Google Now beta comes to desktops

A new beta version of Chrome features the Google Now app that will be coming to a desktop near you.

This week, Google Chrome users will see Google Now cards appearing in the notifications area on Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS. Google Now is a virtual assistant. As an example, if you have a flight confirmation in your Google email, Google Now will detect that and give you notification of any flight delays.

While the feature rolls out to the Chrome beta channel this week, it’s already available through the Chrome dev channel.

If you would rather not see the notifications, simple click the bell icon in your notification area (lower-right corner in Windows, upper-right on Macs), then click the gear icon in the Notifications Center and uncheck the “Google Now” box.