The Google, Atom connection

AtomShockwave and Google have inked a deal for a co-branded Web search toolbar, according to AtomShockwave's vice president of marketing Scott Roesch. The video entertainment and games site will begin promoting the specially designed Google toolbar in April, Roesch said Thursday at the Digital Hollywood conference in Santa Monica.

The software will let people search the Web using Google from a resident point on the browser, as well as automatically jump to Atom's sites with the click of a button on the toolbar.

For Google, the deal broadens its reach into the entertainment and gaming communities on the Web. The search company is trying to cozy up to broadcasters and entertainment types to improve its newest test product, Google TV, a searchable archive of television programming. Eventually, Google will likely add capabilities to the product for finding Internet-only video like that of AtomFilms.

For AtomShockwave, the toolbar will plant an instant shortcut to its Web sites from the browser. That's a fair reminder to play at Atom.