One Calendar to Rule Them All
March 12th, 2007 (11:58am) Mike Gunderloy 16 Comments
Some problems just seem to get harder the longer we work on them. Take keeping track of appointments, for example: you’d think by now we’d have that one all figured out. But somehow, between being online and offline, having multiple computers and mobile devices, it’s become harder than ever to know where you’re supposed to be and when you’re supposed to be there. Some people have come up with elaborate schemes to keep all of their calendars synchronized, but as someone who has tried to do this across multiple computers and operating systems, I can tell you such things are tough to set up and prone to breakage.
Enter Calgoo. Currently in public beta test, Calgoo is a Java-based application that runs on Windows, OS X, or Linux. When you install Calgoo, it asks for your Google Calendar account information, and makes the calendars it finds there available for use in Calgoo. You can then use Calgoo as an offline client for Google Calendar, with periodic and on-demand synchronization when you’re back online. But beyond that, it also talks to Outlook on the PC and iCal on the Mac, making it a much more universal solution. If you like the location-independence of making Google Calendar your primary information repository, but still want a rich client and the security of having your information on your own box, you’re in Calgoo’s target market.
The Calgoo folks are also working to add value beyond simple calendar synchronization. Other features here include showing meeting locations on Google Maps, a task list (not synchronized with any other applications yet), and tagging and filtering options to help you manage truly cluttered calendars. The product is still definitely in beta (printing and the ability to invite Outlook contacts to a meeting are both missing, for example), but if you’re living a cross-platform life it shows definite promise for the future.
16 Comments Post your own comment
GigaOM » What’s On GigaNet says: March 12th, 2007 12:27pm
[...] by Om Malik Monday, March 12, 2007 at 12:26 PM PT | No comments WebWorkerDaily:God among calendars?WebWorkerDaily: Lunch Break, Web Worker Style.GigaGamez: PlayStation [...]
Don Smith says: March 12th, 2007 4:32pm
Perfect. Just what I was looking for!!
Zoli Erdos says: March 13th, 2007 6:04am
I don’t see mobile sync offered by Calgoo, and IMHO that’s the single biggest obstacle that keeps users to dump their Outlook Calendar for good and switch to Google.
markb says: March 13th, 2007 7:21am
Anyone remember anyday.com? I’m still waiting for a mobile-enabled, web-based, cross platform solution (used the outlook sync) like they had back in 2000 before they were bought out and bungled by Palm…
Ian Delaney says: March 13th, 2007 9:41am
Calgoo also supports buddy lists - which is like a sort of web calendar publishing solution from what I can make out.
Presumably, to get location independence, you make your laptop’s Calgoo calendar a buddy with your other computers and share all the calendars.
Alan says: March 13th, 2007 12:23pm
So, by giving them your gmail credentials, does this mean that Calgoo gets access to your full email?
I would rather that Google just buy these guys!
Mary Deaton says: March 13th, 2007 2:04pm
I just use Google Calendar. It is always there because I am always on the Web, regardless of where I am physically. I can share calendars with my clients and my family, which is not something every calendar lets me do. CalGoo sounds like it is really for people who use desktop calendars.
kenny says: March 13th, 2007 2:45pm
there’s also Spanning Sync that provides bi-directional syncing between Google Calendar and iCal on the Mac - and it does so extremely well.
kenny says: March 13th, 2007 2:46pm
there’s also Spanning Sync, which is out of beta, that provides bi-directional syncing between Google Calendar and iCal on the Mac - and it does so extremely well.
http://www.spanningsync.com
Nicole says: March 13th, 2007 4:09pm
yes, I shall have to remember this when I have to use outlook and Google calendar simultaneously next year…
Top Posts « WordPress.com says: March 13th, 2007 4:58pm
[...] One Calendar to Rule Them All [image]Some problems just seem to get harder the longer we work on them. Take keeping track of appointments, for […] [...]
Michael's Thoughts says: March 15th, 2007 2:30pm
Daily Report, Mar 16
Team Collaboration Cisco Buys WebEx for $3.2 B … Wow, Cisco bit the bullet and announced the acquisition of WebEx for $3.2 billion in cash. “Cisco believes the network is a platform for all forms of communications and collaboration, and
Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive Rock Your Google Calendar in 18 Ways « says: March 22nd, 2007 6:01am
[...] If you blog on Typepad it’s even easier: just use their GCal widget. If you’re using WordPress, you could try this Google Calendar Widget. 14. Synchronize with your desktop calendar(s). Calgoo, in public beta right now, is a Java-based application for Windows, OS X, and Linux. It handles Google Calendar, iCal on the Mac, and Outlook on the PC, uniting the reigning trifecta of calendaring apps. Read more about it in our review. [...]
Leif Dalands blogg - IT & Produktivitet » Produktivitet: 5 nye måter å bruke Google Calendar på says: May 26th, 2007 2:54am
[...] annen og mye enklere løsning bruker også samme trikset for å omgå Outlooks synkroniseringsproblem. Her bruker man programmet [...]
WWD Coffee Break - Projects, Calendars & Facebook « Web Worker Daily says: November 23rd, 2007 8:00am
[...] Your Friends in the Loop - If you’re already a Calgoo user (we’ve looked at their Google-Outlook synchronizer in the past), you can now share your schedule with all of your [...]
Web Worker Daily » Archive Calgoo Adds iCal Support « says: April 30th, 2008 8:00am
[...] 30th, 2008 (8:00am) Mike Gunderloy No Comments Calgoo - whose products we have covered in the past - has just announced the addition of Apple iCal support across its product [...]