Google Desktop Sidebar

Step 1: Download & Install Google Desktop

It's available to Windows users (Vista / XP / 2000 SP3+) Linux users as well as Mac users.

Step 2: Agree to the Google Terms of Service

Step 3: Choose Google Desktop Features

For my case, I just enabled the "Sidebar with Gadgets" which displays news, email, weather and many more gadgets right on your desktop.

Step 4: Installation Completed

You maybe change the position of the Google Desktop by simply left-click-drag-and-drop either on the left side or on the right side of your desktop.

Step 5: Add gadgets to your desktop

There are a variety of gadgets for news, sports, lifestyle, finance, tools, fun and games, technology, and communication. Some are recommended / created by Google, while some others are third party gadgets that have not been tested or verified in terms of features and security.

Now, you may start to search the web or your desktop without opening up a web browser.

This is the example I've created on my desktop with analogue clock, weather forecast, Google Calendar, Google Maps, and Google Photos where you get to display a slide show of your own favorite photos .