Article: MusicCenter: Notifications Center Widget (Coming Soon)

[Joshua Tucker]

Since the release of qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiop)'s UISettings widget for the Notifications Center on iOS 5, developers from all over have been working tirelessly to bring new widgets to run well with Notifications Center. One, which has not been released yet, has a lot of potential and is definitely a good addition.

MusicCenter is a new upcoming widget that shows what song is playing in your Music.app in the Notifications Center. Although simple at this current time, the developer WrightsCS (@WrightsCS) is planning on adding new features such as:

• More music controls (e.g. volume bar)
• Tweet song
• Rating system
• More track info
• UI design/fixes

It has NOT been submitted but hopefully will be soon. While talking on IRC with WrightsCS, he gave me this info:

MusicCenter will be free for introductory features and then paid for extras. The most it will cost however is only $.99

Check out WrightsCS's website and Twitter for more information about his work on MusicCenter and other projects.

Here is my claim to fame: follow me on Twitter at @sh8kespeare.



EDIT 6/13/2011 12:31 PM PST: AWright, the developer behind MusicCenter, has decided to offer the entire package with included features for free. Please support him by donating. Donate here: http://bit.ly/g5Loqw

Source(s): WrightsCS

[brianjw]

Great idea! However, I feel like this is somewhat a repeated widget, considering there is already a music widget to the left of the Multitasking bar. I feel like this widget feature should maybe remove that feature from the multitasking bar if this one is there, or maybe instead of in the notifications center, just add those tweet/rating options down there in the multitasking bar.

[Joshua Tucker]

Great idea! However, I feel like this is somewhat a repeated widget, considering there is already a music widget to the left of the Multitasking bar. I feel like this widget feature should maybe remove that feature from the multitasking bar if this one is there, or maybe instead of in the notifications center, just add those tweet/rating options down there in the multitasking bar.

That is possibly a good idea. However what makes this widget really cool is its convenience. The Notifications Center looks nicer and works well over any application. In my mind, it's easier to get to then the Multitasking Bar.

[klouud]

So if the pull-down menu is accessible from the lockscreen, then we could get native SnowCover4 functionality... theoretically...

[DuRoLuRo]

@Brianjw

No. I completely disagree. I've been using iOS 5 for some time now, and what I've realized is that I love the new notification center, but nobody really needs the annoying multitasking bar anymore. Half the time when I double-press the home button to get to the multitasking bar, my phone just exits to springboard.
This is driving me mad, because it's not necessary! I need a cydia tweak, that removed the multitasking bar, and puts a multitasking widget in the notification center.

I hope Apple will realize the huge design-flaw, and fix it before Golden Master!

[z3r01]

@Brianjw

No. I completely disagree. I've been using iOS 5 for some time now, and what I've realized is that I love the new notification center, but nobody really needs the annoying multitasking bar anymore. Half the time when I double-press the home button to get to the multitasking bar, my phone just exits to springboard.
This is driving me mad, because it's not necessary! I need a cydia tweak, that removed the multitasking bar, and puts a multitasking widget in the notification center.

I hope Apple will realize the huge design-flaw, and fix it before Golden Master!

That's because you triple tap instead of double. But really , what's the difference from double tap and this? Just saying that it's a great effort but to clutter iOS with the same feature then later charging .99 isn't good.

[DuRoLuRo]

That's because you triple tap instead of double. But really , what's the difference from double tap and this? Just saying that it's a great effort but to clutter iOS with the same feature then later charging .99 isn't good.

No. Actually you just pull down from the top of the screen, and it's system-wide, which is my point.
Why would I double tap the home button, risking being kicked to springboard, if i could just pull down from the top, and have the same functionality there + much more? IMO it seems that someone at Apple just saw this tweak on cydia, and decided to add it, without thinking about the consequences design-wise, because to me it seems cluttered (and frankly not very Apple-ish) to have both the notification center with widgets, and the multitasking bar, and would just be a bit more confusing and frustrating to the layman.

