• Registered: 2007-11-13
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Can someone develop an ALL-IN-ONE widget?

Hi - Chumby is neat but I am not a fan of the "slideshow" aspect of the device.  I want my information on one screen.  Ideally I would like a screen that has maybe 3 panels - a top left, top right and a bottom ticker.  The top left would rotate through weather, stocks, maybe traffic.  The right would rotate through the short paragraph on news stories and the bottom ticker would loop through specified RSS feeds, like a news ticker. 

It would also be a REQUIREMENT to have the current time and date on the screen at the very top.  I am amazed that Chumby doesn't have that option to always show the date/time (of course I am also amazed that it was designed requiring a hardwire power source instead of a rechargeable battery to make it portable).

If someone could develop this or give me the bones to do it myself, It would be extremely appreciated.  I would LOVE to start a movement with Chumby developers for more "multipurpose" widgets.

  • Registered: 2007-11-19
  • Posts: 9

Re: Can someone develop an ALL-IN-ONE widget?

Screen size is usually cited as the reason this doesn't exist.  And some could question how different a 'ticker' and a 'slideshow' are - but I get your point, and agree with you.  IMHO -The RSS reader in a slideshow is a joke: If you glance at the screen and see an interesting article, you need to read it frantically, worried that the channel will change to the next widget.  As has been discussed elsewhere on this forum - selectors allowing one to move forward or backwards thru the widgets in a channel would help alleviate this problem as well....

I use my Chumby primarily as a bed-side clock - so as such, my only widget options - if I want to be able to see the time at a glance - is to have one of the clock widgets running.  And my network connection is so flaky there I don't change the channels often (takes too long, frustrating).

A control panel option with "always display time/date" - just overlaying this 'on top' of the current widget - like in the bottom 1/10th of the screen or so, would be slick.  Real slick.

  • From: Washington, D.C.
  • Registered: 2006-09-20
  • Posts: 15

Re: Can someone develop an ALL-IN-ONE widget?

I've actually been working on a similar concept that uses Chumby's ability to boot off of a USB key to do a full-on replacement for the control panel that does just what I want. I've already nailed down a decent and readable ticker and am working on a general control panel to add RSS feeds, and other configuration options right on the device. I'll post updates as it comes along.