My petty rant: The Big Stupid Clock

j_grouchy

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Apr 5, 2011
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Okay, I know this is a petty complaint and everyone has their personal preference...blah blah blah...

But I've noticed over the years this trend on Android of having this big stupid giant clock widget on the primary home screen. You know what I'm talking about...it's in all the commercials and advertisements. Most of the screenshot threads in AC are full of them. HTC and the Sense UI are the biggest offenders, with their ubiquitous (and ugly) "flip" clock...made to look like some 1970s alarm clock. That is generally the most commonly presented image in any ad and I would bet it's more recognizable to people than HTC's own logo!

I just don't get it. Why does anyone want or need a big, giant, ridiculous clock on their home screen? Yeah, lots of folks use their phone as a substitute for a watch...but the thing is, the Android lock screen typically has a BIG FREAKING CLOCK right there when you power up. When and where is there ever a need to have this giant, absurd clock widget visible? When using the device? No...top right corner. See? Little clock right there. Why is this the first widget people put on their home screen? What purpose does it really serve?!?!
 

Andrew Martonik

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Aug 12, 2011
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Something that I liked when I got my first Android phone. Eventually I realized that a giant 4x2 clock widget on the homescreen serves no purpose.

The time is in the top-right of the status bar and on the lock screen. Always. I'm never struggling to see what time it is lol.
 

j_grouchy

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Because widgets rule over simple app shortcuts (ex. ala iPhone). :p

Really, the home screen clock provides other functions such as quick access to alarm clock, calendar, and weather info. And in the case of some third party apps such as Beautiful Widgets, you can customize which apps launch depending on what area you touch, not to mention customize how much screen space the widget takes up! Again, can IOS do that? :eek:

Not denying the usefulness of widgets...merely questioning the point of having a Big Stupid Clock on the homescreen.

I have Minimalistic Text widgets and Nova Launcher in place to do all that you just described, without putting a single useless and redundant clock on the home screen.

23523d1334265211-nexus-s-4g-screenshots-share-them-here-uploadfromtaptalk1334265205016.jpg
 

j_grouchy

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P.S. - your screen looks awesome! Except for that big stupid Google search box across the top! I prefer my capacitive search button. I keed, I keed... :p

Thanks. Always tweaking...

I actually don't really mind the search bar. Nova Launcher allows you to get rid of it...but I've kept it so far.
 

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