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Google Calendar

rickyb writes "After months of rumors and speculation, Google Calendar is now live. It features integration with Gmail, full iCal support, and a bunch of other goodies I'm just starting to discover. The wait is over!"

448 comments

  1. Not quite "live" by muhgcee · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    If by "live" you mean "barely functioning," then you'd be right.

    No, but in general it looks pretty nice (assuming all of the functions work).

    1. Re:Not quite "live" by forgotten_my_nick · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Yea I am wondering if they should put it back into BETA. Google betas are much more stable. :) At the moment it has taken 3 minutes just to get the calendar screen.

    2. Re:Not quite "live" by BoldAC · · Score: 0, Troll

      Yeah, everything kinda works.

      For example, you can import your Outlook or iCal files to gooCalendar but you can't export them back again! How is that helpful? So you can switch completely over, but you can't use both in concert together?

      Also, you can kinda get in... sometimes. At least this time, they put the bottleneck at the door (login page). If you get in, it works fine. It's just tough to get in.

      If it synced both ways, then I think it would get adapted much more quickly. Many office types (or their secretaries) need to keep schedules on outlook. Exporting/importing to gooCalendar would be awesome... but one way just kills it.

    3. Re:Not quite "live" by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2, Informative

      "If by "live" you mean "barely functioning," then you'd be right."

      Ugh, no kidding. Opera isn't at ALL supported. It'll let you in, but then you get javascript errors all over the place. Weak.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    4. Re:Not quite "live" by hador_nyc · · Score: 1
      If by "live" you mean "barely functioning," then you'd be right. No, but in general it looks pretty nice (assuming all of the functions work).
      I tried it, and spent a few minutes playing with it. I works well enough as a simple calender, and the ability to send phone alerts I consider particularly useful!
      --
      - Mike
      Once you've lost your temper, you've lost the argument - Me
    5. Re:Not quite "live" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, doesn't work with Konqueror, which is my preferred browser. And as it uses my gmail account login I most definitely want to use Konqueror, because with Firefox I end up in 'standard view' instead of 'basic html', and 'standard view' hangs more than it works for me. 'standard view' has become basically useless the last months.

    6. Re:Not quite "live" by kv9 · · Score: 2, Informative
      Yea I am wondering if they should put it back into BETA. Google betas are much more stable.

      it already is BETA. i played with it earlier today, before it hit slash, and it worked fine. it's just swamped by all the hits, but either than that it is a pretty nifty app.

    7. Re:Not quite "live" by c_forq · · Score: 2, Informative

      Even with all the features working it will not function for my needs. They really need to work on repeating events, for example as a college student I have a class that meets the same time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Currently there is no way to input this event, besides putting it in three times.

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
    8. Re:Not quite "live" by agallagh42 · · Score: 5, Informative
      --
      Carpe Cerevisi - Seize the Beer
    9. Re:Not quite "live" by jdray · · Score: 1

      It seems to be working fine now.

      --
      The Spoon
      Updated 6/28/2011
    10. Re:Not quite "live" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, there is -- if you create the event by clicking on "create event" at left, you'll see the option to have a repeating event. There's even an option for m/w/f, so you're all set.

    11. Re:Not quite "live" by yurnotsoeviltwin · · Score: 1

      Yea, I would think that would be a nice function, but it doesn't look like it supports verizon phones! What's up with that?

    12. Re:Not quite "live" by hador_nyc · · Score: 1
      Yea, I would think that would be a nice function, but it doesn't look like it supports verizon phones! What's up with that?
      Considering Version pretty much ownes the Northeast; the NYC area in particular; that's pretty damn dumb to me too!
      --
      - Mike
      Once you've lost your temper, you've lost the argument - Me
    13. Re:Not quite "live" by Mouse42 · · Score: 0, Redundant

      There's only options for MWF and TTH, every day, or every weekday.

      This is also a problem for me, because I work MTH at one place, and TWF at another.

      Why didn't they have the typical "check box of the days of the week" option? Or did they just not want to be typical?

    14. Re:Not quite "live" by wantobe · · Score: 2, Informative
      Except that the poster said his class meets Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, which indeed isn't there. [old fart]I never had a class schedule like that[/old fart], but it should be pretty simple to add seven boxes labelled Sunday-Saturday and a "Repeat every..." header, and then it'd be all set. Hop to it, Google!

      I gotta say, though, for my and my partner's needs, it may be just about perfect. We can each have a seperate calendar under one login so that we can immediatly see what we have scheduled, but more importantly I can add/edit client events for him and he can add/edit them for me. No other basic or free calendar has met these needs for us, so this may be exactly what we've been looking for.

    15. Re:Not quite "live" by probbka · · Score: 5, Informative

      If you select "weekly", checkboxes for the days of the week come up so you can customize.

      --
      Only requirement for good karma: be pedantic as much and as often as possible.
    16. Re:Not quite "live" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Considering that the company is called "Verizon", and "ownes" is actually spelled "owns", it looks like you're an expert on pretty damn dumb.

    17. Re:Not quite "live" by CapnGib · · Score: 1

      Hmmm, I can't seem to create a new calender.

      Go through the setup, click create new, and voila, back to main screen with no new calender added.

      --
      Beauty is truly in the eye of the tiger
    18. Re:Not quite "live" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is weak? Opera?

    19. Re:Not quite "live" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't believe so many people in this thread got modded insightful or informative for making/continuing an argument that is completely inaccurate. Actually...this is slashdot so I can believe it. It's quite amazing how easily it is to blindly rally people to a cause.

    20. Re:Not quite "live" by Yardboy · · Score: 1

      I did the phone setup this morning around 8.30am. The confirmation code they sent to my phone at that time just arrived at 3.45pm.

      --
      drink beer, and let the water run the mill
    21. Re:Not quite "live" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They fixed that already. There is now a Mon., Wed., Fri. choice, and a Tues., Thur. choice.

    22. Re:Not quite "live" by c_forq · · Score: 1

      My god people need to learn how to read. I said Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. There is no Friday or Thursday in that equation. Now to actually be helpful: if you click weekly it gives a choice of days to click. So I should modify my original complaint from not being available to not being intiutive. It took me a while to figure out, but now I am up and running.

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
    23. Re:Not quite "live" by Stalus · · Score: 1

      Actually, the fact that they do in fact handle repeating events well is exactly the reason I'll be using this calendar. You need to play around a bit more before claiming it doesn't support it, because it does (repeat weekly, just like you would with Sunbird).

      Most of the free calendars I've tried are awful for repeating events. For instance, 30 boxes support is recent and minimal. Mozilla Sunbird repeating exception handing is clunky. For instance, if you have a MWF class, and you want to change the description for a particular day to say "EXAM", Google's smart enough to ask you if you want to just change that one instance, or change all of the repeating events. For Sunbird, you'd have to edit the event, create an exception to remove the event that day, and the create a new event. And be careful with Sunbird not to hit delete, or you lose the whole batch. Google at least asks you what you want to do.

      Personally, Google's behavior for repeating events reminds me a lot of the old Lotus Organizer, and I've been looking for similar support in something I can host online for a long time.

      The only problem I've run into with the Google Cal so far is there seems to be a good amount of lag in reading things from the server, and the cache gets out of synch. So, when I created a new calendar, it didn't show up until I relogged in.. and then after seeing "Loading" for awhile, eventually it did pop up. Hopefully it'll work itself out once the slashdot crowd stops creating millions of new events :P

  2. IE and Firefox only for now by snoozebutton · · Score: 0, Troll

    John Gruber over at Daring Fireball made me laugh with this.

    "Scheduled to be in beta for the next four years.

    Also, it doesn't (yet?) support Safari, and informs you of this with a JavaScript alert that reads:

    'Sorry, Google Calendar does not support your browser yet, so things may break in unexpected ways. Press OK to see a list of browsers that we support. Or cancel to try to use it anyways.'

    $121 billion market cap and they have someone writing error messages who thinks "anyways" is acceptable English."

    1. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by TheComputerMutt.ca · · Score: 0

      Do you undestand what they're trying to say? Yes? That's more important than sounding professional.

    2. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by mtenhagen · · Score: 2, Funny

      "$121 billion market cap and they have someone writing error messages who thinks "anyways" is acceptable English."

      Most non-native english speakers find this acceptable or just dont care.

      --
      200GB/2TB $7.95 Coupon: SAVE90DOLLAR
    3. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by senrable · · Score: 2, Funny

      Heck, most native English speakers find it acceptable.

    4. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by snoozebutton · · Score: 0

      I don't think so. Spelling should not be an problem for any large company. Perhaps they need a GDictionary. Google define, I guess they're not using it.

    5. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by Rydia · · Score: 0

      No, actually, it's not. They're not only a market leader, they're also a publicly-traded company. There are a lot of eyes looking at every little thing they do, and while nerds may think it's not important, pretty much everyone else in business does.

    6. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by fufubag · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'd say it's the nerds who think it is important.

    7. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by x2A · · Score: 1

      What's wrong with them doing both? Anyways (heh) it's not to do with sounding professional, it's to do with not sounding sloppy. Being lazy with your speech demonstrates a laziness of your thoughts. Shouldn't personal pride be enough? I personally could care less (heh) how they've written it, but I would care if I was them.

      --
      The revolution will not be televised... but it will have a page on Wikipedia
    8. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by x2A · · Score: 1

      Native "American" speakers, I don't hear it in England, even by non-native English speakers.

      --
      The revolution will not be televised... but it will have a page on Wikipedia
    9. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Modcrack, modcrack.

    10. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by Dis*abstraction · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Perhaps they're cultivating an appeal to a demographic who's sick of business as beige and natty usual. Pity if the suits in midtown doubt the strategy, but based on a quick and dirty survey of everyone currently in my apartment (me), it's a 100% home run for Google. For all we know, the site was developed in proper Queen's English, and marketing came along later to mangle it for that shoestring/indie/DIY atmosphere.

      I admit this doesn't explain why they chose to represent "shoestrting/indie/DIY" with redneck speak like "anyways." Folk is trendy, I guess.

    11. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

      I didn't see any typo on the Chinese page.

      The PRC must have a bigger proofreading budget.

    12. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by yammosk · · Score: 1

      I think the GP was trying to point out that the "e" is supposed to be capitalized, rather than identifying speakers from the UK.

    13. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Most non-native english speakers find this acceptable or just dont care."
      Well if an entire continent can't spell colour correctly, then there shouldn't be too much trouble with this ;)

    14. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by redalien · · Score: 1

      I say we gaol people for using americanisms.

    15. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by Rocketship+Underpant · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I certainly agree with your sentiment; but for what it's worth, "anyways" is dialectic English, common in Canada at least. I used to have to make a conscious effort not to say it. Heck, I know people from my neck of the woods who say "anywheres" too!

      --
      He who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.
    16. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by manthrax3 · · Score: 1

      I heard they find it exceptable too!

    17. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by senrable · · Score: 1

      They also find it an affective!

    18. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by capnez · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It would seem to me that most non-native English speakers (being one myself, and probably thinking that everybody is like me) are actually more irritated by this than native speakers - because we learn it the right way.

    19. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by sk8dork · · Score: 2, Interesting
      from Merriam-Webster Online

      One entry found for anyways.
      Main Entry: anyways
      Pronunciation: -"wAz
      Function: adverb
      1 a archaic : ANYWISE b dialect : to any degree at all
      2 chiefly dialect : ANYHOW, ANYWAY

      --
      ...all cock-blockery aside...
    20. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by nysus · · Score: 1

      If you don't understand that "anyways" is a very calculated choice of words, you're a mareketing moron.

      --

      ---Technology will liberate us if it doesn't enslave us first.

    21. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by ScottyH · · Score: 1

      Wow, this is so strange. Anyways isn't said elsewhere? I DO say it all the time. Is it considered improper?

    22. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by gobbo · · Score: 1
      for what it's worth, "anyways" is dialectic English, common in Canada at least. I used to have to make a conscious effort not to say it. Heck, I know people from my neck of the woods who say "anywheres" too!

      Uh, while yer at this grammar thing, eh, "dialectic" refers to philosophical discussions, not common idiom. Anyways, the average canuck does engage in a kind of philosophical discussion daily, such as "What the hell's wrong with the Oilers, anyways?" Not to, like, stereotype or anything, eh.

    23. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by drgnvale · · Score: 1

      Couldn't care less. "Could care less" means you do care, because it is possible for you to care less than you do now. "Couldn't care less" means that it is not possible for you to care less than you do now, because you do not care at all. Care = 0.

    24. Re:IE and Firefox only for now by x2A · · Score: 1

      Oh please!!! Didn't you spot the '(heh)' after "could care less", which also appeared after my use of "anyways", the bad word in question? Subtle, I know, but still, come on!

      myeh, I forgive ya :-p

      --
      The revolution will not be televised... but it will have a page on Wikipedia
  3. Not Quite Slashdotted by TheComputerMutt.ca · · Score: 1

    Even while in the mysterious future, it took a few minutes of lag for my sign-up to work. I bet they'll have to restrict registration soon, so get in while you have the chance!

    1. Re:Not Quite Slashdotted by 42forty-two42 · · Score: 1

      Sign-ups are quite slow, but after that it seems to mostly work okay. I've heard invitation and reminder emails are having problems, though.

    2. Re:Not Quite Slashdotted by manthrax3 · · Score: 1

      I think it seems to work OK because it's so AJAXey. When you actually have to post back, it's miserable.

  4. Cool! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    But does anyone know how I can sync it with my Palm Pilot?

    1. Re:Cool! by muhgcee · · Score: 1

      Well, with iCal support, I suppose you could hack it somehow to sync to iCal, which would sync to your Palm?

    2. Re:Cool! by onco_p53 · · Score: 1
      I suppose you could hack it somehow to sync to iCal, which would sync to your Palm


      Oh please somebody hack this, then I will as happy as the day GLM came out.

    3. Re:Cool! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you can already do it, from a Mac:

      - in iCal, subscribe to your Google Calendar's private url, so iCal will download it periodically and keep a local copy of the data; then
      - set up your Palm to sync to iCal. This can be accomplished with Missing Sync or Apple's own iSync Palm conduits

      This is one-way only -- all your edits have to be made on Google. But I'm confident it will work.

    4. Re:Cool! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very slowly.

    5. Re:Cool! by onco_p53 · · Score: 1

      Well I found this:

      http://sourceforge.net/projects/palm2ical/

      Written in Java, I'll give it a go.

    6. Re:Cool! by bdulac · · Score: 1

      That's a good question. I'd like to know the same. Having a calendat program on my PC is great but being able to sync it with my PDA is even better!

      --
      Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God.
  5. GooCal not very responsive right now :-| by Adult+film+producer · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I logged on this morning and created a new calendar, made a few screenshots here. Looks nice, didn't see much in the way of gmail integration but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough.

    1. Re:GooCal not very responsive right now :-| by Pieroxy · · Score: 1

      Well, you can't define birthdays in gmail's contact list, so you obviously can't be notified by the Calendar. Didn't test the notifications yet.

      BTW, why didn't they call it Galendar?

    2. Re:GooCal not very responsive right now :-| by Recovery1 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Because Galendar.com was already taken. A Melbourne company has it. IMHO, Gcal would sound much cooler. (It incidently is also taken)

      At least there's no question about what it is when you call it Google Calendar though.

    3. Re:GooCal not very responsive right now :-| by Woldry · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah. When I offer Gmail invites to non-tech-savvy folks, they sometimes respond, "G-mail? Does that mean like gay mail?" (I suppose my being gay might put that idea in their heads ...)

      --
      How can a post be modded "overrated" or "underrated" when it hasn't been rated yet?
    4. Re:GooCal not very responsive right now :-| by mcai8rw2 · · Score: 1

      The Gmail button is fairly small and 'hidden' at the top of the page. The one thing I thought about it was the sluggishness of the links. Will Google calander discrminate against dialup users, with poor performance? Ah yes...i suppose this calander relateds to the google-'stem cell'-icity. What next? Google-3d-rendering?

      --
      >>>Scanning for I.D.I.O.T.S. >>>
      >>>I.D.I.O.T.S. FOUND! >>>
    5. Re:GooCal not very responsive right now :-| by Antimatter3009 · · Score: 1

      The only integration I've really noticed besides the tiny button in the top left is that it can be configured to send you email as a reminder for events. However, that's probably the best part :)

  6. Safari is barely functional by Seoulstriker · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Safari is barely usable with any AJAX application. Hell, you're lucky Gmail works with it.

    --
    I am defenseless. Use your button. Mod me down with all of your hatred.
  7. It's a good thing they beta tested it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It originally had 13 months!

    1. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1

      What was the 13th one called?

      Undecimber

      Do I get geek card bonus points now?

    2. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Googlember.

    3. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      but my birthday is in smarch.

    4. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by Panaphonix · · Score: 1

      More geekery:

      Among Rich Hall's sniglets is "Decembuary", which is defined as the time in January when you continue to write the number of last year on checks.

