Scott Karp ponders the future of widgets:
Will Widgets Hit A Mainstream Wall Just Like RSS? � Publishing 2.0.
Will Widgets Hit A Mainstream Wall Just Like RSS?
There are many interesting similarities between widgets and RSS:
1. Fantastically flexible distributed technology
2. A boon for information junkies and power users
3. Difficult to explain to a non-geek
4. Name is complete opaque to average, mainstream users
5. Difficult for average, mainstream users to understand why it’s so cool
6. Huge technical savviness barrier for average, mainstream user adoption
Or to put it another way round, many widget are just RSS feeds expressed in a different way. Start pages like Netvibes and Pageflakes rely to a huge extent on RSS - without it they wouldn't exist. So maybe widgets is how RSS gets interesting ...
Posted by: Ivan | February 13, 2007 at 08:39 PM
I actually have no issue with people claiming widgets will hit a wall or are not mainstream. Keeps new competitors away ;)
Here's a simple statement from Nielsen/Netratings. "The top sites for teens in 2006 were profile customization sites." Whether its static images or dynamic apps like slideshows, it's the same engagement by the user, taking an embed code and posting it on their website, profile or blog. How can widgets not be 'mainstream', but be so ridiculously successful for the likes Youtube, RockYou or Slide.
What's not mainstream yet frankly is blog-writing (having tried to convince dozens of friends to start one and failed). Building social networking profiles and embedding them with widgets is far more the accepted norm...
Posted by: Ro | February 13, 2007 at 08:39 PM
If widgets were as visually appealing as RSS, they would be dead already.
If RSS could have a colorful, graphic appearance it might be more appealing to mass audiences.
...but what do I know.
"D"
Posted by: Derek Anderson | February 13, 2007 at 07:51 PM
Hooman, my view exactly.
Posted by: Ivan | February 13, 2007 at 05:52 PM
No, because the difference is that widgets are already being used by mainstream audiences. Go ask Ro Choy at RockYou who his audience is? Widgets are doing what RSS never did, they are getting used by the whole world. Check out my most recent post - I would love your feedback on some of the ideas.
Posted by: Hooman Radfar | February 13, 2007 at 05:24 PM