Entries tagged with gadgets - Channel 10

Mars Gadget for Vista

sarahintampa — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:48:00 GMT

Sweet! Brandon just posted about the coolest little gadget I’ve seen in a while –the Mars weather gadget for Vista. Thanks to the Phoenix Mars Lander, this gadget displays the maximum and minimum daily temps on Mars as well as the Mars weather. Hint: It’s sunny a lot there. And for even more Mars fun, the Lander is also on Twitter so you can get quick and humorous updates from the mission throughout the day, like this:

Build Your Own Gadgets with Bug Labs

Nic — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:53:00 GMT

Got a great idea for a gadget but don't have access to a silicon fab plant in Taiwan?
Bug Labs allows you to create your own gadgets with modular snap-in components like a digital camera, accelerometer and GPS receiver.
We caught up with the guys from Bug Labs at Maker Faire for a quick overview of what it takes to build the next great gizmo!
More info: http://www.buglabs.net

ShareMaster Gadget for WHS

sarahintampa — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:45:00 GMT

The Home Server Hacks blog has just announced a new Windows Vista Sidebar gadget just for Windows Home Server users. This gadget, called "ShareMaster for Home Server," gives you quick access to the Windows Home Server's standard shared folders (Music, Photos, Public, Software, Users and Videos). The gadget has six icons on it that correspond to those six shared folders on the server. Clicking an icon on the gadget will open up that network shared folder. What's even cooler, though, is that you can drag and drop files onto the icons themselves to automatically move them from your PC to your Home Server. That's handy! This is definitely a must-have tool for any Windows Home Server owners. You can download the gadget from here. (image via Home Server Hacks)

Favorite Sidebar Gadgets

sarahintampa — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:31:00 GMT

Ed Bott put up a post about his favorite Vista sidebar gadgets the other day, which I thought was worth sharing. His favs included the clock and the notes gadget (both standard gadgets), as well as iWeather, a tweaked version of the standard weather gadget, Remote Desktop Gadget 2.0, App Launcher v3, a customizable collection of icons to launch favorite programs, and the Windows Search Indexer Gadget, which we covered here. He asked what others favorites are, so I'm going to revisit this topic and respond with some of the gadgets I'm running now:

Of course, I love the Channel 10 gadget, but did you know there are gadgets for Channel 9, Mix Online, and TechNet Edge, too? As a blogger, I also love the Feedburner Readers gadget, so I can obsessively check my subscriber numbers, and since I collect Coke Rewards point, I was happy to find a gadget just for that. I've also added the System Control gadget, which is definitely one of the better shutdown gadgets out there, offering you the ability to do more than just the normal Shutdown, Restart, Lock, and Sleep / Hibernate. It also lets you Switch User, Log Off, Run Task Manager, open the Run Window, and run the Command Prompt.

We've covered a lot of cool gadgets in the past, if you're looking for more cool ones to try. Laura even posted a video about our favs back in December. If you love gadgets, you can also stay updated on the latest arrivals by subscribing to the Windows Live Gallery feed. (img via frankarr)

Indexer Sidebar Gadget

sarahintampa — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:23:00 GMT

Are you using Windows Search or the Windows Search 4.0 Preview to index your PC's files for quick and easy searching? Then you might like the Windows Indexer Status Gadget from Brandon Paddock. Brandon, a member of the Windows Shell team, created this gadget to keep tabs on how many files Windows Search has indexed. You can also use the gadget to see how many items still need to be processed or open the indexing options control panel. With the pause and play buttons, you can start and stop indexing from running, and, if you're running Windows Search 4.0 Preview, there is an "Index Now" button, too. You can even change the gadget's colors! Download the gadget here.

Channel 10 Vista Sidebar Gadget

Larry — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:56:00 GMT

If you can't get enough Channel 10 (it's a known problem) you might want to check out our new Channel 10 Vista Sidebar gadget. This gadget will sit on your desktop and scroll through everything that goes through our front page. You can click the '10' logo on the top of the gadget to jump to the latest post, click the photo to open the gadget up, and then click the left and right arrows that appear to cycle through posts. You can even watch videos right from the gadget through the Silverlight player. (Special thanks to Donavon West, author of LiveGadgets.net and HomeServerHacks.com, for putting the 'gad' in our gadget.)

