Post your Widget ideas HERE!

rokrok
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
okay, i know for a fact that apple denizens at cupertino check the rumors sites and forums regularly, and ours gets a lot of attention (probably because we don't have nearly as many mouth-breathers online as, say, the spymac forums). so here's what i propose...



within the next year deadline before tiger is released, apple and other developers have an opportunity to create a ridiculous numbers of widgets for when dashboard finally goes v. 1.0.



so what do YOU want in a widget??? it does not matter if you specifically know HOW to make it, just that it could be made easily within the web kit umbrella of technologies (and maybe some tie-ins to database stuff in mac os x).



here's my idea of the ultimate widget, which i think most small and freelance designers would go ga-ga over: project time-tracking widget. think about it: dashboard allows you to call it up the actually time-tracking and recording widget whenever you want, but then shove it out of sight while you're trying to work. but that's just the eye candy part of it. think about the tie-ins that could be managed underneath...



tie-ins to ical for project milestones/deadlines (if you didn't see ical as a potential ms project killer, you do now), address book for billing purposes, and give it a way to tie into the database tech under mac os x's hood, along with he security already introduced in panther, and you have a solid, rendezvous-capable peer-to-peer project time tracking system with isync doing all the heavy lifting of making sure everyone is on the same page. throw in .mac accounts for all clients, and all your work time can be recorded remotely between all users as well.



well, seeing as how i have never run into a project time-tracking system that actually works WELL, this would be one helluva a killer widget system.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    As a web develoloper, the idea of being able to build xhtml/css/js/java/flash/QT mini-apps as widgets for the Mac is a bit mindblowing. This opens the box to another BIG new stream of potential developers, and thats good news (and some bad news if you like consistent quality apps or don't have time to trawl thru all of vtracker!). Off the top of my head, I'd like, or might get around to building:



    - manuals, a bit obvious, but being able to flip into and out of a searchable PHP, JS or CSS manual would be a real boon. Do you keep your print manuals in the middle of your desk or have them balanced on the sideboard and glance across at them. Yeah - me too.

    - A blogging widget that allows you to post stories and pictures at a moments notice, ecto style. Maybe it could show traffic and or new comments.

    - make the sticky notes rendezvous share-able

    - "whistleblower" style server status tester, letting a web jockey like me know if a site has a problem before a client does.

    - timesheet/proj manager is a great idea for those organized enough, but having it always there might even encourage us sloths to use it. I could see it hooking into something like BaseCamp really nicely.

    - vnc as a widget, being able to switch in a PC screen to check website layouts without eating screenspace would be marvellous.

    - Weather info, yes I know that would complete the konfabulator look...

    - TV/Radio listings?

    - train/airline timetibles?

    - Postcode/Zip Code Map search?

    (ah, fell into the trap of taking all sherlocks ideas and making widgets from them. hmm, maybe dashboard really is the end of sherlock?)



    More client specific uses such as an executive information dashboard with hooks into oracle/FMPro or whatever are suddenly within the reach of a non-C/Java programmer, which can only be good for macs in enterprise!



    hmmm, wonder if there are any dashboard hooks into applescript, that would rock.



    It occurs to me that dashboard widgets are doing all and more of what was originally promised to us in "docklets" waaay back in OSX PB. Remember them? Only now we can make the stuff ourselves with a nice public API, and do a whole lot more ino the bargain.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    altivec_2.0altivec_2.0 Posts: 995member
    I'd like to see a widget that is a cpu monitor, one that looks like a tachometer (like the one in xgrid) I hate always having to open cpu monitor. Or even better, have one built into the top menu bar, Apple are you listening!! put this in!.



    a small widget that acts like the force quit dialoge, so if a program spazes All i have to do is switch to dashboard and terminate.



    A widget that shows the CFM and RPM of all 9 fans in the powermac, and CPU temp.



    That's all for now.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    A chat-client widget. I hate having to clutter my screen with the 3-4 conversations I have each night. (Or add tabs to iChat)
  • Reply 4 of 11
    sinnwellsinnwell Posts: 2member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Altivec_2.0

    A widget that shows the CFM and RPM of all 9 fans in the powermac, and CPU temp.



    I second this one!
  • Reply 5 of 11
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    A little window for INK compatible handwriting input that passes its data to an active field or text input box in the active window.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    broso007broso007 Posts: 7member
    - Mail check independent of the Mail.app

    - RSS news reader

    - MSN
  • Reply 7 of 11
    ichiban_jayichiban_jay Posts: 660member
    A fish that swims around your desktop, and is smart enough that it loops around the icons on the desktop and gurgles at you



    lol
  • Reply 8 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    A chat-client widget. I hate having to clutter my screen with the 3-4 conversations I have each night. (Or add tabs to iChat)



    tabs to iChat ? ....man you just blew my mind ! PLEASE STEVE!
  • Reply 9 of 11
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    I'd like a widget that does conversions like measurement, currency, image file sizes, etc. Basically Art Director's toolkit, widgetized.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    northgatenorthgate Posts: 4,461member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Outsider

    I'd like a widget that does conversions like measurement, currency, image file sizes, etc. Basically Art Director's toolkit, widgetized.



    I second that. That would be great!
  • Reply 11 of 11
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    To start with, why don't we all run over to the Konfabulator site and re-implement every single one of the hundred or more widgets they have! Yeah! Why stop halfway!



    (Actually, the thing that got Konfabulator onto more desktops of people I know than any other was the semi-transparent, click-through "MST3K" heads hovering at the bottom of the screen.)
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