Oh, this is so awesome. Someone finally went and built a Windows Vista style sidebar to keep Desktop Gadgets in for Windows 7 x86/x64. (Unlike the hidden Windows 7 x64 sidebar which doesn’t work for Flash/Silverlight based gadgets, or any x86 sidebars copied from Windows Vista which won’t support flyout menus/panels from Gadgets)
It has the following benefits:
- The sidebar holds any gadgets and stays always visible or hides automatically
- No setup required. Just start the gadget and you have a sidebar!
- Many languages, 64-bit, high-dpi, aero-theme and skin support
- Handy window-manager with live-thumbnails included. The thumbnails can be configured to update even if the window is minimized.
- Keeps gadgets visible along the side even if windows are max-size
- Enables ‘paging’ of gadgets, allowing you to keep multiple pages of gadgets at the ready
- Works with x86 & x64 gadgets – i.e. Flash based gadgets work along with ‘flyouts’
- Gadgets “fit” together automatically conserving sidebar real estate
What’s even cooler is that the Sidebar itself IS A DESKTOP GADGET. It’s basically a shell for other gadgets to fit in.
I love this thing so much, it’s easily my favorite Windows 7 tool.
- DOWNLOAD: “Sidebar 7” for Windows 7 (x86/x64)
http://nes.bplaced.net/sidebar7.html