Google Updates Google Desktop, AdSense, and to Launch a Chat Service?

Google launched a version 2 of their Desktop Search product. My new computer has a bunch of RAM & raided high speed hard drives, so the additional load has not been noticable.

Gary Price has his usual good coverage of the new product. I think the Sidebar idea makes it easier to consume massive amounts of information. Sometimes when I am bored I look at stock prices or financial news to find scoops. You still have to click through to Google News to find the news, but the numbers are easy to see in an instant, although sometimes they don't make sense (not sure why the two THK prices are different).

You select what channels you like, and it gives you information on from that channel / type. As you click on a category it pops out a sub box with more information.

They also have a box for web feeds, and sites that you visit often automatically have their web feed added to your feeds box.

I think it is a fairly cool product thusfar. There are also a wide array of plugins available, including one for AdSense.

Speaking of AdSense, Google has been busy on that front as well. Allowing publishers to apply extra weight and / or ignore parts of a page, and also giving publishers search terms (which may help them make additional profitable content).

Rumours are also flying about a new Google IM launching tomorrow, and they may pop VOIP into it. With people having contacts on so many different messengers I think the first mainstream messenger that lets people login to all accounts at once will probably kill the others in marketshare, especially if it is feature rich.

I still am not so high on audio though, I have grown accustom to the pause for thought that instant messaging allows.

And why would Google leave the search results alone? No reason. May as well try inline search suggestions as well.

Google is changing stuff all over the map, including a new Address Geocoding patent. Some of these patents may be bad stuff down the road for consumers.

Yahoo! is working harder on the relationship front, partnering with Verizon for $14.95 DSL services.