Android ST Widget Alternative

Wiki Projects & Stories
1

Until ST decides to include a proper widget in the Android app, I have decided to try some alternatives. I have come up with two that work quite well, and they are free. It just takes some time setting up a SmartApp, then installing and configuring an Android app. Honestly, this is no different than setting a shortcut or bookmark on the home screen that points to your webapp, but it does give a few additional options.

The first thing is to install and configure @625alex great SmartApp, ActiON Dashboard. This will give you a “webapp” of all your things and allows you to toggle modes, hello home phrases, and switches, among other things.

Floating Browser
Floating Browser (Google Play Store link) is an app that allows for a free-floating web browser. It “floats” on top of other home screens and home screen widgets, and it allows you to run it in full screen mode. You can also minimize the floating browser to the taskbar or resize the floating browser. You can fully control the ActiON Dashboard from the web browser (toggling modes, hello home phrases, and switches).

Floating Browser.png1080Ă—1920 383 KB

Flynx Browser
The second alternative is to use the Flynx Browser (Google Play Store link). Flynx is similar to Floating Browser, but provides for a floating “bubble” that is accessible from any home screen that will quickly launch the webapp when you tap it. The bubble can be moved to any area of the screen so that you can get it out of the way of text or other on-screen icons.

Flynx 1.png1080Ă—1920 695 KB
Flynx 2.png1080Ă—1920 998 KB

Tapping the bubble opens the bookmarked webpage and allows you to fully control the mode, hello home phrase, and switches, among other things:

Flynx 3.png1080Ă—1920 244 KB

Pressing the bubble again minimizes the bubble back to the side of the screen.

Those are just a couple alternatives. Feel free to add more.

3 Likes
2

Thank you for sharing! I will try these as soon as possible.

I’m working on version 4 with many more features. I found a resource that tells how to create a web app shortcut that behave like a native Android app. I will test it when I get to it. Version 3 already has native app shortcut support for iOS.

1 Like
3

@gfountain you might also be interested in SharpTools which is an Android app I am working on to add Tasker integration and Widget support for SmartThings. The widget support is pretty basic at the moment – adding the capability to add shortcuts which can toggle a device, perform a desired action, or execute a phrase.

Screenshot_2014-11-12-09-57-17_400.png400Ă—711 282 KB

I’m actively working on adding push event support and the plan is to roll this out as a Tasker feature first, then roll it into Widgets so the active state of the device can be shown.

If you want to check it out, follow the installation instructions and send me an email or PM if you have any questions.

4 Likes
4

Sweet! I’ll definitely check it out. I’ve heard tons about Tasker. I think I even downloaded it as some point, but it seemed confusing at the time, and it was something I didn’t have the time to invest in at that time. Maybe this will be enough to drive me to learning more about it.

5

I will try it. Also i noticed your weather. I’m from os too. Lol, lived there for 21 years before military.