      And from Treehouse of Horror VI:

      Marge: [voice over] It all started on the thirteenth hour, of the thirteenth day, of the thirteenth month. We were there to discuss the misprinted calendars the school had purchased.
      Homer: [shivering, looking at the calendar] Oh, lousy Smarch weather.
      [spies the thermostat with a note from Willy over it]
      [reads] "Do not touch Willy." Good advice! [cranks it]

    5. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1

      That's not geekery, that's comedic nonsense.

      Undecimber is a real month often used in the Lunar Calendar. You'll find it in many time keeping APIs such as java.util.Calendar and the International Components for Unicode. Anyone who's done even a cursory study of alternate calendars should know that.

      *huff* More geekery, indeed!

    6. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by agallagh42 · · Score: 1

      What about Febtober ?

      --
      Carpe Cerevisi - Seize the Beer
    7. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1

      Undecimber is a REAL month used in computer science for 13 month Lunar Calendars. Why does everyone insist on following up with made up names?

    8. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by agallagh42 · · Score: 1

      So just because someone gave a real answer, nobody else is allowed to say anything funny? I wasn't aware of that rule, and I apologize for offending you to such a great extent...

      --
      Carpe Cerevisi - Seize the Beer
    9. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1

      Meh. I'm just grumbling because it seems like it would make more sense to post these gags in response to the original post rather than my snarky (but accurate) reply.

    10. Re:It's a good thing they beta tested it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's very clever the way you took the last portion of a month name and added G to it, the way Google likes to do, such as with Gmail. But why did you use December instead of, oh say, May?

  8. Google slashdotted?! by disserto · · Score: 3, Funny

    WTF? Is that possible? Did a traveling salesman just try to cross the road to change a lightbulb?!

    1. Re:Google slashdotted?! by tomzyk · · Score: 1

      clearly you've never visited Orkut

      --
      Karma: NaN
    2. Re:Google slashdotted?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      clearly you've never visited Orkut
      Not likely unless he's Brazillian.
  9. iCal compatible by dave1212 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Nice, you can subscribe to your calendar in iCal, and it imports iCal files. Doesn't seem to have a limit on the number of calendars you can have at once, but I may just be overlooking something.

    Hope it works in Safari soon. It doesn't even load unless I use Firefox.

    1. Re:iCal compatible by tylersimon · · Score: 1

      Except it doesn't always work. Tried subscribing to my work calendar and it failed miserably. Back Sunbird then! Simon

    2. Re:iCal compatible by neumayr · · Score: 1

      Interesting. When using Opera it just shows a warning about not supporting my browser, but gives me an option to try anyways.

      --
      Truth arises more readily from error than from confusion. -Francis Bacon
    3. Re:iCal compatible by Cleetus+Freem · · Score: 1

      How are you doing this? Doesn't to work for me.

    4. Re:iCal compatible by mrchaotica · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, maybe if we're lucky, Google will replace all of .Mac, for free!

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    5. Re:iCal compatible by .com+b4+.storm · · Score: 1

      Hey, maybe if we're lucky, Google will replace all of .Mac, for free!

      Believe me, they already have...

      • Mail - Gmail is far, far superior to .Mac's meager webmail client. .Mac doesn't support any kind of filtering, spam blocking, etc. It is very basic even by the webmail standards of 1998. Gmail wins with labels, filters, support for sending from non-gmail.com addresses, etc.
      • HomePage - .Mac's home page feature has always been very basic, very buggy, and not at all flexible. Google Pages has better templates, it allows you to use custom HTML, web pages don't have cryptic filenames, etc.
      • Calendar - Again, .Mac loses big time here. iCal publishing is very limited. It's read-only, publishing multiple calendars causes them to lose their color-coding, a lot of event data (e.g. the "location" field, notes, and so on) isn't visible via the web, yadda yadda. Also very buggy, with events "doubling up" with multiple synchronizations, sometimes. Google Calendar is far better in every way.

      About the only thing Google doesn't do very elegantly is address book data. Yes, you can add it in Gmail, but it doesn't yet integrate with anything else. I'd like if I could have Google Calendar automatically propagate with birthday information from my Gmail contacts... And for that matter, if it allowed you to pick people from your contacts when you "Add Guest" for a calendar event. Right now, it's just an empty text book.

      By comparison, .Mac's address book feature is weak. It only supports certain fields, and a lot of special data (birthdays, notes, additional phone numbers, e-mails, etc.) that are extremely useful on the go... Well, the info synchronizes, but you just can't view it on the web. It's damn useless for me if I can't look up a friend's birthday, or check in the notes to find out what kind of blueberry muffin basket my boss likes most when I want that promotion...

      C'mon, Google. Get that contacts integration going and my 99% undying love will be 110%. Pleeeeeease?

      --
      "Wow, you're like some kind of superhero able to ward off happiness and success at every turn."
      -- Ryan Stiles
    6. Re:iCal compatible by .com+b4+.storm · · Score: 1

      Ugh... Right now, it's just an empty text book.

      This is what 7 years of college and studying will do to you. I meant text box . Sigh.

      --
      "Wow, you're like some kind of superhero able to ward off happiness and success at every turn."
      -- Ryan Stiles
    7. Re:iCal compatible by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      You're missing the one thing that would make .Mac useful (if I could bring myself to fork out the $$$ for it): the ability to synchronize all that information between computers. Google needs to come out with a solution to synchronize with Mozilla Lightning or something.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  10. News Flash by Fiachra06 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Google awarded patent on time." It was really only a matter of google!

    1. Re:News Flash by Geno+Z+Heinlein · · Score: 1

      "Google awarded patent on time." It was really only a matter of google!

      I understand the Marklars and the Smurfs were also going for this patent, but none of the patent clerks could understand what the Marklars were saying, and Attorney Smurf was busy representing Smurfette in yet another paternity suit.

  11. Submitter waited for this? by Ilgaz · · Score: 2, Informative

    erm,

    http://calendar.yahoo.com/

    There is really something "cheesy" with these Google fans... OK ending paranoia mode.

    1. Re:Submitter waited for this? by mb10ofBATX · · Score: 0


      You know, I thought the parent post was really interesting, so I clicked on his link. Once I got there, though, I realized I'd have to create an account in order to see what Yahoo Calendar is offering me. Bah, whatever ... at least Google gives you guided tours before you actually have to sign up.

      Plus, I've been most impressed with Google's interfaces as opposed to Yahoo. Maybe things have changed over at Yahoo from what they were years and years ago (in fact, I'm certain of it) ... but my magic eightball says to not hold my breath that it's better than what Google is doing. Of course, I will never know because I have to create an account in order to see.

    2. Re:Submitter waited for this? by eggoeater · · Score: 1

      Yes, I've been waiting for this too.
      Yahoo Calendar (IMHO) has been the only remotely decent web-based calendar. Until now.

      I've been dying to close my Yahoo account since they rolled over for the justice department. It didn't surprise me when MSN handed over confidential information because they want to keep on the Justice departments good side but when I heard Yahoo complied with the clearly illegal request, I was very disappointed.

    3. Re:Submitter waited for this? by KrugalSausage · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Are you serious?

      The yahoo interface doesn't even compete with google's.

      First there are no hotkeys, and to add an event, you specificially have to click on the number/date (waste of time).

      e.g. In the month view, do you like having to click the number 13 to add an event (mind you that a new page loads) or do you like clicking anywhere inside the box, and having an instant prompt, as in google's?

      I could go on and on...

      Now, I do agree that there has been a lot of 'fanboyisms' with google here on slashdot, but you really picked a bad example by bringing up yahoo calendar.

    4. Re:Submitter waited for this? by shokk · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I'll wait for SyncML support. I need this to work with my Treo, so it's Yahoo and Intellisync for now. Plus Yahoo has that cool Day Planner widget to go with it. But given RSS output, any RSS reader will be able to act as a day planner, and there is an RSS Yahoo widget.

      --
      "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart, he dreams himself your master."
    5. Re:Submitter waited for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Having just quickly used both for the first time a few minutes ago, I have to say google's interface is better:

      Easy quick entry (type [event name] with [person] [time + date]) you don't need to enter the person, and the time and date can be in many formats - I used "7pm tonight".

      I like the layout more: google allows you to scroll through a full day; the position of things are better; it doesn't have stupid picture adds which don't match the layout. Google also allows for draging move things around and resize them (a couple bugs)

      Things I'd like to see:
      1. customized pallete (particularly for events)
      2. get rid of the stupid speach bubble popups when you click on things.

    6. Re:Submitter waited for this? by Fhqwhgadss · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Google farts.
      Slashdot sniffs.
      Film at 11.

      --
      How does a 7-person democracy cut a pie? Into 4 pieces.
    7. Re:Submitter waited for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      s/they want to keep on the Justice departments good side/they enjoy being on the Justice Department's management side/

    8. Re:Submitter waited for this? by Scorchen · · Score: 1

      Yahoo calendar can send SMS text messages to your phone to remind you of important dates. It seems google has a barebones calendar, nice, but whats the big deal?

      --
      CAPS LOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL!!
    9. Re:Submitter waited for this? by PietjeJantje · · Score: 1

      I find the interfaces that Google builts seriously flawed, from a usability point from view. This arises from their desire and reputation to build basic, no-nonsense pages. However, if you built -real- web applications which are more complex than search interface-wise, it is a denial to try to continue such a method of building and a denial of age-old interface wishdom. You should design your axioma top-down to contro such complexity, not start with simplicity and keep adding stuff. Then at one point, where Google Search was long finished, your axioma doesn't work anymore and you create more mess with anything you try to patch. Actually, if they'd apply the age-old axioma, their interface would be less cluttered, much more cognitive, and not loaded with custom work-arounds.

    10. Re:Submitter waited for this? by roach2002 · · Score: 1

      Google Calendar can also send notifications to your cell phone. At the bottom of the calendar listings, click "Manage calendars". Then click "Notifications". Enter your cell phone information - it works for me!

    11. Re:Submitter waited for this? by Eil · · Score: 1

      The yahoo interface doesn't even compete with google's.

      Maybe it's been awhile since you've used Yahoo's calendar. I'm looking at it right now and comparing side-by-side to Google calendar. Yeah, *some* details are different (Google's has some ajaxiness bits here and there), but they're nearly identical in almost every way. I know everyone thinks Google is going to revolutionize everything they touch but c'mon. You can only improve the web-based calendar thing by so much.

      First there are no hotkeys,

      By hotkeys, you must mean keyboard shortcuts. Maybe you haven't heard of this thing called a WEB browser. You operate it with a MOUSE. You POINT and you CLICK. Keyboard shortcuts are great for vi and Emacs users whose hands never leave the keyboard. But if I have to move my hand from the mouse to the keyboard for any reason other to enter text, no time has been saved. Move your mouse or move your whole arm, it's all a matter of which is faster and the mouse usually wins.

      and to add an event, you specificially have to click on the number/date (waste of time).

      e.g. In the month view, do you like having to click the number 13 to add an event (mind you that a new page loads) or do you like clicking anywhere inside the box, and having an instant prompt, as in google's?


      Let me get this straight, aside from hotkeys, your ENTIRE argument that Google's calendar is better than Yahoo's is that to select a day in Yahoo's calendar, you have to click on the number instead of the date box?

      Not only is that insane, it's misleading. Yahoo's calendar has "[Add]" links in every date box. But, more importantly, there's a field at the bottom of the calendar to quickly add an event. You just enter a description and click Add. Additionally, you can enter the time and date with this method. With Google's calendar, if you want to add any details at all to an event, you have to load a new page.

      The Google calendar is nice, but it's not some huge leap forward in web-based calendars. Further, it still suffers from the same basic flaw that all web calendars share and that is the fact that my data is not truly private. The pages are transmitted unencryped and they're stored unencrypted. As long as either of these is true, I can't bring myself rely on a web calendar for anything serious.

    12. Re:Submitter waited for this? by DrEasy · · Score: 1

      Well, I've been unhappily using Yahoo! Calendar for about 5 years now. I say unhappily because it has swallowed some of my events, it often shows up as "unavailable" on My Yahoo!, and that My Yahoo! Calendar component often ignores some events that are there when you actually get to the Calendar. Getting to the calendar is also also a pain as every day it prompts me to login again for extra security. I'm glad there is now another option, and Yahoo! might just finally lose my patronage now that Google provides that last app that I was still dependent on with Yahoo! I just need to see how the Calendar component looks on Google's Personalized Home Page (if that even exists).

      --
      "In our tactical decisions, we are operating contrary to our strategic interest."
    13. Re:Submitter waited for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The pages are transmitted unencryped and they're stored unencrypted. As long as either of these is true, I can't bring myself rely on a web calendar for anything serious.

      Well, you can change the first half:
      Change
      http://www.google.com/calendar/render?pli=1
      to
      https://www.google.com/calendar/render?pli=1

      As for being stored unencrypted, hackers would have to be pretty darn good to hack the goog! Even the US government has trouble getting data from goog (that we know of...).

  12. It features integration with Gmail. by raffe · · Score: 1

    How is it integrated with gmail? By the link in the top left corner? I cant find that it is integrated so nice right now.....

    1. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by lennart78 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Google calendar uses your gmail contact list to auto suggest email addresses when inviting other users to an event.
      And the same goes for sharing a calendar with other users.

    2. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your status in google talk in synched with calendar events - you can tell to show you as busy during, say, a meeting.

    3. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by karji · · Score: 1

      How about having an event reminder through IM? Much better than e-mail in some cases...

    4. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by RenatoRam · · Score: 1

      Plus, you can get alerts about events in gmail, a daily "Agenda" email with a summary of the day, invite people to events with mail, and so on.

      Just read the help, or take the tour, and see for yourself.

      http://www.google.com/support/calendar

      At the moment it is somewhat limited (alerts are sent only for the "primary" calendar, for example), but they already plan of supporting all of them in a short time.

      --
      Ciao, Renato
    5. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by tommertron · · Score: 1

      Google calendar uses your gmail contact list to auto suggest email addresses when inviting other users to an event. It doesn't do this for me!

      --
      Random rants about technology: http://technorants.blogspot.com
    6. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      More of the same feeping creaturism. *sigh*

      Honestly, is Google going for the next EMACS or what?

    7. Re:It features integration with Gmail. by shellbeach · · Score: 1

      How is it integrated with gmail?

      I was wondering about this too. Have a look at the help section and you'll see that in theory Gmail should include a function in the drop down menu for emails that specifies "Add event to calendar". (see, for example http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer. py?answer=36592&ctx=sibling )

      Unfortunately I don't see this in my gmail account yet - hopefully it'll be added soon ...

  13. iCal!?!? by ShyGuy91284 · · Score: 0

    I'm rather surprised, but am glad to see them getting alnog with Apple. I like both companies for their innovation or "Don't be evil" thoughts (notice the or).

    --
    In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
    1. Re:iCal!?!? by forsetti · · Score: 4, Informative

      iCal is a calendaring file standard. Apple just chose to use the same name for their Calendar product (the obsession with "i*"). Gmail is compliant with the iCal standard, which happens to allow Apple's product (which is standard compliant) to interoperate.

      --
      10b||~10b -- aah, what a question!
    2. Re:iCal!?!? by John_Booty · · Score: 4, Informative

      The iCal calendar format (.ics) has been the de facto open calendaring standard for a few years now. The Mozilla Calendar Project (aka "Lightning") supports it as well.

      This isn't really a "Google cooperating with Apple" thing as much as it is a "Google using the most popular open calendaring format in the world today, for which there are already thousands of publically-accessible calendars, because it is in Google's own best interests".

      Still, it's a great example of the good that comes from open standards. I love the fact that I can add all the existing .ics calendars out there to Google Calendar, such as sports schedules for the local teams.

      --

      OtakuBooty.com: Smart, funny, sexy nerds.
    3. Re:iCal!?!? by pldms · · Score: 3, Informative

      iCal is a calendaring file standard.

      Well strictly speaking icalendar (rfc 2445) is the standard, but (as with vcalendar) it's a bit of a mouthful. iCal (to me) is Apple's software, but ical is the standard.

      --
      Slashdot looked deep within my soul and assigned
      me a number based on the order in which I joined
    4. Re:iCal!?!? by stunt_penguin · · Score: 1

      I wonder if you can allow access to your own calendar via the iCal standard. So if you're using a calendaring client such as Lighting or Sunbird you can view your own calendar.

      Having said that, who needs a calendar client anymore? Web 2.0 anyone?

      --
      When the posters fear their moderators, there is tyranny; when the moderators fears the posters, there is liberty.
    5. Re:iCal!?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, strictly speaking, an RFC is not a standard . . .

  14. The slashdot effect? by sfxdude · · Score: 1
    Oooops:

    "Calendar is unavailable right now, please try again in a few moments"

    1. Re:The slashdot effect? by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1
      Calendar is unavailable right now, please try again in a few moments

      I wish we could fix "Nothing for you to see here. Please move along."

  15. 'Full iCal support' by mac123 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    To me, full iCal support would typically mean the ability to publish to google calendar directly from my iCal compatible program, not export each calendar entry and import them.

    Full 'read only' iCal support would seem a more apt description.

