KludgeHack

Creating Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets

It was only about two months ago that I heard about the Microsoft Gadget Competition. Apparently they been doing this contests around the globe for a lot of countries, and they finally decided do it here in Portugal.

I was able to find some free time and started developing some gadgets for this competition. I ended up having two gadgets made in English, and two in Portuguese.

To make this gadgets I needed to go out of my way and stick my hands in the all so famous world of Javascript/AJAX. The Vista sidebar, just like Google and Apple, uses HTML to render gadgets.

The main downside is the lack of communication with Windows. Although they were developed in this way so that developers could make Web Gadgets and Sidebar Gadgets almost the same way (and offers a great level of security), they don’t allow the creation of more control over the system than a normal website.

The only upside I noticed in using HTML for gadgets, is the use of the same render engine for all gadgets: IE7+. For this environment, the special effects (Filters and Transitions) that IE bring, makes gadgets shine.

My first gadget was a FeedBurner gadget using their Awareness API to keep on the sidebar a feed readers count updated with the service. This was made so I and others can keep updated on this number without needing to visit the website.

After this, I created the very famous Jaw Breaker (Bubble Breaker?) that anyone using Windows Mobile already knows. I somehow find it an addictive game, and decided build one for the sidebar. This has been, by far the most downloaded (20000+) and well rated gadget of the four.

Not completely happy with my gadgets, I also build two more Portuguese gadgets that makes use of some Sapo services (main ISP in Portugal). One called Sapo Tráfego ADSL brings to the sidebar the current state (bandwidth) of the ADSL line, and one called Sapo Fotos that brings photos from their Photos service (very similar to Flickr).

So, feel free to test and use if you like, my gadgets. You can find them in the following links:

• FeedBurner Readers
• Jaw Breaker
• Sapo Fotos (Portuguese)
• Sapo Tráfego ADSL (Portuguese)

The contest begun last week at this website, and if you are Portuguese, go there and deliver some votes around and you will probably win one prize (six Office 2007).