TRULY small MP3 players at CES 2008

Laura — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:42:00 GMT

We took a poll and you voted- what you wanted to see from the 2008 CES show was small, tiny gadgets. So I found what I think is TRULY the smallest MP3 player at the event. The added bonus is, not only is it small enough to wear as a necklace charm but its easy to use, affordable, stylish and has great audio quality.

Windows Sideshow toiminnallisuus Windows Mobile laitteisiin

jukkaw — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:06:33 GMT

Mielenkiintoinen juttu löytyi Jason Langridge:n blogista

Windows mobiili laitteet laajentavat liikkuvan henkilön mahdollisuuksia aivan uudelle tasolle. Katso, mitä Ikanos Consulting on kehittämässä ja lataa esiversio täältä.

Vista-Style Desktop Clock for Non-Vista PCs

sarahintampa — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:00:00 GMT

Are you an XP user with Vista widget-envy? One of the most useful Vista widgets is the clock, which is one of the default widgets included with Vista's sidebar. Now Windows XP users can get a clock of their very own. ClockX is a desktop clock that comes pre-loaded with lots of different themes from which to choose. You can also configure several options like whether you want the clock pinned to the desktop, always on top, how transparent it is, whether it should start with Windows, etc. However, its killer feature is the ability to configure alarms. The alarms can be configured to display a message, play a sound or video, execute an application, shut down the PC, or any combination of those options. Now, that's handy! Vista users, don't fret, ClockX will work for you, too. (Via the How-To Geek)

Office Tips Sidebar Gadget

sarahintampa — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:00:00 GMT

With the new Microsoft Office Tips Gadget, you can teach yourself a new tip or trick for Microsoft Office every day. The gadget, designed for the Windows Vista sidebar, is great for new users, or for those of us who found ourselves overwhelmed with all the new features of Office 2007, and not enough time to learn them all. With this gadget, you can just learn a little bit at a time. When you see a new tip display, all you have to do is click on it and it will display the full text of the tip, and then you can go test your newfound knowledge in Microsoft Office. To download this gadget, click here to visit the Windows Live Gallery. (found on the Windows Vista Team blog)

Outlook Gadgets

sarahintampa — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:25:00 GMT

I've recently discovered several handy Outlook sidebar gadgets that can help me stay up-to-date with the flood of incoming messages in my Outlook inbox. If you saw my other Outlook post, you'll know that I'm a big fan of the ClearContext add-in for Microsoft Outook, so when I saw this ClearContext gadget, I had to get it. The ClearContext Inbox Alert Gadget is a fast way to preview your Outlook email. Using priority color-coding and message sorting & filtering, the gadget gives you an "heads-up" view of your busy inbox. The gadget is a free download, and you don't have to use ClearContext to benefit from it. Combine that with two other great Outlook gadgets - Outlook Appointments and Outlook Tasks - and you can easily keep an eye on your inbox, without obsessively checking your email and calendar throughout the day.

Tivo Gadget for Windows Vista

sarahintampa — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:22:00 GMT

Mike Swanson recently blogged about a cool new gadget he wrote for the Windows Vista Sidebar, the TiVo Gadget for Windows Vista. The gadget, available for download here, is the perfect addition to TiVo users' desktops. Even if you have multiple TiVos in your house, you can utilize this gadget to see the "Now Playing" lists from your DVR. You can configure the gadget to group shows from the same series together and when the gadget notices a new recording, it will ding. For homes with multiple TiVos, you can give the units friendly names, like "Downstairs" or "Den" to help identify them. When you click on the name of a TV show in the gadget, you can see the show's description. There is a bit of trickery involved to get the TiVo's name for use in the gadget because TiVos, unlike most networked devices, don't share their name (aka "the service number") on the network. There are several steps involved to get your TiVo's name, but Mike has them well-documented on his blog post, so they're pretty easy to follow. Once you have the service name, you just enter that and your Media Access Key into the gadget's settings and you'll be done - your TiVo's "Now Playing" list will now be on your desktop!

