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October 05, 2007


Best iPhone Widgets

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When Apple introduced the iPhone, it published specs that let anyone create "widgets" that anyone can offer from any web site. Here are a few of my favorites.

1Facebook Mobile

This app provides all of the most commonly used Facebook features on the iPhone (or really any phone). It's easy to read and navigate with a simple text button navbar. Most of the functionality that's surfaced is around the news feed so you can check up on what your peeps are doing. And you can update your status easily in seconds. The only thing I don't like (and this is more the fault of the iPhone than Facebook) is that there's no way to upload photos. Hopefully someone will create a way to e-mail photos to Facebook rather than sending them with a text message, since the iPhone doesn't have a multimedia text messaging feature.

2Pogonotes

This site lets you create and save notes from your phone which you can then retrieve from any web browser when you sign in. The URL above won't let you use the iPhone interface, but you can sign up for an account and create notes. You don't need an iPhone to use it though, and it should work on whatever phone you have. (Side note: this is a critical app on the iPhone because there's no way to download notes you create in the iPhone's native notes app. Lame!!!)

3Reversie (Othello) from Macmost

Since the iPhone offers no ability to download and play games (not even the games offered in iTunes, believe it or not), you have to go out and find them on your own. This game of Reversi (also known as Othello or Go) is very good, and addictive! You can play it on any computer, and probably any phone with a WAP browser too. The other day I wasted a good 30 minutes trying to beat the computer.

4FlickIM

Apple's OSX has a great iChat tool for instant messaging that works with AOL Instant Messenger, but you won't find that on the iPhone. Nope, they want you to use up your precious 200 text messages in the basic AT&T package and then pay overages. But even with this, you can't text message AIM users. FlickIM to the rescue! This hack into AIM lets you instant message back and forth in real time with any AIM user. Cool beans!

5iFM

This is a fun way to listen to music on your iPhone without paying 99 cents through Apple's Wifi music store. And to the iPhone's credit, any MP3 file on the Web will download and play in QuickTime on the iPhone. I have no idea if the music on this site is legal or not, so use it at your own risk.

6Applists

Looking for more widgets? Applists is a great directory of iPhone apps that works on both iPhone and on any web browser. You can find new apps, save favorite apps to your list, and as of this week share your lists of apps with other Applists users.




Comment by MikeK on October 05, 2007 report problem
This is a GREAT list -- thanks for it.

And it's timely too because I'm getting an iphone this weekend so I'll try some of these puppies out.

(Hey CityTools, are you guys doing any iphone widgets?)

Reply by Robert Cauthorn on October 05, 2007 report problem
Yes, actually, we are developing some iPhone widgets. The first one will be a version of ambient news for the iPhone (and lists are coming really soon now, fyi)

However, that won't be for a few weeks. We're cleaning up some issues with foreign languages and also doing the final testing on the photos, classifieds and the secret project...

That said, if there's a lot of interest in an iPhone widget, we can slap together an ambient news one pretty fast.

Post a comment here here you'd like one.


Comment by AB on October 05, 2007 report problem
Bob, I won't have an iphone for a long time -- corporate standards and the fact I'm in Australia...

But, I plan on getting an iPod touch when I'm in New York soon. Will the widgets work with that?

If so, I say bring it on!

Reply by Robert Cauthorn on October 05, 2007 report problem
Yeah, the iphone widgets should work with the touch. It's really just a specialized web page anyway.

Why are you waiting until you go to New York to get the Touch? Don't they have them in Australia yet?

Reply by AB on October 06, 2007 report problem
Because I work overseas so much I've got pockets full of euros and since the dollar is so weak, I can get a Touch in NYC for what amounts to a steep, steep discount over what I can get it for anywhere else.

That president of yours and his war sure did a lot of damage to your dollar... I know it's hard on you, but I'm smiling about it!




Comment by AB on October 05, 2007 report problem
Also, izzygog, will the other widgets you mention above work on the iPod touch?


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