What in the world is a DesktopGadgets.com?

and why do i care anyway?

Published on April 8, 2006 By RomanDA In WinCustomize News

What is DesktopGadgets.com? (dg)
DG is a web site setup to showcase, sell, and yes to GIVE AWAY Gadgets.

What are Gadgets
What are Gadgets? Gadgets are a new category of mini-application designed to provide information, useful lookup, or enhance an application or service on your Windows PC or the Web. Examples might include a weather gadget running on your desktop or on your homepage, an RSS Gadget that pulls in your favorite feeds, or an extension of a business application providing just-in-time status on the pulse of your business. What makes gadgets different from "widgets" is that they do not require additional any additional downloads in order to use. They are "stand alone".

Creating Gadgets
Gadgets can be made in a variety of ways. One way to create them is with Stardock DesktopX Pro. DesktopX Pro lets developers easily create gadgets. Other ways to create gadgets will arrive in the future. For example, Microsoft has announced a new development program called "Sparkle" which will allow developers to create gadgets using XAML and Windows Presentation Foundation.
Visit the DesktopX website for more information: http://www.desktopx.net/

Ok, why do I care?

Kewl Klock, or display the weatherr on your work pc, or on a pc that doesn't have or can't load DesktopX?

Maybe you would like to have a Hard Drive meter, or a System information program?

What if you just cant make that tuff decision and you need to have help?

What about keeping tabs on all your favorite sport scores?

RSS Readers, Media Players, a great way to look up local Gas Prices, keep tabs on your contacts with MSN Status, Desktop Sticky notes, and even a great way to send a message to everyone else at work at the same time.

Did you know that a lot of these are FREE? yes FREE! -

Ok, SOOOOO?

Well, lets see. Desktop Gadgets is a site that is for anyone who is looking for a way to spice up their boring desktop, to do some things that you can't do now, and to possible make a few bucks (if you make gadgets)..

Yes, DG is a STORE, it allows you to buy gadgets that others have made, but it also allows you to sell your own gadgets that you can create with DesktopX PRO.

This is a great opportunity for you to not only make a few bucks, but to show off some of your work to friends that don't have DX or wouldn't load it if you paid them.
You don't have to sell you gadgets you can also make them available for free. Giving you a much larger potential audience then WC alone.

So show me some of these great gadgets already!


Gal Civ II Weather	LOCAL Gas Prices	SD System Navigator

Arrow Player	Sticky Notes	Gal Civ II Hard Drive Meters

Magic 8-Ball	Gal Civ II Calendar	Sport Strip Sport Scores

So please check out http://www.desktopgadgets.com/ and see for yourself what all is there and available!

Comments

thomassen

on Apr 09, 2006

DigitalDanes

on Apr 09, 2006

Just to add to this: I've bought the gas price gadget (I have to travel to several sites I manage and even though the company pays for it, I still want to put in the cheapest I can!) and I also got the Speed-ohh Dashboard gadget (excellent job on that Roman!). I bought a new car for myself as a Christmas present (and yesterday was my birthday so the car and I both got our 3 month service...LMAO!) so I put a wallpaper image of my car on the desktop. The gas checker and dashboard speedometer looking gadget go right with my theme (and there's even a Mitsu logo to put on my dashboard...way cool!) Well worth the 8 dollar birthday cost.
DD

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central

CerebroJD

on Apr 09, 2006

Excellent writeup Roman! Thanks for pointing the world that way... hopefully people will see the value in the Gadgets over there!

seldomseen

on Apr 09, 2006

Roman,

So glad you put this up! Gadgets and widgets are, for me, really indispensable now that I've started using them. I'm afraid I've taken them for granted, as I've had Desktop X for so long now. I forget that not everyone knows about them and how the desktop can offer so much information in a practical and even fun way!

I constantly use a number of them in my daily PC tasks, sometimes running the system just to watch them perform. Amazing what all the developers come up with!

First thing I note when I fire it up is the email checker that's only the size of half a postage stamp (the particular one I'm using at the moment). Then the clock I've chosen (the size of a stamp) that unobtrusively sits where I put it. Usually I have time to read the news and listen to some music or news, so I open one of the RSS newsreaders and turn on my current player of choice to hear, literally, any station or music I want in the world (thru Audigy 5.1 or phones). My favorite at the moment is http://www.kcrw.com/asx/kcrwmusic.asx as I'm an ex-L.A. refugee

Another great feature is the ability, with only a couple of clicks, to set the Z-order so the ones I want can stay visible as I work, watch a film, etc.!

I know you wizards must burn a lot of hours making these, especially you, and I'm really grateful! For the cost of a magazine or burger and a few keystrokes, everything in the way of info I use daily is available.

Oh, yeah...there's the other ones that are just plain fun, too. And like you said, most are free, some obviously take a great deal of coding and cost, what, the price of an e-book, maybe.

Keep up the great work. Thanks to you, all the artists, and Stardock/WinCustomize, and the many other people responsible for gettin' it out here for us.
Major attaboy/girl !!

on Apr 09, 2006

Excellent work .. !!!

seldomseen

on Apr 10, 2006

shucks...

Rednose

on Apr 10, 2006

I have purchased SportStrip and SD Navigator. Both of which I am very pleased with. I like the way the programmer of SportStrip notifies of updates to the gadget. And the work that went into SD Navigator is unbelievable. Well worth the price!

ZubaZ

on Apr 10, 2006

I picked up Corporate commnad and it makes for a nice alert system. It reminds me of the net send command line string but much cooler! http://www.desktopgadgets.com/ViewGadget.aspx?GadgetID=55

RomanDA

on Apr 10, 2006

I like the way the programmer of SportStrip notifies of updates to the gadget.

I thought this was a great feature to add, espically since the SportStrip has a LOT of possible changes, due to the feeds and games, etc. I have put out about 11 or more updates to this since it was released, and the way it looks up the version info has worked very well. And it really wasnt that hard to setup.

Im glad you are enjoying the SS, and the other gadgets. Pass on the Trial version and get others hooked!

_Martin_

on Apr 11, 2006

Thanks for trying to promote the site Roman, I'm sure all of us developers appreciate it.

I'll be getting DeskNotes 2 up there soon which is a huge improvement on the original, which will hopefully be another reason for people to visit!

ExodusCrow

on Apr 11, 2006

I agree with Martin. Thanks for writing that article Roman. Very informative!

joeKnowledge

on Apr 12, 2006

Just wondering for those who make those gadgets, anybody making a email reader that also holds dates, numbers and other contact information?

seldomseen

on Apr 16, 2006

Using CJD's news feed RSS reader. Once I got the xmls figured out, it's outstanding!

RomanDA

on May 03, 2006

Please see: Link!!!

seldomseen

on May 03, 2006

Dave: You've got mail

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