Last month, Google introduced their new and improved Desktop Search tool. If you haven't downloaded this free program yet I would highly recommend you do. It is one of the most important pieces of software that I use, as it is constantly helping me retrieve old e-mails that are important but hidden on my computer in some obscure folder.

Shortly after Google Desktop 2 was released, Google Talk became available. It is Google's own version of instant messaging and computer-to-computer phone calls, of course, for free.

Google Talk is tied very closely to Gmail, since you need a Google e-mail account to use it.

Finally You Can Get a FREE Gmail Account

Until last month, Gmail accounts were available by invitation only. Now that has all changed--you can get a Gmail account. All you need to do is go to their Web site and sign up. If you have a hotmail account, believe me it is time to swtich. Hotmail is one of the worst as it is loaded with spammers. Microsoft was never as smart as Google and allowed spammers to easily obtain accounts.

One of my friends worked as one of the project managers for Microsoft on their Hotmail system and he told me over 99 percent of the traffic prior to filtering was spam. It is my belief that you should not use hotmail. It is just too dangerous with all their spam.

Microsoft does not like Google. Their president and CEO, Steve Balmer, was quoted earlier this week as saying he was "Going to $%&#@!# kill Google."  

According to documents filed in an increasingly bitter battle between the rivals, it was reported that Mr. Ballmer picked up a chair and threw it across the room, hitting a table in his office, when one of his chief employees told him he was quitting Microsoft and joining Google.

Google has many of the brightest software engineers (many deflected from Microsoft) on the planet. They have figured out how to prevent spammers and other abusers from snapping up Gmail accounts by the thousands. They designed a very clever safeguard: When you apply for a Gmail account, you must provide a cell phone number.

Google sends a code to your phone, which you use to complete the registration. (Actually, you don't have to own a cellphone, if you know somebody who owns one. They can get the code for you, because each cell phone number is good for a number of registrations, just not hundreds of them.) And at 900KB, it's a tiny and fast download.

If you haven't been paying attention, Google has become much more than the search-engine company of choice. Google's free downloadable Picasa software is arguably the best Windows program for organizing digital photos.

Another freebie program, Google Earth, is a nifty three-dimensional model of the entire planet. Using satellite imagery, you can zoom in on any address or locale on Earth. Google Maps and Google Earth are crashing the whole mapping and navigation party. Launched in early 2005, Google Maps is quickly gaining on leaders Yahoo Maps and MapQuest.

Related Articles:

Moon Gets Up Close and Personal Thanks to Google

Can Microsoft Keep Up With Google?

Google's Cool Billion