WidgetWatch
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Widgets: "iPhone apps, I am your father."
Don't get me wrong, I love the iPhone and its App Store juggernaut, it's just sometimes it seems that people have forgotten all about the iPhone app's father: the Dashboard widget. First introduced in Mac OS X Tiger in 2005, widgets changed the way people quickly accessed simple information on their Mac. And though Apple did not create the concept of a widget, it did present them in the best way. With the press of a button I had access to my portfolio, my Yahoo! news, my local weather, calculators for everything, translators, you name it. Widgets were small, simple, and beautiful. They performed one function and did it exceedingly well. Widget ports created half of the first apps ported to the iPhone (think the Weather app, Calculator app, Clock app, and Stocks app). So in honor of the widget being partially responsible for the origins of iPhone apps, I'd like to present you with my four favorite ones. I hope you'll list your favorite widgets in the comments section too.
Widget Watch: Freshbooks time tracker
We know that several of our readers do the type of work that requires them to track their own billable hours. For those of you using Freshbooks, here's a handy Dashboard widget.The Time Tracker Widget includes a timer (of course) plus menus to choose the project you're working on as well as the particular task (meeting, research, etc.). Finally, add any pertinent notes in the Notes field.When you're finished working, click "Submit Hours" to upload your hours to your Freshbooks account. Easy! Note that you must have API access enabled in your Freshbook settings.
Widget Watch: Apple Store status widget
In February we covered Pingdom's release of a website badge and monitoring service that tracked the status of the Apple Store. A lot of our readers were resourceful enough to make their own widgets from the banner, but Pingdom has polished up and released a widget for everyone who looks forward to the excited anticipation of downtime hysteria. The widget, and Pingdom's service in general, have the potential to be a blessing to Apple's servers. By pinging once and distributing the results to the masses, it could prevent thousands of simultaneous connections from refresh-happy Apple fans. Not that the servers haven't always handled the traffic with a fair amount of aplomb; it's just that much more breathing room. Software releases (Safari 3.1 and a Security Update) marked this Tuesday, but without the bated-breath downtime we'd begun to expect. A little element of scheduling surprise, such as the 802.11n Airport Express release on Monday, makes this widget significantly more useful. So, grab the widget from Pingdom and enjoy future frenzies!
Widget Watch: WidgetWizard turns RSS into widgets
Disappointed that one of your favorite sites hasn't broken out a widget for their RSS feed yet? Worry not, WidgetWizard's got you covered. Just fill out a quick little form, and the RSS feed of your choice is available in widget form.Sure, it's not actually that hard to do, and the upcoming release of Dashcode with Leopard will make it even easier. But if all you want is to see an RSS feed on your Dashboard without all the fuss and muss of actually coding it, WidgetWizard is where it's at.Thanks, Kelly!
Widget Watch: Warp Speed Calculator
The Warp Speed Calculator widget isn't useful at all, unless you happen to be a captain of a Starfleet vessel, but I'm OK with that. As you might expect this simple widget calculates how fast, in km/s, a particular Warp Factor is (from Star Trek: The Next Generation). I can also calculate how long it'll take you to travel distances based on your Warp Factor.Who doesn't need to know this stuff from time to time?
Widget Watch: MLB Schedule
I am not TUAW's resident baseball fan, but since it is peanuts and crackerjack season I thought it only appropriate to feature the MLB Schedule widget. This widget gives you an at a glance look at your favorite team's schedule with a 5 day period. If the game has already played it shows you the score, otherwise you get the start time, the opponent, the location, and who is pitching.MLB Schedule is a free download (and remember if you like to follow more than one ball club you can run multiple versions of the widget).
Widget Watch: kuler
kuler is a neat online application from Adobe that allows you to create, and share, color schemes online. This is a boon for someone like me, who has trouble dressing himself let alone figuring out what color combos will look good on a website.Recenlty Adobe added the ability to subscribe to RSS feeds of popular schemes. While that's cool, it isn't really all that interesting until, that is, Adobe created a widget that lets you see combos on Dashboard. Now, the perfect color scheme for that Apple blog you've been thinking about starting is just a keystroke away!
Flapper - the animated, life-or-death weather widget
Is Apple's default weather widget not offering enough excitement? Are you looking for a little more cutesy, life-or death-drama with your ambiguous weather reports? Then check out Flappie, the widget that needs you to both feed and play with it (while also allowing it to sleep) from time to time in order for it to continue displaying generic (read: no actual temperature readings) weather reports. But be careful - if you don't care for Flappie on a daily basis, it could most certainly die. On the other hand, the longer you can keep your little Flappie alive, the better a chance it has "to evolve." Into what exactly is the answer Timothy Breslin, the widget's author, is apparently keeping to himself.
Widget Watch: Another Macworld 2007 countdown widget
Some people weren't impressed with the last Macworld widget I mentioned, so I thought I would point out MacWorld Expo 2007 Countdown, which we covered last year when it was just Macworld Countdown. Not too much to say about this widget, other than it counts down the remaining days, hours, and minutes until Macworld 2007 is upon us.
Widget Watch: MWSF 2007 Countdown Widget
Who is excited about Macworld? I know I am, and just to fuel the excitement Jesper has created the MWSF 2007 Countdown Widget (I took the above screenshot a few hours ago).TUAW will be giving Macworld the full court press with a number of our bloggers, including yours truly, pounding the show floor looking for the cool stuff that the other sites have missed. It is going to be great, and it is only a week away!
