Review: iSoft QuickWidget Adds Dashboard Widgets To Your iPhone/iTouch

Sat, Nov 21, 2009

Dashboard on the Mac is one of the nice, easy to use features, that allows you to have an array of widgets one one easy to access screen. iSoftru the makers of QuickSMS and QuickBoard have updated again with QuickWidgets. Kind of like dashboard for Mac right on your lockscreen. These are usable widgets that you can move and edit with a few touches and taps. Available from iSofts beta repo( meaning these are Beta apps) the QuickWidgets are a free add on, But to use it, you’ll need to purchase the QuickApps which is $14.95. A little expensive sounding, till you think it’s a bundle of apps, not just one. It does come with a 14 day free trial, so you you can try before you buy.

I did have a little trouble with the install, mainly because I already had a LockScreenInfo theme applied in Winterboard. It made for some weird loading because I couldn’t get to the slide to unlock. And when I did the double tap of the home button to unlock, it wouldn’t show the keypad to put in my passcode. I was able to manually remove the passcode, and then disable the LockScreenInfo and everything was back to normal. So I would suggest, if you use a passcode lock, disable it until you’re sure there are no conflicts.

All of the widgets actually work. You can search google, and it launches safari right to the results page. You can launch the camera, but on my 3G[S] it didn’t include the video toggle. It also allows you to send text, and make calls right from the lockscreen. Other widgets include weather, a clock, a handy flashlight app, editable notes, a calendar, and access to your calendar app, showing upcoming events and new emails. All launchable with a double tap. You can press and hold to get to the “wiggle” mode to move and arrange the widgets.

From the QuickBoard app, you can configure a multitude of hot keys, both for the lockscreen and the homescreen. The QuickWidgets are accessible over any app, just launch with your configured hotkey.(Of which there are a few) You can also disable any of the apps you don’t use if you want. I already use BiteSMS, so for now I have disabled QuickSMS until i figure out all of the differences.

All in all there are a ton of features packed into this app bundle. And really, each app deserves its own review. But we are really just looking at the QuickWidgets right now. So you should definitely give them a try. Just add the isoft.ru/beta repo in Cydia and install the QuickApp bundle and check them out for yourself. More info can be found over at here.