Why doesn't Apple....

[PhoneI]

use the search page (left swipe on home screen) for widgets. If you minimize the keyboard, the whole screen is practically empty. You could then even make the search field a widget. Right now its just wasted space.

 

[ParishYoung]

use the search page (left swipe on home screen) for widgets. If you minimize the keyboard, the whole screen is practically empty. You could then even make the search field a widget. Right now its just wasted space.

And then they disappear when you tap in the search box at the top??

I like this idea a lot. have you put this through the Apple.com Feedback page? If not here's the address, I'm going to do this now too.

www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

 

[gillybean]

use the search page (left swipe on home screen) for widgets. If you minimize the keyboard, the whole screen is practically empty. You could then even make the search field a widget. Right now its just wasted space.

Maybe it's more aesthetically pleasing that way.

Apple packaging boxes have a lots of "wasted space" on them too that could be cluttered up with lots of random stuff if they wanted.

 

[MikhailT]

use the search page (left swipe on home screen) for widgets. If you minimize the keyboard, the whole screen is practically empty. You could then even make the search field a widget. Right now its just wasted space.

I agree and I like this idea but this is Apple we're talking about. What makes sense doesn't happen at Apple.

For example, status bar could use the notification alerts for email/sms/PNS there.

The status bar could be swipe down to handle multiple messages.

 

[ParishYoung]

On thinking about it, as cool as this idea is, I feel that the expected multitasking capabilities of the next iPhone OS will make cool idea's such as this redundant.

Shame.

 

[MikhailT]

On thinking about it, as cool as this idea is, I feel that the expected multitasking capabilities of the next iPhone OS will make cool idea's such as this redundant.

Shame.

Umm, how does it make it redundant? You do realize there's still no true third party full application multitasking in iPhoneOS 4? It's all an illusion.

Apple should've made widgets the background data API for the applications like the audio API background. Only very small amount of updates can be pushed to the widgets while the application is in sleep stage. It's more visual and easier to handle than the PNS.

 

[mcdj]

I think it's a cool idea, but I'm having a hard time imagining what "widgets" could go there. If you think about it, the entire iPad is really a metaphor for Dashboard. The line between apps and widgets is very blurry.

 

[ParishYoung]

I think it's a cool idea, but I'm having a hard time imagining what "widgets" could go there. If you think about it, the entire iPad is really a metaphor for Dashboard. The line between apps and widgets is very blurry.

I think one that stands out as being in demand, would be Clock (with alarm)

Maybe an "agenda view" from your calendar from the day. This would fit nicely with Apple's guided tours, and Scott's speech from the announcement keynote regarding reading the morning paper on his iPad.

Maybe calculator (but again the multitasking capabilities are likely to remove the need for this one)

Weather App (ok I'm pushing it a bit now, lol)

 

[mcdj]

So who makes the widgets? Are they just snippets of code from a full app you already have? Are they Apple-made only? How many can you run at once before you take a performance hit?

 

[Friscohoya]

...make a better notes application? ...have a more interesting and active home screen? ...have a front facing video camera on the ipad? Etc. etc.