- Windows Vista Home
- The Features
Windows Sidebar and Gadgets
As you use your computer to access more information, perform more tasks, and interact with more software applications, you increasingly face information overload. You open a Web browser just to check the weather, open an application to view your calendar, and open a calculator programme to simply add numbers. You need simple, specialised, and lightweight mini-applications that put information and tasks at your fingertips—no matter what you're doing.
Windows Sidebar boosts your personal productivity by providing instant access to gadgets—a wide variety of engaging, easy-to-use, and customisable mini-applications that offer information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools.
Windows Sidebar gives you quick access to gadgets like picture slideshows, Windows Media Player controls, or news headlines. You pick the gadgets you want to see in Windows Sidebar.
Gadgets
Gadgets are mini-applications with a wide variety of possible uses. Gadgets can connect to Web services to deliver weather information, news updates, traffic maps, Internet radio streams, and slideshows of online photo albums. Gadgets can also integrate with your applications to streamline your interaction with them. For example, a gadget can give you an at-a-glance view of all your online instant messaging contacts, the day view from your calendar, or an easy way to control your media player. Of course, gadgets can also have any number of dedicated purposes. They can be calculators, games, sticky notes, and more.
Microsoft Windows Vista comes with an essential set of gadgets to get you started. You will be able to easily download more gadgets from an online gadget gallery. This gallery will host gadgets from a wide variety of developers and offer an extensive selection to meet your interests.
Windows Sidebar
Windows Sidebar is a pane on the side of the Windows Vista desktop that organizes gadgets and makes them easy to access. Windows Sidebar is the perfect complement to widescreen monitors and also works seamlessly on standard displays. You can easily customise Windows Sidebar to suit how you want to interact with it—whether you want it always on top or resting below maximised windows. You can also move gadgets off the Windows Sidebar and place them anywhere on your desktop.