Friday Question: Useful Dashboard Widgets? is a post on The Hickensian

After that little rant about useless Dashboard widgets, I feel the need to redress the balance. My problem with widgets is that most seem fall into 3 categories:

  1. Searching widgets that are no more convenient than just searching in a browser (especially when most browsers have some way of adding search engines to the default google bar)
  2. Widgets that display information from other apps – viewing iCal events, or unread mail.
  3. Widgets that are just a way of viewing a single RSS feed.

Apart from the default calculator, these are the two that I’ve found worthwhile:

Capture (More than what you can do with keystrokes, it lets you choose filetypes, scale and saving destination)

Google Maps (the one widget that I’ve found to be more convenient than going to the browser)

There must be some useful widgets out there, but maybe there are some little gems that you’ve discovered? Show me your widgets!

The Hickensian is the journal of Jon Hicks, one half of the creative partnership Hicksdesign. See the work we do.

AD by FUSION

Jobs

Hicksdesign doesn't have any vacancies, but these fine folk do:

    Via Authentic Jobs Come in, we're hiring!

    playlist

    See more on last.fm

    My Zoo

    I use Zootool to collect the things I like on the web…

    Contact

    Hicksdesign

    73a High Street

    Witney

    Oxfordshire, UK

    OX28 6JA

    +44 (0)7917 391 536

    Download vCard

    Happy Cog Hosting

    Hicksmade. Unique handmade products made for machines, not by them