Google Gadgets for Linux

It's finally ported on Linux !. I just compiled the latest svn branch on Fedora 9. :)

Checkout some screens.

From Dev Stuff

Thanks Google !

GDkit

Recently, when I was playing with Google Desktop SDK, an idea of a third party JavaScript library came in to my mind; which made myself to code a small JavaScript class with some reusable features.

That small JavaScript got wings and is hosted on Google Code. ;)

Checkout the newest project GDkit. It's a JavaScript library for Google Desktop Gadget developers. It's an easy way to add several cool features to your gadgets.

We released a BETA version (1.0) of the first GDkit library : Effects. The main goal is to create some wrapper classes where developers can wrap basic elements.

The example use of the 'Effects' library:

var ani = new Animation(elementX);
ani.setDuration(3000);
ani.fadeOut();

Will add fade out effect to the element named 'elementX'.

We are really looking forward to provide some other useful libraries as well. Whilst the 'Effects' library is getting improved GDkit developers are working on another new library called 'Widgets', which is to be released in near future.

Your comments & feedbacks always keep us alive !

Cheers!

[ GDkit is a free software released under GNU General Public License v3 ]

Updated: GD Latest Gadgets Sidebar v1.1

I have just uploaded the newest version of my Firefox extension, Google Desktop Latest Gadgets Sidebar v1.1.

Version 1.1 notes:

• Improved GUI.
• Compatible with Firefox 3.0b5.

Feel free to checkout the extension @ mozilla sandbox. Your reviews will bring the extension to the public area. :)

Thanks.

GD’s Latest Gadgets Sidebar

Today (27th Feb), early in the morning I saw this blog post on Google Deaktop APIs blog regarding the newest rss feed on the Gadget Gallery. Few Seconds later I started creating a Firefox extension using this feed and finally after several hours of development I managed to ended up in sandbox. :)

So I proudly announce my first ever Firefox extension (which I submitted to sandbox), 'Google Desktop's Latest Gadgets Sidebar'. ;)

If you have a mozilla account and sandbox access please feel free to checkout my FF extension.

And if you don't have sandbox access please use this direct link to the xpi.

(Min version FF 1.5 - Max Version FF 3.0b4pre)

There are lot of improvements to be added and I'm working on a new nice GUI, too.


Comments , Suggestions are highly appreciated..!

Thanks.

Merry-x-mas

'Merry X'Mas' - A Holiday Google Gadget !

Send Christmas decorators and gifts to your gtalk buddies, and let them colorful their Christmas trees. :)






















[Download - 477Kb]
[Screenshot]

updated------

Checkout this great guide on the gadget by Google Desktop Team,

Decorate your Google Talk buddy's tree! Here's how:

1. Make sure you both have this gadget. (If not, your buddy will automatically get an IM saying where to get the tree.)
   
2. Click the people icon (at the lower right) and choose an online Google Talk friend (one with a green icon).
3. If necessary, click the item preview (at the upper right) so you see a star with a + sign.
4. Click a decoration from the items palate (upper left).
5. Click your tree to place the decoration.
6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 as many times as you like.
   
7. Click the Send button (upper right).

--------

Find out more holiday gadgets here. :)

Happy Holidays!
Cheers!

Google Desktop Gadgets on iGoogle !

As usual with the new release of Google Desktop 5.5 Beta, Google has introduced a bunch of new features with improvements. Among those I thought to make my focus on a new feature which enables running Google Desktop Gadgets on iGoogle Page.

It makes sense, ain't it? This new improvement allows users to have all features what they already have with Google Desktop, on iGoogle without any adequate.

First I thought the new release would be capable of running Desktop Gadgets which was developed solely using javascripts, but it was far beyond that.! I was amazed by seeing my gadget 'Screen Picker', which I have integrated some COM stuff (dll), working perfectly on iGoogle. :D

If you like to test it by yourself, just follow the steps bellow..;
1) Download and install latest GD version (5.5 Beta).
2) Go to your iGoogle Home Page --> Add stuff, and search for Google Desktop Gadgets. Ex:- "Media Player"
3) Add it to your iGoogle Page and at the very fist time you load the iGoogle homepage, you will be prompted to install a browser plugin. Follow the instruction and you will be ready to go!.

Gadgets are everywhere! :)

P.S. Btw, now I have an iGoogle author page, too. ;)
[ Google Desktop Blog Post ]

FlashBack

As usual the vacation is the most busiest time that we could ever have.! For me, I wrote at least 3-2 blog posts per week before the vacation and almost 0 in the period of vacation.

