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WidgetWatch posts

Filed under: Software, Widget Watch

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.

Filed under: Widget Watch

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!

Filed under: Software, Cool tools, Freeware, Internet Tools, Widget Watch

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!

Filed under: Odds and ends, Widget Watch

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?

Filed under: Odds and ends, Internet Tools, Widget Watch

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).

Filed under: Widget Watch

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!

Filed under: Humor, Widget Watch

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.

Filed under: Macworld, Cult of Mac, Widget Watch

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.

Filed under: Macworld, Widget Watch

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!

Filed under: Software, Widget Watch, Retro Mac

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!

Filed under: Widget Watch

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.

Filed under: Software, Widget Watch

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!

Filed under: Humor, Odds and ends, Widget Watch

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.


Filed under: Cool tools, Widget Watch

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!

Tip of the Day

Use Spotlight as a reference tool. Type any word in the Spotlight box and one of the top entries will be a definition. Click on it, and it will bring up the dictionary application to check the word in either the dictionary, thesaurus, Apple database, or Wikipedia.


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