Google has released a beta of a Mac-compatible version of its Desktop application. 

Google Desktop acts as a search engine for internal and external files, allowing users to search the internet, Gmail archives, web history and hard drives from a single search bar.

The program also allows users to search previous versions of documents and deleted files, as well as launch programs directly from the search bar.

The new tool goes beyond simply porting the application to OS X, Google's Mac development team said on a company blog, and now includes Mac-specific features. 

"We know that simply 'porting' to the Mac is not a good idea. So we took the time to develop a product that deeply integrates into Mac OS X and maintains its high standards of usability," explained Google software engineer Mike Pinkerton.

Along with a redesigned interface, the Mac OS version of Google Desktop also features components to work across user accounts and the FileVault file encryption software.

The application will include an update program that promises automatically to download and install upgrades for Google Desktop.

Apple's Mac OS X 10.4 already offers a built-in search capability through the Searchlight feature. Google did not return a request to clarify the difference between the two services.

The Windows version of the application offers an optional sidebar that the user can populate with small applications that display news headlines or weather forecasts.

The feature is not available on the Mac version, most likely because it is similar to OS X 10.4's Dashboard feature.