Google Calendar
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This article or section contains information about computer software currently in development. The content may change as the software development progresses. |
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| Google Calendar | |
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 Google Calendar screenshot |
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| Developed by | |
| OS | Any (web based application) |
| Genre | Electronic calendar |
| Website | http://calendar.google.com/ |
Google Calendar, previously code-named "CL2", is a contact- and time-management web application offered by Google. It allows users to synchronize their Gmail contacts with a web-based calendar. It became available on April 13, 2006 and is currently in beta stages. While users are not required to have a Gmail account, they are required to have a free Google Account in order to use the software.
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[edit] Features
The interface of Google Calendar is similar to desktop calendar applications such as Microsoft Outlook or iCal on Mac OS X. The Ajax-driven interface enables users to view, add and even drag-and-drop events from one date to another without reloading the page. It sports a variety of view modes, such as the weekly, monthly and agenda views. Users can "quick add" calendar events by typing standard English phrases, such as "Dinner with Michael 7pm tomorrow". Users can also set the number of days to show in their custom view mode. All events in a Google Calendar can be commented on by its users.
Events are stored online, meaning that the calendar can be viewed from many locations. In the case of a user experiencing a hard drive failure, it also means that no data is lost. The application can import Microsoft Outlook calendar files (.csv) and iCalendar files (.ics, the de facto open calendaring file format), although at this stage only when the fields are all in U.S. format.[citation needed] Multiple calendars can be added and shared, allowing various levels of permissions for the users. This enables collaboration and sharing of schedules between groups or families. There are also general calendars available for importing into one's account which contain national holidays of various countries.
Google Calendar is integrated with various other Google services:
- Gmail, Google's webmail service. When an e-mail that contains trigger words (such as "meeting", or dates and times) arrives, an "add to calendar" button is automatically displayed alongside it. This feature is not yet available to all Gmail users.
- iGoogle, the user-designed Google homepage, where you can choose and organize content in the form of "gadgets". The calendar is shown as a module on your homepage. This "gadget" offers options to edit how the time is displayed, which day the week starts on, and a link to "Add Event".[1]
- Google Desktop, Google's desktop search software for Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 2000 SP3+ PC or Mac OS X. The mini-calendar gadget allows you view your agenda without having to open your browser. You can place it on your desktop or leave it docked in the sidebar.[1]
The "Search Public Events" feature allows users to search for events happening near them, and then add that event to their calendar. Google saves the date into your calendar, and time when applicable. Users first search for "Event name or category" (e.g., "music"), if they wish they can then narrow the search to "City or Town" (e.g., "New York, NY") or "When" (e.g., "today"). This is particularly useful when looking for movie times, theater times and music events.
Currently, Google Calendar can be synchronized with mobile devices (e.g., BlackBerry, Palm, Pocket PC) or with PC applications (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Apple iCal) via third party software. Event reminders can be sent via email, as well as SMS to mobile phones in over 80 countries and regions. (Some prepaid services do not support short codes.)
[edit] GVENT codes
For supported mobile carriers in the United States, the GVENT feature of Google Calendar allows users to create new events and check calendar information via SMS.[2] To use this feature, text messages are sent from the user's phone to 48368 (GVENT). The following codes are currently supported:
- Send "next" to get a notification regarding your next scheduled event.
- Send "day" to get a notification containing all of your scheduled events for the present day.
- Send "nday" to get a notification containing all of your events for the following day.
- Send any date (e.g., June 8 or June 8 2007 or 6-8-07...) to get a notification containing all of your events for that day.
- To create an event via SMS, simply send a text message containing your event's details (For best results, follow the format for the "Quick Add" feature).
[edit] Sharing calendars
Google Calendar allows multiple calendars to be created and shown in the same view. They can also be easily shared, either read-only or with full control, and either with specified people only or with everyone. For example, make one shared calendar for each sports team or club, and a separate calendar for private events. Events from both show up side-by-side on the same calendar, in different colors.
[edit] Compatibility
Because Google Calendar is a web-based application, it runs on virtually any operating system, provided that the OS has a browser which supports the required web technologies. Since it uses recent browser features, browser compatibility includes Microsoft Internet Explorer 6+, Mozilla Firefox 1.0+, Opera 9 and Safari 2.0.3 with some other browsers encountering rendering errors or even failing to load the page at all.[citation needed]
Google Calendar supports exporting calendar data through a permanent HTTP URL containing iCalendar data, either at a public or "private" (hard to guess) address. This bears resemblance to the Webcal "protocol". The data can be integrated with, among many others, Novell Evolution,[3] and Windows Calendar in Windows Vista (using the subscribe feature). The web link for the location of the calendar can be found in Google Calendar Settings in the Private Address section.
[edit] Maintenance
Some users on Google Groups believe that Google Calendar is poorly maintained in comparison to other Google applications.[4][5]
[edit] See also
- Calgoo
- List of personal information managers
- OpenSync
- Remember The Milk
- Windows Live Calendar
- Yahoo! Calendar
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Google Calendar
- gcalcli - A Command Line Interface to Google Calendar
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