Clearspring is one of the leading Widget startups. so the perception of what is a widget to the public is very important to them. Justin Thorp wrote a white paper on it called “What’s a Widget and Why is it Important?” that pretty much resumed what the title implies from the past up to today. it is a good quick read for reassurance of the concepts of a widget up to now in a traditional way.

What’s a Widget and Why Is it Important? (PDF) Direct Download Link