First-of-its-kind software hailed as ‘must-have for every lottery player'
Lottery Post announced today the release of the Lottery Results Gadget for Windows Vista, which for the first time delivers virtually real-time lottery results directly to individuals' Windows desktops worldwide.
The new software operates inside the Windows Vista Sidebar as a small but highly functional lottery results monitor, capable of being customized and moved to the user's desire. When new lottery results are available, they are immediately displayed without any action or request on the user's part, and also include the jackpot amount for the next drawing.
"This is really different from lottery results delivered by all the other web sites and applications available to consumers," said Todd Northrop, CEO of Lottery Post. "For the first time lottery players can install a product right on their Windows desktop that automatically delivers the exact lottery results they want, without having to ask for them. This will quickly become must-have software for every lottery player, because it eliminates the need to seek out lottery results."
Like most Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets, the software installs in the span of a few seconds, and then opens as a small, unobtrusive mini-application in the Sidebar area. But it would be a mistake to judge the Lottery Results Gadget by its size — it comes loaded with a surprising number of features and customizations.
"We started with the basic premise that the gadget should be able to display results for any combination of lottery games," Northrop explained. "Once we nailed that, we kept adding features we wanted — such as sound, larger font sizes for people with poor vision or big monitors, multiple languages, detailed grid views, adjustable gadget sizes, SideShow support, and a ton of other great features."
World-Class Technology and Design
At the heart of the Lottery Results Gadget is the same technology and innovative design that earned Lottery Post a place in Microsoft's ASP.NET AJAX Showcase. (See www.asp.net/ajax/showcase) Lottery Post is the world's most heavily visited non-government lottery web site, and as such relies upon a combination of friendly, accessible design and world-class, leading-edge technology and programming to keep things running smoothly.
"For Lottery Post, great design and technology is not defined as the biggest ‘wow' factor, but instead as a product that entices people to experiment, that rewards them — never punishes them — every time they click, and that delivers functionality and information to those who might never have used it otherwise," Northrop said.
The Lottery Results Gadget also has substantial online support, something not commonly found with Sidebar Gadgets or other types of gadget software. Users are one click away from installation support, documentation, and troubleshooting. Also included are direct links from the gadget to Web-based information resources to "drill-down" on any lottery game to access vast amounts of game data and content.
Breaking with Tradition
Because of its small size and lack of advertisements, the Lottery Results Gadget is perfect for people who want to check their lottery results at work, where an unexpected popup ad or ads with dancing aliens or unsavory content are not boss-friendly.
Todd,
Is this only available for Vista?
Yes indeed. It may be a good reason to upgrade.
I downloaded it. Real easy to download. Looks great in the upper left of my screen and I dont have to spend time connecting to the websites or the results pages here on LP.
Thanks!!
Hi Todd ,
Thank you for the new gadget .
I have it on my desktop and really enjoy it ...
Thanks !
Happysmiler
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback, and I'm glad you became a member too.
That's the idea! I hope you set up a good sound effect too. That's really my favorite part -- "hearing" the new results come in. Some of the effects are pretty funny too.
WOW, fast updates. I installed it a little eariler than waited for the web cast of the nite drawing. In less than a minute I got my notification there was already an update with the nights results... This was before they were posted/updated on the Texas Lottery website. If you've got Vista and wants the results quickly aftet the drawing - install it!
Thanks for posting your experience with the gadget!
(To ALL): If you'd like to help share awareness of the gadget, please go to the following web address and give the gadget a 5-star rating. This will help boost it up a bit in the listings, so that it is visible on the first page.
http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=d1ddff9f-4952-4f11-bb0f-487bae18054e&bt=1&pl=1
If you don't have a Live ID (MSN) you will need to sign up for one, but it is very easy and takes just a minute. They send you a confirmation e-mail to verify that you entered a valid e-mail address.
It would be a big help if as many people as possible could do this. Thanks!!
I would love to have this, but I don't have windows vista.
I guess I have to break down and upgrade, huh? 
Todd
i just currious with the sidebar work on vista
†Note: There is a third party Sidebar kit for Windows XP, so it may be possible to use the gadget on Windows XP. Lottery Post does not sanction or guarantee the gadget will work on anything except Windows Vista so it is enitrely up to you if you want to give it a try.
Does the third party sidebar similar with anytool bar eg google, etc.., i have download it and installed but it need another desktop enhancement program also my laptop friends but some XP updater block the installation it need to remove first then install the program.
Does the third party sidebar similar with anytool bar eg google, etc.., i have download it and installed but it need another desktop enhancement program also my laptop friends but some XP updater block the installation it need to remove first then install the program.
well i guess "so it is enitrely up to you if you want to give it a try" to gain new LP advantages.
Can it be written backwards compatible to XP?
sysp,
The instructions are pretty clear about that, I think. LP does not support XP, because XP does not have the Sidebar.
I'd suggest upgrading to Vista if you want to use the gadget, but it's your computer-- if you want to try using an add-on product to simulate the Sidebar on XP that's up to you.
Lottery Post does not provide support for other companies' products. You need to contact the other company about their product.
XP does not have a similar technology.
Todd
it seem the Transformation succesfully, only look like vista. unfortunately for LP sidebar it doesn't work on XP because it's not a RTM program like LP software.
well to work on XP we may suggest sidebar author to create LP sidebar on XP
Why is it only for Vista? Everyone I ever talked to who had Vista (some of them are very experienced) tell me it's horrible. I have an experimental program now that can "fetch" the data from the nj Lottery site. Also, Vista is so expensive that I need to WIN the Lottery first.
