Want your readers to know what you're up to? Well here's a cool widget from Twitter.com that might just serve that very purpose. By installing a twitter box on your blog, you can start chirping away....erm I meant update your readers with what you're doing. In fact, you can also update your readers about anything and everything that crosses your mind using this widget. Furthermore, the twitter box could also serve as a noticeboard to inform your readers if you're unable to blog or planning to go on a long vacation.

How to get your own Twitter box
1. Get yourself registered at Twitter.com (you don't even need an e-mail verification in order to start using twitter)

2. Click on the Home tab and you should see this page below:
3. Write about what you're up to currently on the "What are you doing" text box. Click Update once you're done. (Updates on your twitter widget are made from this page)

4. Now to get a twitter box installed on your blog, click the "Put your updates on your site!" link as shown in the screenshot below:
5. You should see the "Display Twitters on your web page" page as shown in the screenshot below:
6. On the "Display Twitters on your web page" page, there are options to embed the twitter box automatically on Blogger, Wordpress, Facebook, Typepad or Myspace. In my case, I've decided to use the "Other" option as I prefer to install the widget manually using the code provided. Selecting the "Other" option would then bring you to the "Which type of badge would you like?" page as shown in the screenshot below:
7. Select one of the 3 available widget badges that you like to have for blog. For this post, I've decided to go with the "Flash, Just Me" badge. The codes for that badge would then be given to you as shown in the screenshot below:
8. Customize the color of your badge to suit your blog by clicking on "Badge Color". Once you're done, just copy the entire code and paste it on your blog template.

There are couple other functions from Twitter.com not mentioned in this post waiting for you to try out. In fact if you see screenshot from point number 2, you have the option to add your friends and track what they are up to as well.

In a nutshell, I would say this is a wonderfull widget that goes pretty well with personal blogs.

If you like this article, please give it a Digg, Stumble or just subscribe to my RSS feed.

I love it whenever I come across widgets which are FREE to use. When I say FREE, I meant no registrations or e-mail required in order to get a widget.

I recently stumbled upon a cool widget called FineTune Radio that lets your readers enjoy songs from Akon, Avril, Beyonce, Cristina, Coldplay, U2, The Killers, Green Day, 2 PAC, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Creed, Radio Head, John Mayer and many more right from your blog.

This 215 x 220 pixel size widget should fit perfectly on most blogs especially if you place it on the right or left sidebar. There's also a built in SEARCH function on this widget that lets your readers search for their favorite song or artist.

Try checking out the FineTune Radio widget below:


If you like your blog to have its very own FineTune Radio widget, head on over to Widgetbox and grab the code at FineTune Radio Widget

With this widget in place, rest assured that your readers would be treated with some pretty cool songs while reading from your blog.

Till my next post, happy blogging to all!

Let your readers know about the time and date by placing this cool clock & calender widget on your blog.

Widget Name :
Cool Clock and Calender Widget

How Does The Widget Look On Your Blog:
Widget embedded on Bloggerfocus Test Site

Get this Widget:
Click here to get Widget from Widgetbox

Tips and Tricks for this Widget:
1. Adjust the height of this widget to 180 pixel to hide the "Visit Gadget Forum" text link as shown in the screenshots below:

At Height of 200 pixels, the Visit Gadget Forum link is shown

Setting the Height to 180 pixels, hides the Visit Gadget Forum link

2. Insert <center> before the widget code and </center> at the end of the widget code. These two codes will align the widget to the center of your side column. See screenshot below:
What Bloggerfocus Has to Say:
The problem with getting widgets from Widgetbox.com is that they embed the "Get Widget" bar at the bottom of each widget. If not for their large Widget database, I doubt I would have gone searching for widgets at Widgetbox.

For readers and bloggers who do not mind the "Get Widget" bar appearing below your widget, feel free to head over to Widgetbox. Giving credit when it is due, I must say that Widgetbox does have an impressive compilation of widgets for you to choose from.

Till the next time, cheers and happy blogging!

This is one heck of a cool MP3 widget for personal blogs. Check out the screenshot below:


Although the widget is made for Myspace and Facebook users, it can also be embedded on other blogs as long as HTML is supported.

What you need to do to get this widget:
1. Go to this page
2. Register yourself, took me about 30 seconds to register.
3. Follow four simple steps and get the HTML code at the final step
4. Paste the code on your blog and you're done!

Blogger/blogspot users can add this widget using the following steps:
1. Go to the Layout page.
2. Select Add a Page Element
3. Add the HTML/Javascript to your blog
4. Paste the HTML code provided by the widget site.
5. Save Changes.

Click HERE to see how the widget looks like on blogspot.

Why use this widget?
1. Beautifully designed interface.
2. Easy to navigate.
3. You can personalize your own song playlist.
4. Fits perfectly on the side column of your blog.
5. A search function that allows you or your readers to search for songs/artists from the widget's database.
6. Songs are played automatically without the need to click on the NEXT button. Let your readers enjoy the songs while reading your blog posts.

Psst, feeling lazy to register an account?
Feel free to use the code made available from my own account registration. Of course if you do not register your own account, you won't be able to make your own playlist.

MP3 widget code:

<object enableJSURL="false" enableHREF="false" saveEmbedTags="true" allowScriptAccess="never" allownetworking="internal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="430" width="264" align="middle" data="http://theaymane.zzl.org/myspace/mp3player/design/dyp.swf?id=1820"&gt;
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" /> <param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" /> <param name="movie" value="http://theaymane.zzl.org/myspace/mp3player/design/dyp.swf?id=1820" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <param name="flashvars" value="" /></object>

Bloggerfocus' Verdict:
Must have for personal blogs.

Somewhere in February 2008, Blogger.com introduced a new widget called Blog List. Although still in testing phase, users of blogspot are allowed to embed this new widget into their blogs.

The features offered by the Blog List widget are:
1. Add links to your favorite blog or friends.
2. An option to display the date of the last update for that blog. (Only for blogs with Atom or RSS feed)
3. An option to display the title of the most recent post and snippet of that post. (Only for blogs with Atom or RSS feed)
4. Sorting your blogs in this list via most recently updated post or alphabetical order.
5. The Blog List writes all links out in HTML so that, unlike JavaScript-based blogrolls, you pass PageRank goodness on to the blogs you link to.

Like what I have mentioned earlier, this widget is still under testing phase and has not been available to the public yet. Never the less, interested blogspot users can try out this widget at http://draft.blogger.com/

First of all, log in to your Blogger draft account via the link above. That would bring you to Blogger's test site (using the same username and password as your normal Blogger).

Adding a new widget/page element is similiar to what you always do with the normal Blogger. Go to the Layout section and click on the Add Gadget button. From the pop-up list, select the Blog List widget. The options for this widget are pretty straightforward and I believe you should have no problems embedding the widget to your blog.

I've personally added the Blog List to Bloggerfocus.com and enabled all options for the widget except for the "show snippet" option. I've decided against using that option largely due the fact that there is not enough space in Bloggerfocus.com.

My main concern about this new widget is how it will effect blogs having a long list of links. I am not sure whether enabling the "show title of most recent item" option might slow down the loading of a blog (to show recent post, the widget would be required to access feeds from all the blogs in the list). I've posted my concern to BloggerInDraft and hopefully there will be a response from them soon.

Try it out and let me know what you think about the Blog List widget.

Cheers and happy blogging to all!

P.s : There might be bugs yet to be discovered by the developor of this widget. If you come across any problem, feel free to post your problem here.

Like my widget review? Feel free to subscribe Bloggerfocus.com for more daily tips, guides, reviews and advice.