Google Inc. announced the launch of Google Desktop Search, a free PC hard drive browser.

Google Desktop Search scans the computer's hard drive for a variety of common file formats, such as plain text, documents, emails, instant messages and past Web searches Every word in these files is indexed so that a user can search personal files in much the same way he would search for Web pages on Google.

"We think of this (program) as the photographic memory of your computer. It's pretty comprehensive. If there's anything you once saw on your computer screen, we think you should be able to find it again quickly," says Marissa Mayer, director of consumer Web products, Google.

Google plans to expand its search engine audience and encourage even more online searches than it already processes, a pattern that would yield more advertising revenue. Google Desktop Search is currently only available for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows system and Internet Explorer.

"This is clearly an advance move toward owning the user. Much in the same way Microsoft will use Longhorn (2006 release) to create a holistic search experience with web or local file search, Google is simply seeking brand name generic ubiquity with the any search activity," says Kevin Ryan, vice president, Wahsltrom Interactive, editor, iMediaSearch

The new product is available at http://desktop.google.com.