Dex announced today that it is packaging its local search functionality into a series of widgets.

This will allow users to plant mini search boxes in different places where they might prefer to do local searches, other than the IYP site itself (DexKnows). It will include both Web widgets that can be affixed to personalized start pages like iGoogle and My Yahoo!, as well as desktop widgets (PC and Mac) that let users access local search directly from their desktops.

Overall, a smart move that makes Dex more accessible and extends its usage beyond the IYP site alone. From a branding perspective, this also makes Dex seem more on top of it when it comes to “Web 2.0.”