http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/ Engadget Comments for Switched On: Apple wanes in the widget wars http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
On Windows, its always there, and when you end up on an empty desktop after doing whatever it is you had to do, the gadgets catch your eye to give you whatever information they are designed to give you. Having them always on the desktop assures they will be used.

I found that hiding the widgets always made them very forgettable, which is why no one cares about widgets on OSX.]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
To keep your widgets on your desktop goto Terminal and type in the following: "defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES"

Log out of your account and log back in and then press your dashboard key. Choose the widget you wish to remain on the desktop and then click and HOLD. Press your dashboard key and the widget should remain on the desktop. To put it back into dashboard just do the same but start holding from desktop and then press dashboard key. =]


]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I have to assume widgets are like Spaces...its a feature you know is there but never use.]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
wait... I thought makes were intuitive...]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/I have a Mac (and really like it), but devmode is worthless. It doesn't place them on the desktop - it places them always-on-top! What's the point, if they cover up my applications?

I used to use widgets when they were Konfabulator widgets (on Windows). Then Apple "stole" the idea (or, more importantly, the technical design), but broke the only feature I cared about: persistent, but on-desktop widgets.

The closest I have come to having my tasks on my desktop is some complex and significantly less tasteful GeekTools scripts. :-(]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
widgets for mac osx are whatever you want them to be. just use safari and open on dashboard feature. instant widgets of my netflix queue, twitter status update box, etc. :)

kind of wish Microsoft would add a similar feature to IE8 and Win7
]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
Widgets are MOST important in the smartphone space.

Unless Apple implements SOME sort of widget/multitasking architecture with the next iPhone, I'm going elsewhere. But if I could have every icon offer me useful information, and not just proclaim to be "73* and Sunny", and on top of that, let me have 2 or 3 different icon/widget sizes for each app that offer varying amounts of realtime information while taking up varying amounts of screen real estate, NOW we're talking.


Of course, knowing AT&T, they're probably going to take issue with iPhone apps running in the background, constantly taxing their network. Oh wait, that's pretty much guaranteed to happen.

All I know is that if iPhone 4.0 doesn't have widgets/seamless multitasking, I'm going Android.
]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 13th 2009 2:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/In fact, I think the contrary. I like to have the ability to see the widgets only when you choose to.
On my PC, with Vista, I don't like to see them all the time, and if I ask the bar to hide, everytime I hover my mouse on the right side of the screen, they appear again ... so I disabled them totally.

When I tried Mac OSX the 1st time, I thought that was nice, you push the button if you want to see them, if you don't, they don't bother you.]]>Aug 13th 2009 3:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/What I mean is, Widgets just eat away my processor, I disabled it.]]>Aug 13th 2009 3:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I've got text read outs for just about everything I used widgets for]]>Aug 13th 2009 4:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 13th 2009 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I think you either find them useful or not. If you use them, then having them out of the way of the desktop, available to call up anytime is potentially easier.

I find one or two of them fairly useful (the currency converter and weather ones mainly), but if they were on the desktop I would have to minimise/hide windows to see them. Not that it's difficult, but I think the idea behind the apple implimentation is that they are apps you only need to refer to once in awhile, rather than see all the time.

To each their own though - I think you're right that they tend to be forgotten about on the mac, as you can't see them all the time.]]>Aug 13th 2009 9:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I did have confabulator back in the day and found the presence of the widgets on my desktop a little annoying. I mean, you almost always have app windows open anyway so you're gonna have to do something to see them either way... unless they are perma floating which bugs me too.

For something like itunes control I do like to have controls for that handy all the time and so I use YouControlTunes up in the menu bar.]]>Aug 13th 2009 11:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 13th 2009 2:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/than when i change spaces ( i do all the time) i see them
widgets rule
i love istat pro and i hate WINDOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yet not an apple fan boy
i just use whats best]]>Aug 13th 2009 5:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
That is part of the reason why if the Hero is announced for Sprint I will be switching from AT&T.]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
In regards to widgets on TVs, that's the TV manufacturers' fault. The operating systems in TVs are primitive and closed, any improvement that has come out in recent years has been done from external devices (like the DVR or devices like the PS3 and Xbox 360) because the manufacturers aren't interested in harmonizing all of the devices in a usual home. I haven't thought of a good reason why either, other than fear of failing and losing large sums of money.]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/

most of those things can be done via a jailbroken iphone and the cydia appstore.]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/I disagree, apps are not widgets. Widgets are apps though...it's the implementation of an app that makes it a widget. I totally disagree with the idea that a widget is counterproductive (well maybe I can't speak to it on the iPhone like you state), on on my mobile device I want widgets, I want slimmed a slimmed down version of an app that gives me pertinent information at a glance rather then hiking around a huge application list, launching the app, waiting for it to load...then download the information (if it's network centric information). I for one can not imagine having a mobile device GUI that is nothing more then a bunch of apps on a screen. I want a small subset of information that I use consistently up front and within easy reach/view.

