diff --git a/applet.cpp b/applet.cpp
index b9492586d..5c118de1b 100644
--- a/applet.cpp
+++ b/applet.cpp
@@ -342,9 +342,9 @@ Applet::Applet(QGraphicsItem *parent,
     d->init(this);
 }
 
-Applet::Applet(QObject* parentObject, const QStringList& args)
+Applet::Applet(QObject* parentObject, const QVariantList& args)
     :  Widget(0,parentObject),
-       d(new Private(KService::serviceByStorageId(args.count() > 0 ? args[0] : QString()),
+       d(new Private(KService::serviceByStorageId(args.count() > 0 ? args[0].toString() : QString()),
                      args.count() > 1 ? args[1].toInt() : 0))
 {
     d->init(this);
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ void Applet::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QW
         d->shadow->generate();
     }
 
-    qreal zoomLevel = painter->transform().m11() / transform().m11();
+    //qreal zoomLevel = painter->transform().m11() / transform().m11();
     //kDebug() << "qreal " << zoomLevel << " = " << painter->transform().m11() << " / " << transform().m11();
     //if (fabs(zoomLevel - scalingFactor(Plasma::DesktopZoom)) < std::numeric_limits<double>::epsilon()) { // Show Desktop
         if (d->background) {
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ QStringList Applet::knownCategories(const QString &parentApp)
     return categories;
 }
 
-Applet* Applet::loadApplet(const QString& appletName, uint appletId, const QStringList& args)
+Applet* Applet::loadApplet(const QString& appletName, uint appletId, const QVariantList& args)
 {
     if (appletName.isEmpty()) {
         return 0;
@@ -931,20 +931,19 @@ Applet* Applet::loadApplet(const QString& appletName, uint appletId, const QStri
         appletId = Private::nextId();
     }
 
-    QStringList allArgs;
-    QString id;
-    id.setNum(appletId);
-    allArgs << offers.first()->storageId() << id << args;
-    Applet* applet = KService::createInstance<Plasma::Applet>(offers.first(), 0, allArgs);
+    QVariantList allArgs;
+    allArgs << offers.first()->storageId() << appletId << args;
+    QString error;
+    Applet* applet = KService::createInstance<Plasma::Applet>(offers.first(), 0, allArgs, &error);
 
     if (!applet) {
-        kDebug() << "Couldn't load applet \"" << appletName << "\"!";
+        kDebug() << "Couldn't load applet \"" << appletName << "\"! reason given: " << error;
     }
 
     return applet;
 }
 
-Applet* Applet::loadApplet(const KPluginInfo& info, uint appletId, const QStringList& args)
+Applet* Applet::loadApplet(const KPluginInfo& info, uint appletId, const QVariantList& args)
 {
     if (!info.isValid()) {
         return 0;
diff --git a/applet.h b/applet.h
index d83f9c180..800f22560 100644
--- a/applet.h
+++ b/applet.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public Widget
          * @arg args a list of strings containing two entries: the service id
          *      and the applet id
          */
-        Applet(QObject* parent, const QStringList& args);
+        Applet(QObject* parent, const QVariantList& args);
 
         ~Applet();
 
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public Widget
          * @return a pointer to the loaded applet, or 0 on load failure
          **/
         static Applet* loadApplet(const QString &name, uint appletId = 0,
-                                  const QStringList& args = QStringList());
+                                  const QVariantList& args = QVariantList());
 
         /**
          * Attempts to load an applet
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public Widget
          * @return a pointer to the loaded applet, or 0 on load failure
          **/
         static Applet* loadApplet(const KPluginInfo& info, uint appletId = 0,
-                                  const QStringList& args = QStringList());
+                                  const QVariantList& args = QVariantList());
 
