googlecalendar
Latest
Google wants your suggestions for new illustrations in its Calendar
As a part of an overall Material Design facelift, last year Google added helpful illustrations to its Calendar app that automatically highlight what you'll be doing, and now it's expanding the feature. According to a post on the Gmail blog, there's now a dozen more illustrations for common events like weddings and Halloween parties (timely), and they can appear in up to 30 additional languages. It's not stopping there however, and is crowdsourcing suggestions for its next round of illustrations. You can suggest some photo inspiration by tweeting (but not Google+-ing) a picture with the hashtag #makethemost attached -- we're sure you will handle this power wisely.
Amazon Echo now supports shared Google calendars
Amazon's odd but intriguing Echo personal assistant / speaker has received a number of useful updates throughout its short lifespan, and today Amazon announced a few more tweaks to the device. If you're a Google Calendar user, the Echo now supports shared calendars, whereas before it could only pull in details from calendars that were owned by your personal account. In the Amazon Alexa app, you enter your Google Calendar details; from there, you can pick specific shared calendars to add to the Echo. That way, when you ask the Echo what's on your schedule, it'll only tell you things that are on the calendars you selected.
Recommended Reading: Does Comic-Con have a piracy problem?
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Comic-Con Makes Everyone a Pirate: The 'Problem' of Leaked Trailers by Susana Polo Polygon As you can probably imagine, studio execs weren't too happy that early footage from Deadpool and Suicide Squad leaked online last week. Well, that's what they said, at least. Cellphone video was taken at private events and posted for the world to see. This isn't the first time this has happened to Warner Bros. and yet the company still brings "exclusive" trailers to the supposedly behind-closed-doors events. Does Comic-Con have a piracy problem or are studios counting on leaks to help build hype for highly anticipated films?
iPhone users can attach Drive files on Google Calendar
iPhone users can start associating files from Drive directly to Google Calendar events, thanks to the app playing catch up to its Android version. Those files can be documents, PDFs, work presentations and spreadsheets or photos you took at a party -- whatever they are, Calendar will ask whether you want other people to be able to view or edit them. Just like the Android update that rolled out a few months ago, this one also comes with a seven-day week view so users can easily peek at their schedules. Plus, it intros interactive notifications that add an option to email guests and to open a saved location in Maps from the lock screen. That's about it for now, but as always, iPhone owners who want to know what's next can keep an eye out for the latest Android update... and then wait a few months to get the new features.
Google Calendar won't send you text alerts after June 27th
We hope you didn't lean too heavily on Google Calendar's text message alerts in order to keep your life organized. Google is warning that Calendar's SMS notifications will vanish for regular users (education, government and work are safe) after June 27th. The search firm argues that they're no longer needed in an era when smartphones give you a "richer, more reliable" heads-up. It's true that modern mobile devices render SMS a bit redundant. With that in mind, this isn't good news if you can't justify a smartphone on your budget, or prefer to keep most notifications off -- you may remain blissfully unaware of an event change until you reach a computer. [Thanks, Kristy]
Google buys a firm that organizes your calendar around your life
Google has been striving for smarter apps that are built around the way you really live, and it's reinforcing that today by acquiring Timeful. The startup built a system that organizes your calendar around both your schedule and your priorities. You can tell it how often you'd like to hit the gym, for example, and it will slot in those workouts based on when you're actually going to be free. Google expects the technology to find its way into Calendar, Inbox "and beyond," so don't be surprised if these apps do a better job of adapting to your daily patterns in the near future.
Google Calendar comes to the iPhone
Do you prefer the iPhone, but would like to use Google's calendar app to keep track of your life rather than Apple's own? That's finally an option. Google Calendar has launched for the iPhone, giving you the same schedule view, Gmail events and broad account support (including Exchange and iCloud) as your Android-toting buddies. You won't get any special perks in this iOS version, but familiarity is really the point here -- you can hop between platforms without switching interfaces.