Also telling a person to 'bring themselves' to simply go with a single implementation of an idea, with out challenging it or at least thinking of better alternative, would leave us stagnate in the tech world.


]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/I agree that if the device where capable, widgets would rock, but mobile phones aren't that capable. Imagine you just got your iPhone and after 2 hours of having it on without even looking at it, it runs out of power from constantly trying to update the information from Twitter. What I meant with counterproductive is that widgets become counterproductive when the primary function of the device (the phone) is hindered by the widgets running non-stop. Widgets in computers are already watered down to function seamlessly in the background, now you want them to water them down even more to run on the very limited space in a mobile phone? Granted, it's not impossible, but very few widgets would be able to conform to that standard and still provide a satisfactory outcome that doesn't hinder the device's performance.

You can apply the same functionality as a widget with the single difference being that you have to turn it on (most apps already do) maybe even prioritizing startup time so it doesn't become a hassle, sure it adds one step to your phone usage, but it leaves the phone capable of receiving calls or even opening some bigger application that's not a widget.]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I am so disappointed there isn't a Today Screen/ Widget for easy access to some important information.

I too will ditch the iPhone 3GS for Sprint's Hero.]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
The only thing I fear is how Apple would display widgets on the iPhone/iPod Touch, I'd like to see them more in the style of the HTC Hero, except to view widgets you'd have to scroll down on the home screen or something along that line.]]>Aug 12th 2009 11:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I'd like to point out that, at least in OS X's Dashboard, the majority of widgets do very little, if anything, when the Dashboard isn't actually visible. (There are certainly exceptions, but that's the idea of it.) I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but I seem to remember El Jobso mentioning in Tiger's introductory keynote that widgets were intentionally meant to fall dormant when in the background, avoiding unnecessary CPU usage until they were explicitly called upon by opening the Dashboard again.

This, or something like this, could theoretically work on the iPhone as well; have a small (and always small) number of widgets loaded in memory, ready to be called up with a gesture (a swipe across the status bar comes to mind, because I'm accustomed to using SBSettings on my JB'd device). If an application needs that memory, widgets are unloaded to make room, and the user simply has to wait a couple seconds longer the next time they call up their widgets. They're consistently treated as non-essential, with the OS favouring real apps when resources are tight, much like the behaviour on OS X.]]>Aug 12th 2009 11:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 11:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
I have an G4 and between 10 and 15 widgets in the dashboard, but when i do not use them, they need 0% CPU. Some memory yes, but the CPU is not taxed when they are not active.

This is THE big advantage over vistas/ 7 or KDE implemtention of gadgets or plasmoids.

Also i really like the faact that i have another layer.
1st layer: desktop. Files i need temporary and shortcuts to my most used folders
2nd layer: The applications i work in
3rd layer: dashboard. Some additional bits and pieces

especially important when you are on a small screen

]]>Aug 13th 2009 3:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
At least wait for Android to come out on a device with a decent processor that isn't already 2 years old.]]>Aug 13th 2009 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 13th 2009 5:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
There's also a weather widget on Verizon's FiOS TV, which again is "kind of convenient, I guess" but I don't think they're really a game-changer...]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/They have a huge library of widgets too.]]>Aug 12th 2009 10:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
Windows + G to rate songs makes it so simple.]]>Aug 12th 2009 11:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 13th 2009 4:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 11:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
To the patent office!!]]>Aug 12th 2009 9:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.mrgan.com/gb/) is a great example of such a web app.

As to widgets on TVs, don't make me laugh. Not only are they inconvenient and relatively useless, Konfabulator/Yahoo! Widgets is an embarrassment of a platform, as evidenced by the shitty quality of 99% of the widgets available (and lack of any good or even non-hideous new widgets for many years now).]]>Aug 13th 2009 8:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/General>Home, where the options are 'home', 'search', 'iPod' and 'dashboard'.

When it fades in it should only show the basic apps like calendar, stocks, weather, calculator etc which would be useable until you tap home again to return to dashboard and again to your original program, or double tap to go straight to you original program and skip the dashboard. The other program you were on before should run as a background process with the dashboard app in the foreground, I know Apple dismissed background processing becaus it drained bttery life but as this would only be temporary it would be do-able.

They should employ me, seriously :)]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/
1. www.pandora.com
2. Safari -> File -> Open In Dashboard

Of course the dictionary, and quick glances at the stocks, currency conversions...]]>Aug 12th 2009 8:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/switched-on-apple-wanes-in-the-widget-wars/Aug 12th 2009 8:45PM