Adam Kinney (a Microsoft developer) has developed a Vista sidebar gadget that can show you up to 5 Xbox Live friends. This is what the gadget looks like on my system:
To run this gadget you’ll need:
- Windows Vista
- Silverlight v1.0 installed
- The Xbox Live friend watch gadget itself (note: install Silverlight first)
- Xbox Live friends (although you can just add anyone)
The only problem I had getting this gadget working was related to my 64bit version of Vista. Since this gadget currently doesn’t support a 64bit operating systems (as it turned out) I had to set Vista’s sidebar application in 32bit mode. It’s easy to do though:
- In the System Tray right-click on the Sidebar icon and select Properties
- Uncheck the “Start Sidebar when Windows starts” option
- Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Sidebar
- Drag and hold Sidebar.exe over the start orb
- Then drag and hold it over All Programs
- And again (drag and hold) over startup
- Now drop it into startup
That’s it. Now I can keep an eye on Weefz’s gaming activities since she’s just bought a 360 Elite!
Popularity: 14% [?]
October 29th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
OMG, stalker! eek!
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Works Great!
March 8th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
At last an xbox friends gadget that works!! Superb
April 12th, 2008 at 3:54 am
What is the fun with only watching and not involving in the game?
April 12th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
It’s handy for me as my PC isn’t in the same room as the 360, so when I see people online I go join (in theory anyway!)
July 4th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
great gadget,only i have a few questions.
1. can you add this gadget to the side bar more than once allowing more
than 5 friends in theory to be shown
2. can/are the gamer tag details retained after a reboot.
3. is there anything specific needed to achieve the above
July 5th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Hi Kevin,
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No
Easy :-)
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:47 am
i only have one problem with this gadget and that is there is no refresh on it at all i added my self and the signed on to my xbox and nothing changed it still said i was offline?!? whats up with that?
May 4th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Same problem here as xTNPx Wo encountered.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:34 am
i have windows vista, installed silverlight, and downloaded the gadget, i even followed the steps on switching it to "32 bit mode" but it will not show the friends i enter into the list… is there anything else i need to do or i am doing wrong? please reply to DU3LMAUL3RS@yahoo.com