Yahoo reports:

"Google Inc. updated its software for searching PC hard drives and the Internet, giving the free program a new look and adding tools that deliver personalized information based on a user's Web surfing habits.

The latest Google offering includes several twists. Beyond providing search results, it monitors the user's behavior and presents relevant information in a resizable and moveable vertical window called the Sidebar.

One module aggregates e-mail messages from a variety of accounts, including Google's Gmail service or the user's Internet provider. Others display stock prices, personalized news headlines, weather reports and what's popular on the Web.

Another module pulls Really Simple Syndication feeds from Web sites that have been visited and offer that service. Unlike other feed aggregators, the user need not take any action for a feed to be added.

'For the novice, it's very easy. They don't even have to know what RSS feeds are,' said Nikhil Bhatla, Google Desktop's product manager. 'They'll just start seeing them in the Sidebar. Advanced users can go in and customize to their hearts' delight.'

A photo module displays pictures from the local PC. It also pulls pictures from Web-based galleries that have been visited."

All that, and Desktop 2 also has a timeline, viewing all the pages you’ve been to and emails and chats you’ve received, in order. Read more for a picture of the sidebar.

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