Quietly and without a lot of fanfare, the number of desktop and web widgets (also called gadgets) has exploded. There are almost 10,000 Web widgets for the Google Personalized Home Page and a bunch more that run in Google Desktop. The Windows Live Gallery has over 500 gadgets that are for Windows Vista and Live.com. (This will surely pick up once Vista launches. After all Microsoft invented the widget.) Meanwhile, Apple has 2400+ widgets and Yahoo has another 4000. Finally, we have widgets for Netvibes, Protopage and your mobile device from providers like Mobidgets, Widsets and Bluepulse. (Edelman is assisting with the PR for the launch of Windows Vista.)
So what do you use these for? Well, for starters, here are 30 amazing things you can do with widgets.
Track Your Weight, benchmark your diet vs. the USDA Food Pyramid or track your water intake. (Google.com/ig)
Read four RSS Feeds in tabs, browse your Google Reader feeds or ones from iTunes. (Google.com/ig)
Browse digg in pictures, track gas prices or count calories. (Windows Live)
Chat with others via a Google Map, track your Sitemeter statistics or send text messages. (Google.com/ig)
Browse local weather photos with the WeatherBug PhotoBug, track your Nike workouts or care for a Chia Pet (Apple).
Get a read on Outlook, track your uptime, follow the latest in Internet humor with Spiked. (Windows Vista)
Listen to NPR, grow virtual flowers or view your del.icio.us bookmarks. (Google Desktop Gadgets)
Adopt a Protopuppy, listen to podcasts or play Asteroids (Protopage)
Build a virtual aquarium, play Sudoku or translate phrases from one language to another. (Netvibes)
Check the pet weather report and enjoy witting sayings from Purina, control your iPod or watch Old Faithful right from your desktop (Yahoo Widgets)
Technorati Tags: Apple, Bluepulse, Google, Microsoft, Protopage, Netvibes, Widsets, Windows Vista, Yahoo
