Have you come to the point where you wish you could find something you misplaced in your house or office through Google? When we use certain technologies often enough, our minds mimic the way these tools work. (Hence, the references to the type-writer generation and the digital natives.) While Google is yet to come up with a way to help us sort and organize objects in the real world, it has revealed plans to help people find information even when they are offline.

As the Reuters news story indicates, the new Google technology -- called Google Gears -- will let users search on their computers, phones and other handheld devices. Gooogle Gears users will be able to work through email, calenders and sift through items on their news readers without needing to connect to the Web, on the go or on the fly.

With other big players (e.g., Microsoft) in the desktop application space, the competition is on. Considering that search is becoming synonymous with Google, the Gear product may have a branding and familiarity advantage. This development certainly underscores the central role search results play in managing online reputation, visibility and ever-shortening news cycles.

As we look to the future of media, the online channel carries significant weight. As search moves offline, stories from Web sites, e-zines and blogs will have even more impact on public discussions.