Google recently announced a new version of Google Desktop and we hadn’t covered it yet for you, so here you go

This new iteration, version 3.0, adds much to the user experience by featuring a new cross-computer search functionality. This means you can have Google Desktop installed on any computer you own, and you can search within the contents of documents, pictures, archives, or email in any of your machines. The only requirement is that you download the small application, and sign in once using your Google (or GMail) account.

Creepy, huh? The privacy advocates think so. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group for software freedom and online privacy, warns against the use of Google Desktop. Google promises to be good and to keep your private life, well, private. But the EFF thinks there might be no stopping the legal system from ordering Google to turn over specific and identifying information that can be used against people in court.

For the less paranoid in us, the new Google Desktop is worth a try. It builds on the abilities of Version 2.0 to support dockable add-on applets, where you can access tidbits of information such as news headlines, stock quotes, emails, web clips, photographs, weather reports, and the like. It’s getting to be similar to Yahoo!’s own Widget engine (which is more flexible, though), where users can download a wide plethora of applications ranging from RSS readers to mini-games, to any other trivial application imaginable.

So what’s included in Google Desktop 3.0? Here’s a brief rundown of the built-in applications:

• Messaging – Google Desktop has a built-in GMail notifier and Google Talk, Google’s straightforward and simple-to-use instant messaging and Voice-over-Internet Protocol application.
• Headlines – Desktop will display Google News headlines according to your locality of choice.
• Web Clips – Desktop will display a summary of the hottest, most-searched websites, and your most recent visits.
• Weather – Need we say more?
• Photos – Desktop will show a slideshow of photos from your My Pictures folder or from any online album you define.
• Stocks – Desktop will display your very own stock ticker. Pretty useful for the budding stock market millionaires out there.
• Scratch pad and ToDo list – This is your PDA on a budget. You can key in your tasks and notes here, and the information will be synchronized with your account, and can be accessed from your other computers.
• Maps – This is one interesting feature. You can use Google maps to search directions and satellite imagery of almost any location in the world
• System Monitor – Your computer running slow? Google Desktop can help you see if you need to buy a new memory chip or perhaps upgrade your hard disc to a larger one.

Since Google Desktop’s primary functionality is to help you search for information, you can actually just do a Google search and you will be presented with all possible documents and files with that keyword—whether the information resides on your home computer, office computer, laptop, GMail, or online news site.

It’s either you love it or hate it. Google Desktop is great for finding things in a jiffy, but not so great if you have privacy concerns. You know, you can even search keywords from the sites you’ve visited in the past. If you think Google Desktop is creepy, there’s more to come.