Glossary A–ZLetter W
Widget
A widget is a small, self-contained component within a piece of content that shows something specific, such as a clock, weather or a countdown.
It works on its own and is updated continuously during playback.
A widget can be placed in a zone or template without anyone having to program it. Besides clocks and weather, news tickers, departure times, calendars and performance figures are common. Many widgets fetch their data from the internet or from an interface; others only calculate on the device, like a countdown to a date.
Operators should check where a widget gets its data and what it shows when the connection is missing: an empty box or an error message looks worse than no widget at all. The player's time and time zone must also be correct so that clocks and countdowns run right. Widgets using third-party data may be bound by that provider's terms of use. Too many moving widgets make a screen restless.