Google has launched a new version of its Ajax Search API which is designed to enable webmasters to display a Google search box on their site without the need for users to visit a separate page.

Version 1.0 of the API, labeled as 'beta', offers results from Google Search, News, Maps, Video and Blog search features and can be used by firms to boost user productivity by using it on their intranets, said the firm.

It also offers developers the opportunity to build their own composite applications on top of these various flavours of Google search.

"Google's developer efforts are focused on building tools that help developers extend and improve Google products and [also] help them improve their own websites and applications," said a spokesperson for the firm. "The Ajax Search API contributes to the latter of these by giving developers and publishers a way to build useful web apps that are tightly integrated with Google search products."