The Notes 8 client has a feature call the Sidebar, with several miniature applications called widgets. Widgets allow you to use Notes as a "desktop" for more than just your e-mail. As it's configured when you first start up Notes, the Sidebar has widgets for RSS feeds, Activities, Sametime, and Day-At-A-Glance. Two of these are particularly useful for any Notes user. The RSS widget lets you follow RSS feeds, and the Day-At-A-Glance widget summarizes your Notes calendar. The other built-in widgets require additional software; the Sametime widget integrates Notes with the Sametime Connect client in the Sametime instant messaging software, and the Activities widget requires the Activities server.
The "free" comes into play when you activate "My Widgets" in the Sidebar. Doing so allows you to create and import useful or interesting widgets, such as Notes views, websites or additional content feeds. Best of all, they can also be widgets that you import from Google Gadgets. Yes, you can peruse the Google Gadgets catalog and bring them into your Notes desktop.
That certainly opens up a world of opportunities...
To get started, go into your Notes client preferences (File > Preferences) and navigate to the Widgets properties. Select the checkbox option for Show Widget Toolbar and the My Widgets Sidebar Panel. Close and restart the Notes client.
Once done, you'll have three new widget icons in your toolbar.
Use the "Getting Started With Widgets.." toolbar button to open widget wizard. 
Next use the "Configure a widget from current context" to configure place of your widgets. Finish the wizard as per instructions
You can see sidebar at your right window , Click "My Widgets" section to add new widgets. 
When you click on "Configure a component from.." option , you can find various source to configure widget. Choose "A Google gadget" to get something cool.When you do so , you can get another dialog to choose either browse to google directory or add by url. 
I would prefer to go by directory , lets choose the same and select your gadget.
After selecting your gadget , next you need to add in current context. To do so , click on "Configure a widget from current context.." button.
Once done, you can see new gadget in "My Widgets" section. Just double click and open it.
Now,Notes can be your single destination for what you do and the things you manage on a daily basis. Try and see the difference.
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