StickiWidgets

Digg released a Digg Widget a few days ago. It seems odd to us that no official widget existed before; at the same time it seems odd to us that Digg needed an official widget. This new widget is basically a customiz-ed/able RSS reader (of sorts, see note below). As far as we can remember, Digg has provided RSS feeds for various categories, topics, users, actions, etc. These feeds are pulled into the widget and displayed for the user. Items link back to digg.com as to be expected. Design of the widget is simple and to the point.

Customizing the widget and getting your own is just a few quick steps away. You can choose a few default themes or customize the color scheme yourself. Next, you have the decision of what you want to show in the widget. Such as, all stories, by topic, top 10, by user, among a few others. Lastly, you get to choose what and how items are displayed. Number of items, Digg counts, titles and descriptions are some of the elements you have control over. The preview widget is displayed and updated as you make your selections, which is a nice touch.

The code is presented at the bottom; also as you make your selections. Overall, it is a nice implementation and clean design. As this widget evolves, we believe it will be even better.

However, we do have some reservations about the widget. It’s currently a JavaScript widget, which means it won’t play nicely with most social/controlled networks. Again, this widget seems to be just a RSS reader so why not provide a Flash version? Granted, with security restrictions, the Flash widget may not have much value if you can’t link back to Digg. But, you still get the name and brand out there.

For a completely integrated blog experience, you could just plug the RSS feed into a WordPress RSS widget/plugin. What is the real draw for this widget to a blog owner? If the RSS feeds are already available, then why mess with the additional Digg Widget code?

Or, if you like a completely customized widget (and you have the skill), just find the RSS feed you want and build your own. Or, if you like a RSS widget that already exists, just plug in the RSS feed into your favorite RSS widget.

To be fair, the official Digg Widget is simple to use for the general public. And, we did notice the option to restrict the items to a specific domain. We don’t believe there is a standard RSS feed for that option, so it does seem this widget has additional value that you can’t get on your own. However, this option is likely useless for a small site that doesn’t get much traffic or “diggs.” Only larger sites with digg activity will benefit from this feature.

Note: The Digg Widget is not a RSS feed reader by definition. It does not utilize the existing RSS feeds on the site but rather a new web service API which returns JSON responses. We describe the widget as a RSS reader because conceptually and visually that is what it is.

For additional coverage, check out…

• Mashable: Digg Launches Digg Widgets
• Widgets Lab: New Digg widget for your blog

There are a few contests currently running. If you have some free time, they are worth checking out. Time is running out, so don’t wait too long.

Sandbox Designs Competition (details here)
WordPress theme competition utilizing only CSS to modify the Sandbox theme. Contest ends July 29, 2007 with awards standing at $1650(first), $750(second), $450(third), $300(fourth) and three runners-up with $50 each. If more sponsors join, the prize money could go up.

WordPress Plugin Competition 2.0 (details here)
Weblog Tools Collection is running a WordPress plugin competition. Details are still being worked out, but the competition is set to end on July 21, 2007.

Widget Contest (details here)
Freewebs and Widgetbox announces a widget contest with a Grand Prize of $1000. Entries must be submitted by July 5, 2007. The winner will be announced at WidgetCon on July 11.

Update 2007.06.01: The major impact is on users who have private Stickam Chat Rooms. The password input has been changed and the old method no longer works. All this means is that the password option for the redirect service no longer functions. You will be prompted to enter the password once the chat room window opens.

Stickam released several changes to their site today. Some of these changes have minor effects on various services and widgets provided by StickiWidgets. This will only be a minor inconvenience for most of you. So, rather than rush to make changes on our end, we are waiting a couple of days to make sure the Stickam changes have settled down before we update our code. Most of you will not notice anything at all.

If you have an urgent issue, feel free to contact us. We will evaluate the situation and prioritize the fixes as needed.

For contact info, see the About Us page.