Microsoft doesn’t release official sidebar gadgets too often. They actually managed to remove a few handy sidebar gadgets that were shipped with Windows Vista, from Windows 7 such as Notes Gadget and Contacts Gadget. Recently, Microsoft released a new gadget for Windows Vista and 7 named Online Services gadget.  Read more...

Permalink: Download Windows Live Online Services sidebar gadget by Microsoft

In my opinion, the new taskbar or Superbar in Windows 7 is probably the best feature in the operating system. Jumplists and lively taskbar buttons have really given developers opportunities to create excellent widgets, even better than what you can get with the Windows Gadgets platform. Some widgets we have covered in the past include a Gmail notifier, 7Stacks, StandaloneStack and Taskbar Meters. Lee Matthews from Download Squad has covered a taskbar widget called WeatherBar which puts weather information in the taskbar. WeatherBar uses tasbkar overlays, jumplists and taskbar button progress bar to show information at just a glance.  Read more...

Permalink: Apps for Windows: Get weather information in Windows 7 Taskbar using WeatherBar

iResQ has released pictures claiming they have the parts of the next generation iPhone 4G. As you can see it’s a bit taller then the last iPhones. But bear in mind, these pictures can be fake, and just for marketing purposes by iResQ. There seems to be a reflective surface over the phone’s speakers, which could mean it’s getting a camera. But don’t believe anything you see until it’s officially announced.  Read more...

Permalink: iPhone 4G Leaked Pictures!

I recently stumbled across this official gadget by Microsoft for Bing. As excited as I was, I was disappointed to find out that it’s a very simple gadget that only shows suggestions and opens up the search results in the browser. The drop down suggestions aren’t even visual, i.e. you wont see image suggestions or the weather by typing in ‘New York weather’ like you get in Internet Explorer 8’s search box.  Read more...

Permalink: Download the Bing Sidebar Gadget for Windows 7

If you all can take out the issues you had with Windows Vista out of your mind for a minute and think hard, you’ll remember it had a very useful sidebar gadget called Notes. It let you quickly scribble down ideas, phone numbers and all sorts of texts and looked just like real sticky notes. It also had a few options for different fonts, font sizes and stick note color.  Read more...

Permalink: Get the Vista Sticky Notes Sidebar Gadget for Windows 7

So, finally there’s a new gadget published by Microsoft for Windows Live ‘What’s New’ feed, and it’s not the best of efforts I have to say.

The Windows Live What’s New Sidebar Gadget (Beta) is a Vista gadget that displays your Windows Live “What’s New” feed on your desktop. You can receive real-time updates on what your friends are doing across multiple social networks right from your desktop. Be the first to know when your friends upload photos, add new friends to their networks, change their status messages and post comments. It’s quick and easy to add the Windows Live What’s New Sidebar Gadget (Beta).

The gadget is plain, and looks like it’s from the 90’s. Unlike the what’s new feed in Windows Live, the gadget doesn’t show user thumbnails or web page images. It also seems very rough around the edges. It doesn’t even look it’s part of Windows Live! And when you undock the gadget, it enlarges exponentially. I’m all up for having access to information at the tips of your fingers, but this is the least innovative way to bring it close. If you use Windows Live Messenger, you won’t need this gadget at all, as messenger provides a much better ‘What’s New’ feed at the bottom of the main window.  Read more...

Permalink: New Windows Live sidebar gadget, and it’s not that good