Desktop gadgets (overview)

Desktop gadgets (overview)

Desktop gadgets (overview)

Windows contains mini-programs called gadgets, which offer information at a glance and

provide easy access to frequently used tools. For example, you can use gadgets to display

a picture slide show or view continuously updated headlines.

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Applies to all editions of Windows 7

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In this topic

? Why use desktop gadgets?

Why use desktop gadgets?

? Getting started with gadgets

Desktop gadgets can keep information and tools readily available for you to use. For

example, you can display news headlines right next to your open programs. This way, if

you want to keep track of what's happening in the news while you work, you don't have

to stop what you're doing to switch to a news website.

? Which gadgets do I have?

? Adding and removing gadgets

? Organizing gadgets

You can use the Feed Headlines gadget to show the latest news headlines from sources

you choose. You don't have to stop working on your document, because the headlines

are always visible. If you see a headline that interests you, you can click that headline, and

your web browser will open directly to the story.

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Getting started with gadgets

To understand how to use gadgets, let's explore three gadgets: the Clock, Slide Show, and

Feed Headlines.

How does the Clock work?

When you right-click the Clock, you'll see a list of things you can do with the gadget,

including closing the Clock, keeping it on top of your open windows, and changing the

Clock's options (such as its name, time zone, and appearance).

You can right-click a gadget to see a list of things you can do

with it.

Tip

If you point to the Clock gadget, a Close button and an Options button

will appear near its upper-right corner.

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The Clock

How does Slide Show work?

Next, try resting the pointer on the Slide Show gadget, which displays a continuous slide

show of pictures on your computer.

Slide Show

Right-clicking Slide Show and clicking Options allows you to choose which pictures

appear in your slide show, control the speed at which your slide show plays, and change

the transition effect between pictures. You can also right-click Slide Show and point to

Size to change the size of the gadget.

Tip

When you point to Slide Show, the Close, Size, and Options buttons will

appear near the upper-right corner of the gadget.

Some gadgets, like Slide Show, have Close, Size, and

Options buttons.

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To change the slide show pictures

1. Right-click Slide Show and click Options.

2. In the Folder list, select the location of the pictures you want to display and click

OK.

Note

By default, Slide Show displays items in the Sample Pictures folder.

To set the slide show speed and transition effect

1. Right-click Slide Show and click Options.

2. In the Show each picture list, select the number of seconds to show each

picture.

3. In the Transition between pictures list, select the transition you want and click

OK.

How does Feed Headlines work?

Feed Headlines can display frequently updated headlines from a website that supplies

feeds, also known as RSS feeds, XML feeds, syndicated content, or web feeds. Websites

often use feeds to distribute news and blogs. To receive feeds, you need an Internet

connection. By default, Feed Headlines won't display any headlines. To start displaying a

small set of preselected headlines, click View headlines.

Feed Headlines

After you click View headlines, you can right-click Feed Headlines and click Options to

choose from a list of available feeds. You can add to the list by choosing your own feeds

from the web.

To display a feed in the Feed Headlines gadget

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Which gadgets do I have?

Before a gadget can be added, it must be installed on your computer. To see which

gadgets are installed on your computer, do the following:

1. Right-click the desktop and click Gadgets.

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2. Click the scroll buttons to see all the gadgets.

3. To see information about a gadget, click the gadget, and then click Show details.

Some of the gadgets that come with Windows 7 are Clock, Weather, Calendar, Feed

Headlines, Slide Show, and Picture Puzzle. You can download additional gadgets online

from the Windows website.

Note

The Sticky Notes program and the Sticky Notes gadget that were available

in previous versions of Windows have been replaced in Windows 7. If you

used either Sticky Notes or the Sticky Notes gadget in a previous version

of Windows and have upgraded your computer, any notes that you had

(either ink or text) should be available in the new version of Sticky Notes.

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Adding and removing gadgets

You can add any gadget that's installed on your computer to the desktop. If you want,

you can add multiple instances of a gadget. For example, if you are keeping track of time

in two time zones, you can add two instances of the Clock gadget and set the time of

each accordingly.

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To add a gadget

To remove a gadget

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Organizing gadgets

You can drag a gadget to a new position anywhere on the desktop.

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