Current Status Board status: dead. But you can now roll your own iPad (and iPhone) dashboard
In the first of a new series, we dig into the App Store’s history to find great apps that were cancelled – and how you can (sort of) bring them back to modern devices. First up, Status Board, by Panic.
What was Status Board?
A modular dashboard for iPad. You activated and arranged modules, such as clock, weather, calendar and graph, which could turn an idle iPad (or an external display connected to an Apple tablet) into a screen with useful at-a-glance information.
Why did we love it?
It made an idle iPad useful. But also, the app itself was flexible. We set it up with multiple clocks, calendar events and newsfeeds, making it a cinch to instantly spot vital info. Businesses took it further, using custom panels to feed status board ongoing statistics and company status updates. It helped that Panic’s design smarts ensured that Status Board looked gorgeous too.
Where is it now?
Just over three years into its life, Status Board was discontinued. Panic co-founder Cabel Sasser explained that the company had hoped to “find a sweet spot between consumer and pro users”. However, most of the app’s market turned out to be pros, which left the product unviable. A final update was issued in 2016, but API support gradually meant the app stopped working.
How can you bring back Status Board?
Although the odd browser-based Status Board wannabe has showed up over the years, no product has ever been directly comparable, especially on iPad. But Apple’s Home Screen widgets now provide something similar.
With planning and care, you can turn your first Home Screen into an all-widgets dashboard, displaying whatever matters most to you. And because widgets work on iPhone, you get something akin to the never-actually-existed Status Board Mini as well. Bargain.
Visit the final Status Board blog post and make sad faces at the nature of commercial reality.