Fantastical for iPhone

[jsgreen]

I read that Fantastical was released for iOS today - would like to hear some reviews from folks who have tried it out; are you finding it useful?

[r2shyyou]

Originally Posted by jsgreen

I read that Fantastical was released for iOS today - would like to hear some reviews from folks who have tried it out; are you finding it useful?

Looks interesting (hadn't heard of it before) and I'll probably take a closer look but in the meantime, here's what some other people think:

The Verge
TechCrunch
iDownloadBlog

[Outrigger]

I just bought it today. So far there are only 2 negatives that I can point out.

There is no date on the icon like the default app, so if I want to know the date at a glance in the home screen, I still need the default app to be there.

I don't see an option to invite someone to an event, but whats weird is that if I click on an event that I was previously invited to, I see the option to accept, reject or maybe just like the default one. Other than that, I like the interface better than Apple's. But it still sucks that I have to keep the default app next to the Fantastical one.

[r2shyyou]

Originally Posted by Outrigger

I don't see an option to invite someone to an event, but whats weird is that if I click on an event that I was previously invited to, I see the option to accept, reject or maybe just like the default one. Other than that, I like the interface better than Apple's. But it still sucks that I have to keep the default app next to the Fantastical one.

Are you using Exchange? The Verge's review notes the following:

The only thing missing is support for inviting people to events using an Exchange account, but iOS doesn’t yet allow third-party apps that capability. "We want it too," Simmons says. "Maybe somebody at Apple will love Fantastical so much that they’ll make it happen."

[Outrigger]

Originally Posted by r2shyyou

Are you using Exchange? The Verge's review notes the following:

I don't use exchange, I just use the iCloud email. However, I did notice that after I created an event, and I go back and edit, the Invitee option is there like the default app. But its a pain to have to go back to a newly created event just to invite someone. Unless I'm missing something?

[MacDawg]

I picked it up today as well and really like the interface
Clean and simple way to view
Will likely become my default calendar app now

[jrodsep]

Like Outrigger said. I would love for it to have the day indicator on the icon like the stock app. But everything else is above and beyond what the stock app does.

[Puonti]

The way I organize my home screen, I have my most used application in a given category directly on the grid (such as Calendar for "productivity", or Maps for "directions"), and other apps of that category in a folder underneath it.

I simply placed Fantastical on the grid, replacing Calendar which relocated into the first slot in the "productivity" folder. This way even when the folder is closed I can still see the calendar icon with today's date.

[nutmac]

I like it overall, especially for 1.0, but there are few issues.

The first set of issues are due to limitations imposed by iOS SDK itself (i.e., until Apple adds new APIs, there's nothing Fantastical or any other 3rd party developers can do about it):

• Displaying current date on Fantastical icon.
• Badge notification for new invitations as well as accepting/rejecting invites.
• Creating new event with invitees (you can create an event without invitees then edit to add them, however).
• Opening Fantastical from alerts (due to iOS 6 not allowing you to change default apps).
• Creating new event from Mail or Safari to Fantastical (due to iOS 6 not allowing you to change default apps).

And here are issues that Flexibits can address:

• iPad support. Flexibits have hinted that a separate version for iPad is in the works.
• Landscape mode.
• Reminders. Flexibits said Reminders support is in the works.
• Calendar view (not DayTicker) only shows event from selected date.
• Cannot jump to specific month.
• Only DayTicker and monthly views. Yearly view would be useful (which Agenda app has).

[OllyW]

Please use the news discussion thread.