Yahoo buys maker of 'widget' applications

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Yahoo is hoping its acquisition to buy a tiny software company will provide a new path to its Web site. <br/><br/>In a deal completed last week to buy Palo Alto-based Konfabulator

Monday, July 25th 2005, 11:00 am

By: News On 6

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Yahoo is hoping its acquisition to buy a tiny software company will provide a new path to its Web site.

In a deal completed last week to buy Palo Alto-based Konfabulator for an undisclosed price, Yahoo will get access to a group of mini-applications called widgets.

The devices are designed to make it easy for outsiders to develop and share new applications.

They've gained a cult following since first introduced for Apple Computer in 2002.

Yahoo is counting on the widgets to make users more curious about certain topics, helping it to expand its current base of more than ten (m) million subscribers.