    1. Re:'Full iCal support' by generic-man · · Score: 4, Informative

      iCal doesn't support two-way syncing by itself (i.e. without iSync). You can either publish a calendar to the web or subscribe to a calendar from the web. Unless you have two records for every calendar for which you want two-way sync, I haven't found an elegant solution that lets you both modify a calendar on your local computer and on the web.

      Yahoo! Calendar offered IntelliSync six years ago to synchronize my PalmPilot with their on-line calendar, but that software ended up duplicating every event on my PalmPilot.

      --
      For more information, click here.
    2. Re:'Full iCal support' by srpatterson · · Score: 1

      I guess you've not tried Mozilla's calendar yet? It synchronises on startup, can be synchronised manually, and will synchronise a remote calendar file before adding an event to it.

      http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/

      --
      -- The Heineken Uncertainty Principle: You can never be sure how many bears you had last night.
    3. Re:'Full iCal support' by generic-man · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I have tried Mozilla Calendar, but until they release a Cocoa Mac OS X application I don't see how they can displace iCal for me. iCal may be feature-limited with regard to calendar synchronization, but it supports Cocoa services and AppleScript (not to mention iSync and an incredibly useful Dashboard widget). Mozilla Calendar is only available in clients that use the same mishmash of XUL and Quickdraw that make Firefox and Thunderbird feel so "un-Mac-like."

      --
      For more information, click here.
    4. Re:'Full iCal support' by pelorus · · Score: 1

      "I haven't found an elegant solution that lets you both modify a calendar on your local computer and on the web."

      We're working on it, honest. This is a blatant plug for SyncBridge

      http://www.infurious.com/

    5. Re:'Full iCal support' by pkey · · Score: 1

      They're talking about iCal support, not iCal support, duh! :)

    6. Re:'Full iCal support' by thadman08 · · Score: 3, Informative

      I've been using Mozilla's calendar in various formats for awhile, and it doesn't really 'sync'. It downloads a new copy before uploading your changes. Works alright for single user systems, but definitely doesn't scale. That's where the work on CalDav and such should help.

    7. Re:'Full iCal support' by Duncan3 · · Score: 1

      Ever looked at a Mozilla version of "iCal" files? It's nothing even CLOSE to IETF calendar file compatible.

      Apple's iCal and things like PHP iCalendar _are_ correct however. And Mozilla can read .ics files, just the second it writes one you're screwed.

      I assume that's why they dumped the .ics file support and that "Sunbird no longer stores its local data in .ics files but in a SQL database."

      --
      - Adam L. Beberg - The Cosm Project - http://www.mithral.com/
  16. Re:Palm support by dave1212 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The Palm support (I'm using Mark/Space's Missing Sync) is what I was wondering as well. Hopefully it wouldn't screw with custom fields and/or categories.

  17. Quick report so far by lennart78 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have been nosing around in it for a few hours now. The main thing that I still miss is the ability to sync with a PDA, but I'm sure that will be hacked into the app. at some point. Furthermore:
    * The user interface is pleasant, at least far more pleasant than any other web-based calendar I worked with before.
    * The abilty to search for and import iCal calendars is very nice.
    * You can manage multiple calendars from you account
    * Sharing calendars with other users seems to work nicely

    All in all, a decent start...

    1. Re:Quick report so far by Maelgwyn · · Score: 1

      I've been looking 'round for a few minutes, and I quite like it! I've already found the link for keyboard shortcuts as well. Only thing is that it only responds for me in FF, which isn't my browser of choice. Hopefully they work on this!

    2. Re:Quick report so far by tdvaughan · · Score: 1

      I've been unable to create new calendars - from the Google Groups support list that particular feature is rather broken at the moment. Still, assuming Google fixes this, this could easily make Chandler redundant.

    3. Re:Quick report so far by follower-fillet · · Score: 4, Informative

      > The main thing that I still miss is the ability to sync with a PDA,
      > but I'm sure that will be hacked into the app. at some point.
      If someone wants to make a start on the hacking this might be helpful:

      Rough Google Calender Class and Function Reference

      It's a cross referenced and pretty printed version of the Google Calender source code.

      --Phil.

    4. Re:Quick report so far by follower-fillet · · Score: 1

      I've added a bookmarklet to the above page to allow you to Add Another Date Picker to the Google Calendar navigation bar as a proof of concept.

      --Phil.

    5. Re:Quick report so far by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      I found that some calendars would show up immediately, and some other calendars would take hours to show up. I created a few public calenders called "Berkeley Events" last night. One worked immediately. I logged in this morning to find several duplicate calendars, all with the name "Berkeley Events".

      I think this is an Early Beta realease... some bugs have not been worked out.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    6. Re:Quick report so far by follower-fillet · · Score: 1

      You might be interested in this alternative approach to creating Google Calendar "Reminder Buttons":

          "Hack Three : 'Make Event Reminder Button' Bookmarklet"
          http://stuff.rancidbacon.com/google-calendar/hack/

      With this new bookmarklet you no longer need to construct the reminder buttons by hand or reenter the information elsewhere.

      I've updated the hack notes a little also.

      --Phil.

  18. iCal ripoff by akuzi · · Score: 1

    My first thought are that obviously there are some Apple fans working at Google. Still they've done a good job. Now if you could just schedule meetings in Gmail and it would be a useful enterpise calendar.

    1. Re:iCal ripoff by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Wrong. "ical" the name of a data standard.

      Apple actually licenses the name iCal from Brown Bear Software.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    2. Re:iCal ripoff by Fred_A · · Score: 2, Interesting

      How come they own that name when the ical program which a lot of us have presumably used is something like 15 years old (and predates the web) ??

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    3. Re:iCal ripoff by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because the ical program never trademarked the name. Brown Bear did.

    4. Re:iCal ripoff by Fred_A · · Score: 1

      Because the ical program never trademarked the name. Brown Bear did.

      Which goes to show that the trademark system is as broken as the patent one.

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    5. Re:iCal ripoff by akuzi · · Score: 1

      > Wrong. "ical" the name of a data standard.

      I think you missed the point.

      It was that Google Calendar looks a lot like Apple iCal.

    6. Re:iCal ripoff by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      If I missed the point of your original post, maybe it was because the point wasn't contained in your original post.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  19. Wikipedia by omeg · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let's see how fast the Wikipedia article will grow now that it has been released...

  20. OS X Filesystem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    I was watching a Divx Video using VLC on my iBook, when I had to do a hard reset (parents walked in)--consequently I am left with a file in my "Movies" folder that I cannot delete.

    If I try to delete the file, I get "Some items you are moving are in use by another application. Moving the items can cause problems with the application using them. Are you sure you want to move the items?" -- Then when I press continue I get "The operation cannot be compelted because an item with the name "" already exists."

    If I try to open the file, I get a message saying the file "2guys-sofa-18yobareback-mm.avi" cannot be touched as it is currently being used by OS X.

    Anyone know how to solve this problem? It's very embarassing. Thanks!

    1. Re:OS X Filesystem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Boot to a Mac OS X install disc and run Disk Utility's "Repair Partition/Volume" check repeatedly against your hard drive until it reports no errors. Also take note about what Disk Utility says about the SMART status of the hard drive. If the drive is "failing," replace it.

    2. Re:OS X Filesystem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Format the partition and reinstall MacOSX

    3. Re:OS X Filesystem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Insecure, now needing formats. Every day it's taking more steps to being the next windows.

    4. Re:OS X Filesystem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is the sort of problem that can normally only be solved if you publish your full name and address, but activate the root account and delete it from there.

  21. It wouldnt be Google if.. by tont0r · · Score: 3, Funny

    If it were Google Calendar and not Google Calendar Beta.

    1. Re:It wouldnt be Google if.. by mark_hill97 · · Score: 1

      having tried it on my "unsupported" browser, opera, it's most definately worthy of being called a beta.

  22. Annoyance by barcodez · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wish there was a way (maybe there is but I can't find it) to specify which Google applications you want to be automatically logged into. In my case I never want to be logged into the feature that remembers my searches, I find that feature disturbing. However if I log into Calendar or Gmail or Personal Homepage it starts remembering all my searches again until I log out and then I have to log in again when I use gmail or whatever. So I just don't use any of the features right now because it's too irritating.

    --

    ----
    1. Re:Annoyance by Corbets · · Score: 0, Troll

      A slashdotter who doesn't want his search history remembered... hmm, what could you POSSIBLY be searching for?

    2. Re:Annoyance by rjrjr · · Score: 4, Informative

      So turn it off--just like you turned it on. Click Search History, then click Pause. While you're there, delete your history. Ta dah.

    3. Re:Annoyance by barcodez · · Score: 1

      Yep, your right, I couldn't find this last time I looked. Thanks. I still think it should default to being off.

      --

      ----
    4. Re:Annoyance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You could "Delete Personalized Search", available under the Google Accounts section

    5. Re:Annoyance by Owndapan · · Score: 2, Informative
      Try here:
      https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount

      Down the left hand side there is a "Delete Personalized Search" link that should sort it for you!

    6. Re:Annoyance by knopf · · Score: 1

      That doesn't help. I'm pretty sure you get the "same" cookie if you log in from a different IP. Also if you delete your cookie, you will get the "same" cookie as long as you don't change IP. With "same" cookie, I mean that they store a relationship between the old cookie and the new one you get.

      Given today's world of a 1:1 relationship between users and computers (mostly laptops), there is basically no way to escape the tracking unless you really block the cookies.

      Cheers.

    7. Re:Annoyance by whargoul · · Score: 1

      Just because you clicked pause doesn't mean they're still not tracking it. It just means that they're not returning the results back to you in your search history.

      Also, when you "delete your history", all that's probably doing is setting a flag on each history record called "bDeleted" specifying the record has been to the user but still exists in the system.

      Your best bet is logging off if you don't want your searches tracked.

    8. Re:Annoyance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try starting another instance of your browser. You can be logged into Google in one for gmail/calendar/etc. and not in the other one that you use for searches.

    9. Re:Annoyance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      It does deafult to being off. You had to manually turn it on in the first place.

    10. Re:Annoyance by cortana · · Score: 1

      Didn't for me...

    11. Re:Annoyance by rm69990 · · Score: 1

      Those searches are then logged to his ip address (and probably his account too, because of the same ip address).

    12. Re:Annoyance by anthony_dipierro · · Score: 1

      Given today's world of a 1:1 relationship between users and computers (mostly laptops), there is basically no way to escape the tracking unless you really block the cookies.

      Well, you can set Firefox to automatically delete all your cookies every time you close the program. You'll still get tracked if you log in, but otherwise, if you don't have a static IP, you'll be somewhat more anonymous.

  23. Little buggy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Saw it on digg.com a few hours ago, seems nice (the gui part), but it insists its august 10 today(!). And no, my computer calendar is not aug 10! .. still little work to do I guess. And where is the big gmail intergration everyone is talking about?

  24. SLOOOOOOOOOW and buggy by pcause · · Score: 1

    I am using Firefox to access and it is terribly slow. Also if you click a time slot you get a pop up for a new item, I think. However, I am not getting a clear display. Images seem missing or somehting. Maybe this should be Alpha not beta

  25. HTTPS available by palad1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    for all of you behind a firewall. Be warned though, https://www.google.com/calendar/render sometimes redirects to http://www.google.com/calendar/render when your session has timed-out. Is there a FF extension that could rewrite urls and force https://www.google.com/calender to be used? Cheers, Palad1 ps: this thing does seem to grok webdav, I'll check tonight with iCal

    1. Re:HTTPS available by Nimey · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ask the guy who writes the CustomizeGoogle extension for FF. He's already done that for GMail.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    2. Re:HTTPS available by Nimey · · Score: 3, Informative

      I take that back. Customize Google already does that with Google Calendar. Cool!

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    3. Re:HTTPS available by Nimey · · Score: 1

      I'm an idiot. It only does that for the login sequence, like you said.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    4. Re:HTTPS available by Wannabe+Code+Monkey · · Score: 1

      for all of you behind a firewall. Be warned though, https://www.google.com/calendar/render sometimes redirects to http://www.google.com/calendar/render when your session has timed-out. Is there a FF extension that could rewrite urls and force https://www.google.com/calender to be used? Cheers, Palad1 ps: this thing does seem to grok webdav, I'll check tonight with iCal

      I've noticed that with gmail google will create an https connection for login, but then returns you to plain http after that. When you're at the login screen, look at the url string, there is a variable in there called 'continue' which is set to "http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com/...". I noticed that if I changed this variable to "https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com/..." gmail would stay secure after login. I then found out that if you start your session by going to "https://mail.google.com/mail" it will stay secure without having to mess with anything. Just keep that url bookmarked.

      This doesn't appear to work with google calendar though. But after you log in, you can just change the address bar to "https://www.google.com/calendar/render" and that seems to work.

      --
      We always knew Comcast was corrupt, here's the proof: http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1909890&cid=34545432
    5. Re:HTTPS available by Finnegar · · Score: 1

      I know that http://www.customizegoogle.com/ does this currently for Gmail, probably will be added soon.

    6. Re:HTTPS available by palad1 · · Score: 1

      Good hint (ssh on port 443 usually fools most corporate proxies) although sometimes I can't install anything on the machine I am working on (terminal server/citrix).

      Cheers,
      Palad1

  26. HTTPS issues by tyroneking · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I know I'm being picky, but why does the Gmail link in the calendar page goto the http Gmail site and not the Https version? In fact Google Talk does that too.
    Even Yahoo secure email with https by default.

    1. Re:HTTPS issues by WindBourne · · Score: 1

      Watch your security closley. If you start with https, after the login, you will see that you change from https to http.

      --
      I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
    2. Re:HTTPS issues by tyroneking · · Score: 1

      Seems to stay at https for me...

  27. No Safari Support by bblazer · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It is interesting to note that while it does support iCal, I get an alert window when I access it with Safari telling me that my browser is not supported and that Google Calendar may break in unexpected ways.

    --
    My .bashrc can beat up your .bashrc!
  28. Actually, by WindBourne · · Score: 1

    I am surprised that they have not implemented it yet. I use dict.org as well dictd on my home system. But it does not do as good on correction/guessing as Google does. In fact, near as I can tell, they have the best.

    --
    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
  29. Scheduled to be in beta for the next four years by smittyoneeach · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yes, but, once they get all of the kinks out, they can use the application to manage the formal launch event.
    So they got that goin' for them. Thanks. I'm here all week.
    Meanwhile, I like the completely understated interface.
    It will also be fun to dig into the APIs. My biggest complaint against Palm Desktop is that integrating it with other stuff is too challenging. My biggest complaint with Outlook, besides its momma, is that its internals are a zoo.
    With Google, one hopes for more opportunity for user add-ons.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  30. When I tried... by HogGeek · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Calendar is unavailable right now, please try again in a few moments


     
    ©2006 Google - Google Home

    Maybe later...
  31. Google Calendar Reviewed in PC World... by scrm · · Score: 2, Interesting
    ...Here.


    Google Calendar has been pretty slow for me this morning, and not all options are always saving correctly, but I guess it will take them a few more days to iron out the bugs and get used to the user load. Seriously neat is the ability to quickly add an entry by typing 'dinner with Chris next Thursday 5pm'.

    I don't see any Gmail integration yet, like the ability to identify mails that mention appointments and ask you if you'd like them put into the calendar. But it's mentioned on the features page so I'm sure it will be there soon.

    --
    ---- scrm
    1. Re:Google Calendar Reviewed in PC World... by generic-man · · Score: 1

      Kiko has supported features like the command-line event entry you stated, it's free, and it supports both Safari and iCal.

      --
      For more information, click here.
    2. Re:Google Calendar Reviewed in PC World... by Milton+Waddams · · Score: 1

      Seriously neat is the ability to quickly add an entry by typing 'dinner with Chris next Thursday 5pm'.


      This kind of functionality is pretty straight forward. When the domain is pinned down, natural language processing works really well. If you're guaranteed that any sentence will follow a certain formula, parsing the sentences is pretty trivial. Still though, it's nice that they added it in. It makes interaction with the app much simpler.
    3. Re:Google Calendar Reviewed in PC World... by macshit · · Score: 1

      When the domain is pinned down, natural language processing works really well. If you're guaranteed that any sentence will follow a certain formula, parsing the sentences is pretty trivial.

      I wish they'd do it for google maps too then -- its parsing is annoyingly rigid. If you screw up the simple patterns it looks for, even a little bit, it completely barfs and interprets what you typed in bizarre ways. The Japanese version of google maps is even worse; it can't even deal with many common postal addresses (even though Japanese has very obvious tag-words marking the different parts of addresses).

      --
      We live, as we dream -- alone....
  32. Great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Great, another mountain of data for the US Gov't to suppoena.

  33. Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Time to say good riddance to that old fashioned Gregorian calendar and welcome the new Gcalendar.

  34. Cell Phone Support by EBFoxbat · · Score: 1

    I live on my EVDO cell phone. I check my gmail on it ~10 times a day (albeit I hardly compose any email of length on it).

