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Netvibes promotes global exchange of universal widgets with Sohu and Maxthon

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netvibes.pngNetvibes announced that it has partnered with Sohu and Maxthon to expand its Universal Widget platform across Asia.

Netvibes Universal Widget API (UWA) enables developers to quickly build universal widgets in just a few lines of code. Netvibes universal widgets are cross-compatible with the web’s leading widget platforms from Apple, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. The widgets are automatically distributed across the Netvibes Ecosystem– the web’s largest network of universal widgets, featuring official partner content from the world’s leading media companies, such as CBS Interactive, CNET China Group, Die Welt, Le Figaro, New York Times and USA Today.

Sohu is the foremost network of leading web properties and portals in China and represents one of the biggest developer communities in the world. Sohu announced its new Open Widget Platform on January 1, 2008, and held the first Sohu Open Widget Developer Forum two days later. Sohu Open Widget Platform supports Netvibes UWA to empower its developer community to rapidly develop and distribute universal widgets across the web.

Maxthon is used by more than 30% of Internet users in China to browse the Web, and it is growing rapidly in the U.S. and other countries as word of mouth has spread through a network of enthusiastic fans. One reason for its popularity is its integrated widget platform, which has allowed users to develop their own plug-ins, or widgets, to expand Maxthon’s already impressive list of features.

Originally posted on January 14, 2008 @ 11:25 am

Gigya launches ad network for accelerated widget distribution

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gigya.pngGigya has launched its widget distribution network, which connects advertisers, content providers and social media users, to deliver and track results-driven widget advertising campaigns. Kimberly-Clark, Jive Records, 360i, and Avenue A | Razorfish, who is running multiple campaigns, are some of the charter advertisers achieving thousands of widget installs per day through the Gigya network.

The Gigya Widget Advertising & Distribution Network connects advertisers with a large audience of active widget and social media users — charging only when someone actively endorses a branded widget by choosing to install it on their profile page, blog or desktop — and by providing visibility into all of the ways individuals are interacting with a widget’s features and functionality.

Originally posted on January 14, 2008 @ 10:35 am

Widgetbox launches App Accelerator for Bebo

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widgetbox.pngWidgetbox has released its App Accelerator for Bebo, allowing developers to create apps on Bebo’s new Open Application Platform in minutes. Developers can now quickly and easily create applications for Bebo’s Open Application Platform using Widgetbox’s unique application creator tool.

By turning their widgets into apps, developers make their content available to Bebo’s more than 40 million users to instantly interact with and express their passions and interests to their online friends. The App Accelerator for Bebo provides developers with tools to create applications with minimal time and effort, thereby affording them more time to focus on creative content. In turn, Bebo users can then more easily access Widgetbox’s gallery of more than 30,000 widgets and apps and add their favorite apps to their Bebo profile page.

Originally posted on January 14, 2008 @ 6:56 am

The Weather Channel Interactive launches mapplet for Google Maps

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weather.jpgThe Weather Channel Interactive, Inc. today introduced a new mapplet for Google Maps, making weather conditions available on the map with one click. In addition, TWCI has been selected as the weather provider supplying current weather conditions, forecasts and radar in Google Earth.

The weather mapplet for Google Maps enables users to add customizable weather layers to their map. Options include clouds and radar and points of interest, such as US and international cities and airports and US golf courses, lakes and schools. When selected, a bubble will appear at the point on the map with current weather conditions and temperature displayed. If there is severe weather for a point of interest, the bubble will be displayed in red with details of the alert.

The mapplet’s weather bubbles expand with a click to display data for the point of interest including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and UV Index along with an observation of overhead sky conditions. Forecast links including hourly, tomorrow, and 10-day are in the expanded bubble along with a link to a video forecast for the selected location. In addition, during severe tropical weather, users will see a Hurricane Central option on the mapplet that will enable them to track an active storm on the map.

Originally posted on January 10, 2008 @ 10:49 am

SightSpeed introduces video chat widget for OpenSocial sites

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sightspeed.pngSightSpeed Inc. is developing an easy-to-use, no-download version of its video chat service, called “SightSpeed Light,” that will run on a variety of online social networks, including those based on Google’s forthcoming OpenSocial platform.

SightSpeed developers are creating the application using Adobe Flash, making SightSpeed Light simple to integrate on a variety of platforms and enhancing its accessibility and usability.

Furthermore, in anticipation of greater opportunities for cross-application collaboration through OpenSocial, SightSpeed is inviting other developers who are building new applications with Google’s APIs to work with SightSpeed to create a fully immersed video experience within the applications they are developing.

SightSpeed Light will offer free video chat and integrated video mail between members of the same social network or anywhere on the Web. Because it’s built entirely using Flash, SightSpeed Light will work on any computer through any standards-based Web browser, with no downloads or installation required. Chatting with friends using video—and recording and sending them video messages—will literally be one click away.

SightSpeed plans to implement SightSpeed Light on MySpace, LinkedIn, Salesforce.com, Plaxo, Orkut, Hi5 and many other OpenSocial social networking sites.

Originally posted on January 8, 2008 @ 10:50 am