Fidelity Labs just released the beta version of an iGoogle gadget that allows account holders to check account balances and receive alerts from their iGoogle page. Fidelity Labs claims to have developed the application themselves, but it looks a lot like a banking widget built by WorkLight of Israel. According to their website®, enables organizations to do business securely using consumer Web 2.0 technologies"
One user commented, "I for one hate www.fidelity.com, so I am quite happy they have this to save me their web experience.
Again from the WorkLight website: "WorkLight for Retail Banks allows retail banks to securely deliver to customers personalized account information balances and transaction updates via familiar web 2.0 tools such as RSS, widgets/gadgets, personalized home pages, and instant messaging. Using these convenient means to deliver highly relevant, personalized information directly to users’ desktops, WorkLight relieves customers of the need to log in to and navigate through complex portals and thus substantially enhances the customer experience. This strengthens customer ties reduces customer attrition, and provides secure conduits for up-selling additional products and services, all without requiring changes to the bank's applications or requiring customers to install client software."
Editors note: the liberal use of the term "Web 2.0" in this article, while against my instincts, is purely based on WorkLight's use of the term to describe their products. There is no such thing as "Web 2.0" and use of this term is generally frowned upon by industry insiders. Terms such as Social Media and Social Tools are used by most to describe the tools used in the social web movement. "Web 2.0" however, is still commonly used by the press and media to describe a general movement towards social interaction on the web. It is not a specific product, networking protocol, tool or piece of software.
