Desktop Gadget for Windows 7
Windows 7 offers some useful desktop gadget options which are quick and easy to configure. With these gadgets you can do things like check on currency valuations, see the latest news headlines or jot down a quick note. The Sidebar in Windows 7 and Vista is an area of the desktop that displays all of the gadgets made for specific small tasks.
These can be a real time-saver that let you avoid launching into a full application to accomplish many simple jobs. These gadgets are usually small programs that start up with Windows and remain active at all times, so there's no need to pen and close them. The Sidebar gadgets were originally introduced with Windows Vista, but in Windows 7 they are now free-floating so they can be moved around on the desktop. Windows XP doesn't include any of these gadgets or the Sidebar concept.