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Google Desktop Blog ^{[1] [1]} today announced that Google Desktop 4 ^[2] has been taken out of beta and a public version is available for downloads. Google Desktop 4 is now also avialable in 27 other regional languages.

The most significant change from the Beta 3 to Beta 4 was introduction of Google Gadgets instead of Desktop Panels.

Taking the same significant leap forward Google Desktop team has announced a new Google Desktop Gadget Designer ^[3] tool for developers using which they can create, maintain, and debug their gadgets faster.

Using the Gadget designer developers can now easily manage your projects and files, visually design your gadget UI (no need to handcode the xml), edit your script code and preview changes instantly (no more restarts), view debug messages with the built-in debug console, automatically generate the gadget package and manifest and much more in an integrated development environment.

The Google Desktop Gadget Designer is avialable as a part of the Google Desktop SDK ^[4] .

What's more fun is that they also have a Desktop Gadget Desigining contest ^[5] where the total cash prize is $8000. The contest is open only for next month.