Question

I was wondering how I actually use background in normal tableview(non grouped). For example take a look at the clock app and the background there. Any ideas?

Answer 1

You can set the background of your table view using the same techniques as the grouped table view (something like self.tableView.backgroundView = anImageView;), but your cells’ background are opaque and, therefore, will hide it.

You’ll then have to set, in tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath: the background color of your cells to clearColor [UIColor clearColor] and it’s backgroundView to nil.

Run the app now, and there might still be something wrong: the background of the cell’s labels is possibly also opaque (I say possibly because the cells might have picked up the cell background color and changed the background color of their subviews accordingly).
If it is the case, once again, in tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:, set the subviews’s background color to clearColor.