To me, Apple has always stood for a very simplified and unified approach to design; both in software and hardware. I have been quite disappointed with the recent hardware fragmentation, and this iOS 5 "flaw" just adds to the problems.
This trend can still be turned around, if the folks at Apple start taking their sh*t seriously again, and make some uncompromising decisions. If not, Apple could in a few short years wake up with the same kind of headache that is bothering the people at Google these days. Just my 2 cents

[z3r01]

I double tap system wide and have no problems with music and volume. I'm gonna make a phone widget so I could make phone calls straight from notifications center , make , receive calls straight from it ! How awesome? Later on I plan on making a safari widget as well ! Full Internet browsing straight from NC , and no it's not north carolina ;-)

[mass_music]

@Brianjw

No. I completely disagree. I've been using iOS 5 for some time now, and what I've realized is that I love the new notification center, but nobody really needs the annoying multitasking bar anymore. Half the time when I double-press the home button to get to the multitasking bar, my phone just exits to springboard.
This is driving me mad, because it's not necessary! I need a cydia tweak, that removed the multitasking bar, and puts a multitasking widget in the notification center.

I hope Apple will realize the huge design-flaw, and fix it before Golden Master!

Activator doesn't work in iOS 5?

[Joshua Tucker]

That's because you triple tap instead of double. But really , what's the difference from double tap and this? Just saying that it's a great effort but to clutter iOS with the same feature then later charging .99 isn't good.

You're making the assumption that you'll pay .99 cents for just what you see here? WrightsCS has so much more upcoming. It will be even more comprehensive then the Multitasking Bar implementation. If it was just the same thing, I'd say it isn't worth it either. But it will be much more.

[PatrickGSR94]

Are all these widgets and everything going to show up on the Lockscreen or just on the pull-down NC menu? IMHO if you add too much junk to the LS then it doesn't really function as a "lock" screen anymore if it makes it too easy for accidental touches or gestures to open up the phone and cause unintended operations.

[Antman217]

@Brianjw

No. I completely disagree. I've been using iOS 5 for some time now, and what I've realized is that I love the new notification center, but nobody really needs the annoying multitasking bar anymore. Half the time when I double-press the home button to get to the multitasking bar, my phone just exits to springboard.
This is driving me mad, because it's not necessary! I need a cydia tweak, that removed the multitasking bar, and puts a multitasking widget in the notification center.

I hope Apple will realize the huge design-flaw, and fix it before Golden Master!

I believe this is what you're looking for.
'WidgetTask' Widget Brings Multitasking Tray To iOS 5 Notification Center [Cydia Tweak] | Redmond Pie

[whereswaldo]

Great idea, what's the Type Reminder thing?

[DuRoLuRo]

I believe this is what you're looking for.
'WidgetTask' Widget Brings Multitasking Tray To iOS 5 Notification Center [Cydia Tweak] | Redmond Pie

Dude. You rock! Thanks. Apple should learn from this

[Gom33]

I believe this is what you're looking for.
'WidgetTask' Widget Brings Multitasking Tray To iOS 5 Notification Center [Cydia Tweak] | Redmond Pie

i was thinking we needed this too!!! i dont like double tapping, lol, call me lazy. thanks for the link!

EDIT: checked the repo and i do not see widgettask. is this out yet?

[z3r01]

Widgets are great as I am using the one that's like sbsettings , but other pointless ones with repeated features are just cluttering the UI

[Joshua Tucker]

Great idea, what's the Type Reminder thing?

Another Notifications Center widget that is currently being worked on. An article will come soon as soon as some of the bugs are fixed.

[transam7816]

Anyone know how to get that reminders widget up top

[Joshua Tucker]

Anyone know how to get that reminders widget up top

It is not available yet; I'm testing it for someone. I will do an article on it soon but a few things need to get fixed.

[transam7816]

It is not available yet; I'm testing it for someone. I will do an article on it soon but a few things need to get fixed.

oh okay thanks. I'm loving all these new widgets