You can activate Apps Search in 3 easy steps (go to Settings, click on the Labs tab and enable Apps Search). You'll notice the wording alongside your Google-powered search box in Gmail changes to Search Mail and Docs. And sure enough, it works (at least across Gmail and docs...I don't use Google sites).

According to Google, "Standard Edition users can follow these instructions immediately, while Premier and Education Edition users will first need their domain administrators to enable Gmail Labs from the Google Apps control panel."

Google says the reason for coming out with the feature is to eliminate the need to do separate searches across its applications.

The new feature comes on the heels of Google introducing a contacts facelift for Gmail, .