    I currently do not use a celender client, however I see myself using this (as I never have to worry about being on an internet-connected computer and not being able to access it).

    Those said, I really hope they make CL2 available via WAP or simple HTML so that I can use it on my phone. I'd LOVE to get a text message to remind me of calender events.

    I use google servers to host my aunt's small business email through her domain. It's a gmail interface with her company logo on it. They love it. So I know it's not just for nerds as she's barelly (if at all) computer literate.

  35. Why would you trust Google with your diary ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    when they can't even be trusted to give uncensored search results.

  36. Bam! Dead from the start. by hacker · · Score: 1
    Sorry, Google Calendar does not support your browser yet.

    Why don't they support Mozilla and Firefox yet? That should be their top-level priority, and MSIE second. Sigh.

    1. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by hairykrishna · · Score: 1

      Works just fine in my Mozilla.

      --
      "Physics is to math as sex is to masturbation." -R. Feynman
    2. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Supports FireFox 1.5.0.1 from where I sit.

    3. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by Mathiasdm · · Score: 0

      They do support Firefox ;-) Don't know if Mozilla works.
      http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer. py?answer=37057&topic=8581
      Which browsers does Google Calendar support?

      Currently, Google Calendar supports the following browsers (which can be downloaded for free):

      - Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) version 6.0 or later (for Windows)
      - Mozilla Firefox version 1.07 or later (for Windows and Mac)
      Note: JavaScript and cookies must be enabled on all browsers.

      If you'd like to change your default browser, please follow the instructions below.

      CHANGING YOUR DEFAULT BROWSER TO IE

      1. Open IE and go to "Tools" > "Internet Options" > "Programs."
      2. Check the box next to "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser" and click on "OK."
      3. Close all your open browser windows (in IE and any other browser you're using). When you next access the internet, IE will offer the option for you to set it as your default browser.

      CHANGING YOUR DEFAULT BROWSER TO FIREFOX

      1. Open Firefox and go to 'Tools' > 'Options' > 'General.'
      2. Check the box next to 'Firefox should check to see whether it is the default browser when starting' and click 'OK.'
      3. Close all your open browser windows (in Firefox and any other browser you're using). When you next access the internet, Firefox will offer the option for you to set it as your default browser.

      If you're using one of these browsers and find that Google Calendar isn't working properly, please let us know.

      --
      Join the anonymous, help develop the network: http://www.i2p2.de
    4. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by neumayr · · Score: 1

      Really, how dare them targeting the most widespread browser first? The nerve..

      --
      Truth arises more readily from error than from confusion. -Francis Bacon
    5. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 1

      No Opera either. The fat lady ain't singing yet...

    6. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pet peeve of mine: It's "How dare they ( /he /she /I)", not "How dare them ( /him /her /me)". The word that follows "dare" is the subject of the question, not the object. It's an old-fashioned way of asking "How do they dare to ... ". {/grammarnazi mode}

    7. Re:Bam! Dead from the start. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Languages evolve.

  37. Security by Obscurity by pinky99 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Anybody else likes Googles "private" calendar link feature? It's a link with a hash part, which enables someone access to the calendar without any username or password. Google says, that "you should not give away" that link. But that concept at all is complete crazyness!

    1. Re:Security by Obscurity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yeah thats kind of stupid.. sure a hash might be hard to match but its not impossible to find one.. it should be a 2 part system, like the link asks for your username

    2. Re:Security by Obscurity by pinky99 · · Score: 1

      yes, of course.
      but obviously this can't be integrated so easily, as also the system lacks the ability to use a name and a password for other shared calendars on webservers...
      sad!
      an absolute no-go!

    3. Re:Security by Obscurity by Tom · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not really. If it's a good hash, then it's just as if not more secure than a username/password combo. From a security POV, there's no difference between

      http://blabla.com?user=dummy&pass=dumbone

      and

      http://blablab.com?hash=3ebf71dc0135c7927da8fc55a2 fbe782

      So that's not the point. And don't say anything about POST, please, POST is not any more secure than GET, the only people it hides anything from are the dumber half of the AOL users.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    4. Re:Security by Obscurity by cygnusx · · Score: 2, Interesting

      > Not really. If it's a good hash, then it's just as if not more secure than a username/password combo

      I agree, but it would have been trivial to do what Gmail does for _its_ ATOM feed - require HTTP authentication over SSL. Many RSS readers added decent HTTPS+auth support simply because Gmail required it. There's no reason why Calendar feed consuming software wouldn't have done the same.

      Google Calendar's private feed will be an easy target for anyone with access to proxy logs (for example, anytime you use that private feed link behind a work firewall).

    5. Re:Security by Obscurity by JourneymanMereel · · Score: 2, Informative

      Except for the obvious thing that anything in the URL (read, anything sent via GET) appears in the server logs and client history. Server logs probably aren't that big of a deal because they're (hopefully, at least) just about as secure as the database. However client history is another story all together.

      Enter SSL. Now, not only are the above two things considerations, but add to it the fact that (unless I'm mistaken) anything POSTed is sent encrypted while anything encoded in the URL (eg, GET) is sent in clear text.

      --
      Life has many choices. Eternity has two. What's yours?
    6. Re:Security by Obscurity by panaceaa · · Score: 1

      The problem has nothing to do with a hash being as difficult to brute force as a username and password pair. I agree that they're equivalent -- and that's the problem. Allowing people to copy and paste URLs with authentication credentials burnt-in to them is insecure. For this reason, session keys are put into cookies rather that query parameters. Otherwise someone could just copy someone's URL onto a different computer and take over someone's logged-in state (perhaps inadvertantly!).

      The fact is that hiding authentication-related state in POSTs and cookies is good design. I'm not suggesting that it's more secure to put raw SQL into POSTs versus GETs, but let's not make it easy for users to shoot themselves in the foot.

    7. Re:Security by Obscurity by Tom · · Score: 1

      You are correct for SSL, of course.

      As for the client history, well let's just say that any average user who's computer I have physical access to for at least 10 minutes is fucked no matter what, and client history is the least of his worries.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    8. Re:Security by Obscurity by Tom · · Score: 1

      If I got it right, it was the exact purpose of this that it allows you to give the URL (including credentials) to others so they can read your calendar.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
  38. What calendar? by qray · · Score: 1

    Looks just like the "My Account" screen to me?

    Guess they're probably still recovering from the Slashdot effect
    --
    Q

  39. Tell me more about yourself by parascott · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hi! I'm from Google!
    We'd like some more personal information about yourself
    and your associates and your company and your business transactions
    and your...........

    Just enter everything for us here and here and.....

    Remember: We fight evil.........

    They're right you know.......

    1. Re:Tell me more about yourself by Jugalator · · Score: 1

      How is it "evil" if they don't use the information in an "evil" way?

      Sure, they have the potential to do it because they have the means to do it with all this information, like a car driver has the potential to drive you over when you cross the street.

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    2. Re:Tell me more about yourself by kestasjk · · Score: 1

      And this is different from iCal or Outlook how?

      --
      // MD_Update(&m,buf,j);
    3. Re:Tell me more about yourself by Jakeypants · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "And this is different from iCal or Outlook how?"

      Outlook files are stored on your PC. When you enter someone's contact information, it's not sent back to Microsoft.

      iCal files (iCal as in the Apple software, not the standard (stupid Apple)) are stored on your Mac. They are not sent back to Apple.

      Everything you enter in Google is stored and kept by Google. They know everyone you email from you gmail account (as well as everything you've said to them), they will know roughly where you'll be at any given time with this new calendar software, they know what you search for and can pretty accurately extrapolate your profession and interests from it.

      I know we're all supposed to have a lovefest for Google, but that's a little scary.

  40. Am I the only one scared of this? by minkie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They already know about everything I search for. If I let them, they would also know about every usenet article I read, and have all my email too, but I'm not willing to give them that. And now, I can add to the list of things I could let them know about me who I have appointments to see, and when. Sure, why not? Perhaps next we'll be seeing Google Bank, Google Dating Service, Google Medical Records, Google Credit History, Google TV, Google Phone Company? All services supplied for free, just let them own everything there is to know about you.

    1. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by caffeination · · Score: 4, Insightful
      That's like being scared that Domino's knows what pizza you like. How do you expect them to know when and what to deliver to you unless you call them and give them the information? It's fairly important for them to pay attention to the terms people use, just as Domino's has to be aware of what pizzas are popular.

      The alternative is that after you type in the terms, they return a page saying "Lalalalala we're not listening! We care about our users' privacy!" Instead, the choice of whether or not to make the information exchange is left to the individual.

    2. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by j_snare · · Score: 1

      Google Credit History

      Oh, yeah, because the current holders of my credit history are really trustworthy. They don't sell my data, and they're so helpful when they screw something up!

      On an actually related note, I logged in and tried it out, and I really, really like it. The interface is extremely easy to use and everything flows very well. I didn't have a problem with responsiveness when I tried, either. I especially love the quick add function. It handles multi-day events just fine (Vacation X through Y).

    3. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by TheThirdRider · · Score: 1

      they do have a dating service, see http://www.google.com/romance/ all i can say is, join us...

      --
      A robot's ability to speak of Nazis grows by a factor of 2 every 18 months. -roman_mir
    4. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    5. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by Jearil · · Score: 1
      Perhaps next we'll be seeing Google Bank, Google Dating Service, Google Medical Records, Google Credit History, Google TV, Google Phone Company?


      May I present to you Google Romance and Google Video.

      2 down, 4 to go.
    6. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by Matt+Perry · · Score: 1

      How is this different from someone using Yahoo Mail or Yahoo Calendar? Other companies offer similar search, mail, calendar services for years and no one complains but then Google does it and all of a sudden it's bad? Please explain.

      --
      Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
    7. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

      no its not at all the same.

      its like knowing I live in a high crime area.
      or knowing that I have a heart problem (better not sell him extra cheese).

      in the Pizza hut example:
        * I reqested a product, they delivered the product, and obtained the information needed to deliver it.
        * in the google example they obtain more information then needed to deliver the product. They then maintain that information and use it to deliver unrequested things (targeted ads).

      Its a matter of data triangulation. using data for some purpose other then what it was collected for.

      this is in general not moral (acording to me).

      --
      --meh--
    8. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF · · Score: 1

      That's like being scared that Domino's knows what pizza you like. How do you expect them to know when and what to deliver to you unless you call them and give them the information?

      Actually, a lot of companies buy information from pizza companies. Law enforcement, government agencies, PI's, bail bondsmen, etc. People will give the wrong address and phone number to the dept. of motor vehicles, the IRS, their parole officer, etc., but they aren't willing to go the extra mile and pick up their pizza. There is even a company (whose name I forget) that just collects names, addresses, and phone numbers from pizza companies and resells them.

    9. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by dragonman97 · · Score: 2

      I am personally less concerned about Yahoo! and privacy. As far as I'm concerned, Yahoo! is only interested in the bottom line w.r.t. advertising and media partners. I don't think they care at all about information. Google is information hungry in a very big way. Google offers fantastic products, but it does make you think for a second about what they're going to do with the information you provide them.

    10. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's like being scared that Domino's knows what pizza you like.

      That's why I demand that Domino's drivers blindfold themselves when they deliver my pizza.

    11. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by caffeination · · Score: 1

      Did you not consider why I might choose this example for my analogy? Pizza boxes come with ads on them. A pizza order leaves your address in a database. They decide what kinds of coupon to give you based on this information, and are happy to sell it on.

    12. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

      You Make a very good point.

      I do consider any form of personal data triangulation immoral.
      the case of the Ad on the Pizza Box, and the adds based on search Query I do not find offensive. as it is well known and expected in the transaction.

      however, in both case I fear, the Database which is maintained, for an undetermined amount of time, for use in any way the Database manager sees fit.

      I would also object to, my address being used to send me fliers later on, as it is not always clear why I got put on the list for this flier. I would also object to google using my calendar, mail, chats, past search history, bookmarks, and shopping habits. sending me targeted adds. when I visit a site unrelated to google that, happen to use google advertising.

      I suppose now I can easily be labeled as a crackpot. as someone will point out that I fear ordering a pizza. and while this is true there is an issue of scale here. google collects a massive amounts of information about me, while Pizza hut might know my address and what type of pizza I like.
      I would make the comparison between a thief who breaks into my home and steal laundry money.
      and a thief who breaks into my bank and steal my life savings.

      --
      --meh--
    13. Re:Am I the only one scared of this? by sydneyfong · · Score: 1

      I don't understand... why are targetted ads bad?

      Google, like other "free" sites, survive mostly on advertisements.
      Advertisements are either targetted or they are not.

      Normal ads are stuff that don't get users interested. As a result, the user gets annoyed (viagra!!), the advertisers gets little $, and thus more ads gets pushed through because the advertisers don't get the $.

      OR, you can have targetted ads. Generally users have a greater chance of buying stuff on targetted ads, and so the advertisers get more $, and less ads are needed on each page to make a profit. And unless you have a small penis, you won't see viagra ads.

      So how are targetted ads a bad thing in itself?

      --
      Don't quote me on this.
  41. Planzo by juko · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.planzo.com/ works well enough for me.

  42. The Waiting by bostonrobot · · Score: 1

    I love Google (cautiously) but I wish that they would tread a little heavier. They have so many great technologies (sorry for the buzz word) that they are working on, but they move too slow to release them. I've moved to Gmail, Google Home, GDS, Blogger, Groups, and even Pages (just for kicks) but I'm still waiting to use a social network, edit documents online, make 3d models, and much more. I guess I'll just have to give in and start living my life forever beta.

    1. Re:The Waiting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Google already has a social networking site, sort of. It is invite only though - www.orkut.com/.

    2. Re:The Waiting by caffeination · · Score: 1
      "Technologies" is a buzzword? I suppose it's ambiguous.

      Also, are you saying that there's no Google social network yet? It's inhabited almost exclusively by Brazilians, and is spammy as hell, but it's definitely a Google social network. It's invite only, but I don't think it's in beta (they bought it). It should be though, what with such a devastating donut famine.

  43. Import does not work properly... by JTFritz · · Score: 4, Informative
    I have exported from Outlook a CSV of my appointments and imported them into Google Calendar and all of my appointments have been shifted 3 or 4 hours ahead. I am in the Eastern Timezone, and I'm assuming this is a timezone conversion issue.

    Anyone else have a similar problem?

    1. Re:Import does not work properly... by senrable · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm having the same problem - mine are shifted by 3 hours. The only work-around is setting my timezone in Google Calendar as Pacific. Wait, isn't Pacific the timezone of Google HQ?

    2. Re:Import does not work properly... by jtrandall · · Score: 1

      Yes, Same problem.

    3. Re:Import does not work properly... by Yekrats · · Score: 1

      Me, too. It's a Pacific Time Zone conspiracy, I tell ya!

      --
      Ceci n'est pas une pipe.
    4. Re:Import does not work properly... by Pascal+Sartoretti · · Score: 1

      It worked for me (Europe time zone).

      But the accentuated characters were lost during the import, I had to correct them by hand.

      Too bad the iCal format is not XML-based...

    5. Re:Import does not work properly... by RRRobotHouse · · Score: 1

      Same problem here...Right Coaster too

    6. Re:Import does not work properly... by MoreDruid · · Score: 1

      then export your calendar to an iCal file, the option is there for a reason

      --
      The best weapon of a dictatorship is secrecy, but the best weapon of a democracy should be the weapon of openness.
    7. Re:Import does not work properly... by jgerry · · Score: 1

      Same problem for me. I'm at GMT-5 (East Cost). All my appointments from Outlook are shifted 3 hours. And I can't find a way to remove all the events at once. And I can't delete the primary calendar itself -- well, maybe I can, but it tells me this will require me to set up an entire new account...

      The times in the export file are correct for my time zone, no offset.

    8. Re:Import does not work properly... by Blahbooboo3 · · Score: 1

      In outlook 2003 you can export to Ical? News to me, can you provide specific instructions please as I couldn't find it...

    9. Re:Import does not work properly... by senrable · · Score: 1

      Update: I filled out a support request and I received an *actual* email back (following the standard form email this morning) this afternoon, asking for the .CSV and one appointment and the intented start time so that they can look into it. I'm impressed, because I'm sure that they have been bombarded with support requests today.

    10. Re:Import does not work properly... by netean · · Score: 1

      i'm gmt+0 (UK) and all mine were a day and a bit ahead... nuisance!

    11. Re:Import does not work properly... by netean · · Score: 1

      neither can I... Export to a file (not ical option) import iCal (yup got that bit!) but no export

    12. Re:Import does not work properly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's because Outlook is a piece of shit.

    13. Re:Import does not work properly... by MomsL8 · · Score: 1

      In -6 GMT - and yes, have the same problem. I just adjusted the time zone to -8 PST and it seems to have calcuated correctly after import.

    14. Re:Import does not work properly... by noonfun · · Score: 1

      I noticed that this has been resolved now.

      But I have another problem, if I deleted one event which was imported from a iCal file, I can not import that event from the file again. It seems that they didn't really delete that event?