Automatic Wallpaper Changer

sarahintampa — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:22:00 GMT

I tend to change my desktop wallpaper on a fairly regular basis, so when I discovered this Vista sidebar gadget that can do it for me, I was thrilled. The Desktop Wallpaper gadget is similar to the Slide Show gadget, except that it allows you to change your wallpaper in designated intervals. What's cool about it is that it allows for a couple more wallpaper options than Vista supports by default, like "crop to fit screen" and "maintain aspect ratio." You can either have the slide show feature playing or you can set that option to "preview next wallpaper" instead. The gadget's author has created other great gadgets, including the Polaroid gadget which lets you place photos on your desktop, rotate them, and give them captions. He is also working on version 2 of the Desktop gadget, which would bring video to the desktop as well, like DreamScene does.

Our Favorite Gadgets

Laura — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:48:00 GMT

Windows Vista Gadgets have become a very commonplace feature on our computer desktops. However, navigating through the thousands and thousands that are offered to you can be a towering feat. So, my team and I have gone ahead and done some of that work for you. I offer you, our top 10 gadgets that will greatly improve your life, productivity, health, wealth and wisdom (and a few just for fun).

CSI Widget, GamePass, PopCap, Say It, Twadget, Last.Fm, Mini Thesaurus, Mini Dictionary, Dream Interpreter, Expedia Fare Alert

What are yours?

The unseen Microsoft

Laura — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:09:00 GMT

I first learned about the Microsoft embedded department at The Imagine Cup. It's a category that seemed half software design and half hardware design- in fact it confused many outsiders. However, once we caught on, it was easily one of the most interesting aspects of the competition. So...continuing my love of all things "embedded"-I visited their home base here in Redmond to see what new and exciting toys they had coming down the pike. Good stuff.

Popfly - Mashups für Jedermann

lorigros — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:28:00 GMT

Letzte Woche hat Steve Ballmer auf dem Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco die Beta-Version von Popfly vorgestellt. Popfly ist ein Online-Tool um Webanwendungen, Webseiten, Mashups und Gadgets zu bauen. Es hat eine auf Silverlight basierende Oberfläche und bietet einen einfachen Weg eigene Kreationen zu erstellen sowie mit anderen auszutauschen. Dazu sind keinerlei Programmierkenntnisse nötig. Mit Popfly kann man seine eigene Webseite, sein Live Spaces oder Facebook-Profile und seinen Blog auf einfache Art und Weise sehr spannend erweitern.
In diesem Video zeige ich wie spaßig und einfach es ist mit Popfly zu arbeiten. Popfly findet man online unter: www.popfly.com

NFL Sidebar Gadgets

sarahintampa — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:05:00 GMT

Attention sports fans! Here are 3 must-have Vista sidebar gadgets that any NFL fan must have:

1. The NFL News Gadget: This gadget can be configured to either show you the latest headlines for the entire league or you can change it to just show you the news about your favorite team.

2. The NFL Scores Gadget: This gadget shows you your team's current score for the ongoing game or it will display who they are playing next & when.

3. The Sports News Gadget: This gadget displays general sports news but can be customized to just show news from a specific sport like football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc.

(Thanks to the InsideMicrosoft blog for this!)

Expedia Fare Alert Vista Sidebar Gadget

sarahintampa — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:37:00 GMT

The popular travel website, Expedia, has introduced a new Windows Vista sidebar gadget that is perfect for anyone planning a vacation. The Expedia Fare Alert Vista Sidebar Gadget is now availabe for download from the Windows Live Gallery website. This handy gadget can be customized to search for the best fares for up to three different domestic or international destinations.

You can configure the gadget to search for the flights you want, the month you want to travel, and the price you want to pay. When all of the crieria is met, the gadget displays a real-time desktop alert with the pricing information. If you click on the alert, you will be taken to the Expedia.com website where you can book the flight and lock in the fare displayed. Additionally, the Fare Alert gadget's calendar feature displays the lowest daily fare for the flight or flights you're interested in. This is a great tool for anyone who wants to find a good, low-priced airfare, but who doesn't have time to keep scouring websites for the best deal.

Sweet Sidebar Gadget: Vista Hot Corners

Jesse — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:56:00 GMT

The Vista Hot Corners Sidebar gadget enables you to quickly engage Vista's Flip 3D function, simply by rolling the mouse over the gadget. You can adjust the gadget's size and color, as well as whether you want your open windows arranged using Vista's Flip 3D or in a flat style similar to Mac OS X's Expose. One of the most telling measures of software usability is the number of clicks a given operation requires (in the early days at Palm there was an employee who's sole task it was just to 'count taps'), and this gadget does wonders for saving you those precious taps, clicks, or punches, depending on your attitude.

