A newer version of Google Desktop is available.
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- Average user rating: stars out of 343 votes Back to product review
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User reviews
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34 out of 37 people found this review helpful
2 stars
Version: Google Desktop 4
Cons: Indexing will slow down the computer, on Windows I have put indexing off, for this reason.
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53 out of 60 people found this review helpful
1 stars
Version: Google Desktop 4
"Google Copies Your Hard Drive - Government Smiles in Anticipation"
Cons: Consumers Should Not Use New Google Desktop
San Francisco - Google today announced a new "feature" of its Google Desktop software that greatly increases the risk to consumer privacy. If a consumer chooses to use it, the new "Search Across Computers" feature will store copies of the user's Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets and other text-based documents on Google's own servers, to enable searching from any one of the user's computers. EFF urges consumers not to use this feature, because it will make their personal data more vulnerable to subpoenas from the government and possibly private litigants, while providing a convenient one-stop-shop for hackers who've obtained a user's Google password.
"Coming on the heels of serious consumer concern about government snooping into Google's search logs, it's shocking that Google expects its users to now trust it with the contents of their personal computers," said EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston. "If you use the Search Across Computers feature and don't configure Google Desktop very carefully�and most people won't�Google will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. The government could then demand these personal files with only a subpoena rather than the search warrant it would need to seize the same things from your home or business, and in many cases you wouldn't even be notified in time to challenge it. Other litigants�your spouse, your business partners or rivals, whoever�could also try to cut out the middleman (you) and subpoena Google for your files."
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18 out of 28 people found this review helpful
5 stars
Version: Google Desktop 5.0.703.5398
Pros: Google desktop is very easy to use.It make it easy and simple to do all you web searching on your desktop.You can also read mail and do lots of other stuff too such as checking the forecast.It fully customizable and doesn't use too much memory.Best of all it's free.
Cons: None.
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3 out of 8 people found this review helpful
5 stars
Version: Google Desktop 3
"Good program, this product pleased to me."
Pros: Very comfortable program.
Very interestingly.Useful product.
Good interface
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8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
4 stars
Version: Google Desktop 4
Pros: This program is useful but really unnessary. Indexing, rss feeds, news, weather, and other add-ons are pretty nice.
Cons: But, all this can be done with less annoyiance by using firefox plugins, which is the way I go :p.
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