Widgets in the News

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/technology/18basics.html?ex=1326776400&en=7688d1334eb3722f&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

Article: “Some Bling for Your Blog,” by Scott Kirsner of the New York Times, discusses the increasingly common practice of using web widgets, or mini-applications that can be inserted into a website, to enhance and decorate blogs. Addresses some of the drawback of web widgets such as slow loading pages, ambiguity of function and the lack of a direct monetization model, and interviews several prominent bloggers for their perspective on the use of widgets.

“What’s a Widget?”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/03/16/VI2007031601094.html

Video: “What’s a Widget?” from WashingtonPost.com. Clearspring Technologies founder Hooman Radfar defines the term “widget” and describes the importance of mini-application functionality in light of the trend toward an increasingly personalized Internet experience, while demonstrating a Clearspring widget that displays the statistics of a user’s favorite NBA athlete.

“MySpace Restrictions Upset Some Users”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/technology/20myspace.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Article: “MySpace Restrictions Upset Some Users,” by Brad Stone of The New York Times, discusses the growing discontent among the MySpace community over recent restrictions on the use of widgets and other third party applications in user profile pages.

“Marketers Wend Widgets into Interactive Tactics”

http://www.brandweek.com/bw/magazine/current/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003380996

Article: “New Media: Marketers Wend Widgets into Interactive Tactics,” by Brian Morrissey of BrandWeek.com, discusses the potential of branded widgets to function as highly-targeted permission advertising. Offers examples including the Honda Acura RDX Yahoo! Widget, which provides real-time desktop traffic updates, and the Jimmy Dean HappyNews Ticker, which displays uplifting headlines from Happynews.com and promotes Jimmy Dean sausage’s “Happy Breakfast” ad campaign.

“The Year of the Widget?”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16329739/site/newsweek/

Article: “The Year of the Widget?” by Brian Braiker of Newsweek. Describes the recent explosion of widgets as a means of creating a personalized web experience by centralizing content on a desktop or website, as evidenced by the growing trend among well established media outlets such as The New York Times, ESPN and The Wall Street Journal to allow customized personal views of their homepages. Also discusses the incorporation of “gadget” applications into 2007’s major operating system releases, Mac OS X Leopard and Microsoft Windows Vista, and the possible opportunities for advertisers to capitalize on this trend.