Messenger Gadget is a small widget that helps users seamlessly manage their Windows Live Messenger (WLM) sessions right from their desktop. It is easy to install and set up.

The interface is based on a small frame that you can move to any position on the screen with the help of the mouse cursor.

Provided that you are logged in with your WLM account, you can change your status from the gadget's panel, chat with friends, and view their status.

By accessing the Options area you can alter the default background color by choosing one of the seven preferences, establish the gadget height, show an email counter only when there are unread emails, as well as enable notifications when a new program version is available.

As far as contact options are concerned, you can sort friends in the list by status or groups, show all contacts or only those who are online, as well as view them by display name or email address. There are no other notable features available through this lightweight widget.

As we have expected, Messenger Gadget does not put a strain on system performance, since it runs on a very low amount of CPU and RAM. It has a good refresh rate and does not cause the operating system to hang, crash or pop up error dialogs. We have not come across any difficulties throughout our evaluation. Messenger Gadget offers a simple alternative to quickly chatting with your friends via Windows Live Messenger.