CyberNotes: A Look at the Top Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets
Microsoft Monday
One of the features brand new to Windows Vista is the Vista Sidebar where a user can personalize their sidebar with interactive gadgets. There’s a large variety of different gadgets to choose from in many categories like News and Feeds, Search Tool, Fun and Games, Multimedia, and more. Today we’re going to take a look at the top 5 downloaded Windows Vista Gadgets as well as five of my favorites.
–Top 5 Downloads–
- Multi Meter (Dual Core) v1.24
Want to measure your CPU usage? This handy gadget will monitor your CPU usage so you know what’s going on with your computer. It’s simple, clean, and easy to read, just the way it should be.
Number of downloads: 1,705,299
Download - eBay Sidebar Tool
This is a simple gadget to help you keep an eye on the items you’re selling, items you’re bidding on, when your feedback has changed, or when you have a new message waiting for you. You can also do an eBay search right from the gadget, and it features a tabbed interface.
Number of downloads:1,402,645
Download - Calculator
This calculator for your Vista Sidebar offers a bit more than the basic calculator. It’s got Trigonometry and Copy/Paste functions as well as Scientific notation display.
Number of downloads:1,126,547
Download - Weather Bug
There are multiple gadgets available for monitoring the weather, but the Weather Bug is the most popular in terms of downloads. You get get detailed forecasts, radar, weather cameras, and alerts if there is severe weather coming your way.
Number of downloads:1,053,256
Download - App Launcher
Add shortcuts to nearly anything, including folders!
Number of downloads:632,643
Download
–My Top Five–
While most of the five gadgets listed above under “Top Downloads” could certainly make my list of the top five, I wanted to point out more of my favorites without duplicating what we’ve already covered. So here’s my top five:
- WebGuide
Last week we talked about the usefulness of WebGuide and how you can schedule and stream shows from Media Center using it. They too have a Vista Sidebar Gadget and it will allow you to search for a show, view shows that have recorded, or view shows scheduled to record, right from your sidebar.
Number of downloads:19,205
Download - Package Tracker
This gadget is so nice to have for when you’re expecting packages. Right from your sidebar, you can track a package from all of the major carriers. Once you’ve entered in the tracking number, you won’t have to enter it again. The gadget will remember so you can easily go back and see its progress.
Number of downloads:20,646
Download - CTcontrol
CTcontrol is the ultimate time control gadget. It has a 24 hour alarm, a timer, 2 countdown options, a stopwatch, and 10 different skins among other features. You can even shutdown, restart, and lock your computer using this gadget. This gadget alone eliminates the need for several other gadgets.
Number of downloads:91,542
Download - Gas Price Information
Want to quickly access current gas prices in your local area? Use the MSN Gas Price information gadget. It has pricing data for over 90,000 gas stations across the United States. After entering in your zip code, it will tell you the lowest price, the average price, and the highest price of gas for your area.
Number of downloads:44,869
Download - Gmail Reader
If you’d like a gadget that will automatically check your Gmail account for new mail, Gmail Reader is a great solution. You’ll get a summarization of the last 20 emails in your inbox.You also have the option of hearing a sound when you have received new mail.
Number of downloads:12,063
Download
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Tags: CyberNotes, Software, Windows Vista
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Here’s one of my favorites – SimpleDate. It’s an all-in-one clock, calendar and weather app. It has multiple viewing options (the screenshot doesn’t show everything).
Screenshot:
[galley78.f2s.com]
Link:
[ucfknight.thehobbylounge.com]
I like System Control 1.2:
[gallery.live.com]
“System Control is much more than your average shutdown gadget. Aside from the normal Shutdown, Restart, Lock, and Sleep / Hibernate, we give you Switch User, Log Off, Task Manager, Run Window, and Command Prompt. All of those buttons can be re-ordered or disabled / enabled.”
That actually looks really cool! I’ll have to check that out.
Between the CTcontrol and the multi meter I have all those options as well (the multi meter lets me double-click it to open the task manager). Sounds pretty convenient though.
+1 for SimpleDate
Been using it for the last 3 months (wish I found it much earlier)
Dude
Your article got ripped off here:
[funhellen.com]
We hate content thieves, too. Thanks for pointing that out, but unfortunately there isn’t much we can do to these kinds of people except grrrr at them.
aint none of them downloads working