Filed under: Internet Tools
Don't want Google search but still want Gadgets? No problem
I'll admit that I was a fan of Google Desktop at first, what with the rapid browser previews of searched email and the ability to crunch through web histories and past searches. Over time, unfortunately, GD's reindexing began to feel a mite sluggish, and I eventually regretfully uninstalled it in the interest of better performance. Now, with the announcement of native access to Google Gadgets bundled in with Desktop, allowing me to put my favorite Gadgets right in the Dashboard with no mussing about, I figured I'd give GD another shot, and take the reindexing hit or simply turn the search features off.
Guess what? As noted in this comment, a subtle "Choose your own features" link on Google's download page lets you split up the two functions of GD, and just install the Gadget manager without the desktop search component. Very nice!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
link.dupont said 11:29AM on 11-29-2007
This is nice and all, but it doesn't appear to play well with my proxy. I connect to the Internet through an HTTP proxy, and Google Gadgets bounces in the dock for a while until it eventually displays a "unable to connect to Google" dialog. `netstat -p tcp` shows a SYN_SENT to a google.com address, rather than an attempt to connect through my proxy. I thought Google knew better than to ignore System Preferences. ;)
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cj said 11:36AM on 11-29-2007
Nothing new here. why add another app when spotlight does what it does. I don't use widgets either.
Lame video, doesn't help sell it.
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Johnny said 11:40AM on 11-29-2007
Hey... Off topic, but I just noticed the new comments features. Nice. I was wondering if TUAW would ever move to comments more like Engadget, etc.
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Think Adrian said 4:10PM on 11-29-2007
Yay! Nice surprise, eh? :)
Laurent said 3:40PM on 12-03-2007
This is all nice, but does this application still require administrator access to work ?
I am not exactly ready to reduce the security of my system in order to run something that has no valid technical reasons to gain full access to all my data.
Seems like it's fine with TUAW if google can do whatever they want on your computer, but sorry, not so for me. It's enough that they can browse my personal data, they don't need the ability to format my drive and read my passwords as well. I don't need another security hole ready to be exploited by worms and viruses to come.
Daring Fireball made a very informative article at this subject, read it guys :)
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Thomas said 2:33PM on 11-29-2007
I opened up Google Updater and it allowed me to install Gadgets separately. I was so excited.
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Carl said 2:41PM on 11-29-2007
Anyone figure out how to use the Google Reader Gadget as a widget yet?
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aathanor said 3:41AM on 11-30-2007
Just use the Web Clip in Safari and hoover over any tool you've added in iGoogle web page. Click, and you have an instant widget, no need to install Google Desktop
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