Five Apps: Windows 7 Gadgets that gather system information
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Five Windows 7 Gadgets to keep you informed about your system
Five Windows 7 Gadgets to keep you informed about your system
This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Although Microsoft pulled support for Desktop Gadgets, theyrnare still a handy way of getting an on-the-fly snapshot of your system andrnsystem resources. Some would argue, if Microsoft no longer supports the systemrn- why bother? However, for many users, having instant, up-to-date, informationrnabout a system means an efficient work environment. If you’re one of thosernusers, you’ll be glad to know that Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets still work andrnthere are plenty out there to satisfy your need for as much information asrnpossible.
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I’ve tracked down five such gadgets that will fill the voidrnof information that the standard Windows desktop leaves. Just remember, thesernGadgets do take up resources (though not much). As with anything on the Windowsrn7 desktop, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of RAM to work with. Now,rnlet’s see if any of the following Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets will offer uprnenough information for you.
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Margu Notebook Info 2 1
Margu Notebook Info 2 1
Five Apps
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1. Margu Notebook Info 2
rnrnMargurnNotebook Info 2 offers plenty of laptop/notebook-specific information, in arnsimple to read layout. With this Gadget, you’ll have real-time updates for: userrnselected WLAN and LAN interfaces, net usage, multicore usage, clock/calendar,rnCPU, battery, uptime, power plans, RAM/CPU usage, and hard disk usage. You canrnadd/remove any of the information you want displayed and even rearrange thernorder in which they are displayed. Margu will even automatically check forrnupdates and alert you should one appear. If you’re looking for a one-stop-shoprnfor laptop information, Margu could possibly fit the bill.
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Margu Notebook Info 2 2
Margu Notebook Info 2 2
Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor Gadget 1
Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor Gadget 1
2. Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor Gadget
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XirrusrnWi-Fi Monitor Gadget gets you more useful information about nearby wirelessrnconnections. You can see SSID, data rate, channel, signal strength, layout ofrnlocal connections, current IP address. You can also skin the widget andrnconfigure the level of opacity. If you click on one of the wireless networks onrnthe Xirrus ‘map’ you will be presented with a usage history of the availablernnetworks. The only downfall to this little widget is that, with its constantrnsonar/radar-like movement, it can be a bit distracting. But for anyone thatrnneeds more information about their wireless networks, this is a real gem.
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor Gadget 2
Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor Gadget 2
Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Network Meter Gadget 1
Network Meter Gadget 1
3. Network Meter Gadget
rnrnNetworkrnMeter Gadget is one of the best of the wireless traffic monitors. In arnsingle glance you get information about: SSID, internal IP, external IP,rnblacklisted IP ratio, speed test, firewall status, connection security status,rnsignal, and upload/download stats. The flyout features include: Name of networkrnconnection, name of adapter, max speed, MAC address, subnet mask, DHCP leasernobtained/expires, default gateway, and much more. From the configurationrnscreen, you can set up such options as: polling interval as well as how oftenrnto save the chart data, display options, color scheme, and more.
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Network Meter Gadget 2
Network Meter Gadget 2
Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Drives Meter 1
Drives Meter 1
4. Drives Meter
rnrnDrives Meterrnallows you to not only get a quick glimpse of the health and state of yourrndrives, but also allows you to set up warnings for low disk space. The diskrnspace warnings are based on remaining space left and will play a sound when thernthreshold is met. The Gadget displays disk activity, used/remaining/total diskrnspace. This Gadget is incredibly handy if you’re looking to help troubleshootrnissues with a disk (finding out if a massive amount of data is being written),rnor if you just need a little help knowing when you are close to reaching therndanger zone of disk space usage.
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
Drives Meter 2
Drives Meter 2
Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
System Information 1
System Information 1
5. System Information
rnrnSystemrnInformation is a sort of all-in-one Gadget that displays information about:rnthe operating system, uptime, CPU, memory, hard disk(s), network drives,rnCD/DVD, battery, and network. You can have this Gadget display as much or asrnlittle information as you need. There are three ‘modes’: Normal (allrninformation is displayed on screen at once), Compact (only headers arerndisplayed u2013 information is displayed in fly-out windows when an icon isrnclicked), Compressed (only one icon and all information is shown in fly-outrnwindow when an icon is clicked).
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
System Information 2
System Information 2
Bottom line
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Just because Microsoft has determined that Windows 7 Gadgetsrnare no longer supported, doesn’t mean you have to do without these helpfulrntools. If you’re looking for Gadgets to hand out system information, take arnlook at one (or more) of these and see if they don’t offer you all the data yournneed for your Windows 7-based desktop.
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Disclaimer: CBS Interactive Inc. is not responsible for the contentrnof the publisher’s descriptions or user reviews on this site. We do notrnencourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws.rnCBS Interactive Inc. does not sell, resell, or license any of the productsrnlisted on the site. We cannot be held liable for issues that arise from therndownload or use of these products.
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Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic
