Introducing New Tab Widgets: Personalized Productivity Dashboard for Chrome

Are you looking for a highly customizable and functional new tab experience? I’m excited to share a project I’ve dedicated over four years to developing—a versatile dashboard extension designed to enhance your daily productivity and organization right from your browser’s new tab page.

About the Project

What began as a simple tool to control Philips Hue smart lights has evolved into a comprehensive, extensible dashboard tailored to fit various needs. Built as a Chrome extension, New Tab Widgets offers a range of features and widgets that can be personalized to suit your workflow. Whether you want quick access to your favorite apps or real-time data, this extension aims to streamline your browsing experience.

Key Features

• Customizable Iframe Widgets
  Embed any webpage or content directly into your new tab. By specifying a CSS selector, you can target particular elements—like displaying GitHub issues or a stock ticker—making your dashboard highly adaptable.

• Utility Widgets
  Access essential tools such as weather forecasts, dual clocks, bookmark groups, and sticky notes—all available at your fingertips.

• Smart Home Integration
  Control your Philips Hue lights effortlessly. Manage scenes, toggle individual lights, adjust colors, or switch entire groups through intuitive right-click context menus.

• Media and Launch Widgets
  Launch Steam games or applications directly from your dashboard with dedicated app widgets.

• Search Enhancements
  Multiple search engine options, complete with local search history storage for quick retrieval of recent queries.

• Calendar and Scheduling
  Integrate your Google Calendar for quick event overview and reminders.

• Customizable Appearance
  Fully support custom CSS styling and JSON-configurable widgets, allowing you to tailor the dashboard’s look and functionality.

• Onboarding and Welcome Screen
  Optional introductory screen upon first load, guiding you through setup and features.

Availability

New Tab Widgets is available now for Chromium-based browsers through the Chrome Web Store. Installing it is straightforward, and you can start customizing your new tab right away.

Download here:
Chrome Web Store Link

Learn more at:
https://newtabwidgets.com

I originally developed this extension for personal use, but I truly believe it can help others improve their browsing efficiency and organization. Your