No matter how you call them: widgets, gadgets, gizmos, desklets -- there are two big classes of widgets: the Desktop widgets and the Web widgets.

Desktop widgets are small applications that run on your desktop and usually (but not always) need that you download and install an engine in order to run them.

Web widgets are "sections" that can be inserted in any Web page, such as your personal blog, a MySpace page, an eBay auction or an online store.

Each of these two classes (Desktop widgets and Web widgets) at its turn can be built using multiple platforms. See more details about this in the Web Widgets and Desktop Widgets sections.

What about Phone Widgets, like for the iphone....

Desktop Widgets: Users download the widget and may keep it running constantly in the background. Pros: They provide a pervasive brand experience for the widget producer even if the user is offline. Cons: They require downloading, and they’re only seen by the user who downloaded it. Examples include WeatherBug’s live weather updates and Southwest Airlines’ Ding! deal alert.

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I just wanted to say hi and I'm glad to be here. btw iam from Chattanooga
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I have heard a lot of widgets but didn’t really know what they were all about till I read this very informative post of the different widgets and how they worked!! Now I can tell my friends about the “Desktop Widgets” and the “Web Widgets” and the difference between the two!!

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Thanks,understood now.