The world's most popular Internet search engine already has a small office with five employees on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.

Google has been working quietly there since November 2005, when it bought Skia, a graphics software startup.

"We're looking to find talented people and interesting technology wherever we can," said Jon Murchinson, a spokesman for Google. "Certainly there was a good opportunity there with Skia."

Skia's first software product, Skia Graphics Library, was designed to deliver graphics to mobile phones, televisions and hand-held devices, according to an archived version of its Web site, which is no longer on the Internet. In January 2005, the company's site promised demos of its technology for Windows, Mac, PocketPC, PalmOS, Symbian and Brew systems.

But "skia" is the Greek word for "shadow," and Google isn't interested in shedding light on how the tiny Chapel Hill office fits into its larger operations.

The office works on "various projects related to the work we do here on behalf of our users," Murchinson said. Michael Reed, Skia's founder and now a Google employee, also declined to comment on the office's activities.

Although Google is best known for its search capabilities on the Internet, the company has been a leader in adapting its services for mobile devices. Consumers can access its search engine, maps, Gmail e-mail service and news through the Web on their cell phones or PDAs.

Meanwhile, the state is waiting to hear whether Google will accept $4.7 million in incentives to build a server farm that could employ up to 210 workers in Western North Carolina. Companies usually announce their intentions in the hours after a grant is approved, but Google has not yet publicly committed to the site.

The company also is considering South Carolina for expansion.

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