[Joker]

Feel free to post about and link to your favorite Vista side bar gadgets. Some of my favorites are as under;

1. Multi Meter
Comes in Dual/Quad Core version. I wish they had ONE only for both the Dual/Quad core. Anyway, its a simple Sidebar Gadget. Shows Cpu usage in percentage, Ram Usage in percent and Ram information individually too, in digits that is Total, used, left size. Comes with 100 Skins + background selection

Multi Meter (for Dual Core)
Multi Meter (for Quad Core)

2. All CPU Meter
If you don't like Multi Meter. Here's another alternative which is better looking and shows the CPU usage in graph form too. Also shows CPU temp but you need to run Speedfan in the background for that which isn't bad at all.

Get it HERE

3. Battery Monitor
Displays the state of your laptop battery, and the remaining battery time if running on battery. The emaining battery time is refreshed every 20 seconds. Gadget color changes when battery is low.

Can be downloaded from,
Link - 1
Link - 2

4. Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor
The name says it! I love the radar-like display of it.

The Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor gadget uses a radar-like display to show available Wi-Fi networks (SSIDs) and their relative range. The main gadget face - when expanded off the sidebar - provides details on your connection and adapter, including SSID, channel, signal strength (current and history), IP address, and MAC address. A fly out window provides more granular details on available networks, including SSIDs, security settings, RSSI (in dBm or %), channels, BSSIDs (MAC Address), network types, and network modes. Statistical counters for the Wi-Fi adapter are also provided. Supports multiple Wi-Fi adapters. New 1.01 version (Jan. 18, 2008) removes dependency on User Account Control, fixes operation with different AV/firewall packages, and maintains settings across restarts.

Can be downloaded HERE

[Ric_Knight]

I agree with all of these. If your an outlook user, I would add Outlook Info. It provides reminders for all of your outlook info.

[Joker]

Hmm, sure Ric, you should link to it so its easy for people to find.

[Ric_Knight]

Sure thing. Windows Live Gallery

[Corrine]

I like Office Tips & Tricks which does as the title implies, provides helpful hints for Microsoft Office.

There's a nice writeup at Life Hacker on Useful Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets.

If there are any New Zealanders, you might be interested in New Zealand Sidebar Gadgets.

[Sheerdal]

Have you guys ever made your own Sidebar Gadgets? I have been trying to make a few have njoyed it there are a few things that I need to perfect like the flyout and what not. Unfortunately My work machine is Vista and thats it. So I program it at home and then test it at work. Do you all have any tips?

[djeuro]

theres A LOT of sidebar gadgets now. What i think is the most coolest is those little radio gadgets. you can listen to your favorite radios without having to go to the site. Also its kool that people can actually make them , and submit it, so other people can download it and use it. But theres also been some problems with them not functioning well, and also this is copying the mac

[sharkhead7854]

cool! i like number 3
if i ever got a laptop id want to see it bigger than the little icons on the taskbar that a lot of them have
i would take one everywhere, so id have to worry about the battery

[djeuro]

to the people who use vista, heres a link to download MANY usefull gadgets

Windows Live Gallery

[ChrisTheFeral]

I prefer Yahoo Widgets, there are THOUSANDS of user created widgets out there.

Yahoo! Widgets: useful, fun, beautiful little apps for Mac and Windows


I wish my computer was fast enough to run them - sad I know..