GTab is a statusbar-based browser with the homepage set to Google.com. It is accessible through a multicolored "G" icon at the top-right-hand corner of the screen.
The purpose of GTab is simple: to make Google-searching more accessible. And it provides a simple solution: Google-searching from the ever-present menu bar, in a drop-down that is displayed above all other windows. Yet the program is so simple that it lacks features to streamline the user experience. No keyboard shortcut exists to toggle the menu, and the browser window requires a manual reset by clicking the Home or Back button for each new search, even after being closed and reopened. Copying and pasting are not permitted, and display of the URL is disabled. If one is fine with this lack of features and a distinctly un-Googley logo, then the app performs just fine. Otherwise, stick with more holistic productivity applications like Alfred or Quicksilver.
Pros
- Easy to access no matter what the windowed forefront application is
- Effectiveness of Google search is well-established
- Compatible with interactive Google Doodles
Cons
- Icon is pretty unattractive
- Window focus on open application is lost when it's used
- Unable to change homepage or resize window