The Geek Stories: Wireless Health Gadgets for Life

nhodge — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:30:00 GMT

Bruce Satchwell, CEO of Alive Technologies, just loves his gadgets. These gadgets do some pretty cool things: watch your blood oxygen level, ECG and heart rate over Bluetooth to your Windows Mobile phone.

Add a GPS, collate the data and map onto a live.com map: and you have the perfect exercise gadget for the sporty-and-wired-up cyber-geek.

Watch this episode of The Geek Stories and see these devices hooked up to both Bruce and your host. Whowill flatline first?

Vista Sidebar gadgets running wild

Jesse — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:37:00 GMT

Call them gadgets, widgets, sprockets, or tribbles. Regardless of the name, these little mini-applications have spread like wildfire and they're showing no signs of stopping. Sidebar gadgets are one of the most eye-catching parts of Vista, and they're one of the largest opportunities to tailor your user experience and decrease your dependence on keeping dozens of websites open at all times.

If you're looking for the next hot conference, the Mix '07 Countdown gadget will show you how long you've got to prep for the 72-hour conversation. For those who simply cannot put together a colorful website (or outfit), the Color Swatches gadget will deliver you softly into the technicolor world. If you're web-two-oh savvy, then you can chirp at your friends with Twitter's Twadget gadget. To minimize your time stuck in traffic, the Traffic by Live Search Maps gadget will help you drive quicker. You can never have too much meteorological info, so chase the sun with a WeatherBug gadget or four. Always know what to date your checks with the 'Flickrized' Calendr gadget. The KEXP Now Playing gadget gives you a peek at when you can mute your favourite Northwest internet radio station, and when you've simply got to rock out. Save the roos and dingos with the Australian Brushfire Danger gadget (provided you happen to be a volunteer firefigher). Those of us who live with near-constant precipitation can try to stay dry using the USA Doppler Radar gadget. Branch out and psyche up for Imagine Cup '08 with the Korean Audio Word of the Day gadget. Pick your tags of preference, subscribe to the RSS feed of your friendly neighborhood photo site, and look out on the world with the Feedr gadget.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye on Gadgets from TeamBlackshirt, as their eye for style and substance is second to none.

Vista Gadgets running on Windows Mobile

Laura — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 01:56:00 GMT

Windows Vista has so many great features and I know a favorite at the top of everybody's list are the gadgets. "But Laura..." you say..."I love my gadgets so MUCH that I wish I could take them with me everywhere!" Well, stop you're whining I say and check out this application that Mel Sampat is creating.

Demo: Hooking the Zune up to a monitor in your car

Duncan — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:59:00 GMT

Ben Martens, a Microsoft employee and Zune enthusiast sent us over this video of him using his Zune with his Pioneer in-car stereo/navigation system and, being the extroverted type of folks that we are, we thought you might want to check it out.

Want to see something in particular about the Zune? Let us know in the comments and we'll see what we can do!

eStarling (wi-fi enabled LCD picture frame) now available for pre-order

Duncan — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 19:51:00 GMT

I've been wanting to buy a LCD picture frame for quite a while, but to be blunt... they've all sucked in various ways. I don't want to have to take it off the wall to hook up a USB cable to my PC... I don't want to have to fill up a SD card and refresh it every once in a while ... and I really don't want to pay a monthly fee to download photos from some online service. What I really want is to just upload my photos to Flickr like I already do... tag them appropriately and have them just show up in the picture frame.

Enter the eStarling, a RSS/wi-fi/email enabled picture frame that has mostly been rumour for the past year or so... the Think Geek page has been showing them as unavailable (even for pre-order) for months and months. But they are available now, pre-order quick before they shut it down! Of course, at $250 ... it isn't quite an impulse buy, but this is definitely the picture frame that geeks have been wanting for awhile.

Zune! It's Official! So.....

Tina — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:35:00 GMT

Microsoft's answer to the iPod has officially launched. I stopped by Major Nelson's office yesterday and got the chance to put my hands on a Zune. I must say that the wi-fi sharing of songs and digital photos is pretty cool. I didn't get the chance to check out the integrated FM Radio Tuner though. It's slightly bigger then the iPod and the screen looks great. Most of you guys have been reading the same articles I have. So what do you think of the Zune?