Widgets, sometimes the simple mention of the word brings to mind visions of cute little tools that perform cute little functions so many are enamored with. While some of these cool tools do actually perform valuable tasks and help users, most are simply worthless except for short term entertainment.

Consider that the total U.S. unique viewers of widgets according to comScore last year was over 145 million users or about 81 percent penetration of the market. So it is apparent that the widget has had an impact, but just how long lasting an impact remains to be seen.

MySpace is of course home to a covey of cute little gadgets to entice and entertain the throng there. From slideshows to glitter text and cross domain platforms, it seems no stone has been left unturned in supplying endless widget features for the masses. A whole cottage industry has arisen to meet the demand for widgets. Companies like Slide, Clearspring, RockYou and others are thriving on business from the social networks.

As an example, Slide is now the largest personal media network in the world reaching some 144 million unique users around the globe. The bottom line is, if getting your widget viewed in this “gold rush” to widgety wealth. But just how many of them are actually valuable to the user in the end is my question?

I have ranted before about social network decline because of mediocre developments and deployment of worthless tools. The fun wall and SuperPoke at Facebook are at the top of my list of “doom” as far as cheesy tools that nearly no one needs, but there are actually some great widgets out there if one can sort out the horde of crummy ones.

The best ones that come to mind are the rather evolved Photobucket photo sharing tools, AdaptiveBlue’s intelligent linking tools and JS-Kit’s publisher comment and other widgets. Perhaps my favorites are those from Yourminis that add expanded function in a small space. Still, the big problem is not with the widgets but with the way they are being created and deployed. I guess these companies are just supplying what people “think2 they want, but it is still hard to believe that we really want stupid toys rather than actual function.

I guess the bottom line for widget usefulness is really determined by the individual user. If a person is satisfied “Poking” people rather than talking to them, then I suppose there is widget bliss of a sort in that. However, I think that people are sooner or later going to migrate to the tools that simplify their lives and make the Internet easier for them.
There are also widgets that can extend the reach of blogs and websites as well as help businesses gain reach into the Web community.

These types of tools and those that simply common tasks are what is likely to survive what I would call the “cutesy” stage of Web 2.0. If you break Internet activity down to the basics, tools that contribute to search, video and photo sharing, publishing, commerce and communication; then it is fairly easy to see where the best widget applications should be applied. The SuperPoke and glitter text may be around for a while, I just think it is time for some serious widget madness is all.

Note: AdaptiveBlue and JS-Kit are affiliated with Phil-Butler.com