Google Calendar for Android lets you link files to events
Want to make sure everyone at your next shindig has a copy of the itinerary? You'll probably want to snag the updated version of Google Calendar for Android, then. The refreshed app lets you associate Google Drive files with events -- you don't have to send that big presentation in a separate message to make sure everyone gets it. There are a few other welcome (and arguably overdue) upgrades in store, such as a 7-day week view, pinch-to-zoom navigation and the option of importing the .ICS calendar files that you frequently get through email. The Calendar upgrade might take a few days to hit your device, but it should be worthwhile if you're determined to organize your life.
Here's a look at the future of Google Calendar for Android
See those images above? Those could become a familiar sight in the future if you religiously use Google's Calendar app for Android. This crisper, cleaner Google Calendar was recently spotted by Geek.com (which also spilled the deets on a test version of Gmail) on a phone loaded with unreleased features. If you notice, the new interface gets rid of the app's busy grids and lines, relying instead on blocks of color to distinguish one entry from the other. What's more intriguing, however, is a new feature called daily agenda, which automatically emails you the day's full schedule. Since the updated calendar will also come with Google+ integration, or so the source claims, daily agenda emails will also include birthdays, giving you no excuse to forget anybody's special day. Other than these changes, you'll also reportedly see a parallax scrolling effect while flipping through months. Of course, the final product could be wildly different from what we're seeing here. We might have to wait a few more months to find out, though -- Geek.com believes Google will launch the redesigned calendar at the I/O conference in June.
Google Calendar now helps you remember holidays in 30 more countries
If you've ever made the faux pas of contacting foreign coworkers while they're out celebrating national holidays, you'll appreciate the latest update to Google Calendar. The service now accounts for special occasions in 30 more countries, including Argentina and Switzerland. It also covers a larger range of holidays, and you'll see their dates further in advance. Google may not patch up any damaged international relations with its Calendar update, but it'll at least help you avoid future incidents.
Google Calendar updated with Maps location autocomplete and improved events searching
In case the run through the end of the year has you struggling to keep track of all the festivities, Google updated its Calendar with some helpful new features to maintain order. First, when you create an event, the process is now a bit quicker thanks to autocomplete predictions from Maps which then allows invitees to quickly access directions from that trusty link we all rely on. Searching in Calendar has also been improved as digging for reminders about important dinners or by keying in contacts will instantly show the most pressing items -- kind of like Gmail's search box. Finally, guest lists for events automatically update for groups, keeping both relevant info in and unwanted details out of your planner. No longer getting those cluttering updates on the lunch you'll miss while visiting Nana is always a welcome improvement, if you ask us.
Lego calendar uses bricks to organize your office, makes productivity adorable
Vitamins Design wanted an organizational calendar that was "big and visible," so it did what any company would do: it turned to Lego. Using the plastic bricks, Vitamins was able to create a three-month calendar that provides near-instant visual feedback about which employee is scheduled to work on what project and when. Sounds simple enough, right? Here's where it gets interesting: Take a picture of the quarterly chronicle with any smartphone, send the image to a special email address and the block placement will be translated to its Google Calendar equivalent. Even better, the sync software was written using open-source code, and Vitamins plans to make it available online. The company says it'll work with any cloud-based calendar too -- not just Mountain View's. Sounds great, as long as no one's making late-night barefoot runs to the office kitchen.
Google Calendar for Android gets cross-device notification sync
The simplest updates are sometimes the best. See the latest update to Google Calendar for Android as an example: the release adds notification syncing between Android devices, saving the trouble of clearing multiple alerts while hopping from tablet to phone and back. That's the only major addition, but it could represent a big time saver for anyone with a busy schedule. If you're in that camp, you can grab the new Calendar now through Google Play.
Google adds push notifications to Calendar API
Google just made the lives of third-party calendar developers much easier. Rather than having to constantly poll Google Calendar servers for updates, the Calendar API now supports push notifications. This means, with just a few lines of code, developers can sync their app to Mountain View's servers in near real time, rather than waiting on regularly scheduled updates. The only thing a developer will need to do is give a user the tools necessary to subscribe to a calendar. When something changes, Google sends a notification to the app, which performs an API call to pull down the updated data. Simple as pie! And probably a little healthier for your battery than checking in every 15 minutes, whether something has changed or not. If you're looking for a few more details you can hit up the source link.
