Google Desktop for the Mac released

Google today released Google Desktop for the Mac (v.1.0.0.155) a  free universal binary application that indexes your Mac's hard drive, including applications, files, PDFs, and Web histories from Safari, Firefox, and Camino.

Google Desktop is invoked by pressing the Command/Apple key twice and blows Spotlight away in terms of speed. After entering a few characters gDesktop displays live search results which you then arrow or mouse through and click or press return to launch. Preferences are embedded into the OS X System Preferences application and are fairly straight forward (and much more intuitive than Blacktree, Inc.'s QuickSilver.)

gDesktop for Mac (1MB direct download) is being released as a beta. It's already head and shoulders above Spotlight but we'll have to see if it provides a formidable challenge to my favorite launcher/indexer QuickSilver.