Many industry professionals talk about the future of the web being multiple sources of information of your choosing delivered to you through an aggregator. Examples of this can already be seen in websites like iGoogle, Netvibes and PageFlakes. If you have ever wondered what the different items of your iGoogle profile are called – they’re widgets.


A desktop or web based widget is an interface, usually with a single purpose. Similar to an RSS reader (see RSS Feeds) a widget will stream live data, although most widgets simply present information from a single source. For example, a publisher may have a branded widget that gives you news headlines on iGoogle as well as a branded widget that gives you news headlines to your desktop. Same information, delivered in a different way. Widgets are a perfect way of delivering controlled information to your customers, partners or fans on a regular basis.


Beyond news, widgets can have all types of functionality, such as the promotional widgets found on social media sites like Facebook, or the Paper Saver Calculator (image above) that Loaded developed for BPAY View in conjunction with Planet Ark. Keep in mind, the best widgets tend to be the simplest ones.
 

Keep your regulars happy by delivering news and promotional offers live to their desktop, or have Loaded create a fun promotional widget to websites like Facebook and Myspace.

Click here to view Yahoo! widgets (XP)

Click here to view Vista widgets (Vista Gadgets)

Click here to visit Widgipedia 

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