WebProNews

Yahoo has announced extensive updates to its cross-OS widget platform, changes which are aimed at improving performance, increasing functionality, and providing new features and services to users.

Of all the new releases in Widgets 4, the Flickr Widget is probably the one that shows the most promise. It allows users to display, upload and tag Flickr photos, as well as giving users the option of dragging and dropping large groups of photos into the widget and edit the tags and other information without needing to open a browser.

The Gallery Widget is also very nice, providing users with access to the Yahoo Widget Gallery – a repository of widgets that have been independently developed by third party widget authors.

Here are the key updates you can expect to find in Yahoo Widgets 4:

• Widget Dock -- a brand new feature that provides a live, at-a-glance view of your favorite Internet information and services. Users can auto-hide the Dock and attach it to any side or corner of multiple monitors.
• Dramatically improved performance -- reduced memory consumption of individual Widgets by up to 40 percent.
• New Widgets by Yahoo! -- Yahoo! introduces the Flickr Widget and the Yahoo! Gallery Widget.
• Streamlined installation -- smaller download and a new Widget-centric installation process makes it easier than ever for consumers to get the Widget they want and for authors to promote their own Widgets.
• Improved authoring tools -- new functionality and improved tools for Widget authors to build more powerful Widgets.
• Automatic updates -- notification via the Widget Dock when newer versions of the Widgets in use are available and ready for one-click upgrade.

"Yahoo! continues its leadership position in the desktop Widget category, and with Yahoo! Widgets 4 we are excited to bring the newest version of our pioneering product to consumers and developers alike," said Paul Brody, vice-president, desktop products, Yahoo.

"Millions of active users rely on Yahoo!'s connected desktop applications to keep updated Internet content that's important to them right at their fingertips, and our new product gives them the functionality to make it easier and better organized than ever."