         /**
          * This method is called when the interface should be painted.
@@ -579,8 +579,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public Widget
  * Register an applet when it is contained in a loadable module
  */
 #define K_EXPORT_PLASMA_APPLET(libname, classname) \
-        K_EXPORT_COMPONENT_FACTORY(                \
-                        plasma_applet_##libname,    \
-                        KGenericFactory<classname>("plasma_applet_" #libname))
+K_PLUGIN_FACTORY(factory, registerPlugin<classname>();) \
+K_EXPORT_PLUGIN(factory("plasma_applet_" #libname))
 
 #endif // multiple inclusion guard
diff --git a/corona.cpp b/corona.cpp
index b90ba8e85..c9761e256 100644
--- a/corona.cpp
+++ b/corona.cpp
@@ -192,11 +192,11 @@ void Corona::saveApplets() const
 void Corona::loadApplets(const QString& config)
 {
     clearApplets();
-    
+
     KConfig appletConfig(config, KConfig::OnlyLocal);
     foreach (const QString& group, appletConfig.groupList()) {
         KConfigGroup cg(&appletConfig, group);
-        addApplet(cg.readEntry("plugin", QString()), QStringList(),
+        addApplet(cg.readEntry("plugin", QString()), QVariantList(),
                   group.toUInt(), cg.readEntry("geometry", QRectF()));
     }
 }
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void Corona::clearApplets()
     d->applets.clear();
 }
 
-Applet* Corona::addApplet(const QString& name, const QStringList& args, uint id, const QRectF& geometry)
+Applet* Corona::addApplet(const QString& name, const QVariantList& args, uint id, const QRectF& geometry)
 {
     Applet* applet = Applet::loadApplet(name, id, args);
     if (!applet) {
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ void Corona::dropEvent(QGraphicsSceneDragDropEvent *event)
         QString plasmoidName;
         plasmoidName = event->mimeData()->data(d->mimetype);
         QRectF geom(event->scenePos(), QSize(0, 0));
-        addApplet(plasmoidName, QStringList(), 0, geom);
+        addApplet(plasmoidName, QVariantList(), 0, geom);
         event->acceptProposedAction();
     } else if (KUrl::List::canDecode(event->mimeData())) {
         KUrl::List urls = KUrl::List::fromMimeData(event->mimeData());	
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ void Corona::dropEvent(QGraphicsSceneDragDropEvent *event)
             KMimeType::Ptr mime = KMimeType::findByUrl(url);
             QString mimeName = mime->name();
             QRectF geom(event->scenePos(), QSize(0, 0));
-            QStringList args;
+            QVariantList args;
             args << url.url();
 //             kDebug() << mimeName;
             KPluginInfo::List appletList = Applet::knownAppletsForMimetype(mimeName);
diff --git a/corona.h b/corona.h
index 75858964f..2bdd64906 100644
--- a/corona.h
+++ b/corona.h
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
      *
      * @return a pointer to the applet on success, or 0 on failure
      */
-    Applet* addApplet(const QString& name, const QStringList& args = QStringList(),
+    Applet* addApplet(const QString& name, const QVariantList& args = QVariantList(),
                       uint id = 0, const QRectF &geometry = QRectF(-1, -1, -1, -1));
 
     /**
diff --git a/glapplet.cpp b/glapplet.cpp
index 3fd3e24d8..5ceb94ae9 100644
--- a/glapplet.cpp
+++ b/glapplet.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ GLApplet::GLApplet(QGraphicsItem *parent,
     }
 }
 
-GLApplet::GLApplet(QObject *parent, const QStringList &args)
+GLApplet::GLApplet(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)
     : Applet(parent, args),
       d(new Private)
 {
diff --git a/glapplet.h b/glapplet.h
index 453e91cee..2535d0d50 100644
--- a/glapplet.h
+++ b/glapplet.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT GLApplet : public Applet
          * @arg args a list of strings containing two entries: the service id
          *      and the applet id
          */
-        GLApplet(QObject *parent, const QStringList &args);
+        GLApplet(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args);
 
         ~GLApplet();