Windows only: Like the convenience of the Vista sidebar but wish it offered more customisation, or even just a hiding option? Free application SideSlide gives you program and website launchers, RSS readers, notepads, reminders, pictures, clipping holders and more in one skin-able bar that hides on the edges of your desktop. It's the kind of tinker-friendly widget that shortcut lovers can easily get lost in—containers to launch multiple programs at once, feed combiners with group searching and updating and lots of keyboard navigation options, to name just a few hacks. Check out this quick start guide by SideSlide's makers to get started. SideSlide is a free download for Windows XP, 2000 and Vista, and requires that Microsoft Core XML Services 6.0 be installed (a link is provided on the SideSlide link below, but Vista users should be set up already). Vista users who just want to get more out of their pre-installed sidebar can check out our roundup of useful sidebar gadgets.

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