While Microsoft may be undecided about a sidebar in Windows Vista, Google has scooped up the idea for its latest Desktop Search release. Google Desktop 2.0 introduces a new vertical window that sits on the side of a user’s desktop and features personalized information and search functionality. Google’s new addition, aptly called the Sidebar, can be custom tailored with news, weather, stocks and more. But such features are only an example of the possible uses of Google’s Sidebar.

Users can add their own content via RSS feeds and create a photo slideshow using local images or those from a Web site. An e-mail panel even checks for new messages based on a user-defined filter. Google has additionally improved Outlook integration in the new release. A Google toolbar appears within Microsoft’s e-mail application to enable quick searching of messages based on a number of different parameters. Other data stored in Outlook such as contacts, journals and calendar items can also be searched. Read More ….

(Source: BetaNews)