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Who has gone 100% to paperless calendar for work, personal, etc?

M

miklovo

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 18, 2008
84
0
When iPad2 get released and I can justify buying a 2nd iPad (1 for home use and 1 strictly for business use) I want to officially eliminate using a "paper" calendar at work and home. Until now I have never used iCal or calendar on iPad or iPhone. I've just kept an outlook calendar at work and a paper business planner (dayrunner style).

I want to get out of the stone age and begin to go digital w/everything. My needs are as follows and looking for suggestions and/or apps to meet my needs.

1. Outlook is not sync-able from work since they do not allow personal use devices to sync w company calendars. So I will enter appts/contacts manually into either my MacBook pro/iPad/iPhone but wish everything to sync up wirelessly via wifi (3G not necessary). When In range of wifi obviously.

2. Same goes as above with a "to do" list. Either an app or a calendar w this functionality (must have alerts). I'm talking a line-item style list not just as appt times in a calendar. So I can check things off and add throughout the day and week.

Any other helpful tools would be cool too but otherwise the above functionality is all I really need.

I think the biggest thing is not having to hard-wire sync my devices is the biggest thing I need. And see calendar and to do alerts on both iPad and iPhone is a must, even when phone is in my pocket and iPad in office.

Any help appreciated!!!! I've research many options but without buying and trying a bunch of things that may/may not work, looking for easy way out. Sorry for the novel.
 
Services like MobileME and Google can help you with all you want.
Even when your company doesn't allow 3er party device sync with your Exchange, you can have a local client on your machine that reads the CAl and sync it with either Google or Mobile me (I use MobilME), same for contacts, and notes.
 
I haven't used a paper calendar in over 10 years! I've been using MobileMe and all of it's previous iterations for my calendar needs.
 
I've been using google calendar for years. I can't remember the last time I used a paper calendar.
 
I've been using Google calendar for a long time. Syncs fine with all of my Apple devices and will still sync if I ever get non-Apple devices.
 
My wife and I both use Google Calendar - we have separate accounts, but both our iphones display both of our calendars in one. That way we can both check what each others plans are for any set date in the future.

It works exceptionally well, as I get text notifications anytime she adds anything important to her calendar so I know about it straight away. I can also update mine either on my iphone or on Google Calendar's website (for when I'm sitting at work and pulling out an iphone would be frowned upon).

I would thoroughly recommend it.
 
jdcell100 said:
Why wait for ipad2. Buy an iPad now you'll never use a regular calendar again
Click to expand...

I have a wifi iPad but want to get a 2nd 3G iPad but don't want a 1st gen one. Waiting till 2nd comes out and assuming it'll have FaceTime and more RAM it'll be better suited for me as a dedicated work machine. That way I won't have to fight over the one at home.
 
RE: 100% Paperless

I cannot wait to go this route. I been slipping for a while. It's like the only way to go anymore. Just make sure you sync daily.
 
shotts56 said:
My wife and I both use Google Calendar - we have separate accounts, but both our iphones display both of our calendars in one. That way we can both check what each others plans are for any set date in the future.

It works exceptionally well, as I get text notifications anytime she adds anything important to her calendar so I know about it straight away. I can also update mine either on my iphone or on Google Calendar's website (for when I'm sitting at work and pulling out an iphone would be frowned upon).

I would thoroughly recommend it.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I want. But can you display only one calendar also. So when I'm at work I can choose only to display only work calendar? I don't really want others too see when my Colonoscopy appt is in Jan....:D...that sort of thing.....

Do I have to have a google email account setup?

Is the google calendar web based or can I work offline easily and when it gets within a wifi or 3G range will it sync up automatically?

Thanks so much
 
mono1980 said:
I haven't used a paper calendar in over 10 years! I've been using MobileMe and all of it's previous iterations for my calendar needs.
Click to expand...

I've been fighting it....I don't know if it's the aspect of being able to carry around my little notebook w calendar and meeting notes and being able to quickly scratch down ideas and notes and being able to leave it in odd places at work accessible to everyone but no one ever touching it.

The iPad is a little less mobile and steal-able....as you can imagine. And not to mention I've spilled coffee on my paper planner a number of times...can't do that w the iPad. Just fighting progress I guess.
 
miklovo said:
This is exactly what I want. But can you display only one calendar also. So when I'm at work I can choose only to display only work calendar? I don't really want others too see when my Colonoscopy appt is in Jan....:D...that sort of thing.....

Do I have to have a google email account setup?

Is the google calendar web based or can I work offline easily and when it gets within a wifi or 3G range will it sync up automatically?

Thanks so much
Click to expand...

I was in a similar position at my previous job, where they prevented employees from checking their email and calendar remotely (and they're a large IT consulting firm, so I never understood why). I would suggest you just start checking out google calendar now. There's no need to wait until you get the iPad.

You will need a gmail account. Once you get that setup, create two calendars, one personal and the other work. Finally, visit google.com/sync and follow the instructions to setup Google Calendar Sync on your computer. Make sure you set it to sync your Outlook calender with your Google work calendar. Now your computer will periodically update the two, making sure they are in sync. You'll be able to add non-work events to your personal calendar and nobody at work will see it. But if you create an event in Outlook it will sync over to your Google calendar, and vice versa.

Finally, once you get the iPad, go back to google.com/sync and follow the instructions to setup both your personal and work calendars. Now you'll be able to view both calendars offline on the iPad (either both together on the same view, or separately if you like), and it will simply update whenever it has a network connection. From there you can decide who to share the two calendars with from the Google calendar site.
 
ucfgrad93 said:
Me either. I went digital in June of 2000 when my wife got me a Palm Vx for our anniversary.
Click to expand...

