Google have released their the Beta version of the Google toolbar 5. It has a slightly different look and a host of new buttons and features.
The new Google toolbar (version 5 Beta) is the latest Toolbar offering from Google. Not only does it include the features users have become accustomed to, it also boasts a slightly different look and some new cool features. The new version is also compatible with IE8. Previous versions where not compatible. It is quite ironic but it is a Microsoft warning that will prompt users to upgrade.
The new toolbar has many of the features from previous builds such as auto-fill, page information and so on. It also contains some interesting tools such as the ability to store your toolbar settings within your Google account. This means if you use more than one system you can ensure you have the same buttons, tools and features on all your systems. This is done by having one web based configuration file. This may be a pretty unique way of pushing toolbar users towards signing up for a Google account.
Privacy issues
Like All other Google products there are privacy concerns, the new toolbar is no exception. There is an option to store your web history including pages, surfed, videos viewed and search history. This does have its uses, but do you really need a web based history when you have a history collection built into your web browser. Without a doubt this feature is more useful to Google than it ever can be to the end user. Thankfully by default web history is disabled. I don't think I will be enabling this feature any time soon. Google does contradict its self within the web history pages...
"This service will not collect any history until you choose to resume. Resume. Learn more."
"Your web history is limited to searches. Expand your web history."
So it does appear Google are recoding your search activity, but them they have been doing this for years, Google know exactly how many searches are performed, what searches are popular and so on, but now they are able to obtain a lot more information about each individual user. For example what sites you surf, do these sites provide you with their information you need ect. With this new data Google will certainly be able to make searches a lot more tailored to each user.
It seams as if Google really wants to be the "Cloud" where we store all out information to be later retrieved or shared. From a privacy point if view this may be mundane or may be a total nightmare, but wither way we have to agree that sending information into the cloud so to speak may be the way to go. We just need to wonder are Google asking us to provide more information than is safe.
