Windows 8 only: The search giant finally starts delivering web services through the new Microsoft’s user interface. Windows 8 Google Search app has been silently released in the Windows Store with tons of goodies and hints of other possible apps coming soon such as YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Google Drive and Google+, among others.

The Google Search app offers traditional search as you will expect, but enhanced for the new modern Windows 8’s UI by adding animations to each action, ability to search by voice and via the Charms. The app also offers links to other different web applications like Gmail, Maps, YouTube and more. However, it is worth noting that these are just links, Google hasn’t yet released metro style apps for these services, which we can only assume that they are coming soon. And of course, you’ll be able to get access to Full Search History, Instant Previews and Recent Searches.

In my opinion, what separates this new app from others Windows 8 apps in the Store is that when you launch it for the first time, you’ll be presented with a tutorial that highlights all the important features and more importantly, how to use Google Search with touch; but it also gives you a good idea how to use it with the keyboard and mouse, something we aren’t seeing in most apps.

The app is available for download now and it’s really worth trying. One last thing that caught my eyes is that when you click a link from the search results, it will open the page within the app and not in Chrome or in IE10. Which makes me think, if we’re in front of a new web browser, we’ve previously seen a version of Chrome metro style, but this isn’t it.

Features

Details

  • Google Searchbox – Type your search right from the app home screen, so you can find the answers you need more quickly.

  • Voice Search –  Use your microphone to ask Google anything and see the answer instantly.

  • Image Search – Watch images load into a beautiful full-screen grid. Select images you like or swipe through to see more results.

  • Search Charm – By installing the Google Search app, you can easily access Google from the Search Charm.

  • Instant Previews mode – Browse search results without having to visit each page.

  • View Your Searches – Swipe from the top to see the sites you visited most recently, categorized by keyword.

  • Google Apps page – Access all your favorite Google products from within the app with just the tap of an icon.

  • Google Instant – No need to press Enter – see results instantly as you type.

  • Category: Tools

  • Age rating: 12+

  • Publisher: Google

  • Permissions: Location, Microphone and Internet

  • Download: Get it from the Windows Store

Supported architectures

  • x86/x64 CPUs (Windows 8)
  • ARM (Windows RT)