Vista is NOT horrible, it's awesome. It's fashionable (but not justifiable) to dog-pile on Microsoft. It's got to be one of the stupidest concepts ever. Everyone hated XP too, but now those same people can't stand to let it go.
Vista has low-cost versions available. You could probably get a great discount if you looked.
You guys complaining about Vista should read this.
This is what it's like on Vista, not the ever-complaining comments from people who hate Microsoft.
I have been running Vista since January. I would never dream of going back to XP. The only reason I ever use XP now is just to test my site to make sure it works on it, and then I immediately close it down.
Edit:
I'll add a little more about Vista.
One of the great things about Vista is that it's so much easier to find something on your PC. The search function is integrated into every aspect of the computer.
So if you type the word "lottery" in any of the search entry spaces, it automatically finds documents with the word "lottery" in the file name, "lottery" in the contents of the file, internet bookmarks with the word "lottery", sites you visited with "lottery" in the name, programs on the start menu with "lottery" in the name, e-mail contacts with "lottery" in them, etc.
It happens almost instantly too. And it really helps when you have a computer with lots of programs installed.
Have you ever opened up the start menu and tried to hunt down a program you know is on there, but is hidden in a labyrinth of menus?
With Vista you can do that if you want to (click through menus to find what you're looking for), but there is a much easier way.
You click the start button and then instead clicking into menus you just start typing the name of the program. As you type, all the possible matches start appearing in the start menu, and then you pick the right one.
So for example if you want to open Notepad, click the start button, and start typing ...N...O ... that's all you need to type. Notepad is listed at the top, just click it.
There are tons of other features like that -- just a lot easier to use than XP. They have come a long way.
I mentioned the search capability because that's one area I think Vista helps every single person.
Snapfiles has just reviewed the gadget and gave it a rating of "Very Good".
You can see it here:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/lotteryresults-gadget.html
Also, they posted screen captures here:
http://www.snapfiles.com/screenshots/lotteryresults-gadget.htm
(Shows the gadget in the Sidebar and with Settings window open.)
Now don't laugh too hard when I tell you this, but I never even upgraded to XP. I din't like the fact that it was taking away my ability to find things easily. The things you mentioned above I already do on my ME. Except the typing to search like you would in an index. I thought it was just part of it. I'm glad you posted that, because I was considering just upgrading to XP (reluctantly). But I have a question: My kids use all kinds of media gagets (mp3' mp4's, flash drives, etc.) Is Vista set up to work with that and winmx? If it can handle what I need it to do---easily---then I would benefit more going straight to vista. Xp didn't have a feel or functionality that I wanted, so I never fooled with it. When my brother upgraded to XP as soon as it was available, he said " on this one you can give a password to every person using your computer." When I told him I already did that on mine (at the time it was Win98,) he just looked at me in disbelief. Then I let him on my computer to do something and he was shocked to see how mine was set up.
Oh my gosh, there is no comparison between ME and Vista.
Yes, Vista can handle all those things out of the box. You just plug something in and it works. There is even a fantastic download that installs just about every video format imaginable in one file.
If you're really worried about upgrading, just purchase another hard drive and make the old on a secondary drive. Do a brand new (fresh) install of Vista on the new drive, and then transfer stuff over from the secondary drive to the Vista installation on the new drive. That way, you can easily go back to ME by simply making it the primary drive again.
It will take you a couple of weeks to really feel comfortable with Vista, after having used ME for so long. But once you're comfortable and figure out all the shortcuts it gives you, I don't think you'll want to go back.
You are still laughing aren't you? My ear is burning.
I'm really not laughing! I'm *coaching*. That's the way I see my job.
yeah, right.
It's okay to laugh. I know I'm not your typical gadget junky. Everything I own is the latest everything, but my computer is ancient. The only ones older than mine these days are the ones the government uses. 
(You know it's true !) It is a special build my brother designed only for me. He's the genius in the family., not me. So I'm sort of attached to it.
spy153 i think any OS should able to do anything as long as we want to learn anything ;-)
and about XP should be fine especially the Vista. one thing about Vista it awesome for people how know about computer and for people who don't know i think Vista help user friendly (only read the English help :-) ) because the help cover almost computer troubleshooting
for example my friend as me to partition his laptop, i have the freeware partition but show how it doesn't work on Vista also i have scared to damage the system. so just press F1 and type the partition landed on how to create partition and it was on the fly.
also the other day my friends piss off with bible program because it doesn't work on Vista (runtime error 75 path access file) and search on the net it solve with right click and run as administrator, ta da the bible program work perfectly with simple solution :-)
btw the LP gadget won't work on Vista unless the Microsoft launch SP3 in the future to add the sidebar.
Todd, the gadget is really cool, but is there any way to get the states to show in an alphabetical order and not the order they are drawn?
thanks for the info sysp34.
Ditto on that!! Congrats Todd...
Yes, one of the features is SideShow support, and a SideShow device can sort by state. However, it was WAY too much to do in the gadget itself for version 1 though. Create multiple instances of the gadget if you have too many games loaded to find a state easily.
@sysp34:
Your comment is not correct:
I think you have a few things confused in that sentence. I think you meant "won't work in XP". The other thing is that Microsoft will NEVER release a Sidebar for XP. The only reason they're doing another service pack is because they ran out of serial numbers for the last service pack. Not to add features.