The Widget Revolution – About Widgets
What are Widgets?
Widgets are small boxes of information displayed on a user’s desktop. Many widgets can be customized by a user (such as for local weather or stock quotes).
How are Widgets Used?
Widgets can also be used to communicate announcements, events, and other important information. Information included in a widget is typically updated on a set schedule depending upon how likely the information is to change (stock quotes, for example, might be updated more frequently than weather forecasts). |
The Yahoo! Widget Platform
Our widgets are developed to run on the Yahoo! widget platform The Yahoo! platform has a high degree of acceptance and is stable and secure.
Unlike browser-based widgets, the Yahoo! platform offers two way communication opportunities between companies and users. |
Widget Realm v. Web Widgets
How Our Widget Solutions Differ From Widgets Created by Other Companies
Communication Tool
Our widget solutions provide communication between our clients and their audience. Our competitors focus on providing widgets that allow for self-expression on social websites, such as Facebook, or that are developed solely to promote an advertiser’s product or service, such as movie trailers.
Desktop Applications
Our widgets open on the desktops of user’s computers. They don’t require a web browser, and information is pushed directly to the widgets. Web widgets require a browser window to be opened, and for users to be at a website where the widget content can be displayed.
Mutliple Windows
Our widgets allow multiple windows to be opened at once on a desktop. A User can read news through the main widget while watching video in one window and viewing a poll in another window simultaneously. Web widgets allow for only one window to be opened at a time.
Management System
Through our Widget Management System, widget owners can easily add content, including news, announcements, calendar events, video, streaming audio, polls, surveys, and more. With other widget companies, once the widget is built, it can’t be modified (a new widget must be created if content is to be changed).
Sponsorship - Not Advertising
Other widget companies monetize their widgets by offering “free” widgets that consist either entirely of advertising, or that run advertising through the widgets. The widget owner can’t control the advertising content. We do not run advertising through our widgets. If a widget owner wishes to monetize their widget, they can have a “sponsored by” logo on the front of the widget, but this is entirely up to the widget owner.
Widget Examples
Click "Get Widget" to download.
Widget Realm Widgets vs. Websites
|
Widgets |
vs. |
Websites |
General Usage |
Urgent communications, daily announcements, changes in schedules and activities, lunch menus, key contact information |
vs. |
Detailed information not likely to change frequently, such as general information about schools, school districts, |
Accessibility |
Yahoo! platform is downloaded, and individual widgets are added. |
vs. |
User opens internet browser and types in website address |
Update Frequency |
Can be set to update as often as every few seconds |
vs. |
Typically not updated frequently |
When viewed |
Whenever users see their computer desktop |
vs. |
Only when users choose to visit the school’s website |
Communication of Important Announcements |
Administrator can send urgent announcements, which are immediately viewable on the desktops of users |
vs. |
Typically must be added to website by programmer. Problem - people impacted by announcement don’t know that they need to visit website. |
Time required to make changes |
Administrator logs into account, types in urgent announcement, and clicks submit button. |
vs. |
Time to change website will be dependent upon availability of IT person, and how quickly coding changes can be made. |
Programming Skills required |
None |
vs. |
Usually at least some level of html programming and design |