  44. Does not play well with Gmail Hosted by marom · · Score: 1, Informative

    I have a hosted Gmail solution for my domain, and would have loved to use that account for Google Calendar, but it wasn't letting me do it. The only way to do it was to create a new Google Account using that (already gmail-hosted) email address, and then to create the Google Calendar account. However, doing it this way does not add the Calendar link in the Gmail interface, like it appears in the regular Gmail accounts.

  45. Firefox Extension by Gigadafud · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Someones need to create the Firefox extension to show when I have events now just like the GMail notifier.

  46. personalized home by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Too bad it can't be integrated with a personalized home page...

  47. Big Brother will know your schedule by foolish_to_be_here · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Someone has to bring this up. Do you really want the Justice Department getting court orders from Google to hand over everyones calendars so they can go on another fishing trip? Or, just think of the data mining potential for Advertisers. They are probably really wetting their chops on this one. Use a DavMod calendar on a descrete server. Other wise you are just asking for trouble.

    --
    Please mod me 1 or troll. It's where the truth is these days, even on Slashdot. Beware the power of moderators everywh
    1. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by caffeination · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Or maybe you're asking not to be a lonely paranoid recluse.

      It's a social calendar: You put some stuff up, make it viewable to your friends, then check their calendar to see when they get out of class so you can call them.

      The internet isn't the place to be plotting your coup d'etat anyway.

    2. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      "Someone has to bring this up. Do you really want the Justice Department getting court orders from Google to hand over everyones calendars so they can go on another fishing trip? Or, just think of the data mining potential for Advertisers. They are probably really wetting their chops on this one. Use a DavMod calendar on a descrete server. Other wise you are just asking for trouble."

      Well I dun wanna do that because Google says they do no evil. That's right, I'm gonna stand here grabbing my ankles waving my ass at them (well, not literally. Im just handing them a ton of personal data...) until they've betrayed my trust. Even though that has the potential to be really devastating, I figure it's worth the risk because Google is just so gersh dern good!

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    3. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by KrugalSausage · · Score: 1
      Do you recall that all of the other major search engines offering calendar services swiftly bent over to the demands of the DOJ, while google was the lone resistance?

      And who would be smart enough to put that kind of information up in the first place?

    4. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by KDan · · Score: 1

      The great advantage of this is precisely the fact that you can share your calendar. I don't put any "private" events on my calendar... but it's, in a work environment, handy to be able to allow other ppl to book time slots with you. I think this could be handy in a social environment too. Also easier to get a reminder of what you've planned this way. Daniel

      --
      Carpe Diem
    5. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by utexaspunk · · Score: 1

      somebody mod parent up

    6. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by karji · · Score: 1

      It's Google that might be plotting it's coup d'etat.

    7. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by gmacek · · Score: 1

      What makes you think this is any different from storing calendar appointments on Yahoo's calendar offering? It's everyone choice whether or not to use the free services Google or any other companies decides to offer up.

    8. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

      sorry about being like me to, me to..
      but yah, I agree with you, I am actually scared by google lately.
      they are doing anything and everyting to get you to login to there system, lately.

      personalized search
      home pages
      mail.
      personalized news
      "save this as my default location"
      google groups.

      and once you are in they have you almost anywhere you go.
      google ads, google search, site statistics.

      now they have GeoRefrenced, time sensitive data.
      this is fucked up, and not at all good.

      --
      --meh--
    9. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by foolish_to_be_here · · Score: 1

      You may be a trusting sheep, but others may not. When you get your calendar set up please be sure to share it with the rest of the slashdot crowd in your profile. Paranoid recluse I am not which is why I still have no desire to store any of my personal information on someone etheral company server that I have no control over. Sure they have EULA's but EULA's can change. There are few laws protecting personal information when it is supposed to be protected such as banking and credit card information. Just becasue Google has resisted the DOJ, doesn't mean that I will not cave in sometimes in the future. And the Internet Is Just The Place To Be Discussing These Issues. If not, why are you wasting time on slashdot?

      --
      Please mod me 1 or troll. It's where the truth is these days, even on Slashdot. Beware the power of moderators everywh
    10. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by Nasarius · · Score: 1
      You may be a trusting sheep, but others may not.

      Do you want a cookie? No one's forcing you to use the service. Personally, I'm not too worried about the possibility of the DOJ accidentally reading my exam dates.

      --
      LOAD "SIG",8,1
    11. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by nEoN+nOoDlE · · Score: 1

      Sunday 8pm - 10:30pm
      Appointment: Revolution!

      Sunday 10:45pm
      Appointment: Grocery shopping with mom.

      --
      Don't trust a bull's horn, a doberman's tooth, a runaway horse or me.
    12. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by jonfelder · · Score: 1

      Oh man...yahoo has georeferenced time sensitive data (i.e. a calendar) too. They also have data based on your consumer product utilization rates (i.e. shopping)! Yahoo also can spy on all your digital person to person correspondence (i.e. groups and mail). They also have a customizable page for viewing various world events of interest reported on by media outlets (i.e. news). Not only that but through their system, where they track the minute by minute change in volume and price of modern corporate finance (i.e. stocks), they see what other companies you're interested in and sell all the data they collect to them!

      Wooooo.....

      You know what's fucked up? Thinking google is fucked up for providing the same free services other companies do, while thinking that calling a calendar "georeferenced, time sensitive data" is not.

      Using additional words and syllables to describe a common thing does not make that thing more scary. Furthermore no one is forcing you to use google at all. If you choose to use google, you can provide them with as much or as little data as you wish. As of yet they haven't done anything real evil with the data they collect (unlike other companies which just roll over when the government asks them for something). If you are concerned, use common sense and don't use google to search for child porn, froogle to find enriched uranium, or their calendar and gmail to plan your next terrorist attack and you'll do alright.

    13. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by hublan · · Score: 1

      A lot of people are already comfortable with using Yahoo!'s calendar and those guys don't even so much as blink when the DoJ requests things from them.

      --
      My spoon is too big.
    14. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by caffeination · · Score: 1
      You ignored all of my points completely, so I'm just going to repeat them.
      1. Publicising parts of your schedule is practically the point of this thing.
      2. You've obviously never planned a coup d'etat before.
    15. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you are one paranoid motherfucker

    16. Re:Big Brother will know your schedule by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

      You know what's fucked up? Thinking google is fucked up for providing the same free services other companies do, while thinking that calling a calendar "georeferenced, time sensitive data" is not.

      1. I never said I was not fucked up.
      2. copying a buisness model does not make that buisness model moral. I never said Yahoo was moral. the subject at hand is google. so, I discuss google.

      p.s. I made a calender for testing. made one apointment.
      I clicked on a date typed "soccer in stittsville"
      it now offers me a "map" link when I click on it it takes me to a map of a small town out side of ottawa.
      I would call that GeoRefrenced.
      and that scares me!

      --
      --meh--
  48. Public Holidays by ShadowsHawk · · Score: 1

    It's nice to be able to pull holidays in, but I wish you could delete, alter, and set reminders for them. Instead, you're forced to copy it into 'your' calendar which produces a duplicate event.

  49. Merging calendars by bilbravo · · Score: 1

    Would be a nice feature. For instance, I selected the US Holidays calendar after I had created my own. I wish I could merge them together.

    1. Re:Merging calendars by j_snare · · Score: 1

      I kinda like it showing up as a different color. As far as I'm concerned, it's merged enough already, just that since it's static, it keeps it separated a little bit.

  50. Friggin Awesome! by moultano · · Score: 1

    Within 5 minutes I've input my class schedule for the semester, my exam schedule, invited all of my friends to Google Calendar and given them access to view mine, imported all US holidays into my calendar, and if I had a sports team that I really cared about, I could have imported their schedule too.

    This is an amazing app. The way it separates different calendars in the UI is ingenious. I hope enough people start using things like this that more public calendars become available. I'd like to be able to import schedules for concerts in the area, etc. This thing certainly deserves to catch on.

  51. Trying to test cell phone notification by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm trying to test cell phone notification on it, but I don't see Verizon on it's list of cell phone carriers, does anyone know what Verizon user should put for that?

  52. True Colors by acvh · · Score: 2, Insightful
    "We look at the rise of China, the investment and the smart people and we are in awe of what has occurred here," Schmidt said.


    "And we salute the government, key leaders in the industry and all of you who have made the rise of the Internet in China such a tremendous accomplishment."


    No more google for me.

    1. Re:True Colors by Brix+Braxton · · Score: 1

      Um - ok. I don't see the big deal in google following the laws of whatever region they operate in. We all utilize goods that would be illegal to produce here (child labor, pollution, labor laws) - we don't seem to complain. There are certain games that can't be published or sold in Germany - I don't see anyone boycotting EA or Activision when they comply. It just makes me appreciate where we are all the more. Get over it - it's a global economy and that means different rules in different places.

      --
      www.wildpad.com
    2. Re:True Colors by acvh · · Score: 1

      The Chinese government KILLS citizens who dissent. Big difference between that and the Germans banning swastikas. I have chosen to avoid products from the PRC as much as possible, and I also choose to avoid companies who do business with that government.

      Google wouldn't have to follow Chinese law if they weren't going into business with the Chinese government.

    3. Re:True Colors by Brix+Braxton · · Score: 1

      Yes, but so do Coca Cola, Pepsi, Ikea, you name it - they do business in China - we goods from them as well - you can't escape it. China kills people for porn - and I'm sure there are publishers who send goods to China - sans what China would consider porn. Not saying I agree with them, just saying that it wouldn't be practical to boycott every company that does business with them.

      --
      www.wildpad.com
    4. Re:True Colors by Dis*abstraction · · Score: 1

      You're probably as tired of this argument as I am, but Google's presence is doing a LOT to open Chinese society to freedoms of thought, expression, and movement, even class mobility, in completely unexpected ways. Without Google Video, there would be no "Back Dorm Boys" (I'm sure you've seen the video; if not, I question whether you know enough about Chinese culture to pass judgment on companies who do business there). Without Blogger, there'd be no Sister Lotus. This is a society so unaccustomed the celebrity of individualism (from a Western perspective) that when Lotus/Hibiscus became a role model for millions, the authorities felt so threatened that they made her take down her blog. It didn't matter; she was already part of Chinese pop culture. And it owed everything to the ready availability of a forum for her expression.

      How would it have helped for Google to preemptively take that forum away? What good does it do to keep China in the digital dark ages? To me, the "fuck China, stay out" attitude is little different from the "fuck Iraq" attitude of those sanctions in the '90s that only resulted in medicine shortages, neglected infrastructure, and increasing provincialism. These conditions only perpetuate authoritarianism. If you're concerned for Chinese freedoms, you ought to be pushing the other way.

      But hell, I'm not gonna change your mind.

    5. Re:True Colors by acvh · · Score: 1

      The problem is that Chinese society is NOT opening in any significant way, nor is the government adopting ANY liberalization policies. This idea that American dollars will buy freedom in China is absurd.

      And just how many people in China do you think have ANY idea what "Back Dorm Boys" is?

    6. Re:True Colors by jthill · · Score: 1
      It didn't matter; she was already part of Chinese pop culture.
      It did matter. It exposed the censors publicly for the frightened little martinets they are. Again. The Chinese breed is no different than the US variety that tried to ban crypto. Now the little chewing moles in the Chinese government get to act on a well-lit stage in front of their entire country.

      It's the scale of the exposure: somehow, on a stage that large, the truth appears. It takes a while, and we have to pity the small animals these people will turn their attentions to when the effects really take hold, but it's now only a matter of time. Watch for some posturing USian president taking credit for an inevitable watershed event, say the fall of the Great Firewall.

      --
      As always, all IMO. Insert "I think" everywhere grammatically possible.
    7. Re:True Colors by Dis*abstraction · · Score: 1
      "And just how many people in China do you think have ANY idea what 'Back Dorm Boys' is?"
      Oh, only all the officeworkers, students, and anyone else with access to a net connection in the countryside, in addition to probably every last person in burgeoning urban China. When it comes to stupid internet memes, I imagine the West retains its crown. How many Americans do you think saw Hampster Dance?
      "... Chinese society is NOT opening in any significant way, nor is the government adopting ANY liberalization policies."
      Say what?

      If this is sarcasm, I don't get it. Forgive me for being blunt, but have you been paying any attention during the past twenty years?

      If there's one thing on which everyone agrees, it's that China's ongoing economic reform, for better or for worse, is greatly opening the country to the outside world. Has been since the '80s. In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, regular people like you and me are growing up reading Newsweek, watching bootlegs of "The Phantom Menace," and downloading mp3s of Ladytron's "Soft Power" and--oh yes!--the Backstreet Boys. It's still China, so you'll find pages ripped out of your New York Times from the corner newsstand, and CNN will cut to black for minutes at a time. But even if the censors were perfectly thorough (which they're not), you and I as Chinese citizens are nonetheless intellectually richer, and all the more cosmopolitan, for having access to these resources beyond our borders. We see how the political process works in foreign democracies. We wonder why we shouldn't enjoy the same freedoms.

      Don't you dare doubt that the foreign presence in China's economy really does encourage positive social change. Compared to even just ten, fifteen years ago, there's been an enormous shift in attitudes towards and expectations of personal freedom. Citizens and authorities alike are beginning to consider privacy a basic human right. There is more overt dissent within official media, and though China has a long ways to go before making the RSF's good-guys list, the culture is such that even the Party itself has begun experimenting with small-scale elections and greater transparency in administration. Rule of law is slowly taking over for rule of guanxi. Citizens are holding their government accountable (see, e.g., recent rural protests and government reaction thereto).

      I tire. I've been inarticulate, and for that I apologize. The question is basically this: Should Newsweek and CNN pull out of China because they are censored? Not if they want to continue encouraging Western-style freedoms. Should Google and Yahoo? No, because the "fuck you" attitude I mentioned before is only of help to those whose interests are threatened by easy access to information and freedom of thought.
    8. Re:True Colors by anthony_dipierro · · Score: 1

      Google wouldn't have to follow Chinese law if they weren't going into business with the Chinese government.

      Google needs to follow Chinese law if they want to make it easy for citizens of China to access Google. As far as I can tell, Google *hasn't* "gone into business with the Chinese government", so if you could elaborate on that, please do.

  53. Nice but. . . by kayakermanmike · · Score: 1

    At risk of getting bashed for supporting MS. . . I am forced to live and die by my exchange cal for work. I hope there will be an integration with this cal so I can keep track of meetings.

  54. Trouble with Time Zones by badzilla · · Score: 1

    I think it's got time-zone problems. I correctly told it I'm in GMT but after I exported my Outlook calendar Google has rescheduled all my meetings to strange times in the middle of the night.

    --
    "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace." V.Stone, Microsoft Corporation
  55. Does it have a to do list? by edmicman · · Score: 1

    Does it have a ToDo list? I know there are a few homemade extensions out there for google's homepage, but they just feel clumsy. It'd be nice to integrate a checklist of things I need to do in with google calendar. Also, can I integrate the calendar in with my google/ig page?

    Man, what I really want is a sharp google-esque (or yahoo, whatever) calendar I can install on my own host. WebCalendar feels clumsy, I tried 30boxes and didn't like it, and there were a few out there that seemed nice, but only read iCal files. What I really want is something like Outlook Web Access, only not Outlook, but something free, OSS, and that I can install on a webhost. Bah!

    1. Re:Does it have a to do list? by Zphbeeblbrox · · Score: 1

      try group-office www.group-office.com I'ts a snap to install and works pretty well. It has a lot of modules but you only have to activate the calendar one if that's all you want. Of course I like the one-click time-management for projects myself. 2.15 final2 is pretty stable.

      --
      If you see spelling or grammatical errors don't blame me. I tried to preview but IE here at work borked the CSS
    2. Re:Does it have a to do list? by matiasp · · Score: 1

      I've taken a first stab at a greasemonkey script that adds a to-do list on the sidebar: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/3827

  56. iCal Yes, Safari "No" by jpellino · · Score: 1

    So we can import our calendar to their web app, but not actually view it on the acutal web?

    OK - it's actually Safari "sorta" - here's the notice you get:

    "Sorry, Google Calendar does not support your browser yet, so things may break in unexpected ways. Press OK to see a list of browsers that we support. Or cancel to try to use it anyways." (sic)

    Just to be on the safe side I'll wait until they fix it so it breaks in expected ways.

    --
    "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
    1. Re:iCal Yes, Safari "No" by Onan · · Score: 1

      And ironically, this sounds as if it violates one of Apple's very good HIG rules: label the buttons with what they'll actually do, don't give them generic names like "yes" and "no" and have a lot of text in the dialog explain which does what.

      Hard to love any interface that forces me to click "Cancel" in order to convey "Yes, continue doing the thing that I already asked for."

  57. Future feature by bazorg · · Score: 1
    They're really adding useful stuff gradually, getting people used to their way of using the net and google search for every mundane situation...

    imagine you already have a bunch of search history and email stored at google DB. You already use google earth or google local, meaning your location is known to them. Now all that is needed is a new button : "Get a life", next to "I'm feeling lucky", so that the empty bits in the calendar will be automatically filled with suggestions from the sponsors.