However the following things are some of the 'hot treads' that I wanted to include in a blog post since several weeks ago... finally I could do that at least as a 'flashback' :D

• I got a chance to be an 'API Guru' for Google Desktop. So including me there are five Gurus, congrats! buddies.

• Now I am coordinating two open-source gadgets, 'The Moon Phase Gadget' & 'The Flower Pot Gadget'.

• My newest Google Desktop Gadget - 'Screen Picker' has just published in the Google Desktop Gadgets directory. And don't forget to checkout my page in the Google Desktop 'Hall of Frame'.
  

• Working hard on Google Summer of Code, since the deadline is around end of August. Btw I got through the mid-term evaluation of GSoC.. and yeah! got the mid-term payments, too.
  

• Looked for a place to buy an N800, ( please guys not N80 - specially Softlogic people. ) but couldn't find a place in here SL, so now looking for a person who will be able to get it down for me.. ( will you? please let me know.. )
  

• For the very first time I went to a rock concert [Dark Summer Fest].. mmm it did rock!! Thanks buddy, Chami.

• mmmmm... there are some on going works.. well, I'll tell you more later,, hopefully not as a flashback. ;)
  

Cheers!
- Lala.




Thoughts Aside

A toolbar similar to Google’s Desktop 4.5 gadget can be made with stock market options. But for this one would need to run through courses like VCP-310. The skin of the toolbar can be purchased from a web templates site. The marketing of the toolbar can be done through a site, which can be created with the help of 70-282 course. With cheap hosting from bluehost, there is hardly any cost to it. The web design can be created or bought. And implementing email marketing is probably a smart move.

Finally Done Something !

Though GSoC coding officially started on 28th May, I was able to start my part after 1st of June.. Yeah I had some great! exams. Now my first year finals are over, So as usually I thought it would be the fun time, but yes.. as usually it won't. :-)

The next thing was to submit the group work on Internet Programming module. Yay! after a long night we finished it.

Then I started coding for GSoC with a huge delay.. Oh! I really worried about my knowledge on Qt.. It wasn't that good.. so started learning Qt. After few days I got back to the KBFX ( My GSoC project ) code base... mmm everything seemed fine..

My first task was to implement keyboard support. So I began with the method which was written their already for capture the key events. At the beginning it wasn't that much fun.. coz my implementations had lot of bugs... ;) So it was time to think about a logic to improve the keyboard navigation properly... after a long day I came up with a great solution/logic which was able to navigate through menu items smoothly.. and yeah! no bugs so far.. :-D

Check out this video of keyboard navigation.

In the meantime I developed a new Google Desktop Gadget which is called 'Screen Picker'. It uses an COM dll and also it's the first Open Source gadget in my collection.

Hope to come with more GSoC experiences in the future.. he he..
Happy Hacking.!

- Lala.

Google Dev Day !

Exams are over so hopefully it's going to be a cool time.. he he :)

As you all know Google Developer day was held on 31st of May.. sure it was a great event !
Check these web casts from Mountain view and the presentation on Google Desktop ( MV - by Mihai / Tokyo - by James ).

I've noticed some new APIs on Google code,

• Google Gears - Enabling Offline Web Applications.
• Google Maplets.
• Google Mashup Editor - Mashup Framework and Tools.

So it's time to fly.... :-D

Cheers!
- Lala.




Thoughts Aside

People who have passion for programming should consider taking up courses like 70-292 and 70-294. These can be easily located on Google. They definitely sharpen up the coding skills. The skill sets can be used to create a site for a home based business. With cheap web hosting available all over the internet, there is hardly any cost associated to all this process. One of the cheapest web hosting companies is hostmonster. To give the final boost to the site, search engine marketing needs to be implemented.

Google Desktop 5 Beta !...

Google Desktop 5 BETA has released with lots of new features... !

• New improved side bar looks great and it's automatically samples the color of the wallpaper and fades in the sampled color so that it fits seamlessly onto desktop. :)

• Some gadgets are redesigned to match with the new sidebar. [ Weather Gadget, Photo Gadget, Scratch pad... ]

• New features added to the desktop search. [ Preview - Security.. ]

This new Google Desktop enables us to preview search results right inside the browser.








read more : Inside Google Desktop. --- Google Blog.

Cheers !
- Lala.