting to the Google Desktop group in Google groups. You are essentially on your own if you hit any snags.
(Version 1.5.0.1243) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
 | Nov 29 2007 |
ORION MK. V Installed and runs JUST FINE on my Intel iMac. Tied in with spotlight's exclude list I can "block" searching of directories or volumes without a problem and if you use the Google Updater it's easy to update and UNINSTALL various Google apps. That said, Google Desktop is a bit redundant with Spotlight, but after the indexing is done it does run better, so no complaint there -- Spotlight can be quirky about what it chooses to show. I've never been a fan of Apple's dashboard widgets, so the addition of Google Gadgets is useless to me, but I did try a few and the install and run just fine.
(Version 1.4.0.838) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Nov 29 2007 |
HOTFREAKS While I'd love to have search access to my Gmail while offline, the damn Google Updater and its associated daemon prevent me from installing this software. Imagine if every piece of software you installed ran a monitoring program in the background at all times. Until Google falls in line and distributes Mac software properly, I have removed this and Google Notifier. Mac developers should know better.
(Version 1.4.0.838) | |
| [ 1 Reply - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Nov 29 2007 |
SJK Any idea what launches Google Updater? I can't find any startup for it in the normal places (launchd, SystemStartup, Login Items). Shame on Google for installing this without warning and making its launching so stealthy.
(Version 1.4.0.838) | |
| Nov 21 2007 |
PEDROJ Extremelly hard to remove once installed. Takes up a lot of computer resources while indexing. Definitely not my choice after new Spotlight in Leopard much improved.
(Version 1.3.1.806) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Nov 20 2007 |
XENOPHILE Effing Brilliant! Ever since upgrading to Tiger, I've been desperate for a solution to finding files and stuff on my computer. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack using OS X. Finally, Google comes to the rescue with a simple app I can quickly launch and leave running in the background. Google Desktop just finds stuff. Period. Perhaps for a future release, Google could somehow tie this into the file system so it works faster. Or maybe Apple could buy it from Google and incorporate it into OS X somehow, so it worked like a searchlight. Thanks for filling a gaping hole in Mac OS X, Google!
(Version 1.3.1.806) | |
| [ 6 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Nov 20 2007 |
COLDFUSION1970 I'm surprised you've never heard of Spotlight. Its built right into Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5.
(Version 1.3.1.806) | |
| Nov 21 2007 |
Are you American, by any chance?
(Version 1.3.1.806) | |
| Nov 21 2007 |
EJI Speaking as a Yank, we're known to be a bit too literal at times. And Xenophile's comment on Google Desktop was dripping with irony.
(Version 1.3.1.806) | |
| Nov 21 2007 |
COLDFUSION1970 See. Thats why i dont watch Six Feet Under. I think i'll stick with Friends.
(Version 1.3.1.806) | |
| Nov 29 2007 |
TUISHIMI LOL
(Version 1.4.0.826) | |
| Oct 27 2007 |
ELEGRAPHY I like Gmail, Sketch Up, and other Google products. They deserve 5 stars. However, this one is bloatware. It automatically install extra things that you don't want, and once you install it on your Mac, it's hard to kill. I keep Activity Monitor alive on my Desktop and kill it, and it keeps coming back. Beware!!! Use EasyFind and Spotlight instead!
(Version 1.3.0.748) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Oct 25 2007 |
ZO219 There is no reason on earth to use this unwieldy, bloated thing ... which installs so much crap in so many places installers are not supposed to go in OS X, and there's no excuse for Google releasing this mess for the Mac. Which they know and use, but hey. When Spotlight is not enough, use the free and excellent EasyFind.
(Version 1.3.0.748) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
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