Desktop Gadgets Support Likely To Be Scratched Off Windows 8

Those cute little handy desktop  gadgets might not make it to Windows 8, sources from Win8china say. Surprisingly though, the Desktop Gadgets were a retained feature in the latest builds of Windows 8 including Windows 8 Consumer and Release Preview editions. Originally introduced in Windows Vista, Gadgets are mini programs that offer information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools.

Win8china, the site which claims to have obtained the latest versions of Windows 8 affirms this news. The desktop widget engine was introduced in Windows Vista, utilizing a special sidebar which served as a fenced area for the activated gadgets. The mini-apps are based on HTML and can extract information from web feeds. The sidebar feature of the gadgets was later removed, with the release of Windows 7 but Microsoft continued to support the standalone gadgets.
The decision to axe the gadgets altogether might stem from Microsoft’s persistent Metro push and the fact that developers can build Metro-style apps.. Though, the news is still officially a rumour.  Microsoft has not made any official statement on the subject in question. If Microsoft aims to completely get rid of desktop gadgets or wants to support it as a separate app or in a premium SKU of Windows 8, we are yet to know.