Fancy Widget Going Bye-Bye

[MowDownJoe]

Yep. Apparently, HTC is convinced that if you can download something that looks like the clock widget on their phones, even for free, you won't buy their phones. So, thanks to a loud complaint from HTC, the maker of Fancy Widget is going to be pulling the widget off the market. Hurry and grab it now, folks, before its gone.
Really, with Beautiful Widgets, I understand, since the guys were making money off of an HTC design. This guy was giving it away for free. *sigh* Oh, well.

 

[MissJennell#IM]

I like the HTC clock widget.

 

[G-Money713]

beautiful widgets is not the same because it is wwaaayyyyy more customizable. That is why they will never pull it.

 

[Dukins]

Just grabbed it. i like the original htc clock as well, but when I use other launchers like launcher pro I still want the ability to have an htc clock.

 

[nightfishing#AC]

beautiful widgets is not the same because it is wwaaayyyyy more customizable. That is why they will never pull it.

They will pull any skins for BW that copy the look of the HTC clock, though. Same with W&T and all the others.

It is only infringement if they bundle a Hero-lookalike skin.

Has nothing to do with the "function" of the widget.

 

[Brett]

yeah this is kind of a pain. i wish HTC would stop doing this because it is just annoying. though i do understand where they are coming from. that is one of their key iconic features and they created it and patented the general look of it. if i put a lot of work into somthing and was trying to make a profit off of it, i would be extremely annoyed if sombody tried to make a knock-off and either sold it (making money off of my idea/creation) or putting it out for free and giving people an alternative to paying for my efforts.

it's a tough situation but you can't deny htc the right to protect their work, even if it is an inconvenience for us.

i wish they could just pay HTC a small % for each sale and this way it could still be made available or even if HTC sold it on the market themselves. if they made their clock available on the market for 3-5$ people would buy it. i know i would

 

[tony bag o donuts]

I agree Brett 100%...
Maybe HTC will make the widget available for purchase themselves?

 

[tony bag o donuts]

beautiful widgets is not the same because it is wwaaayyyyy more customizable. That is why they will never pull it.

G-money....your app brain page is not available unless you just use this:
g-money713's Apps on the Droid

 

[bnob99]

HTC needs to stick to hardware and let others worry about the software.

 

[G-Money713]

G-money....your app brain page is not available unless you just use this:
g-money713's Apps on the Droid

that's me. i rooted and had to start a new list. i will change it now.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Really, the way most countries' copyright laws work HTC doesn't have much choice. They either enforce their intellectual property, or lose the right to control it. That's why Xerox tries to keep you from using the term "Xerox" to refer to photocopies made on another brand of copier, and the term "Zipper" is no longer owned by the company that invented is (Talon Zipper Company failed to enforce their trademark).

Fancy Widget may not be making money off it, but if HTC lets him copy their design, in the long run they won't be able to prevent their competitors from using it, too.

 

[Shay D. Life]

That's the part that grinds my gears. If they were charging for it then by all means call them on it. On the other hand the app and apk's are out in the wild now so they still lost.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

^^^
Did you understand what I wrote? It doesn't matter if they charge or not. If HTC doesn't takes steps to protect it, then they won't be able to prevent ANYONE from copying it, even for money.

 

[MoCoTerp]

Funny thing to enforce a custom gadget on top of an "open source" OS.

 

[Shay D. Life]

^^^
Did you understand what I wrote? It doesn't matter if they charge or not. If HTC doesn't takes steps to protect it, then they won't be able to prevent ANYONE from copying it, even for money.

I understand very well, but that still doesn't change what I'm saying about the app being in the wild already. What's to keep people from sharing it? So in that instance...they still lost.

 

[milominderbinde]

I prefer the HTC widget.

 

[paul_aka_paul]

I understand very well, but that still doesn't change what I'm saying about the app being in the wild already. What's to keep people from sharing it? So in that instance...they still lost.

Freddie Freeloader isn't the issue. If we all pass around the apk, HTC basically gets free advertising. But if LG decides to install FW as their default clock and HTC didn't stop the app's creator, HTC loses its distinct look and the right to defend it. We know there is more to Sense than just that, but the common folk think "both the same to me".

 

[rooktdphi]

Freddie Freeloader isn't the issue.

LOL Freddie Freeloader... well put!

 

[Aceman#AC]

What HTC should do is just make a better one. I mean, if anyone has the resources to make something as simple as a clock widget HTC should. All people want is customizability. Make a clock for every size you can, make a crapload of skins, update it with user made skins every so often, and charge a few bucks for it in the Market so that people without Sense don't have to do something as underhanded as stealing/copying ideas. They can't think that someone is going to switch phones simply because of a clock widget. Just make BW absolete. Thats what opensource should inspire. People making better and better things and being inspired by what everyone else comes up with to continue making better things. BW improved upon HTC's idea. HTC can improve on BW.

 

[Brett]

when it all comes down to it HTC wants to maintain each little individual piece (physical and digital) that makes their device different than any others. you can't blame them. lets say you built a car (ex. 1970 mach 1 mustange) from the ground up and you restored it to pristine condition and gave it that authentice bad a__ look. Once it is finished you want to sell it for 50,000$ and somebody is interested in it. Your neighbor across the street sees that and decides he will sell one of his cars (same car and almost in as good of condition but just not perfect. just a few scratches) for half that or even better he wants to give it away. now your potential customer goes their and gets that one.

it all comes down to getting paid for what you create. Look at BW, if HTC didn't get down on them do you think we would have a widget clock as good as it is now? probably not but due to the circumstances the dev busted his hump to make it stay on top. it's competition.