There are only a few days until Windows 8 launches, with Mountain View-based search giant Google releasing a dedicated search application for Windows 8 ahead of the operating system's release on Friday.

Google Search for Windows 8 is available right now in the Windows Store for free as an alternative to Microsoft-owned Bing, the default search engine in Internet Explorer on Windows 8. Google Search for Windows 8 isn't just a search app either, it is a portal to other Google services.

Google Search for Windows 8 acts as a portal to Gmail, Calendar, Maps, Drive and Reader - all while the main interface sports a simple large search bar including voice search, if you want to just talk into the PC for your searching needs.