New, faster version of Google Desktop released

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:30:02 -0400

Google has released version 5.8 of its Google Desktop software. Google Desktop tech lead Jói Sigurðsson noted that Google has taken the complaints about Google Desktop being "too big and slow" to heart. As such, the company set out to measure the success of Google Desktop 5.8 based entirely on its performance. This entails much painstaking analyzing and speeding things up a component at a time, as well studying the results anonymous diagnostic information volunteered by users. In addition, widgets that bog the system down are presented to the user to shut down, if they so desire. You can download Google Desktop 5.8 for Windows here.

For more information from the official Google blog:
- check out this blog entry from the Official Google Blog

Google faces security hurdles in the enterprise

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Google seems to be everywhere these days, but as the search giant moves into the enterprise, they're facing much of the same security scrutiny as those who have gone before them. Researchers at Ponemon Institute are expected to release a report today that outlines the concerns among IT professionals regarding the overall security of Google Desktop, the company's PC search utility, specifically within the confines of business operations. Their research revolves around a cross-site scripting vulnerability reported and subsequently patched by Google in February; the authors of the report say that their work underscores a growing level of concern over the company's rapidly expanding footprint in the enterprise. In a survey of more than 600 IT security specialists who indicated that they were familiar with the Google Desktop vulnerability, an overwhelming 71 percent said that they believe that the product likely harbors other security flaws. The company is trying to address security through its acquisitions of software vendors and has sponsored malware research projects such as Stopbadware.org.

For more on Google's security challenge in the enterprise:
- read all the details in this Infoworld. Article