That is about the time I did to. I was using one of the early Palms as my contact list and calendar application/to do list. It was very basic but at the time it did what I needed it do and I did away with the day planner and it's expensive refills! I haven't looked back since.
 
google cal vs ical/iPhone and iPad calendar

besides the fact that google calendar is free vs Mobile Me's $99/yr price tag. What are the pros and cons?

from what I gather using mobile me uses apple manufactured apps so compatibility and ease of use seems more seemless

However, Google calendar looks visually very similar to my work outlook calendar and includes national holidays.

Does iCal and ipad calendar show holidays?
 
can I make entries to google calendar on my ipad offline. I have been playing with it and cannot seem to do so.

Also I love how you can make quick entries (ie. dinner with dad at 6p and it sticks it into the right place in the calendar without having to "add a new appt manually"
 
You make them on yor iPad calendar and then when you go online again it'll sync with your google calendar as long as you have your gmail account tier to the iPad.
 
Thanks to iPod Touch and iPad, I am totally paper free.

*Calendar
*Notes
*Grocery lists
*Chores and housekeeping lists
*Auto maintenance logs
*Fitness logs
*Recipes
*Contacts
*Story boarding
*Index cards
*Work logs
*Scrapbooking

I could go on. :D
 
Same here, left paper long ago, lots of good solutions like Mobile Me, Google Calendar, etc. You might want to try searching "calendar" & "to do" in app store. Save the trees!
 
I'd never use MobileMe for that stuff. Can't have my stuff tied to a certain company. Need it to work regardless of what device I use.
 
I've been paperless since 1990 thanks to a Sharp organizer and this little TSR DOS app from Borland called "Sidekick."

I don't think I've even SEEN a Filofax, Daytimer or Franklin/Covey planner in over a decade.
 
Dragoro said:
I'd never use MobileMe for that stuff. Can't have my stuff tied to a certain company. Need it to work regardless of what device I use.
Click to expand...

so what are there besides MobileMe and Google calendar. Because both are tied to a company.

You mean you wouldn't use mobile me because one day you might decide to get an Android or RIM device? In that case google is the only way to go?
 
shotts56 said:
My wife and I both use Google Calendar - we have separate accounts, but both our iphones display both of our calendars in one. That way we can both check what each others plans are for any set date in the future.

It works exceptionally well, as I get text notifications anytime she adds anything important to her calendar so I know about it straight away. I can also update mine either on my iphone or on Google Calendar's website (for when I'm sitting at work and pulling out an iphone would be frowned upon).

I would thoroughly recommend it.
Click to expand...

My wife and I are the same way - this works wonderfully for keeping up to date on not only our events, but overall family events as well.

I haven't used a paper calendar for ages - except the ones the schools hand out that detail what will be for lunch. Can't justify retyping all of that... ;)
 
miklovo said:
When iPad2 get released and I can justify buying a 2nd iPad (1 for home use and 1 strictly for business use) I want to officially eliminate using a "paper" calendar at work and home. Until now I have never used iCal or calendar on iPad or iPhone. I've just kept an outlook calendar at work and a paper business planner (dayrunner style).

I want to get out of the stone age and begin to go digital w/everything. My needs are as follows and looking for suggestions and/or apps to meet my needs.

1. Outlook is not sync-able from work since they do not allow personal use devices to sync w company calendars. So I will enter appts/contacts manually into either my MacBook pro/iPad/iPhone but wish everything to sync up wirelessly via wifi (3G not necessary). When In range of wifi obviously.

2. Same goes as above with a "to do" list. Either an app or a calendar w this functionality (must have alerts). I'm talking a line-item style list not just as appt times in a calendar. So I can check things off and add throughout the day and week.

Any other helpful tools would be cool too but otherwise the above functionality is all I really need.

I think the biggest thing is not having to hard-wire sync my devices is the biggest thing I need. And see calendar and to do alerts on both iPad and iPhone is a must, even when phone is in my pocket and iPad in office.

Any help appreciated!!!! I've research many options but without buying and trying a bunch of things that may/may not work, looking for easy way out. Sorry for the novel.
Click to expand...

I have one of those large desk calendars on my desk right here as we speak, it currently says "March 2009". I had to get a bunch of junk off of it to see that.

So, yeah, since March 2009, professionally, I've been using an electronic calendar ONLY. At home, I use a dry-erase calendar actually, but for work it's my Google calendar. So nice to add an appointment on my iPhone, have it at my desk, and on my iPad. I have also been EXTREMELY impressed with the mail app in the iPhone intelligently adding appointments for me, for example, I got an e-mail that said "Had to reschedule your meeting to 1:00PM this Wednesday", I clicked on 1PM, it named the appointment based on what it had been called in a previous e-mail, and pulled the appointments location from the previous e-mail, and asked me if I wanted to delete the appointment that was PREVIOUSLY set (that had changed). WOW! Find me a paper calendar that can do THAT.
 
miklovo said:
besides the fact that google calendar is free vs Mobile Me's $99/yr price tag. What are the pros and cons?

from what I gather using mobile me uses apple manufactured apps so compatibility and ease of use seems more seemless

However, Google calendar looks visually very similar to my work outlook calendar and includes national holidays.

Does iCal and ipad calendar show holidays?
Click to expand...

Only fools pay $99 for Mobile Me. Get a license from Amazon for 50 bucks a year.
 
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