Google Calendar Gadget Reloaded

Posted by Bryan Woodward, User Support Coordinator

It's time to update your official Google Calendar gadget. Due to popular demand, it now supports multiple calendars from your Google Calendar service. It will also color-code your scheduled events using the same colors you've set in your main Calendar preferences. And this update also fixes the mysterious "Invalid parameter value..." bug some people have experienced.

Finally, if you haven't already, download Google Desktop 4 in order to try out new gadgets like this one. You won't want to miss out on all the new and improved gadgets we're cooking up.

Personalizing desktops everywhere

Posted by Mendel Chuang, Product Marketing Manager

Starting today, Google Desktop 4 is coming out of beta in 26 languages (including Romanian!); a Japanese version is now available in beta too. It's easier than ever to search and personalize your computer no matter what language you speak. In version 4, we've aimed to improve Desktop's performance and have added a few features you've asked for:

• Easier to add international gadgets - Use the new Add/Remove gadgets interface to easily find gadgets in other languages; choose the language you want in the top right corner
• Configurable Taskbar "gadgets" button - Just click the arrow to the right of the Google Desktop "gadgets" button, and hover over "Taskbar Button" to change the display - with text, or without, or remove it altogether
• Change the Sidebar font size - Cick the "Options" button located at the top of the Sidebar, and hover over "Font Size" to change the setting

The Google Desktop Gadget Designer is now available in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Japanese, and can be downloaded as part of the Google Desktop SDK. This should make it easier for developers everywhere to create great Google Gadgets. There are also new Developer Guides in each of these languages to help you better understand how to use our APIs.

We also want to thank all of you who sent something in to the Google Desktop Gadget Contest. We're reviewing all of the submissions now, and will announce the winners here on September 5th. Even though the contest is over, you can still submit your gadget to share it with millions of other Google Desktop users around the world. If approved, you'll also receive a Google hat, Google pen, and Google Desktop Developer T-shirt while supplies last.

Go boldly!

Posted by Larry Gadea, Software Engineer

Calling all developers and Star Trek fans: Google will demo Desktop, among other products, at the 40th annual Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas from Thursday to Sunday. We'll have Google Desktop engineers on hand to show you how to write gadgets both using the gadget designer -- or not. And we'll be unveiling a brand new gadget especially created for this mind-melding event.

So be sure to come by our booth next to the Star Trek merchandise store for the live demos. And of course, we'll be giving away tons of free Google schwag, too. So be bold - be brave - come on down! (And if you can't appear live, just travel here.)

More gadgets, more choices

Posted by Mihai Ionescu, Software Engineer

We're pleased to let you know that the Google Gadget gallery now holds more than 400 gadgets! Which means you have even more choices on what you want to add to your desktop.

We're quite excited about some of our latest additions. To find the newest gadgets, just pick "New" from the "Add gadgets" dialog or check them out online.