    1. Re:Future feature by nytes · · Score: 1

      Of course, if you've been googling for pr0n, the sponsors might have some... er... interesting suggestions.

      In that case "I'm feeling lucky" should be changed to "Get lucky".

      --
      -- I have monkeys in my pants.
  58. Google Calendar Hotkeys by KrugalSausage · · Score: 5, Informative
    I think that most slashdotters love hotkeys, so here ya go:

    Some Google Calendar hot keys:

    a - Agenda view

    c - Create event

    d - Day view

    j and k - forward and back on days/weeks/months

    n and p - next and previous, same as j/k

    m - month view

    q - quick create event, can add date and time and info and it will be added accordingly. I particularly like how it doesn't force the calendar view to focus on the new event. (e.g. april 14 breakfast at tiffanys 03:00)

    s - calendar settings

    x - 'next four days' view

    / and ? - both highlight the search input field, but add a / or ? to the beginning

    (on a side note, is there a hotkey for firefox that automatically highlights the input field on a viewed page?)

    1. Re:Google Calendar Hotkeys by crumley · · Score: 1
      (on a side note, is there a hotkey for firefox that automatically highlights the input field on a viewed page?)
      Tab works, though it cycles through links and url bars as well.
      --
      Preventive War is like committing suicide for fear of death. - Otto Von Bismarck
    2. Re:Google Calendar Hotkeys by alphageek101 · · Score: 1

      Technically the "x" hotkey goes to your "custom view". You can change how many days that view shows under your calendar settings. Another beautiful feature I found: You can use the mouse to click-drag on the mini-month view on the left, and it will display which ever days you selected. This way you can get 3 day views, etc.

  59. Planzo Current Iteration by hagrin · · Score: 1

    Here comes the mode down for not being a Google fanboy but ... after transferring my calendar events over to GC, I'm pretty unimpressed by GC when compared to Planzo. For instance I found the following issues:

    1) On 12/24 I made an event that stretches out over to 2am on Christmas morning. I then added an all day event for Xmas Day and the display overlayed on top of the 2 day event making the previous event unreadable.

    2) I can enter descriptions for events, but clicking the event, clicking on the time on the agenda or nowhere else do I actually see the description I just entered. Even if it is a settings change, it should be displaying by default.

    3) With all of the Web2.0/AJAX functionality Google has spearheaded, why would a user be require to click an event on the calendar instead of simply mousing over to get the event's details? Planzo does this and it's much better especially when you consider the X to close the popup is over to the right and requires the user to move the mouse all over.

    Interface wise, when compared to other online calendars, this fails miserably. They should have just purcahsed a Planzo and incorporated their technology instead of building this app from "scratch".

  60. Even bigger news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google eats a ham sandwich. Google drives car with baby on lap. Google is marrying Angelina Jolie.

    BFD

  61. They've almost caught up with Newton 1.0! by jpellino · · Score: 1

    "Breakfast at Tiffany's next Thursday" put an event for April 20 - but untimed - guess we'll have to meet at the IHOP next to Tiffany's - they have breakfast all day...

    Of course the intermediate error message I got was worthy of the first chapter of Mostly Harmless:

    TypeError - Undefined value - undefined['r','__4','ZTNmZjc5MXN1NGRtNWxwOGc3ajg3d WoybDQganBlbGxpbm9AZ21haWwuY29t'],['a','ZTNmZjc5MX N1NGRtNWxwOGc3ajg3dWoybDQganBlbGxpbm9AZ21haWwuY29t ','breakfast at tiffany\047s','20060420','20060421','anBlbGxpbm9AZ 21haWwuY29t',0,0,1280,'tiffany\047s ',0,'',null,null,[]],['_RefreshCalendarWhenDisplay edNext'],['_Ping','500'],['_Ping','3000'],['_Ping' ,'15000'],['_ShowMessage',['Your event was created.']]]

    --
    "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
  62. Phone notifications: Where's verizon? by rah1420 · · Score: 1

    Why isn't Verizon Wireless part of the phone notification system on Google Calendar?

    Or is this addressed in a FAQ and I was too lazy to go look for it?

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.
  63. Calendar by certel · · Score: 1

    This is actually pretty neat. Aside from having the ability to share Calendars in Office, this also allows you to share Calenders with your friends. Pretty clean too.

  64. Re:Palm support by palmucci · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Umm.. yahoo calendars already support synching with a palm.

  65. SMS Notifications... NICE! by dbucowboy · · Score: 1

    A really nice feature with Google Calendar is the SMS message notification option. You can input your cell phone information and Google Calendar will text message you (if you choose the option) as well as email you (if you choose) to remind you of your events. This avoids the "need to be at your computer to be reminded" problem with computer/internet based calendars. pretty slick! I'm still waiting on my SMS Verification code though... we'll see if it ever gets here.

    --
    This just in! 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the population.
  66. Lack of SMS support? by xbrownx · · Score: 1

    No option to send SMS reminders to Verizon users?

    What gives? The list is pretty populated with the other major carriers, wonder if Verizon is being left out on purpose?

  67. So much for standards by Fjan11 · · Score: 1
    Going to calendar.google.com with Opera gives me the error "your browser is currently not supported" and then a blank page when you open the calendar. Opera claims to be one of the most compliant browser around when it comes to interent standards, so I suppose Google calendar is not very standards compliant here. I would have expected differently from Google.

    -j

    --
    This sig is just as redundant as the rest of this posting
  68. Cool but... by ninja_assault_kitten · · Score: 1

    Definitely needs better GMail integration.

  69. Why no cool name? by aplusjimages · · Score: 1

    Why didn't Google personalize it with a cool name like, Galendar? Pretty nice now I can dump my 30boxes.com woo hoo.

    --
    Can I bum a sig?
  70. Tag level sharing by revery · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The one thing that I really, really like about 30boxes is that you can set tags on events and specify permission to people at the tag level. If Google implemented this feature, I'd seriously consider switching to it. Interface-wise, I think they have 30boxes beat (at least, day view, month view,etc)

    Just my 2 cents...

    1. Re:Tag level sharing by That's+Unpossible! · · Score: 1

      You can specify:

      - whether an event is public, private, or shared and with who
      - whether people can see the details of the event (the tags?) or just that you're busy at that time.

      --
      Ironically, the word ironically is often used incorrectly.
  71. hopefully it won't be too long by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google smoogle. I'm waiting for Backpackit's calendar.

  72. Neat! by MegaFur · · Score: 1

    This has the potential to be snakes-on-a-plane cool.

    I have recently been becoming more dependant on Yahoo! Calendar and, in so doing, it's limitations are becoming more glaring and more annoying. This forces me to consider changing to some other calendaring software/thngie, but I really don't want my calendar/thingie to be tied to just one comptuer (hence Yahoo!). Google cal is iCal compliant, or so they say, and I don't think Yahoo! Calendar is. Or, if it is, I somehow missed it. (which is possible)

    --
    Furry cows moo and decompress.
  73. Privacy? by simgod · · Score: 1

    I don't know about you, but I'm not interested in making the job easier for NSA and writing them where I'll be having lunch tomorrow, since they already listen to my phone. What's next? sizeofmypenis.google.com?

    1. Re:Privacy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your requested "sizeofmypenis.google.com" could not be found. For assistance, contact your network support team.

  74. Missing features wishlist by retrosteve · · Score: 5, Interesting

    First thing I missed, which will make it impossible to import existing calendars:

    * No to-do's. All events must have a start and end time.

    Anyone else want to add a wish?

    1. Re:Missing features wishlist by JediCk · · Score: 1

      They need to have teh ability to synch to moile devices - smart phones and PDAS. Do that and I'll happily give up MS Outlook.

    2. Re:Missing features wishlist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wrong, you can make an event just generally for a day. Click the day from the month view and it creates such an event by default, or click the small bar right under the day in any smaller view.

      Sure, it's not a general to-do, but it's exactly the type of todo list i tended to use before anyway.

    3. Re:Missing features wishlist by loconet · · Score: 1

      That's the only one annoyance I found. I don't know when my doctor's appointment is going to end, but i do know it starts at noon! Why do i need to enter an end time? and no, it's not all day either.

      --
      [alk]
    4. Re:Missing features wishlist by retrosteve · · Score: 1

      "Wrong" doesn't really apply. Nice for you that you can use an "all day event" as a to-do, but that's like using a heavy wrench as a hammer.

      More importantly, if I'm importing all my to-do's for the week from Outlook or Sunbird, and they all get converted into all-day events for today, I'll be severely annoyed.

      Wouldn't you be?

      I think to-do's with "due dates" but no actual start/end times or days (as implemented in Outlook and Sunbird) are a necessity, expecially for importing between the standards.

    5. Re:Missing features wishlist by VeganBob · · Score: 3, Funny

      Google would make a note of that request, but even they don't have a to-do list on their calendar. Sorry.

      --
      Being funny is my sig nature.
    6. Re:Missing features wishlist by Chris+Pimlott · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Then guess. Be on the safe side and mark yourself busy for 3 or 4 hours. Or if you prefer to have it appear "instantaneous", mark it for 15 minutes. No one will punish you if you get it wrong.

    7. Re:Missing features wishlist by Dr.+Blue · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Well, the Google developers wanted to add that feature, but didn't have a "To-Do" list to add that to, so....

    8. Re:Missing features wishlist by caffeination · · Score: 1

      You, my friend, are doing too many things. Stop trying to solve the wrong problem, and just get yourself fired instead.

    9. Re:Missing features wishlist by KyolFrilander · · Score: 1

      Yes they will. You will get beaten again and AGAIN until you know JUST how long you plan to spend at the "doctor's" office (wink wink). It will go down in your PERMANENT RECORD. Ahem.

      --
      Buddha says, "Shut your karma hole."
    10. Re:Missing features wishlist by Nasarius · · Score: 1

      I had the same thought. For now I'm comprimising by adding due dates as events.

      --
      LOAD "SIG",8,1
    11. Re:Missing features wishlist by murfman5000 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I would like to see a plugin (modular) version of this calander for your google homepage (google/ig).

      Btw, If you use google homepage there are now a ton of modules available, including to-do lists.

    12. Re:Missing features wishlist by nEoN+nOoDlE · · Score: 1

      it has the start and end time functionality. If you go into the details of your appointment, you can set an end time.

      --
      Don't trust a bull's horn, a doberman's tooth, a runaway horse or me.
    13. Re:Missing features wishlist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      - Option to use 24h time instead of Am/Pm.

      - Option to have the week start with monday in the month view.


    14. Re:Missing features wishlist by HorsePunchKid · · Score: 1

      There is an option to set it to 24-hr time; I've set it that way in my calendar. Look at "Time format" under the "General" tab on the "Settings" page.

      --
      Steven N. Severinghaus
    15. Re:Missing features wishlist by scuba964 · · Score: 1

      Make it an all day event?

    16. Re:Missing features wishlist by loconet · · Score: 1

      But that is still a hackish work around. I don't care to track how long it's going to take. I just care to be reminded of when it is, which is the original point, Not all events require an end time.

      --
      [alk]
    17. Re:Missing features wishlist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, I would like gCal to feature an itemizable list of wishes...

    18. Re:Missing features wishlist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      give it an end time that is the same as the start time i.e. duration of 0. it's still added to your calendar

    19. Re:Missing features wishlist by Door-opening+Fascist · · Score: 1

      Better support for repetition would be nice. I have a fair number of events that repeat, but not according to the patterns that they specify.

    20. Re:Missing features wishlist by Geno+Z+Heinlein · · Score: 1

      Anyone else want to add a wish?

      * fully customizable calendar colors -- i like google's colors, but some of the color differences are way too subtle for older, cheaper or uncalibrated monitors

      * along the same lines, maybe the ability to add a micro-icon (8x8) to mark different calendars -- NHL team icons, for example

      * ability to schedule something on "the last day of the month" or the "third monday in September" -- this was once in and then vanished from sunbird, but you need this sort of thing if you get a paycheck on the last day of the month, or want to track Quit Your Job Day

      * ability to list all the events on a particular calendar -- scrolling from month to month seems an awkward way to keep an eye on things, and that won't help you catch one-time events

  75. Too Much Info by Mesinjah · · Score: 0

    You can't trust any publicly traded company with personal data. Now we have our daily schedules in there? I don't think I want the Chinese government to know when my doctor's appointment is. I'll stick to storing this info on my own hard drive thx, where at least I need to be hacked in order for someone to read it. http://www.heavy.ca/ Heavy Inc.

  76. OK, but Google needs to start doing better by TheSkepticalOptimist · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I mean, this is really a basic calendar application. Why not even let the person set a country or location so that local holidays would show up in the calendar?

    Schedule and calendar applications are a dime a dozen. Heck, anybody with at least a year of programming skills can write their own appointment manager, I have. It does everything I want it to do, without superfluous extras, and if I want it to do something more, I can write my own support for it.

    If this is what we can expect from Google, time management and I bet they will so release a Money or Quicken substitute, then I can start to see Google's stock drop quickly.

    Surprised Google hasn't released Google Notepad, it would have about the same impact as a calendar application.

    --
    I haven't thought of anything clever to put here, but then again most of you haven't either.
    1. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by Rui+Lopes · · Score: 2, Informative

      Settings, Calendars, Other Calendars, Add Calendar, Holiday Calendars. Choose your preference. Maybe there's a shortcut to get there. But the feature is there. I'm using it.

      --
      var sig = function() { sig(); }
    2. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're wrong if you think calendaring is a solved problem.

      Many people I know (including myself), have been extremely dissatisfied with calendar programs up to this point. Things I need are universal accessibility (which makes the web a great platform) as well as free (as in beer) and non-suckiness. It's surprisingly hard to find, and I sure as hell don't want to write it. I'm excited about Google Calendar, and I hope it soon matches in features the desktop apps (most of which are also quite lacking).

    3. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I get "You do not have access to US Holidays's calendar"

      <shrug>

    4. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by I_M_Noman · · Score: 1
      Settings, Calendars, Other Calendars, Add Calendar, Holiday Calendars. Choose your preference. Maybe there's a shortcut to get there. But the feature is there. I'm using it.
      The US holiday calendar is pretty bad -- no New Year's Day, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas, but Cinco de Mayo and JFK's birthday are there? Please.

      Also, navigating between months is clumsy -- no easy way to jump from, say, April to August. Yahoo's month navigation is much easier to deal with. I doubt I'll be using GCal too much.

    5. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by kasek · · Score: 1

      look in the upper left hand corner at that fancy google calendar logo. notice anything, like, maybe a little four letter word along the lines of "BETA"?

    6. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by I_M_Noman · · Score: 1
      look in the upper left hand corner at that fancy google calendar logo. notice anything, like, maybe a little four letter word along the lines of "BETA"?
      Yep, I do. I also see nothing in the app itself that is going to make me switch from Yahoo Calendar.

      (FWIW, that "Beta" also appears on GMail, y'know. Then again, I'm none too enamored of that either.)

    7. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by adpowers · · Score: 1

      You might want to bring that up with Apple then, seeing as they are the ones providing the Holiday calendars.

    8. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by moochfish · · Score: 1

      I mean, this is really a basic calendar application.

      Basic? Have you even looked at it? Seriously. Did you even bother to spend 5 minutes browsing around? How exactly do you define "basic"? Features? It does text message notifications, evite type of event management, one-click event filtering, data importing, calendar sharing on an event level basis, gmail contact list integration, recurring events, public and private calendars, and quick add even parses natural language event information straight into your calendar. They've even written up documentation on how to create event buttons. Did you know that when you accept an invitation from an event someone else hosts, it can automatically be added to your calendar, even showing your reply status? This is basic? You must be joking. It does most if not all things you'd look for in a web calendar application.

      Schedule and calendar applications are a dime a dozen. Heck, anybody with at least a year of programming skills can write their own appointment manager, I have.

      Yeah, and it's probably total shit. By your logic, the world of software would never improve. Just because there are a lot of them doesn't mean new, better ones shouldn't be developed. And it also doesn't mean new ones are automatically crappy and therefore we should all stick to the shitty versions guys like you hack out in 2 hours. You didn't even bother to try the Quick Add feature, did you? You didn't bother to see how you can drag appointments around to different hours or days or expand or contract their length with your mouse much like you would on a desktop schedule application. Let's see you program that. No, let's just grab some random programmer with one year of experience and see how long that feature alone would take him.

      You're trashing the calendar on the basis that you could program a plainer, dumber version that requires more clicks to do all the same actions. Wow. I can buy your argument now. Sounds like a blind bias against a product you clearly didn't even bother to try.

    9. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by I_M_Noman · · Score: 1

      OK, Christmas & New Year's Day are showing up now, but I still don't consider JFK's birthday to be a holiday.

    10. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by copdk4 · · Score: 1

      geezz..you know in an out of the thing released just today..are you one of the GCalendar developer or from Google PR dept or something ?

      I always wondered if Google or other companies hired people for creating 'hidden buzz' of their products in news groups and blogs.

    11. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, way to wear the tin foil hat.

