Zoho extends apps with range of gadgets

Zoho is trying to extend the appeal of its applications

Online productivity applications firm Zoho today launched a series of new gadgets aimed at extending the reach of its apps by making them embeddable on a range of sites.

The company has initially launched gadgets for Zoho Docs, Mail, Calendar, Tasks, Contacts and Planner, and promised more to follow.

"All the gadgets are OpenSocial compatible, meaning that you can now use these gadgets in any OpenSocial compatible social network," wrote Zoho evangelist Raju Vegesna on the firm's official blog.

"These gadgets can be embedded individually in any web sites, or can be added to iGoogle or any personal dashboard."

The gadgets could help boost productivity for Zoho users, allowing them to view their Zoho Documents or Calendar from within Gmail, for example, in a few clicks.

Users can add the gadgets by visiting the Zoho Gadgets site, where they will find dedicated Facebook, iGoogle and Orkut buttons associated with each Zoho Gadget. They can then add the Zoho Gadget to their profiles.

An OpenSocial button, meanwhile, provides the necessary XML code for users who want to embed a Zoho Gadget in OpenSocial applications.

"This is just the beginning for Zoho Gadgets," wrote Vegesna. "We have plans to make these gadgets available in other social networks like Ning. These gadgets will also make their way to the desktop component in the [hosted] Zoho Business."