Mobile Widgets | The unsung Hero
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Widgets and applications do not mean the same thing, but they are similar terms. In mobile computing, for example, we tend to think of widgets and apps as “objects” that enhance the user experience. But widgets and apps are separate types of programs that run on a Mobile phone and they serve different purposes. Please visit my earlier post “Desktop & Mobile | Applications & Apps” to understand Desktop Applications & Mobile Apps.
Widgets are basically self-contained mini programs that live & run on the phone’s home screen and stays open all the time so that you can just glance at it and get the information that you need without opening an app. They tend to perform simple functions — like the Clock widget showing the time and temperature — but do so dynamically so you do not have to fiddle around to update them. Apps, on the other hand, are typically programs you tap open and run. Apps can be very multi-functional, like a program that lets you create and edit spreadsheets right on your phone.
Easy way to think of it is: Apps are programs that you need to open. Widgets are apps that are basically always running on your home screen. So if you had a battery App, you would have an icon that you would click and it would show you all the battery info on a new screen. If you had a battery widget, when you are on your home screen the app is already running on a part of the screen showing you all the info without having to click anything or open a new window.