Google has released v 5.5 of Google Desktop Search application for Windows XP and Vista that lets users add gadgets meant for your desktop and sidebar to their personalized web based iGoogle homepage. This means you can remotely manage and access your desktop PC functionality through mini-applications that run in Google Desktop such as stream media from your computer, play games, run a virtual aquarium, write a scratchpad, check your Wi-Fi WLAN signal strength, etc via iGoogle.

The process for adding Desktop gadgets to your iGoogle homepage is simple. Visit Google Content Directory and find the gadgets you want to add. Then click on the “Add it now” button. The gadget can then be added to the desktop as well as your personalized webpage. you can also have multiple instances of a gadget on your desktop. Simply open up the “Add gadgets” menu and choose to add an existing gadget again.

Other improvments in this release include:

+ Improved Quick Search Box: Can be launched by pressing “Ctrl” key twice. Allows you to search as you type.

+ Improved Outlook Integration: Google Desktop makes searching Outlook email more convenient by adding a toolbar into Outlook. Just open Outlook and type a query into the search box. Outlook will display the search results in its familiar list view, including columns for “From”, “Subject”, and “Date”. Each result also shows a message snippet containing your search terms.

Download the latest version 5.5 of Google Desktop Search here