I'm using Win7 and i dislike having my Desktop cluttered with widgets/gadgets, though they are pretty useful. I'd like to have them on a separate layer as in MacOS. Are there any solutions out there? Tried YahooWidgets already, same problem.

Check this out: http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=24323

Awesome, sadly it doesn't work with the original Dashboard Widgets or Vista Gadgets. Good find, nonetheless.

Yahoo Widgets does offer a separate layer option, it's called "Heads Up Display". Right click on your widgets and select "Hide Widget". Each one you do this to will be hidden in the Heads Up Display.

I too prefer most of my widgets/gadgets to be hidden so that's why Y! Widgets is the program for me.


Here's a pic of my desktop normal and then in heads up display. All you do is hit F8 (Key can be customized) to access it.

Click to view attachment

I also made a simple VBS script which runs "F8" and I put that in the quick launch icon area. So
if I click on my customized quick launch "dashboard" icon I also get the heads up display.

Yep Yahoo Widgets does that!