IDG News Service - Internet search giant Google Inc. is looking to make inroads into the desktop with the rollout yesterday of its free Google Deskbar software, which allows Windows users to search the Web and applications without opening a browser.
The Deskbar appears as a small inset window on the Windows tool bar and lets users perform searches without leaving desktop tasks as long as the computer is connected to the Internet.
Keyboard shortcuts allow users to run queries, typing "Ctrl+Alt+G" to perform Google searches from applications, for example. There are also keyboard shortcuts for Google News, Images and the company's Froogle shopping comparison searches.
The Deskbar, an experimental release from Google Labs, requires the Windows 98, ME, 2000 or XP operating system and Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher.
The move could raise the stakes in the highly competitive search market as Google extends its reach onto the desktop. In fact, Microsoft Corp. said earlier this month that it is bolstering its own search service to compete with the likes of Google, Ask Jeeves Inc. and Yahoo Inc. Mountain View, Calif.-based Google is working to shore up its offerings amid reports that it plans to go public early next year.
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