13 January
What Is a Widget?
The word widget (pronounced wih-jit) is one of those words that now has far too many definitions. The dictionary defines it as a small mechanical device; a gadget, or a manufactured item that is unnamed. But we all know in the Internet era, a widget is much, much more.
In a programming context, it's a generic term for the part of a GUI that allows the user to interface with the application and operating system. Widgets display information and invite the user to act in a number of ways. Typical widgets that you may encounter include buttons, dialog boxes, pop-up windows, selection boxes, windows, toggle switches and forms. The term widget also can be used to refer to either the graphic component or its controlling program or to refer to the combination of both.
Today when people use the word widget, in a Web 2.0 world, they are referring to piece of self-contained code — a small application actually, that opens up a doorway to a much larger application. To this end, you can find widgets that provide stock quotes and news, search boxes for Google, eBay and other popular search-based Web sites, clocks, counters, games, feeds and more.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that widgets used on the desktop or Web are also called gadgets. In fact, in Windows Vista, Microsoft uses the word gadget, but it is still a widget.
Desktop Widgets
Many widgets are designed to run on your desktop — it's a small application that provides specific information to the user, and can be functional or fun. If you're using the Windows operating system, you can use a widget engine and then choose widgets to install to your desktop. One very common type of widget for the desktop is Yahoo! Widgets. Previously called Konfabulator, it's free and can be used on Mac OS X or Windows systems. You simply need to download the Widget installer and then browse the Yahoo! Widgets directory for more than 4,000 widgets that you can freely use on your desktop. Other popular desktop widget engines include Dashboard, which was released with Mac OS X v10.4, Google Desktop, and SpringWidgets. Windows Vista and Windows Live both use MicrosoftGadgets.
Web Widgets
Advancing on desktop widget technology, today Web widgets are another type of widget that has gained in popularity, especially with the increased interest in personal publishing. Web widgets are pieces of code that you can embed right on to your Web page, or personal publishing space such as Blogger or WordPress. Web widgets work like a mini-application that you use to provide information to visitors. They include search widghets, eBay trackers, news headlines, games, clocks and other applications. Web widgets are easy to use and require you only to copy and paste a snippet of code to display the widget, which is hosted on the developer's server. Widget directories, such as Widgetbox enable you to search for a specific type of widget, customize it for your own use, then copy and then paste the code to your own pages. Other free Web widget directories include yourminis, Google Gadgets for your Web page, and the Snipperoo widget directory.
Mobile Widgets
Like desktop widgets, mobile widgets are small applications, but these are designed, as you might expect, to work on mobile phones, rather than your computer. In some cases a widget engine is required, while in other instances, you may be required only to point your mobile browser to a special URL to access the widget. mFoundry, for example, offers a mobile widget engine for financial applications, and Bling also offers mobile applications. A Google search will also turn up a selection of mobile widgets, designed to run on specific mobile operating systems. iRibbit (previously called iPhoneMyeBay) is an eBay widget for the iPhone and WidSets offers a directory of mobile widgets also.
Easy Widget Development for Beginners and Beyond
Many widget tools help developers create innovate widgets and are useful novices as well. Widgetbox's free developer services offer analytics for tracking, services that allow consumers to use your widgets on their own site and popular blogging services, hosts the widget and also take care of including options that let you customize your widget.
For the Mac community, Apple Dashboard Widgets are created using a mix of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. The Apple developer connection provides tools and resources for Dashcode that can be used by interested developers. Yahoo also offers tools to build and develop your own Yahoo! Widgets. MicrosoftGadgets also offers a Builders page with developer tools and resources for Windows Vista Sidebar and also for LiveGadgets.