Drive and Calendar search rolling out to all US Gmail accounts
In October Google started a field trial that allowed users to peruse their Drive files and Calendar entries straight from the Gmail search box. Apparently the test was a rousing success, as the company is rolling the feature out to all US accounts, in English. The feature hasn't changed since it made its debut late last year -- simply start typing and your autocomplete results will include your next homebrew meeting, your epic beer inventory spreadsheet as well as emails from family members suggesting you seek help for your new "hobby." If you don't have access just yet, be patient, Google says it'll roll out slowly over the next week.
Gmail lets us directly add time references as Google Calendar events, finally
As tightly integrated as Google's many services can be, the company has been dancing around a glaring omission: why couldn't we add times mentioned in Gmail messages as Google Calendar events? Logic is at last taking hold in Mountain View, however. Starting this week for those using US English, Google is rolling out a Gmail web update that automatically underlines dates and times; click on one and it will pop up a box to quickly add a calendar event scheduled for that time, with an option to edit basic details first. It's such a simple addition, but it could mean the world for those of us waiting for Gmail to catch up with our native email apps.
Sunrise for iPhone adds call, text, email features
Sunrise is a free iPhone app designed to make using Google Calendar easier and, through an innovative user interface that makes good use of gestures, it accomplishes that goal. Now the team at Sunrise Atelier has released version 1.1 of the app, adding new features and better integration with LinkedIn. The new version has added the ability to create recurring events, add notes to events and skip sending invitations to other attendees. But one of the most useful features isn't listed in the "What's New" portion of the app description. Ellis Hamburger at The Verge points out that now when you add new attendees to a meeting, tapping on their image points you to a contact card with useful information pulled in from Facebook, LinkedIn and Contacts. At the bottom of that card are three big buttons to let you call, text or email that person with a tap. Hamburger also says that the developers are looking at providing more integration soon to iCloud, TripIt and other services -- "but only once they're good and ready."
Gmail lets you add .ics calendar events directly to GCal with a single click
In a move that'll likely have event planners and meeting organizers around the world leaping for joy, Gmail has just announced that you can directly add .ics calendar attachments to your Google Calendar without having to download and import them manually. Google's email service will automatically detect the event in question and display an "Add to Google Calendar" button as seen above. Just click that, and it'll be added instantly -- no muss, no fuss. The created GCal events will even link back to the original email in case you need it. The feature is available right now, so feel free to test it by sending out attachment invitations. Hopefully to an event that's not already sold out.
Readdle rebrands its Calendar app, adds free version
Readdle expanded its portfolio of excellent apps today with a free version of its popular Calendars app. The free version will replace the paid version of Calendars by Readdle, which is now known as Calendars+. The new, free Calendars by Readdle is a basic calendaring app that lets you manage your iOS and Google calendars. It doesn't have all the features of the paid version, but the major ones are still there. The free version lets you create an event with just a few taps and then drag and drop it to change the date and time. The app also supports SMS notifications and offline syncing. Customers who bought the paid version of Calendars will still enjoy the advanced features of the app. Calendars+ offers support for multiple event reminders, recurring appointments, event invitations and more. You can download the free version of Calendars by Readdle from the iOS App Store. Calendars+ by Readdle is available for US$6.99.
Google shuts down features and services for 'winter cleaning'
Seasons change and web services shut down -- such in life. Google today announced some "difficult decisions" regarding a number of properties, particularly Calendar, which will see the end of several "less popular" features on the 4th of next month. On the list of blacked out capabilities are the ability to make reservable times through the service's Appointment slots. Smart Rescheduler and Add Gadget by URL are also set to go black on that date, while the ability to check one's calendar and create events via SMS are coming to an end today. On January 30th, meanwhile, it will no longer be possible to set up new devices with Google Sync. That date also marks the end of Google Sync for Nokia S60 and SyncML -- and today, the company's discontinuing Google Calendar Sync. Also on the chopping block are Google's Issue Tracker API and Punchd. More info on all the shutdowns can be found in the source link.