    12. Re:OK, but Google needs to start doing better by anthony_dipierro · · Score: 1

      Give it about 48 hours. I'm sure someone will come up with a competing US Holiday calendar. Then you can use that.

  77. iCal Sync? by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 1

    Looks like the only thing we need now is something to allow syncing of the 'iCal' and 'Google Calendar' calendars. Maybe I'll find a use for isync, since Apple seems to have made it so focused on .Mac these days.

    --
    Jumpstart the tartan drive.
    1. Re:iCal Sync? by zaren · · Score: 1

      I was reading that this is iCal compatible... now to figure out how that gets done, and then figure out how to get the wife and I to use it :)

      --
      Come to the University of Mars! Classes starting soon!
  78. Re:Palm support by smittyoneeach · · Score: 1

    Right, but is the API open?

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  79. GET vs. POST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Okay, so tell me which is more secure, an HTTPS connection with the login information in the URL as a GET or an HTTPS connection with the login information in a POST?

    You fail it.

    1. Re:GET vs. POST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The 2 are virtually identical...both will be encrypted over the connection. The only way the URL could be considered less secure is that it might show up in the webserver log (if the query string is logged...it's isn't always) and it will be visible on your screen and in the browser history.

      I would argue that the web server log is trivial in this case. What are you worried about...google getting into your google calender? They don't need a link from you to do that.

  80. Re:HTTPS issues; OT by WindBourne · · Score: 1

    What URL do you use?

    I do https://gmail.com/ after the login, it always switches to http.

    --
    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
  81. How does it compare to 30boxes? by LordJezo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Anyone?

    1. Re:How does it compare to 30boxes? by escay · · Score: 2, Informative

      dammit i wasted 2 mod points down the drain yesterday - i wish i had them now!! 30boxes is really useful - its neat to read, simple to edit, and most important - resembles our paper desktop calendars making it very intuitive to use. if you are looking for a direct, no-strings-attached solution to a calendar, 30boxes is the way to go.

    2. Re:How does it compare to 30boxes? by kneel · · Score: 1

      i think 30boxes is great. i really like the 'clickyness' of that application. its easy to share events and calendars. and most importantly, it uses a nice natural-language creation system.

      i think the user-interface design of 30boxes was a little better than google's but you know what? they are really in the same league. the new google calendar does pretty much everything that 30boxes does. plus it integrates well with gmail. i like them both but i think i am going to stick with google's product because i like one-stop shopping, if you will.

      now if only i could reliably sync my outlook calendar, my macs, and my palm pilot, then i would be cooking with gas.

      --

      indierock / punkrock band photos and more... http://www.digitaldefection.net

  82. that's why by BitterAndDrunk · · Score: 1

    If you're in the states, use https://gmail.google.com/ and it won't redirect to http. In europe I think the formal URL is different, maybe googlemail.google.com Gmail.com is, I believe, simply a redirect and won't hold the https state. No idea why it's not configured to do so; maybe it's to avoid scaring the locals on the mismatched security certificates or something.

    --
    You better watch out, there may be dogs about . . .
    1. Re:that's why by cwernli · · Score: 3, Informative

      https://mail.google.com/mail remains https even after login (should work anywhere except in the UK, but maybe even there).

  83. Doesn't work on my Firefox 1.5 / Ubuntu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When I go to the site, all I see is an empty screen with "Create an Event" and "Quick Add" links on the left side and "Manage Calendars" underneath...but none of those links do anything. I bring up the Javascript console and see pages of javascript errors.

    I'm running Firefox 1.5 on Ubuntu 6.04.

  84. desktop version by escay · · Score: 1

    i wish they had an offline version for desktop. install it on the local machine, probably running in the background but can be pulled up in a click to quickly add/check/edit an event. no browsers, internet connectivity, logging in etc. takes care of the security issues as well. and oh, maybe put in a single button that will sync your calendar with your online account with one click so you can access your calendar from anywhere else if you have to.

  85. No Verizon Wireless? by tomservo291 · · Score: 1

    Try to setup the SMS for phone alerts... Verizon is the only carrier not listed. Why is the US's largest wireless carrier not an option?

    1. Re:No Verizon Wireless? by FooAtWFU · · Score: 1
      Try to setup the SMS for phone alerts... Verizon is the only carrier not listed. Why is the US's largest wireless carrier not an option?
      My guess would be because Verizon won't let them. Probably want to charge Google money to let them do it or something...
      --
      The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
    2. Re:No Verizon Wireless? by junk · · Score: 1

      don't worry, it's not like it's working anyway. i tried to setup my cingular phone and haven't gotten anything for a passphrase yet.

  86. Yahoo! calendar is a dead end. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Well, except for the fact that Yahoo! calendar is the victim of Yahoo!'s weird way of managing projects. For most purposes Yahoo! calendar is a dead project. The people working on it have been re-allocated to other projects, only occasionally being dragged in when fires need to be put out. The original team begged the management for resources to bring the "platform" up to an acceptable standard, and the management rejected their requests.

    The thinking was that it was "done" and "working" and needed no further work.

    Yahoo! calendar is nothing compared to this. I've used CL2 for a few hours now, and it is web calendaring done properly. There are still things that it needs, but the basic app is sound. Much more so that Yahoo!'s pathetic, lousy calendar which I've used on and off again for years, for lack of a better app.

  87. No link to Calendar from within Gmail? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The documentation for Calendar contains these instructions to go to Calendar from Gmail: Just click the Calendar link in the top-left corner of the page Am I the only one that doesn't have such a link? I'm using the english version of Gmail, so that's not the problem either. Logging into Calendar from google.com/calendar works fine though.

  88. So if Steve Ballmer signs up by VGfort · · Score: 1

    Google knows when they plan to get killed. :p

  89. The next thing by fronti · · Score: 1

    is that google is filled the Calendar for you. With all the stuff google collects from you and other this would be easy. And than, in the next years, google will order your food and will make all shoppings for you. Than, again a few years later...

  90. Dont seem to, or unable to, complain in numbers? by sethstorm · · Score: 2, Interesting


    "We look at the rise of China, the investment and the smart people and we are in awe of what has occurred here," Schmidt said.

    "And we salute the government, key leaders in the industry and all of you who have made the rise of the Internet in China such a tremendous accomplishment."

    Well said for the fork tongued Stanfordite. Exclusionist (Stanford Arrogance) and a sellout(China)!


    There are certain games that can't be published or sold in Germany.

    Irrelevant and only asking to get someone to G*dw*n a thread.

    Get over it - it's a global economy and that means different rules in different places.
    Thankfully France (the only country to resist the siren song of Asian slave labor) knows what problems happen (and react properly) with such sellout economies and has the balls to stand up to China. Google seems to be a hypocrite again in the same subject- fighting France and those who would normally take the tack of anti-globalization (when working with countries similar to economic models such as France would be the "norm" if by policy) as much as they help towards the execution squads in China.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  91. Still like Kiko better by katsushiro · · Score: 1

    I'm a bit of a Google fanboy, but I chekced out the Calendar and was nonplussed. I've been using Kiko (http://www.kiko.com/ for a while now, and it does everything Google Calendar currently does, in a nicer interface (at least in my opinion). iCal import and RSS subscription, flexible AJAX-y interface, etc. But the appointment creation interface is niftier to me: I can just write 'Fill out reports' and then add in catgories, locations, and contact invitations later as in the Google version, or I can write:

    Fill Out Reports @Office +bob@mywork.com [Work]

    And Kiko knows what to do, creates my appointment and sets the Location as 'Office', the category as 'Work', and invites Bob via email, with no extra clciking or form filling on my end. Also, I can create an appointment and write 'Pay Phone Bill Every Month', or 'Call Accountant Every Week' and it does the Right Thing and creates automatically repeating appointments with no extra work on my part.

    It can also send appointment reminders via email, IM (AOL only at this point), or even SMS, which is handy as heck when I'm out of the office. Calendar sharing with contacts or the poublic at large is dead easy too.

    Plus, there's more features, such as syncing, coming. If you like Google Calendar, do yourself a favor and check out Kiko. It's free too and I, at least, like it a lot better right now. (And, no I don't work for them, but I have corresponded with a couple of the Kiko folks over email, and they are *very* responsive, quick, and nice, so I'm rooting for them. :)

    --
    "Two things are infinite: the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the first one." - Albert Einstein
  92. Re:MOD -=- PARENT -=- OFFTOPIC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    18 wheelers CANNOT do 110MPH on a level surface, which my "neighborhood" is. You'd have a BEAR of a time getting a loaded truck over 95 with a GOOD tractor.

  93. API hacking? by JensR · · Score: 1

    Has anyone started hacking the API so that we can access it from our own software? A proper SyncServices module for MacOS would be a good start...

  94. Maybe I'll know what's going on now by big+dumb+dog · · Score: 1

    I created a shared calendar for me and my wife. If she adds things to our calendar, I might have a fighting chance of knowing what's going on in my own life.

    --
    "Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the f-ing Peace Corps." - John 'Bluto' Blutarsky
  95. Requires a GMail account, it seems by Pascal+Sartoretti · · Score: 1

    After a few tests, I have the feeling that you need a GMail account to at least _see_ a published calendar, right?

    If yes, it is a pity. If google wants to convince people to switch to GMail, they should at least allow them to just have a look (some kind of preview) to a published GMail calendar...

    1. Re:Requires a GMail account, it seems by j-tull · · Score: 1

      You don't need a GMail account per se to see a published calendar. You can publish a public link to an XML or iCal version of your calendar to be viewed by anyone (with or without a GMail account). If they want to see a formatted version of your calendar, it does look like they at least need to have a google account, which may or may not equate to a GMail account.

    2. Re:Requires a GMail account, it seems by Pascal+Sartoretti · · Score: 1

      You don't need a GMail account per se to see a published calendar. You can publish a public link to an XML or iCal version of your calendar to be viewed by anyone (with or without a GMail account)

      Yes, but you only get the raw iCal data, which an average user will not be able to use.

      What I would like is a basic HTML-rendition of the calendar to be served by default to my friend who have neither yet a GMail account, nor an iCal-compatible client like iCal or Mozilla Lightning. Which means most of my friends :-)

  96. Use Google Calendar with evolution? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it possible to publish my evolution calendar on Google calendar? This way I could have access to my calendar wherever I am...

  97. kiko anyone? by schmu_20mol · · Score: 1

    ...this looks remarkably similar to kiko

    --
    "Nae Kin! Nae Quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna be fooled again!"
    1. Re:kiko anyone? by schmu_20mol · · Score: 1

      Hmm ... kiko updated and is more mature atm. Check it out.

      --
      "Nae Kin! Nae Quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna be fooled again!"
  98. Opera... by Khuffie · · Score: 1

    And of course it doesn't work properly in Opera...

  99. And the joke is . . . by spankymonker · · Score: 1

    All your dates are belong to us!

  100. Troll! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stop trolling.

    You can import, and you CAN export as well!

    To the moderators - 'Stop feeding the troll, you bastards'

  101. Nice but... by Azureflare · · Score: 1
    Why can't I view the calendar while I'm still in gmail?? I hate having to switch between two windows! Are they going to have an option to merge the calendar onto the gmail nav bar? I would love that. I notice that there is no longer an option to submit feature requests like there was for gmail. A pity, I wish google could do this.

    All in all the calendar is a nice feature. I might even try putting up some events in there. I notice it lets you get notifications via cell phone, I wonder if I get charged for incoming SMS messages. I don't see a tick box for getting notified via email. That would be nice.

  102. Can't Delete by bubjuice · · Score: 1

    I imported a calendar from Outlook and Google got all the times mixed up. Now there's no way to delete the enties en masse. I have to go through and delete them 1 by 1. NOT cool

  103. No Verizon Wireless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The option to send an SMS to your cellphone does not support Verizon Wireless. Last I checked they were still the largest cellular carrier in this country.

    1. Re:No Verizon Wireless by redwoodtree · · Score: 1

      Your comment seems to indicate that this is somehow the fault of Google.

      Actually, it's without doubt the fault of the greedy Verizon corporate leadership that needs to make money on every single move of a finger that you make.

    2. Re:No Verizon Wireless by hunterkll · · Score: 1

      So true - On the VX8100 phones, a long time ago they upgraded them to enable the on phone mp3 player by default.....

      Guess what the newest upgrades do?

      Disable it to 'make it easier for the customer, instead of using a PC and transfering those messy files to memory card they can just buy the music on the phone using get it now' is what the repair guy told me.

      How hard would it have been to have both features? :/

      ... as simple as going into the service menu and turning the mp3 player back on.

    3. Re:No Verizon Wireless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Your comment seems to indicate that this is somehow the fault of Google.

      Well, conspiracy theories aside, if you have the phone number, all you have to do is add @vtext.com to the end to send it to a verizon phone.

      Verizon does nothing to stop that. Therefore, it sounds like Google's fault.

  104. Speaking of calendars... by alexo · · Score: 1

    Not exactly about Google but near-topic.

    I have my calendar in Exchange/Outlook.
    We are heavy users of the "offline" part -- print the monthly view and stick it on the fridge for the computer-indifferent parts of the family.

    One feature that I miss is the ability to have small icons that represent events instead of text. For example, marking recycling collection days, etc.

    Is there an application that that supports this and can read Outlook calendars?

  105. Quick Add by kcwhitta · · Score: 1

    Google Calendar has a very important feature that actually makes calendaring much easier to use than in Outlook 2003: the 'Quick Add'. Found in a small menu below 'Create Event' in the top-left corner, 'Quick Add' allows you to type in a dynamic expression that describes an event; for example, 'Pack Saturday' or 'BBQ @ 7:30pm tomorrow'. With this one feature, Google has surpassed Outlook's efficiency at creating appointments. I wonder when Outlook will learn that forcing users to tab through multiple fields in a standardized form like 'Subject, Location, Start Time, End Time' is not the fastest nor the most intuitive way to enter appointments. Also, no double clicking required - a single click in a time slot and a bubble to enter an appointment comes up.

    1. Re:Quick Add by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just took this for a spin and I agree completely. This feature alone makes it worthwhile - really well done.

  106. public icalender support broken by code4fude · · Score: 1

    tried multiple times to import my site's http://www.tourfilter.com/ical">public ical feed into a "public calendar" and it just plain doesn't work. How are Boston googlers going to get their concert notifications!?!!

  107. tinfoil hat warning. by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

    so if I use google Calendar, google now knows that I will be going to a soccer game at the ozdome tonight.
    they also no from previous searchs that I like waterloo dark maybe they will tell the local bar. and then they might actuall stock it.

    while this is not exactly an example of evil. remeber what google is doing with your information is not in your intrest. it is in there intrest.

    --
    --meh--
    1. Re:tinfoil hat warning. by jonfelder · · Score: 1

      Just because it's in google's best interest doesn't mean its in your worst interest. I prefer targeted ads that present me with products I may want. In addition, if Google actually had the ability/inclination/resources to notify the local bar that they should stock what I want that'd be awesome.

      Google using your information to better market products to you benefits both Google and you.

    2. Re:tinfoil hat warning. by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      google already knows what everyone is doing, so what's the big deal them knowing what everyone is planning on doing?

    3. Re:tinfoil hat warning. by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

      I am just saying that there is not a 1:1 correlation between my best interests and googles best interest.
      there is overlap but it is not 1:1.
      I prefer to control some of my personal data, as I fear the day when google interests and my own diverge.

      --
      --meh--
  108. Of course: Grune! by rleibman · · Score: 1

    Ook

  109. Re:Phone notifications: Where's verizon? by astralbat · · Score: 1

    More to the point, why are the carriers only American? Where's the British ones?

  110. Good for OpenOffice.org by RealGrouchy · · Score: 1

    Good, now the OpenOffice.org help forums (www.oooforum.org) will finally start to see a decline in the complaints of "but it doesn't have Outlook!"

    - RG>

    --
    Hey pal, this isn't a pleasantforest, so don't waste my time with pleasantries!
  111. All your stuff is beloning to ME! by Duncan3 · · Score: 1

    Now I can Google search for when people are at work or on vacation, and go steal all their stuff after I Google up their address!

    Thanks Google! You Rock!

    Finally, something better for criminals to do then send me spam.

    --
    - Adam L. Beberg - The Cosm Project - http://www.mithral.com/
  112. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  113. This may be pretty anal of me, but... by saifrc · · Score: 1

    I think that one positive result of calling this service Google Calendar instead of Gcal (or something similar) is that maybe people will start spelling "calendar" correctly. Of course, I could be wrong...

  114. Strange "Repeat" functionality by teneighty · · Score: 1

    I tried it, and while it's very slick, they have a few quirks to iron out. For example, they let you repeat an event every "Monday, Wednesday and Friday", but if you want a certain event to repeat on one particular day of the week (e.g. "every monday"), you're out of luck. You have to wonder what they were thinking when they decided to implment the former, but not the latter.

    All in all though, it's a promising start.

    1. Re:Strange "Repeat" functionality by postArgus · · Score: 1

      Actually it does. My School uses a schedule wherein each class is 4 hours long, but only once a week. So I set up the schedule by choosing "Repeats: Every Week" and then setting the more specific optoins that are revealed once you do that.

