The Sidebar is a brand new feature, introduced with Windows Vista. The Sidebar takes advantage of large monitors and screen resolutions by giving you a dock on either side of your screen. The Sidebar contains mini-programs called "Gadgets." Some basic gadgets come with Windows Vista, many more are downloadable from the Windows Marketplace. While some Sidebar gadgets are sold by third-party software vendors, the vast majority of gadgets are free.
The screenshot on the left shows the Windows Sidebar with three typical gadgets: Clock, Weather, and RSS Feeds. All three gadgets are free, and ship with Vista.
We will start by looking at the ten-or-so gadgets that ship with Vista; we'll then show you where to download other gadgets and how to install them. You will learn how to add or remove gadgets to the Sidebar, and how to navigate through multiple "screens" of gadgets. In our exploration of Vista's gadgets, we will show how to change the settings of a gadget, with examples. Finally, we will introduce you to the Windows Sidebar properties and options, and how to tweak its settings.