Google Calendar

Maybe you have heard the grumblings about Google becoming the next Microsoft. Well, considering how great I think gmail is and now that I have set up my Google Calendar I don't have a problem with them. So to use a good old Simpson reference: I, for one, would like to welcome our not-so-new overlords of the internet.

Why do I like Google's Calendar? Well first and foremost these two features: 1. Its free. And 2. it has sms alerts for your events... That means you can have event reminders text-messaged to your cell phone for free. That means alot to me because the fact that reminders never reached me was the biggest reason I never used a software calendar like iCal or Outlook. Too often I found myself logging on to my computer to be reminded, after the fact, that there was something I wanted to see on TV or that I wanted to bid on something on ebay.

That meant I needed something mobile, but I didn't like Palm and Pocket PCs. They are too bulky (don't fit comfortably in my pockets), have terrible battery lives (Heck, I'm lucky if I remember to recharge my phone) and they can lose data too easily. Since I practically always have my cell phone with me, it would have to be my solution. But most cell phones with good planner/calendars were too complicated (needed to buy a USB cable, didn't work with Macs, etc.), were too expensive and were, sometimes, just a big as a Palm (like the Pocket PC/cell phones).

So text messaging is a good solution... and you can get programs (like SMS Mac) that allow your iCal to text you event reminders. But you need to make sure your computer is on and connected to the internet. Google, however, is always on. (And, sure, there are other calendar programs online, but remember point #1 in this post? Google Calendar is free.) And finally... if you just NEED to use iCal or Outlook, Google Calendar lets you export your calendar, besides I'm sure someone will have an iCal/Google Calendar sync extension up pretty soon. So really... What else can you ask for?