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Windows 11 will get third-party widgets later this year
Win32 apps and progressive web apps will be supported.
Apple may bring 'real' home screen widgets to iOS 14
Widgets have been present in iOS for years, but they're usually on a dedicated screen rather than wherever you want them to be, as with Android. Soon, however, you might have that flexibility. As part of an ongoing string of code leaks, 9to5Mac has reportedly discovered that Apple is developing a 'real' widget system for iOS 14. Codenamed "Avocado," the feature would let you place widgets anywhere on your home screen as if they were app icons. The 9to5 crew warned there was a chance Apple could cut the feature (say, due to development time).
Spotify ditches its Android homescreen widget
Spotify's latest Android update has riled some of its loyal users. The update removes the homescreen widget from Spotify's Android app. Now, to control functions like play, pause and skip, users must drag down the notification shade. While this may seem like a minor change to some, widgets are a prized Android feature, and nearly 2,000 users have petitioned the widget removal.
Google is killing its Notifications Widget
As the death knell sounds for Google+, so too comes the end for the Google's Notification Widget. Introduced in 2011 alongside Google+, the bell icon in the top-right corner of every Google page was designed to alert users to activity on the social network, eventually expanding to include Google Photos and Hangout Chat. Now, though, a warning message indicates that the service will end on March 7th. After this date, the navigation bar will only feature your profile avatar and other settings, including the app launcher. Not to worry if you still rely on the feature for Photos, Hangout Chat or Google+ enterprise, though, as you can still enable alerts in the settings section of each individual app.
Google Calendar catches up to other iOS apps with a... widget
Google Calendar's iOS app now has an easier way to keep tabs on a busy schedule. An updated version of the app includes a Today View widget that shows your upcoming events at a glance. If you have a packed day with three meetings, you won't have to launch the app to get an all-too-painful reminder of your itinerary. The concept certainly isn't new on mobile devices, including on iOS (Apple has had its own "up next" calendar widget for a while), but it could prove a lifesaver if you depend on Google's internet services and can't afford to miss an appointment.
Uber is deeply integrating with other apps
Uber has been pushing to get its services better integrated into third-party apps in recent years, and new widget and branding features will bring a more complete experience than ever before.
Apple Music gets an Android widget
Apple Music on Android is pretty much identical to its iOS counterpart, but its latest update adds a unique feature for the platform: a widget. You can now add an Apple Music widget on your home screens if you want quick access to the service. Like any other standard music widget, it gives you a way to pause, play and skip tracks without having to launch the app itself. There's a heart that you can tap to let it know that you like what's playing, but if you need to access other features, you'll just have to go into the app.
Gibson takes a whimsical approach to the podcast microphone
When it comes to USB microphones, you're pretty much limited to a collection of black, silver and gold devices. There really isn't a ton or personality in the color schemes or look of those accessories, save for a few exceptions. Gibson's Neat Microphones line is a welcome exception, though, and its latest delivers a combination of whimsical hues and futuristic aesthetics George Jetson would fancy. The trio pictured above are Widgets, and more specifically go by A, B, and C. All three pack custom capsules, built-in pop filters, shock mounts and adjustable stands. Like a lot of USB mics, the Widgets are very much a plug-and-play add-on, as they won't require you to install drivers or software to get started. When you're ready to record, the company says you can use the gear for anything from podcasting to Skype calls and tracking instruments and vocals in 96kHz/24 bit audio. At $99, the Widgets are pricier than the popular Blue Microphones Snowball and cost the same as its newer Nessie USB mic. If the looks are too much for you to pass up with Gibson's latest, you'll be able to nab them starting November 15th.
Android Wear will soon be a remote control for your Sonos speakers
Picture the scene: you're throwing a house party with guests sipping at your expensive whiskey and a good time is being had by all. Suddenly, unexpectedly, the Hamster Dance pops up on the Sonos - curse your eclectic music tastes - and the atmosphere suddenly turns restless. Never fear, because soon you'll be able to nudge the track to something more suitable just by banging a finger on your Moto 360. Sonos has revealed that it's currently beta-testing a control app for Android Wear devices that'll enable you to play DJ from the comfort of your wrist. iOS users are also apparently getting some love, too, since Zatz Not Funny is reporting that an iPhone lock screen widget is also being hammered out in the company's secret testing labs. Now you just need to move the Hamster Dance off your number one party playlist and you'll be sorted. [Image Credit: Robert / Sonos Forums]
Live soccer scores are now just an iPhone swipe away
If you're a keen soccer fan, chances are you already use an app to keep up with all of the latest scores while you're out and about. However, many apps rely on you opening it each time to get a quick rundown on matches, or bombard you with push notifications when a goal goes in. Now that Apple's added widget support to iOS 8, Forza Football is putting all of that important information just a swipe away. As part of its latest update, the app now lists goals, scorers and times of goals in the "Today" screen inside Notification Center, allowing you to catch up with the matches that are only relevant to you. To get started, simply add the new widget to your Notification Center and then follow your favorite team(s). You can also add individual matches to the app's calendar, giving you an at-a-glance look at how your team's rivals are performing during crunch match days.
Pinterest launches an Android widget, but only for Telefonica customers
If you can't stop checking Pinterest while on the road, today's your lucky day... provided that you subscribe to the right cellular carrier, that is. Pinterest has just released an Android widget that's available exclusively to customers on Telefonica's networks, including O2, Movistar and Vivo. The portal shows both personal feeds and popular items, letting users pin their favorite things from the home screen. At present, the Pinterest widget is available only as a download for O2 UK customers. Telefonica will start preloading the software on O2 phones within a few weeks; rollouts to the brand's other carriers are coming "in due course."
