How to install and use widgets

In the old days, if you wanted to run even the simplest of applications, ­ a clock or calculator, say ­ you would have to hunt through your Start menu to run the program and then wait while it launches. Wouldn’t it be easier if the application was on screen whenever you needed it? Well, that’s precisely where widgets come in.

Computer ‘widgets’ are a type of mini-program or web tool that run on your computer’s desktop and can be used or referred to without having to go through the hassle of launching a full-blown application.

It’s possible to add widgets to Windows XP easily and free of charge. Windows Vista, meanwhile, comes with its own built-in widgets, except Microsoft doesn’t call them widgets. In Vista they’re known as ‘Gadgets’ and they’re usually found in the Windows Sidebar.

Side orders
The Sidebar is a strip that runs down one side of your desktop (usually on the right) and acts as a dock for a selection of widget-like mini applications.

If you don’t see the Sidebar on screen, go to Start, then All Programs, then Accessories and click on Windows Sidebar. Right-click (click the right-hand button on your computer's mouse) on the Sidebar and select Properties. Here you can put a tick next to ‘Start Sidebar when Windows starts’ to make sure your Gadget dock is always visible. It’s also possible to switch the Sidebar to the left of the screen or make it appear over the top of other windows.

A handful of Gadgets are included with Vista and you should find three of these – ­ a news ticker, an old-fashioned clock and a picture slideshow viewer – ­ in the default Sidebar selection. It’s possible to remove any or all of these (hover your mouse over the Gadget, then click the small ‘X’ that appears) and replace them with others of your choice.

Gadget freak
To add more Vista Gadgets, look at the top of the Sidebar ­ you should see a plus sign (+) next to a pair of left and right arrows. Click on the plus sign and this will open Vista’s Gadget browser.

From here you can double-click (clicking the left-hand button on your mouse twice quickly in succession) any Gadget you want and it will appear in the Sidebar. Vista comes with an assortment of useful Gadgets, including a currency converter and a handy processor and memory meter that looks like the speedometer on a car dashboard.

There are thousands of gadgets to choose from online ­ and they’re all free. Click the link labelled ‘Get more Gadgets online’ at the bottom of Vista’s Gadget browser and your web browser will launch and take you directly to Microsoft’s online Gadget repository.

You can either browse the most popular or highest-rated Gadgets for inspiration or type something into the search box to look for something specific.

When you find a Gadget you want, click the Download button, then read the warning that pops up and click Install. Follow the on-screen prompts and the Gadget will appear in the Sidebar.

In the dock
Most Gadgets can be customised ­ – hold your mouse over a Gadget and a small menu of icons should appear on the right. If a spanner icon is among them, click it to view some options. You may be allowed to alter the Gadget’s appearance or even modify its function.

It’s also possible to remove a Gadget from the Sidebar by hovering your mouse over it until the little mini menu appears on the right, clicking on the icon with eight dots and then dragging and dropping the Gadget onto your desktop.

Gadgets tend to increase in size when they’re undocked from the Sidebar, making them easier to read.