Widget Watch: Apple][Go
My grammar school memories are filled with many happy hours spent in the computer lab staring at a green monochromatic Apple ][e with dual floppy drives. I can't tell you how many times I died of dysentery, or where the heck Carmen Sandiego was but I had a great time. Now, my misspent youth is only a keystroke away, waiting in the Dashboard. Apple][Go puts the power of an Apple ][ onto your modern day Mac.Now, the needed ROMs and disk images are not public domain, so make sure you have the proper rights to use them and then meet me in 1985.
Widget Watch: Simpsons Movie Countdown
This one's for you Simpsons fans. The Simpsons Movie is coming to a theater near you on July 27, 2007. What better way to pass the time between now and then, than to stare at this Simpsons Movie Countdown widget! Unfortunately, it doesn't countdown minutes, hours and seconds - only days. Handy, nonetheless. 227 days to go!
Widget Watch: Delivery Status
I am on my Mac for about 80% of my waking day, and I drift to sleep thinking of cool things I could do with my Mac. That means that I purchase many things online. It is convenient and usually cheaper, but you do have to wait for the package to show up. Enter Delivery Status, a very cool widget from Mike Piontek.This widget goes beyond tracking UPS and FedEx shipments, though it'll do that as well. Not only does this Widget track packages via UPS, FedEx, DHL, and the US Post Office, it also tracks your order status from Amazon and the Apple Store.Not too shabby for a free widget.
Widget Watch: Fidelity Market Monitor
If you are like me and have a burning desire to check on your stock portfolio compulsively throughout the day, there are many options in the world of Dashboard widgets, Apple's own included stock widget amongst them. But I just downloaded the Fidelity Market Monitor - a natural since I have accounts with Fidelity - and I'm really digging it. The widget lets you personalize your watchlists, track your stocks and stay current on the latest symbol-specific and overall market news and conditions. It loads fast and is very easy to customize. It's easy on the eyes, too. Did I mention it's free? Well it is. Bulls and bears alike should be pleased. Update: Alternate link download link.Thanks, Hadley!
Widget Watch: Whoopee Cushion Widget
The Whoopee Cushion Widget serves no useful purpose, but it made me smile. Clicking on the Whoopee Cushion, once it is safely ensconced on your Dashboard, does exactly what one would expect it to. Do I have to spell it out for you people? OK, here's a hint, the widget's tagline is, 'Click on the Whoopee Cushion. It's a gas!'Immature? Sure. Fun? You bet!Whoopee Cushion Widget is freeware, but if you like it toss Jacob some dinero.
Widget Watch: Morse Code Translator
.-- .... .- - / .... .- - .... / --. --- -.. / .-- .-. --- ..- --. .... - ..--.. / - .... . / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / - .-. .- -. ... .-.. .- - --- .-. --..-- / .-- .... .. -.-. .... / -.. --- . ... / . -..- .- -.-. - .-.. -.-- / .-- .... .- - / -.-- --- ..- / . -..- .--. . -.-. - / .. - / - --- / -.. --- .-.-.- / .. - / -.-. --- -. ...- . .-. - ... / .--. .-.. .- .. -. / - . -..- - / - --- / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / .- -. -.. / ...- .. -.-. . / ...- . .-. ... .- .-.-.- / -- .. --. .... - / -.-. --- -- . / .. -. / .... .- -. -.. -.-- / .. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- .----. .-. . / . ...- . .-. / ... - .-. .- -. -.. . -.. / --- -. / .- / -- .- -.-. / -- .- -. .. .- / --. . . -.- / -.-. .-. ..- .. ... . / .-- .. - .... / -. --- / .-- .. ..-. .. .-.-.- Translation:What hath God wrought? The Morse Code Translator, which does exactly what you expect it to do. It converts plain text to Morse code and vice versa. Might come in handy if you're ever stranded on a Mac Mania Geek Cruise with no WiFi!
Widget Watch: English to Pirate Translator
Have you ever wanted to give a scurvy dog a piece of your mind, but you just couldn't find the right phrase? Those days are long gone, thanks to the English to Pirate Translator widget.With one press of a button you'll be spouting pirate just like Bluebeard.
Widget Watch: PEMDAS
Whilst I was attending school my teachers assured me that I would use the math I was learning in my day to day life. They lied. I can't remember the last time someone asked me to get the volume of a pyramid, or what the cosine of 12.3234 was.Since I am but a mere blogger PEMDAS isn't all that useful to me, but if you find yourself wishing for a more competent calculator for OS X you should check it out. It is a scientific calculator that supports formulas, has a nice design, and has a low, low price (free).[via one digital life]
Widget Watch: Are you ready for some football?
Oh, yes I am. If you like a little NFL mixed in with you OS X, check out 2006 NFL by Kelly Phillips. It's a Dashboard widget that breaks down every game of the 2006 NFL season. Flip it over, and get each team's win/loss record, sorted by conference and division.If you just want to focus on a single team, Kelly has got you covered. There is a Dashboard widget available for every individual NFL team as well. Check them out if football is your thing. Finally, let me add...Go, Pats!
Widget Watch: Mr. Alligator
Who says that widgets need to be useful? Certainly not Curious Media, the creators of Mr. Alligator. Mr. Alligator sits in your Dashboard and waits to be clicked on. When someone clicks on him a random sentence, pulled from words in a database, is displayed. Mr. Alligator can also speak the phrases using any of OS X's built in voices, but I find them annoying.You can also add words to the database, and if Mr. Alligator says something truly profound you can copy it to the clipboard without leaving the widget.Pointless? Yes. Fun? Yes.
