What's the difference between a Widget, a Shortcut, and an icon for an App?

[karenc]

I am confused about the difference (if any) between a Widget, a Shortcut, and an icon that represents an App.  The user guide for the Motorola Droid has separate instructions for adding Widgets and Shortcuts.

Also, is there a way to add an icon thart will open the browser to a designated page?

Thanks.

[supitsmike]

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karenc wrote:

I am confused about the difference (if any) between a Widget, a Shortcut, and an icon that represents an App.  The user guide for the Motorola Droid has separate instructions for adding Widgets and Shortcuts.

Also, is there a way to add an icon thart will open the browser to a designated page?

Thanks.

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Great question.

Widget: A program that you download, something that you actually use without going into the actual program. For example. Advanced Task Manager has a widget that when pressed, you end all running applications. Twidget Lite is a widget where you are able to view the last tweet recieved. MyAgenda is a calendar that shows you upcoming events that you have. All of this from the convienience of your homescreen. You don't have to actually enter in the application to see something that you need. Another example is the Android And Me RSS widget, you can click it, and it'll give you a breif summary of all latest news from their site.

Your phone comes preloaded with widgets, such as an Analog Clock, a Calendar Widget, A music widget, just to name a few.

Shortcut is of course, something that is a shortcut to say, a web page. You can access these by just longpressing the homescreen, and you'll recieve another menu, giving you a selection from Folders, Widgets, Bookmars, etc.

It can get confusing, especially since some developers, such as the ones that created Advanced Task Manger, made their widget the exact same model as the program Icon. The difference between the two being that one says "End All" the other saying "Advanced Task Manager." The aforementioned is the widget, the latter is the actual program.

[karenc]

Sorry, I'm still confused.  Is a Widget a subset of an App?  On the Applications tab, is everything there an App (not a Widget)?  On the Home page, is there a mixture of Apps and Widgets?  Practically speaking, as a user, does it matter whether the thing I'm using is an App or a Widget?

[supitsmike · Accepted solution]

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karenc wrote:

Sorry, I'm still confused.  Is a Widget a subset of an App?  On the Applications tab, is everything there an App (not a Widget)?  On the Home page, is there a mixture of Apps and Widgets?  Practically speaking, as a user, does it matter whether the thing I'm using is an App or a Widget?

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Correct. Some are, some aren't. For example, Twidget Lite is only a widget. However, when you open your application tray, you'll see the icon there as well. Twidroid PRO is a program and has a widget that allows you to quickly make a tweet.

It can matter yes. Lets say hypothetically, I have :

• Twidit Lite
• Android And Me RSS Widget
• AndroidGuys RSS Widget
• BBC News Widget
• CNN news Widget

As I have these widgets on my homepage, they are constantly looking and recieving data and information so that it can convienently bring that information to you, as opposed to having to look for it application by application yourself.

As you would imagine, the more widgets you use, the more data you are recieving, the more work your Droid/Eris is doing, and the shorter battery life, thus.