Version: 2008

Yahoo Widgets Engine 3.1

  • Quick specs
  • Price: Free
  • Operating system: Windows 2000/XP
  • Date added: April 14, 2006
  • Total Downloads: 611,582
  • Downloads last week: 4,974
  • See full specifications
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A newer version of Yahoo Widgets Engine is available.

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CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

Yahoo Widget Engine lets you add small stand-alone applications that can offer an endless variety of features, content, and system functionality. Think of widgets as desktop extensions. Twenty default widgets are included with the Widget Engine--examples include a local weather forecaster, a Yahoo Mail manager, and a Wi-Fi signal checker. Though the true value of the Widget Engine will be judged on the quality of the widgets developed, the platform itself is polished and easy to use. Only small interface annoyances, aggressive system behavior, and the lack of a "must-have" widget keep it from earning a top rating.

A helpful tour introduces users to the basics of widgets, offering up a few as examples. Adding and removing widgets is simple, but personalizing the Widget Engine interface is limited. While you can change the one hot key for displaying widgets and select from 16 languages, not much else is customizable. Most of the included widgets do include tweaks such as skinning options, however. One annoyance is widgets don't show up in the Windows Alt-Tab menu, requiring a click on a visible widget or the Taskbar menu. Also, the Widget Engine inserts itself into your start-up programs without asking. You can unselect that option in the Preferences.

Yahoo Widget Engine is a valuable tool for users of Yahoo services and an interesting download for anyone who wants stand-alone desktop tools for regular Web activities, system information, or whatever cool feature the next great widget will offer.

Publisher's description

From Yahoo :

The Yahoo Widget Engine (formerly known as Konfabulator) is a JavaScript runtime engine for Windows and Mac OS X that lets you run little files called Widgets that can do pretty much whatever you want them to. Widgets can be alarm clocks, calculators, can tell you your WiFi signal strength, will fetch the latest stock quotes for your preferred symbols, and even give your current local weather.

The latest version adds language selection to the Preferences dialog and the ability to disable launching the Engine at computer start-up.

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User reviews of Yahoo Widgets Engine 3.1

  • Showing 3 of 3 user reviewsSee all 3 user reviews
    This software version | All versions

  • 5 stars

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Version: Yahoo Widgets Engine 3.1

    "a must have, standalone desktop stuff..."

    by tkuzz on April 14, 2006

    Pros: -for all this motnhs ive been searching for a calendar, analog clock, worldclock, calculator, weather tools etc.....some are paid version, some suspected malware......but in yahoo! widget engine you can have all of that...for free!!!!(even more ;)...if you look at the gallery it have tons of widgets you can think of...and even create one!!... trully recommended...

    Cons: -if you use too much widgets...youll use too much of ram

    -took a while on startup

    -security flaw??...even it looks like it has potential(especially the third party widgets) but so far nothing bad...

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  • 4 stars

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Version: Yahoo Widgets Engine 3.1

    "Gorgeous but useless!"

    by abhuday on May 12, 2006

    Pros: 1- The tiny programs look great.

    2- You can adjust the opacity of a widget, you can make it transparent, translucent or completely opaque.

    3- You can view all the widgets running on your PC by just one click on the "Heads up" button.

    4- There are so many different widgets.

    Cons: 1- The widgets are useless. Seriously, what am I supposed to do with an enlarged recycle bin or a digital clock on my desktop?

    2- If you run a lot of widgets at the same time, the memory gets eaten up. (obviously)

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  • 4 stars

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

    Version: Yahoo Widgets Engine 3.1

    "Must have for Yahoo Users"

    by tejasi on April 28, 2006

    Pros: I have been using this widget since a long time. This engine has most of the programs i need. you can also personalise this program by downloading the widgets you need. its a all n one kind of a program.eg I have ones which tells me my internet Speed, my hard drive space, picture Frames, Day Planner. This program also gives easy acess to most of the yahoo Services like calender, contacts , mails, notepad etc

    Its must have for Yahoo users.

    Cons: it takes too much of memory Space

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  • See all 3 user reviews Write review

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