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Do you use Dashboard?

B

BengalDuck

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 27, 2006
218
1
Be honest. Do you use Dashboard multiple times a day? If so, for what?

For me, it's just way too slow to have any practical use. I have the ESPN headlines widget, but that's not quicker than opening safari. Neither are the wikipedia or yellowpages widgets. I have a calender widget but I have iCal. I used the calculator and dictionary/thesaurus but with quicksilver now it's easier just to launch those apps from the normal desktop. The only real widget that I still currently use is the notepad ones, where I just leave a URL or small list for a few months before I get around to them. I go a month or two before I open the dashboard and I usually cuss whenver I accidently press F12.

You?
 
All the time. I keep an eye on the time in four cities across the world so that I know when some of my mates O/S are going to be around. My TV guide is on there as is the weather in three places in Australia so I can see what it's going to be in the places I'm likely to be going. I also have the calendar and iStat nano.
 
never use it. i keep some information handy on stickies on the desktop. its too slow loading up than going online, altho i do use the weather widget occasionally. other than that, its not even a big deal.
 
Yeah, I only really use the notepad 'stickies' widget on a regular basis. Most of the widgets like wikipedia are faster in the browser, that I usually have open anyway.

The one widget I do use for laughs is the Simpsons Quote widget. You get a new quote each time you open Dashboard.
 
I love the London Underground widget! Very handy! :) Also the iCal events can be useful. Wish there was a UK cinema widget thought.... I can't find one.
 
BengalDuck said:
Be honest. Do you use Dashboard multiple times a day? If so, for what?
Click to expand...
All the time! It's one of the better features of Tiger. I constantly use Calculator, Calendar, iCal Events, Weather, Converter (mostly for currency), sometimes Stickies. I also have iStat Pro which is pretty nice. Oh, and the Dolor Sit Amet widget is fantastic. :D

I agree that some widgets like for Wikipedia, Google, etc are pretty useless, better just to go to Safari (I use Launchbar for Wikipedia searches, really nice).
 
I use the weather widget all the time.
Cape Town can have four seasons in a day.

The horrorscope is also pretty cool.

The one that really irritates me is the Easy Currency convertor.
Its never ever right. Ever!
 
All the time for conversions, translation, dictionary and thesaurus and the whoopee cushion for when people walk past (i have a speaker under the desk) :D Its hilarious!
 
BengalDuck said:
Be honest. Do you use Dashboard multiple times a day? If so, for what?
Click to expand...

Not at all.. it takes ages until the widgets are ready to use (for example, the GMail widget). Unlike when firing up a Mozilla window and loading Gmail there, you can't continue working with other applications once you've started Dashboard..
 
Yes, I use it frequently. Writing is a big part of my job and I like the dictionary/thesaurus feature. I also use the calculator and weather widget. The iTunes widget is great when I have it on party shuffle and I want to see what is playing. Using Dashboard is like second nature to me.
 
All the time:
Weather
Clock (Santiago)
iTunes
Dictionary/Thesaurus
ForumSpy widget

Sometimes:
Unit converter
Calculator
Stocks (to check on Apple and MS:D )

I love OS X. I'd rather have a 500 MHz iBook G3 with 128 MB RAM, 10 GB HD and Panther, than a Dual 3.0 GHz Woodcrest Dell with 8 GB RAM and 3 TB HD and Vista. Seriously. Panther and above beats all. I know Panther doesn't have it, but I don't think I could do as much without Spotlight. Ya gotta love the OS X.:D
 
I use it quite a bit throughout the day....looking at the calendar. using the calculator, dictionary and looking at the weather/temperature. It's so convenient that I can't imagine not having it available ever again.

I especially love how quick and simple it is to use. All of this instant information is only a click on the scrollball away.....
 
I use it mainly for the weather widget. Also, the Package Tracker widget is great when I waiting for a package to arrive - much easier than going to FedEx/UPS in Safari and putting the tracking number in each time. I recently used it to Track my new MBP all the way from Shanghi to my house!
 
I use it for weather information, news, yellow pages, dictionary/thesaurus, calendar, and few other things to. I use some more than others though. Great feature to have!
 
I use it for only one widget - the Mail checker. Saves the hassle of opening the mail app only to be disappointed in noticing that the only people that send me stuff any more are retailers.. With this widget, I can be disappointed with much less effort.
 
skunk said:
Practically never. Just occasionally for unit conversion, although that's only because I can't remember how you do that in Google...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...


Just type what you want to convert.

"3 feet to meters"

"10 hands to yards"

"1 Core 3 Duo Mac Book Rumor to Posts"

Currency conversion uses the word "in" instead of "to":

"3 USD in Lira"

More info here: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html

But on topic... I use widgets mostly for iStat and weather. I have a few other widgets on there but I can't recall what they are.
 
Widgets are not fast enough to load or update and it is just easier to use stuff on the desktop. Plus they take up too much RAM - easier just leaving Mail and Safari open.

The ripple effect is sextastic, though.
 
Yes, although I try and keep it fairly streamlined and quick.

I use Calendar, Conversion, Address Book and Stickies, and to a lesser extent Translation and Dictionary. The one I really really really want is a Lothian Buses widget using the the automated system they have at some bus stops of saying when buses are due (which presumably means you could tell how close they are to any stop), but I suspect it's a bit "niche". :(
 
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