Spotify Charts launch globally, showcase 50 most listened to and most viral tracks weekly
Taking a page out of Billboard's playbook, Spotify is using its listener data to determine the most popular music in a particular country. Available on the website or as embeddable widgets, the weekly updated charts will reveal which tracks are most listened to for the Spotify 50. The Social 50 list will contain the tracks most often actively shared by the service's users, including via Facebook and Twitter. Another new addition is the ability to see play counts for an artist's top tracks, tracking global plays since October 2008. That's rolling out to desktop clients first and will pop up elsewhere later, while the charts will update every week at noon ET. Hit the link below for this week's list topped by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Daft Punk, although we'll know if it's really taking off when we see a green record on someone's wall in a future episode of Cribs.
Google+ widget lets you embed Photo Spheres on any website
One of the biggest highlights of Android's jump to 4.2 was the addition of Photo Sphere, a 360-degree panoramic shooting mode that pans vertically as well as horizontally. It's a neat trick, but the only way to share it was on Google+ or on a device running Android 4.2 or higher. Now, thanks to a new widget that utilizes the Google+ Platform API, you can embed an interactive 360-degree slideshow on any website you choose -- so long as your photos are stored on G+ and PicasaWeb. If you're willing to play around with a bit of code, have a peek at the source to get started. [Image credit: Colby Brown]
Google Now update adds real-time package tracking, faster search results
Have an Android smartphone running Jelly Bean? You might have come across Google Now, the search giant's information hub that aggregates personalized content from your inbox, calendar and GPS. Now, an updated version of Google's Android app, which hit Play today, adds a few more features to the mix. The latest revision brings real-time package tracking from certain carriers, assuming a tracking number arrived in your inbox, a new info option that provides a basic settings readout, and faster Google search results. You should be able to snag these additions right now -- simply update your Google Search app to take advantage.
Google Now updated with support for widgets, added information sources
Google already tipped its hand on this one, but those looking for some widgets with their Google Now can get their fix today with the latest update to the Google Search app for Android. In addition to letting you add a Now widget to either your home screen or lock screen, the update also adds ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and movie passes from Fandango (including a reminder for when you need to leave for the movie), as well as real estate listings from Zillow.
Sonos app gets universal favorites, Android widget and iPhone 5 tweaks
Ask a Sonos listener about flaws in the Controller app and you'll often hear about three sticking points: favorites buried in separate sections, the absence of an official Android widget and an iOS version that still isn't optimized for the iPhone 5. As of Tuesday, the company is cleaning house by curing all three hiccups at once. A new software update puts a source-independent Sonos Favorites section at the top of the menu system; Android users now have a playback widget to quickly skip tracks, and the iPhone app finally takes advantage of those 176 extra lines on the screen. All the official Controller releases should see their fixes appear at relevant app stores soon, if not by the time you read this.
Google Now widget leaks, gets the 'now' up front and center
Mountain View has silently been updating Google Now for a while -- throwing in a pedometer, some travel tools and even limited desktop support. A premature update to the feature's support page has revealed what's next: widgets. The proposed tool promises to give your Now cards a suitable abode on your device's home or lock screens, presenting a summary of your card selection at a glance. A single tap will dive directly into the full Google Now experience, offering you a better look at the corresponding deets. We aren't sure when or even how this feature will land, but it's sure to be a welcome addition when it does. After all, it's all about getting the right information at the right time.
Rara.com expands to iOS, Windows 8 and more countries
Rara.com has been mighty busy since its luddite-friendly music streaming service launched at the end of last year, and now it's reporting the outcome of those 10 months of toil. In addition to an improved web experience and new Android widget, an AirPlay-compatible app for iOS is now available, with software for Windows 8 arriving alongside its launch. Rara's 18 million tracks haven't only invaded other platforms, but other countries, too -- residents of Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa and Portugal have joined the party, bringing the total number of compatible countries to 27. Lenovo is also getting a piece of the action, as a worldwide agreement means Rara software will now come pre-installed on the manufacturer's Android tablets and Windows 8 gear. Want to hear more about Rara's recent accomplishments? Then head for the PR after the break.
Evernote for Android gets new offline notebooks, widgets and more
Evernote has already revamped a few of its offerings this month, and it's now brought some changes to its Android app as well. That includes new offline notebooks for premium subscribers that'll let you download multiple notebooks in one shot, a pared down note editor toolbar, retooled Action Bars for Android tablets and a new resizable Grid Widget for your homescreen. Not surprisingly, Evernote also says that the update includes a slew of other fixes and tweaks that promise to make the app "faster and more reliable," and it's promising that there's still "lots more to come." You can find the updated app in the Google Play store at the link below.
Chameleon Android launcher hits version 1.1, adds support for native widgets
It's not every day that we cover launchers of any kind, but when we heard the Kickstarter-funded Chameleon had been updated to version 1.1, we thought those of you who have supported the project since its early days would be happy to hear the news. And while the refresh itself doesn't bring many changes, it does include the long-awaited support for stock Android widgets -- not to mention a few welcomed improvements to the current Twitter, Google Calendar and YouTube homescreen-living apparatuses. Naturally, these will go hand to hand with those tweaks announced less than a month ago in version 1.0 of the tablet launcher. There's a video courtesy of Chameleon situated down below -- in case you're interested in seeing what all the fuss is about before you download the Android commodities.
