I know this is a basic question, what is difference between an app icon and a widget?

[jasonvancouver]

I have the Droid Incredible and I love the Android OS.

However, I am confused about the difference between the application icons on my 'phone desktop' vs. widgets ?

How is a widget different from an application icon (which launches the app. from the phone 'desktop') ?

There seems to be a lot of overlap between the two, do the terms 'application icon' and 'widget' basically refer to the same thing ???

Can anyone shed any light ?

thanks.

 

[CharlieL3]

Usually, a widget is an application icon that has the ability to change depending upon conditions. The Handcent widget, for example, changes when an SMS message is received. The handcent icon stays the same.

I guess a better way of saying it is that a widget has the ability to tell you about the status of the app it represents, while giving you the ability to launch the app as well.

Hope this helps.

 

[jasonvancouver]

Usually, a widget is an application icon that has the ability to change depending upon conditions. The Handcent widget, for example, changes when an SMS message is received. The handcent icon stays the same.

I guess a better way of saying it is that a widget has the ability to tell you about the status of the app it represents, while giving you the ability to launch the app as well.

Hope this helps.

yeah,that helps, Charlie. Sounds like there is some overlap,... for example a music app. 'icon' will launch the music player, while a music 'widget' allows me to actually play and pause the music...... Kind of like a widget can launch an application, but also allows you to interact with the application...

thanks, jason.

 

[anon(12496)]

I think the easiest way to put this is the following: have you ever seen a Vista/Win7/Mac screen? Shortcuts = icons and widgets = ... well widgets!

In android, icons are the static shortcuts that launch apps, while widgets are those fancy, often animated tap-able controller, info-displayer things. Like the fancy sense flipclock, or the music widget that displays album art and has a play-pause button, etc...

 

[jasonvancouver]

I think the easiest way to put this is the following: have you ever seen a Vista/Win7/Mac screen? Shortcuts = icons and widgets = ... well widgets!

In android, icons are the static shortcuts that launch apps, while widgets are those fancy, often animated tap-able controller, info-displayer things. Like the fancy sense flipclock, or the music widget that displays album art and has a play-pause button, etc...

Perfect. Thanks guys !!!