Windows 8 is here and Google released its very own search app for the Microsoft OS.
Free Google Search App Now On Windows Store For Windows 8
Bing may be the native and de facto search engine for Windows 8 but that does not stop Google from offering its own services as an alternative. The world’s largest search engine now has its own app on the Windows Store. It is a free app that can replace Bing on your Windows 8 PC. The commercial release of Windows 8 is on Friday but the app is here already. So those of you on preview releases of Windows 8 can take the new search app for a test drive right away.
As is expected, the search app is not merely a search app that plugs in to Google Search. The app offers much more than that. It is an actually a portal in to a large array Google services. These services include the ever popular Gmail, Maps, Calendar, the recently launched Drive and the Reader. The main functionality is still search though. So the main screen is just a big search bar (much like Google’s super minimal looking homepage) and it supports voice recognition. So you can talk to the app and not have to tap/type in your search query.
If you are used to Google’s added features like Google Instant, you will not be missing them on the app. The app features everything that Google’s online service has to offer, including Instant and suggestions. The instant previews also work, so you can just sort through the results by looking at them without having to open up entire websites. The app even integrates in to the Windows 8 Charms bar. This means you can use it from anywhere within Windows 8.
For those who can’t get enough of Google on Windows 8 — Google is developing its popular Chrome browser for the new OS. There’s currently a developers preview version of it available for anyone who’s willing to risk using an unstable browser just to check it out. It looks much like its Desktop version but with larger UI elements for touch-based use.
