

Amazon launches configurable widgets - bootload
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2199004/amazon-gives-users-widgets

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DanielBMarkham
It's great to see the widget market getting so hot! I was in early with my
blogging toolkit, now everybody's in the game. I wonder if some of these are
true "widgets" (plug in anywhere with simple script a novice can use,
interactive, live updating, multi-user, etc) or are just glorified links back
to Amazon. Looks like it's a little of both -- you can have as much fun as you
want, as long as it has to do with some kind of Amazon product! LOL. Not sure
the name fits, perhaps Adget might be better.

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bootload
_"... It's great to see the widget market getting so hot! I was in early with
my blogging toolkit, now everybody's in the game. I wonder if some of these
are true "widgets" (plug in anywhere with simple script a novice can use,
interactive, live updating, multi-user, etc) or are just glorified links back
to Amazon ..."_

Do you think this is Amazons way of getting more people to consume their data
(or users own data). They have API access for developers are widgets really
just a consumable tool to do the same thing for non programmers?

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DanielBMarkham
Yes. I think this is blatant advertising. They should at least try to mix in a
little more direct value to the consumer. If I want to browse Amazon, why
would I want to do it from a litle widget (or Adget)? It's just a dressed-up
ad. What's the value to the consumer (ignoring the Amazon referral system for
a moment) to stick with one advertiser on their blog? Google AdWords makes
more sense -- at least it is contextual (and presumably competitive)

Compare this to a real widget, where the emphasis is on an open API: (flash
demo) <http://www.batback.net/home/batBackDemo2.html>

To me, a widget is a platform for plug-and-play generic web functionality. The
emphasis is on, yes, building a platform. (It's a platform! Egads!) Seriously
-- if you're so vertical you're just an "Amazon" widget, you're just a one-
note band. There's so much more that can be done, and my bet is that consumers
are going to want more, not less, choices out of the same widget. You only
have so much space on your site, right?

