Google acquires widget creator Labpixies

Google has acquired Israel-based LabPixies, a leading provider of personalised web gadgets, to boost the gaming and entertainment areas in its personalised portal iGoogle.

Tel Aviv-based LabPixies creates quality interactive gadgets for web environments known as ''Widgets.''

LabPixies, with over 40 million users, has gadgets ranging from handy tools such as calendars, news feeds and to-do lists to entertainment and games. It was the first developer to create gadgets for iGoogle and has been offering a collection of games and lightweight utilities that run on Google's customisable home page, and on Android mobile phones.

''One of the first developers to create gadgets for iGoogle was Labpixies. Over the years, we worked closely together on a variety of projects, including the launch of a number of global OpenSocial based gadgets,'' said Don Loeb, iGoogle Team in a company blogpost yesterday.

''Recently, we decided that we could do more if we were part of the same team, and as such, we're thrilled to announce the acquisition of Labpixies,'' he added.

LabPixies said in a statement, ''Working at Google will help us scale to more users as well as giving our team greater opportunities.