Is convenience worth a Google toolbar?
Neat, but you need a toolbar and IE to try it.
(Credit: Google)It will only work on Internet Explorer, and only in the U.S. right now, but if you're looking to extend the same timesaving search convenience of Google's mobile apps to your desktop, the new Google Toolbar (download) from Google Labs will do it.
The My Location feature found in Google Maps for Mobile--and recently integrated into Google Mobile App--uses cell tower triangulation or GPS to find your approximate or exact location. That localizes your search terms, so queries for "weather" or "coffee" pull up results close to you, and save you from typing those extra five digits every time you search for something nearby. Likewise, the My Location feature on the desktop uses information from nearby wireless hot spots to point you out.
I'm no fan of toolbars, believe me (well, maybe RoboForm) and I don't regularly use IE as my go-to browser, but for Google's My Location would the sacrifice be worth it? Truth be told, no, not for me at this point, but I might be tempted to try the souped-up toolbar were it to come out as a Firefox add-on down the road, or maybe switch to Chrome for a while if that were a built-in feature, not a toolbar.
How about you? Is having Google's search gods know where to route your queries a compelling enough feature to warrant downloading a toolbar--yes or no? And does privacy matter? Keep in mind that in using this Labs toolbar, you'll be sharing information with Google.
Jessica Dolcourt reviews the latest and greatest smartphone apps, in addition to a healthy dose of Windows software. E-mail Jessica and follow her on Twitter. 
2. Only really useful for mobile users ... so I cant say much there as I am not
3. My screen resolution is 1280 x 800 so I can't afford to waste space on a toolbar which I may use once a blue moon.
Yes, you can easily disable a toolbar (in Firefox @ least) but I really don't see the worth.
As for more stupid reasons to add redundant search engine toolbars to your browser? How about just making a widget with one icon for the locator since most people already have multiple search engine capability in the browser they're using?
And anyway, when going mobile, isn't it obvious yet that economy of space is key?
...no thank you. I appreciate the efforts the better vendors (don't get me started on the others, please) take to enhance the browsing experience, but there are limits.
- by skprice2001 April 27, 2009 9:02 AM PDT
- No, it is not worth it to me. I do not like or use toolbars except for Roboform. And just to even test drive it around the block it would have to be in Firefox. I can get the same results and better targeted results by typing in the city, zip code, whatever myself. A second more of typing or an intrusive toolbar? Not much of a decision...Ok...Tried it out on IE just to see if it is different than I perceived....No. Still feel the same and now have wasted 15 minutes of time trying it - could have looked up a booty load of stuff in my area during that time.
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