Is there any alternative for Windows gadgets in Ubuntu?

There are few options:

1. Screenlets

   Screenlets are the Linux alternative for "Windows Gadgets". Screenlets are small owner-drawn applications (written in Python) that can be described as "the virtual representation of things lying/standing around on your desk". Sticky notes, clocks, rulers, ... the possibilities are endless.

   

   Hare's a preview of a weather screenlet:

   

   To install Screenlets, open terminal by hitting Ctrl+T and run following commands:

   sudo apt-get install screenlets
   

   To install a complete pack of Screenlets:

   sudo apt-get install screenlets-pack-all
   

   Some sources to download Screenlets: Gnome-look, KDE-look.

2. Cairo-Dock

   Cairo-Dock is an attractive, Lightweight eye-candy dock to launch your applications. I'm mentioning it hare because of it's ability to add add-ons. It comes bundled with many applets including this weather applet. You can use applets inside dock or detach and use them as gadgets.

   

   To install Cairo-Dock, open terminal by hitting Ctrl+T and run following command:

   sudo apt-get install cairo-dock
   

   You can find some third party add-ons hare.

3. Conky

   Conky is an advanced, Highly configurable system monitor for Linux. It's little hard to configure, Specially for new users. Hare's an example of conky

   

   Follow these steps to setup HTC Conky:

   1. To install Conky, open terminal by hitting Ctrl+T and run one of following commands:

      To install a standard conky:

      sudo apt-get install conky-std
      

      To install a full conky with most compile options enabled:

      sudo apt-get install conky-all
      

   2. Download Conky HTC Home and extract it.

   3. Press Ctrl+H to show hidden files. Copy ".conky" from downloaded folder to your home directory.

   4. Open the "fonts" folder and copy all the fonts to Home/.fonts/

   5. Go to AccuWeather and find your location and copy web address.

   6. open Home/.conky/htc_home/accuweather/accuw_script with text editor and replace the location address with the web address you just copied from AccuWeather.

To put conky into startup applications, Hit super key (Windows key) and search for "starup applications" and open it.

Click on add, and fill respective fields as follow:

Name: HTC - Conky  
Command: bash -c "sleep 15; conky -c $HOME/.Conky/htc_home/conkyrc"  
Comment: Conky

and save it.

To start Conky for the first time, Hit Alt+F2 and run the following command:

conky -c ~/.Conky/htc_home/conkyrc

That's it...!

For more Coky themes visit: DeviantArt, Arch Forums, Web UPD8, Ubuntu Forums.

Plexydesk is frigging awesome. This app creats an environment for widgets for Ubuntu, like Plasma of KDE.

Don't ever bother of Screenlets or gDesklets, they are out-of-dated.

I installed conky-Lua.

Step by step instructions are in http://xchamitha.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/adding-gadgets-to-ubuntu-1210-desktop.html

There are no widgets for Unity, but when you have KDE you can install Plasmoids as explained here

You also can install Conky to show weather info on you desktop, but this can be a bit harder to do.

A google search

Ubuntu with Unity has no widgets, instead they have indicators. Application indicators provide a simple and effective API to provide an application icon in the notification area in the top-right part of the screen, and provide simple, accessible, and complete access to key parts of your application.

My Weather Indicator

Category: Weather Forecasting

this is an indicator that will show weather information in your area, as well as other valuable information such as time of sunrise, sunset and moon phase

Find out whether you need to wear a jacket, a t-shirt or a waterproof suit... If you click on the indicator, you will get more information about, humidity, dew point, feels like, wind velocity and wind direction, weather condition.

My-Weather-Indicator informs you about sunrise ans sunset time, and the lunar phase

You can get the forecast for your area for next three days:

You can get information of the weather of two cities at the same time:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install my-weather-indicator

Hardware Sensors Indicator

Category: System Information

Application Indicator showing hardware sensors.

First add the repository:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:alexmurray/indicator-sensors 

Update:

sudo apt-get update  

And then install the package:

sudo apt-get install indicator-sensors

Then launch Hardware Sensors Indicator from Unity or run indicator-sensors from a terminal.

Skype indicator

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner"
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install skype

A list of available indicators What Application Indicators are available?

I was elated to see gKrellm avail for 12.04. Its not quite as flashy as the windows 7 widgets, but will do almost all the same things.

Just open up the software center and search gkrellm.

I know they have a weather plugin, but afaik there is not a twitter crawl.

Use the below command in terminal to install gadgets in ubuntu

sudo apt-get install screenlets screenlets-pack-all