What is vista gadgets?

Vista is the latest version of Windows from Microsoft, and gadgets are one of its exciting new features. Gadgets are handy 'mini-applications' that sit on your desktop.

Find out more in this Microsoft article:

What does it do?

The Sky News Gadget will automatically check Sky News and display the most recent headlines. Clicking on a headline will show you more information about the story.

You can choose from the Sky main news, UK news, world news, business news & strange news.

1. Click the link above to download the gadget.

2. Save the file to your computer and double click it.

3. Agree to install the gadget.

4. The gadget will appear on your Vista Sidebar. If you are connected to the internet the latest headlines will appear.

Usage Instructions

1. To find out more about any story click on the headline. This will show you an image and a summary of the article. Clicking 'Full Story' will open the full news story in your browser.

2. You can page through news items by clicking the < and > arrows at the bottom of the gadget.

3. To select which feed you wish to view by clicking on the icon in the top right. Choose one of the options to follow news stories for that area.

4. If you close the gadget and want it back click the 'Plus' icon on the Vista Sidebar to view a list of gadgets. Double click the Sky News logo to add the gadget again. If you can not see the Sidebar you can start it by clicking on the Vista Start Menu, typing 'Sidebar' and clicking on the Sidebar item.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where has the gadget gone, I can't see it?

Several things could have happened. Check to see if the gadget is hidden by other applications by pressing the windows key and spacebar at the same time. This will show you all gadgets on your desktop and the sidebar. If you can't see the sidebar at this point try the steps in the following question. If you can see the sidebar, but can't see it the Sky News gadget might be on another page of the sidebar. Click the arrows at the top of the sidebar to see if it is off the screen. If you still can't see it the gadget might have been closed. Click the plus icon on the sidebar, and double click on the Sky News logo to reload the gadget.

How do I start the sidebar?

The sidebar can be started by clicking on the Windows Start menu. Type the phrase 'Sidebar' and you will see an option on the menu called 'Windows Sidebar'. Click this item to start the sidebar.

Can the sidebar start automatically?

The sidebar can be started automatically when your computer starts, it will even remember that you are running theSky News Gadget & check for the latest headlines. Right click on the sidebar and select 'Properties' from the menu,tick the box titled 'Start Sidebar when Windows starts'.

Can I keep an eye on more than one set of headlines?

Yes, you can have as many copies of the gadget running on your desktop as you like. Just add a second gadget by clicking on the plus icon on the sidebar, and double clicking on the Sky News logo. You can repeat this as often as you like.

How do I remove the gadget?

You can remove the Sky News Gadget like any other Vista gadget. Hovering your mouse over the gadget will show an 'x' icon in the top right corner, clicking this will close the gadget. You can re add the gadget by following the steps in the first FAQ. To completely uninstall the gadget press the plus icon on the sidebar, right click on the Sky News icon and select 'Uninstall'.

I don't have Vista, can I still use the gadget?

Unfortunately not, Vista gadgets will only run on Microsoft Vista. You can keep up to date with Sky News on your desktop with: