News, info, and opinion by Mac users, for Mac users.

April 10, 2007

software

Widgets I have known: Symbol Caddy, CallWave Free Text Messaging, Love Test

Posted Apr. 10, ’07, 8:16 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Software

I’ve been trying to cut down on widgets, really, but sometimes I just can’t resist. I installed four this morning alone. Seriously. I think I may have a problem, but I can’t stop now. Just remember: I try out all these widgets so you, dear reader, don’t have to.

Symbol CaddyFor those who spend a lot of time writing for the web, Brian Haslanger’s Symbol Caddy may be a lifesaver. I find myself all too often googling “HTML special characters” to find the correct code for the trademark symbol, or the Japanese yen symbol. Symbol Caddy puts these and more at your fingertips. Simply choose one of the categories (Greek letters, diacritics, currency, quotes, miscellaneous symbols, or mathematical symbols) and click on the symbol you want; the code for it is displayed and copied to your clipboard. Then you can © to your heart’s content.

CallWave Free Text MessagingCallWave is an interesting service that I haven’t had a lot of time to play around with. Their latest widget allows you to send free text messages to your friends (who will still have to shell out if their providers charges recipients). You set up a CallWave account, and the widget ties in with Address Book to let you pick the contact you want to text from a drop down menu. Pretty slick.

LoveTestHave you ever been curious about whether you and your significant other are meant to be? Don’t be shy: of course you have. You probably didn’t think of turning to a Dashboard widget, but let’s face it: it’s cheaper than therapy. Simply enter your name and the name of your S.O. and Love Test will tell your “percentage of love.” I haven’t quite figured out what it means: in my informal test, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie scored a measley 4%; Natalie Portman and I barely beat that at 5%; and Romeo and Juliet blew us away with 64.5%, despite the fact that a) they’re fictional and b) [spoiler warning] they both die at the end. I mean, what the hell?


3 Comments

Larry V Author Profile Page said:

Aw crap, now you told me how the story ends. Thanks a lot! >_

April 10, 2007 8:43 AM
Dave said:

Terribly sorry about you and Natalie. I was pulling for you two.

April 10, 2007 11:21 AM
Thomas GvL Author Profile Page said:

The love calculator widget is scary: Yoko Ono and John Lennon score 99%.

April 10, 2007 12:16 PM

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