Google Gadgets - are they actually worth anything?
First up, what are Google Gadgets anyway? The word google here isn't very appropriate actually, as the gadgets available through google gadgets have not been created by Google. Rather, google (Note: I write google with small G for the same reasons I write god with small G) is just a middleman between the end users and the developers. Kind of like ThePirateBay being the middle man between the ones who want content and the ones offering content. I bet Google just loves the comparison with ThePirateBay. But that's already another story.
Anywho. The gadgets in google gadgets can be added either to your iGoogle account or to your own website without any hassle. I'm just looking at google gadgets gadgets and I have got to admit, there are some actually useful gadgets there. Depending on what you are interested in or what your website is about, of course. There are calorie counters, currency converters, loads of games. If you want, you can also use a gadget to display the best republican quotes on your website. Hmm, I wonder who created that gadget? Same goes for Deepak Chopra Wisdom Quotes.
(Not) For Everyone
The good thing about google gadgets is that everyone with even just a little of web design and/or programming skills can create their own gadgets. This makes the system quite powerful and useful, yet also lets morons add lots of their own sh*t into it. Under sports category I managed to find "sexy photos of Beautiful exotic Brunettes", "Friendship Quote Of The Day" and a lot of other non-related stuff.
Conclusion? I think Google gadgets is useful for mainly two groups of people. Firstly amateur web developers or simply bloggers who want to add additional functionality to their websites. Secondly marketing people who can get their company's gadgets there in hopes the first group of people will use their gadget on their site. That's it.
