Windows 7 Gadgets

Microsoft Vista and its associated sidebars were not very popular with many users. It quickly faded from existence and was replaced with the much more successful Windows 7. It contains helpful tools called Windows 7 gadgets. Let’s discuss some of the more effective and useful ones to consider using.

System monitor gadgets can be very useful to have on your desktop. They provide the ability to monitor your computer’s resources at all times. It can alert you to usage spikes which can affect performance. These spikes are normally not a problem but they can sometimes be indicative of a problem caused by malware or a virus.

There are three recommended system monitor gadgets for Window 7. They are called CPU Meter, Network Meter, and Drive Meter. The CPU meter displays processor usage in real time on a graphical display. It also monitors RAM usage. The network monitor displays the IP addresses in use and tracks the volume of data which is uploaded and downloaded at any one time. And the drives monitor displays all the connected hard drives and their available capacities.

Another pair of useful gadgets are Facebook and Twitter Explorer. They allow you to frequently access and update news and events on these accounts. Basically it allows you to visit these sites and stay up to date on important events without actually having to launch a browser.

There are limitations to what these gadgets can do. For example you can’t add any friends with the Facebook Explorer But if you’re just looking to stay up to date and keep your friends and followers up to date, these may be perfect tools.

The Skype gadget is another useful tool which allows you to make and receives calls through Skype very easily and effectively. It is resident on your desktop and always available when needed. So stay in touch with those you want quickly and easily with this gadget.

Another great gadget is the Doppler Radloop. Yes there are many weather related gadgets for Windows 7 but this one provides real time information of radar loops. This can be especially useful and important for situations involving strong storms in the area or hurricanes, etc.

Yes many people got turned off the gadgets if they tried the sidebars within Vista. But Microsoft has done an outstanding job developing easy to use and effective gadgets with Windows 7. They are far improved over earlier sidebar applications.

So give these tools a try. You are sure to find a number which will be very useful to you.