      On a general note, this seems like a great webapp so far. While there probably are more powerful calendars out there, i like the fact that it integrates with my gmail. There do seem to be a few things mentioned in their Help section that haven't actually been integrated yet (like giving the option of pulling events out of common text in emails). I've enjoyed the googleMaps integration as well - I put in the name of the place (no street address or town) that I'm going to be getting married in an event and it automatically provided a map to the place. This is going to be insanely helpful for providing directions to my wedding guests. I would also like to point out that this is free. It helps me, I don't care that google knows when i'm going to be graduating, and it's free. Therefore I will be using this and look forward to any improvements they make.

    2. Re:Strange "Repeat" functionality by encoreres · · Score: 1

      try selecting "every week" then from there you can choose one or more days.

  115. My Likes and Gripes by jorescobar · · Score: 1

    I've been using Yahoo! Calendar for years, and tried out Google Calendar today.

    I like:
    -The UI and the instantaneous response to commands
    -The sharing options
    -The fact that it's iCalendar compatible

    I didn't like:
    -I imported my events, and all of them are incorrectly shifted to Pacific Time
    -There's no repeating events options? Like birthdays? Or weekly meetings?
    -I had some repeating events from Yahoo! and when I tried to delete them there was no option to delete only one or all repeating events

    Final decission: not ready yet, good try though!

    1. Re:My Likes and Gripes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      There certainly is functionality for repeated events. When I choose "Create event" I can select the following from the listbox with the label "Repeats" next to it:


      Does not repeat
      Every day
      Every weekday
      Every Mon., Wed., and Fri.
      Every Tues., and Thurs.
      Every week
      Every month
      Every year

    2. Re:My Likes and Gripes by junk · · Score: 1

      I just added Birthdays for all my family and a couple of my friends and set them all to repeat yearly. There is definitely a repeating fnuction. Since you're importing your calendar, it might not group repeated events. Is there some special bit in the iCal format that notifies a calendar client that an object should be grouped as a repeated event?

    3. Re:My Likes and Gripes by jorescobar · · Score: 1

      You're absolutely right, there is a repeat function. It doesn't detect it when I import data, though. Looks like I'd have to go through each birthday, anniversary, etc. in a manual fashion and add it. Thanks! --J

  116. Uhh... Google does that too, bub. by ClioCJS · · Score: 1

    Before you waste your time writing a post, you might want to check that it is true. Google sends cell phone reminders. Clearly you are a Yahoo fanboy if you are spouting such false statements without making a judgment for yourself.

    --
    -Clio
    Karma: Bad (mostly from not giving a fuck)
    Blog: http://clintjcl.wordpress.com
  117. Supports webcal protocol by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 1

    Just tried the URLs at Apple's iCal Library, which are prefixed by the 'webcal' protocol and they are recognised when imported by Google Calendar.

    --
    Jumpstart the tartan drive.
  118. where by kurtis25 · · Score: 1

    It would be great if I had the option of nicknaming address. I want to type the where as work and it recognize that I work at 1 main street, NSAville, Ohio. That way I only have to type in work to get my map or Tom's to get to Tom's bar that way I won't have to remember the address for Tom's I could already have programed it into my settings. I also want it to give me map directions starting from the location of my previous appointment. That is if the appointments are concurrent.

  119. The problem with all of google's services by WeAreAllDoomed · · Score: 1
    ...is that they store the data on google's servers.

    granted, it's required for their indexing/targeted-advertising model, but i won't use a mail service that stores my private communications forever on someone else's systems, nor will i use a calendar that gives others the dates and times of my proctologist appointments.

    if they could find a way to provide the service that respects privacy, i'd be more interested, and i bet more companies would be as well. perhaps a version that lives on one's own servers and does away with the advertising, for a licensing fee.

    --
    free software, open standards, open file formats, no software patents.
    1. Re:The problem with all of google's services by alphakappa · · Score: 1

      Maybe you didn't try to use it, but you always get to choose if you want your calendar (and specific events) to be public or private.

      --
      "When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail." - Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
  120. Re: If it had at least used the same offset... by colin_young · · Score: 1

    I exported from Yahoo an some appointments are shifted by 3 hours, and some by 2 hours. It appears that the difference is split on whether the entry was made in EST or EDT.

    I haven't cracked open the CSV from Yahoo yet to see what it looks like however.

  121. Interface yes but some key features, no by Clansman · · Score: 1

    for example: yahoo has two reminders, custom set per event - so email me a week ahead and then on the day. google only has one.

    also contacts: google uk has none, no birthday field, no anniversary field, all of which auto populate the calendar.

    agreed it is non ajax slowness and too many clicks, but it does have a good feature set for general birthday and other reminders.

    and it has a mobile/pda friendly version too.

    so, take it easy, horses for courses

    J

  122. Was the thirteenth Thermidore? by blueZ3 · · Score: 1

    ...for non-history buffs, during the French Revolution, the government of France renamed all the months. If I recall correctly, it lasted less than two years. And it makes reading about events during the Revolution amusing, as all the dates have both the "Revolutionary" and "Julian" dates listed.

    --
    Interested in a Flash-based MAME front end? Visit mame.danzbb.com
  123. Strange by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    First thing I missed.. to-do's

    I would expect people to miss their privacy as a first thing.

  124. Umlauts? by C.A.+Nony+Mouse · · Score: 1

    My iCal calendar entries contain umlauts (my native language is Swedish). These seem to turn into question marks when I import the calendar into Google Calendar. OK, this is based on exactly one attempt.

    --
    J
  125. Drop in appliance? by tyroney · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If Google came out with a drop in mail / calendar / storage / search appliance, I could see small to medium businesses dropping their exchange servers and all the licensing and support headaches they include. Either that or I'm optimistic and a little crazy.

  126. google.com/ig by badfish274 · · Score: 1

    How long until this is integrated with Google's personalized homepage? Its been a good 9 hours and I'm not seeing it....

    --
    I'll fill this in later
  127. Re:Palm support by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

    No it doesn't -- at least not on any of my computers (which happen to run either Linux or Mac OS).

    --

    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  128. Re: If it had at least used the same offset... by HorsePunchKid · · Score: 1
    Some were shifted by two hours and some by three, possibly depending on which of the Sunbird-generated calendars the events came from. Sunbird (a.k.a. Mozilla Calendar) appears to have serious problems storing timezone information correctly, so it's possible this is not Google's fault. Though I did hand-check a few in the .ics file I have, and they looked fine before the import.

    Anyone else having this little glitch where it takes two or three tries to get a recurring event to have the correct start and end times?

    --
    Steven N. Severinghaus
  129. Re:Missing features wishlist - todo list by matiasp · · Score: 1

    I took a first stab at adding a todo list to the sidebar of the Calendar page. It still needs quite a bit of work, right now it stores three entries locally; but it's a skeleton for me or someone else to make it store todo entries in a Calendar entry, in S3, your own server, etc etc:

    http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/3827

  130. Re:Missing features wishlist (GTalk Status) by copdk4 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I would really likee integrating GTalk Status and G Calendar for e.g. If I m in a meeting or sleeping or biking etc.. I could be able to just pull-in that to G Talk status message - shouldnt be that hard technically speaking and can lead to more 'integration' of currently 'defragmented' array of Google services.

  131. Google OS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And there was some speculation about Google creating a Google OS?
    It is pretty clear what they are doing. They are not trying to create an OS, they are rather making Oses irrelevant. They have mail, now calendar, then word processing. That with google map, video and translation etc. They are progressively making the installation of native applications less necessary. Maybe they are working on a Google OS but that's not an OS you'll get on DVD and install on your hard drive. It's an OS you'll run by pointing your browser to www.google.com...

    -- Will
  132. Jumped the shark by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google has jumped the shark.

  133. Kiko does that too by rmm4pi8 · · Score: 1

    It's interesting to see how the arms race continues--just before Google calendar released, Kiko added iCal feed consumption as well. I wonder what other features will debut as Kiko, Google, and others all try to one-up each other in the calendar wars....

    --
    U.S. War Crimes blog. Email for free Mandriva support.
  134. and better calendar display options by rmm4pi8 · · Score: 1

    Also, I like Kiko's interface where you can easily turn labels on and off depending on what you want to see. I believe they're going to implement the share-by-label system as well.

    --
    U.S. War Crimes blog. Email for free Mandriva support.
  135. You'll like this by caffeination · · Score: 1
    The point about Google ads on non-Google pages is interesting. Not something most people consider when saying "Then don't use Google, duh!".

    Interestingly, the other day someone else was complaining about Google ads being everywhere, and mentioned blocking pagead2.googlesyndication.com. Since I copied his trick, I now get part of the Firefox "can't connect" error page where I would normally have seen ads. An effect of this that I never considered was that Google as a result gets less data about me. If you use Linux, stick this in /etc/hosts

    127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com
    Hopefully this won't become widespread, because then they'll move googlesyndication under the google.com domain, but until then, we crackpots can feel a little safer.
  136. Palm DBA - Google Calendar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Here's how to import Palm DBA format into Google Cal:

          1. In Palm Desktop, go to File -> Export, and export your calendar to a Datebook Archive (*.dba) file. Make sure you don't choose Calendar Archive (*.dba). Even though these have the same file extension, they are completely different formats.
          2. Sign up for a Yahoo! account and go to Yahoo! Calendar.
          3. In your Yahoo! Calendar, go to Options -> Import/Export.
          4. Import the DBA file, then export a CSV file.
          5. In Google Calendar, import the CSV file.

  137. This is NOT full iCal (RFC 2445) by cknudsen · · Score: 2, Informative
    The iCal standard (RFC 2445) contains a lot more features than the Google UI presents. I'm not sure if their import will barf on the unsupported stuff or just ignore it.
    • VTODO - todo items
    • VJOURNAL - journal entries
    • VFREEBUSY - free/busy specifications
    • RRULE - much more complicated repeat rules (next to last monday of every other month, repeat hourley, etc.)
    • EXDATE - exceptions to repeating events
    --
    http://www.k5n.us
  138. Interesting by warrior_s · · Score: 1

    Google know about people we interact with -- GMAIL
    Google knows about our friends and our social life -- Orkut
    Google knows about what we rant -- Blogger
    Google knows what news we read -- personalized google news
    Google knows what we lok for over internet -- search history

    There are many moer things like this
    Now they also know what we are doing and where we'll be at a particular time of day
    whats going on guys ?

    1. Re:Interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please...all these fearful posts about "google now will know where I am".

      Who are you anyway?; who gives a shit where you are?

      We all know where you are anyway - in the basement.

  139. Calendar Sharing by Sheriff+of+Rockridge · · Score: 1

    I've been waiting for a decent iCal calendar app for years (web based or otherwise). After experimenting with Sunbird for a while, I decided that it wasn't quite ready. So far, Google's Calendar is a breath a fresh air.

    The ability to share Calendars will prove to be the most powerful feature. However, it is important that sharing permissions are very flexible. This means that for each individual event, you have the option to chose who sees it, not just an "all or none" setting. I haven't experimented with the app enough to know if it can do this yet, but if it can't, I hope Google fixes it soon.

  140. Google Calendar Event Generator by ydeepakjois · · Score: 1

    The Event Pubisher Guide contains instructions on how to construct a URL to share an event, which other people can add to their calendars. But the manual construction of the URL can be tedious. Hence, I came up with a quick page, the Google Event URL Generator to generate URLs with ease. Still a work in progress, but usable.

  141. Lack of Calendar Tags by isaacbowman · · Score: 1

    I do like the multi-calendar approach of Google so far, but I am surprised that there are no "Labels" like in gmail. This was a GREAT idea that avoids duplicate entries and is basically just a form of 'tagging'. You can have numerous Calendars, all viewable from one interface, but there is no way to put one event into multiple Calendars. This limitation will make the shared Calendar feature, one that I had high hopes for, drastically more difficult. And have you tried to Google for the new Calendar? Its like Google hasn't even indexed its own service. Check out my post for a list of all the Google Service SEOs.

    --
    http://isaacbowman.com
  142. What did I miss? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

    Who's making you use any Google services? If the ToS are unacceptable go to the competition. Markets work.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  143. not a well designed interface by rochlin · · Score: 1

    So many of these online calendars including google's and 30 boxes just don't seem to have an interface designed by people who use calendar software a lot. Outlook may be inefficient and clunky, but it's easy to see what you've got going on at a glance. Even the Agenda view in Google only shows the start times of appointments, not the end times. Great if you're meeting a friend. Not great if you're using the thing for work. The best online calendar I've found for actual practical use (not the prettiest. Not AJAX. Not anything fancy) is the one used on the free service mail.centralpets.com. I've asked them what software they run, but they won't say. A few stray clues suggest it's from a Spanish company. Google just has to stop trying to be a slick interface maker and deliver information. They're an information company first. Software and slickness second.

  144. iCal items created from Ebay auction... by Pleb'a.nz · · Score: 1

    http://www.topshelfmedia.co.nz/Labs/AuctionICalend ar

    Paste the URL of an ebay auction into this form, and it will create an iCal file to import into your new Gmail Calendar :)

  145. Google uses iText! by LWGLIN · · Score: 1

    Hello all,
    my name is Bruno Lowagie and it was a pleasant surprise to see that the PDF that is created when you click on the print icon in Google Calendar is generated by iText: see http://www.lowagie.com/iText/
    That's my own little Java-PDF library! This is GREAT!!!

  146. Public Sharing but not Public Viewing. by GnoWay · · Score: 1

    Please excuse this if it has been posted already (a search did not find it).
    This is not useful to me unless I can give a link for my students in the course web page for them to view the calendar.
    If I have to cancel an office hour for a meeting whose time I can't change, I immediately update my calendar and my students can (with Yahoo) check to see if my schedule has changed before they drop in. [As Faculty Senate President this year, it happens more than I'd like.] Google's Calendar is much nicer than Yahoo's to use and view, but it can't seem to be viewed publicly. There is no way I can expect my whole class to use an news reader or a calendaring application which can use the ical format.
    Also, it has a great deal of difficulty importing my ical files. I have to enter about half by hand.
    As much as I am in love with Google, I'd have to call this 'alpha'.

  147. Stassi... by Alomex · · Score: 1

    The same defenders of privacy who complain about as much as giving their name to the New York Times registration page, now feel free to drop all their data, search patterns, pictures, email and appointments in Google.

    They know what you like, who are your friends, what your familiy looks like, where you look live, what your house looks like and what you do day in and day out. Let's face it, Google owns you. They make the KGB look like amateurs.

    In Capitalist USA, the KGB is a private for-profit enterprise, the people willingly surrender their personal data and the data is passed on to whatever large corporation has the means to pay for it.

  148. Cool but complex by mattr · · Score: 1
    I tried it out a little. It looks similar to an interface I designed two years ago for an ICal based system in which students can make appointments with coaches without sharing email addresses. Except of course, the similarities are due to ICal not any genius on my part of course. And Google's looks better, and this sort of thing works better with AJAX. But I can say for sure it takes a good deal of work to do what they are doing and I only did a little bit of it. Probably lots of other /.ers have felt the pain.. I used Perl which is great but had to read ICal specifications since fully built modules were not really really there yet (partly). Better now probably.


    At the time I was building an interface for input, and in fact was about to decided to skip ICal as we kept simplifying the spec, but ended up having a coordinator enter coaches' calendars using Outlook and uploading the ics files via ftp to a publically accessible folder. They were rendered in the (unfortunately read-only) phpicalendar program. I actually tried to write those ics files on the fly from the server to phpicalendar but no go, and it would take a while too, so just wrote to the ics file directly a VCALENDAR structured file.


    One thing for sure is that these calendaring apps, Google's included, are way too hard for ordinary people to use, or have reasons I think why they would fall into disuse unless artificially made into required items. They need a much simpler version of the interface for ordinary people, and they need some more interfaces with the outside world. At the moment it looks too branded and google being happy about google in google's universe. It's a search engine right? They say they have public calendars but you can't find them (maybe somewhere after you log in?). They say you can publish events from your site but it is really unclear.


    What they have to be is a calendaring hub like that site which has tons of public calendars. Give a unique name or short url to everybody's calendars whether on google or not, and let people use simpler interfaces in Google Calendar (or without logging in even) to write into calendars so permissioned. They should make it a nobrainer for people to be able to access a stream of events as an rss feed or something better, and similarly for anyone to publish their events without having to wade hip deep into their web app. Well maybe I'll add that to my next version! :) Only thing is I really don't want to try to compete with google. Conceivably they could beat phpicalendar for rendering public calendars, if there are any, but while slick their interface has lots of little HCI (usability) problems too. It's okay if Google's a moving target but I might want to wait and see which way they move before doing anything that could connect to them. An API spec would be useful.

  149. Re:Phone notifications: Where's verizon? by NaDrew · · Score: 1
    Why isn't Verizon Wireless part of the phone notification system on Google Calendar?
    Because Verizon is Evil.
    --
    Vista:XPSP2::ME:98SE
  150. So true... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    oh, so true. :-(