Google calendar is an awesome, multi-feature and easy-to-use productivity tool. Let’s see how we can make it even better:
Google Calender Feature Enhances
Go offline:
By utilizing Gears, an open source project that adds features to your browser, Google starts offering offline version of the calendar. You can get a read-only access to your Google Calendar when there is no Internet connection. Just check “Offline (beta)” link in the top right corner of the page when logged in to your calendar. The further steps are quick and easy:
Integrate with Gmail:
Since recently Gmail has been offering its own official way to add Google Calendar to your Gmail interface. It is added to the sidebar:
Another way to add Google Calendar to Gmail sidebar: Add Your Agenda To Your Gmail (Greasemonkey) Install the latest edition here here.
Add an extended Google Calendar to Gmail: Integrated Gmail (also available as an experimental addon): integrates Google Calendar onto the same screen as your email inbox and lets you manage it from there:
Integrate with Facebook:
Facebook to Google Calendar: adds Facebook events to a Google Calendar you are currently logged in.
Facebook Fixer is another great Greasemonkey script that integrates Google Calendar with your Facebook account. It adds links on any profile to add their birthdays to Google Calendar. It also adds a link on the birthdays page that lets you export an iCalendar file with all your friends’ birthdays. This file can be imported into Google Calendar (as well as other time management tools).
More features:
Google Calendar Notifier: turn Google Calendar into the reminder – bring its updates to your browser. The addon integrates with your Google Calendar and notifies you of upcoming events. It does have some bugs reported though like time zone problems and errors.
The Milk FireFox extension talks to Google Calendar when it detects that you’re adding a task related to an event in your calendar, and “automagically” figures out when your task is due.
Google Calendar Beautifiers:
Better GCal is a great addon that beautifies Google Calendar. It is a compilation of user scripts written by several Greasemonkey scripters, most of those scripts are either abandoned or never updated, so it is better to install the addon.
Alternative Management:
Google Calendar Desktop Gadget: allows to manage your calendar without logging in using web interface.
Twittercal.com allows to manage your Google Calendar from Twitter. Just follow gcal and send it Tweets. Note: you will have to disclose your Google Calendar login information for the bot to put your event on it (I didn’t do that but that’s up to you).
Don’t forget Google Calendar Sync to sync your Google Calendar to your Outlook Calendar – that’s a huge help, because once I get everything in Google Calendar, I can send it to my Blackberry, all my other computers, etc etc.
http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=89955
I use most of the above tools, and my effiency is through the roof. However, to take it a notch further, I use this method:
I use reqall.com to add events/ todo’s to its own UI, which then syncs with GCal. I then set up GCal to send me my events/ agenda at 5am every morning. I then tag all these “agenda” emails as “journal” and automatically archive it to keep a record of all events, etc.
Don’t forget using http://www.nuevasync.com to provide Exchange-style access to your calendar – syncs BEAUTIFULLY with my iPhone over the air, all the time, with multiple calendars.
Also, be sure to check out the alerting options of Gcal – SMS reminders are free and really work!
Great article! I did not know about accessing Google Calendar from Twitter. Can be very useful!
One other indispensable tool for Google Calendar is WinCalendar… i use it to convert Google Calendar to MS Word & Excel format. From there i can add pictures & tweak the format to make a perfect newsletter calendar!
I’m currently using “Provider for Google Calendar”, a Thunderbird Addon to manage my remote calendars with Lightning (the calendar Addon for Thunderbird) with awesome results.
ANN, GREAT GREAT GREAT POST!! My company is focusing on Kaizen opportunities so this is a great addition to our efforts:)
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Ann,
u shared this post with us….
Google made multifeatured,user friendly productivity tool. Hope we will make better.
Awesome post, thanks Ann!
Great article Ann,
I’m running into too many people that are unaware of these free productivity tools provided by Google. I see opportunity to help people discover these jewels via a series of information products. Would love to hear what you guys think.
Follow me @dejon97.
The facebook to Google calendar rocks! im ‘in the loop’ now!
Thanks also to Sandra’s post – Wincalendar is just what i needed to customize & print my Google Calendar! i used this link…
http://www.wincalendar.com/Google-Calendar-Import.htm
Nice post Ann.
I have used GCal not so effectively as y have given above.
Let me try from hereon…
Nice post till now not used Google calendar ,hope this article helps for me
The calendar has definately been imporoved and I wouldn’t have checke it out if it was not for this post.. Thank you
I always thought about using the calendar, but never had the chance yet. Will try for sure now. The facebook to google calendar does rock. Where have you been my whole life? Great resource, thanks for sharing!
Karen
I’m such a noob, I didn’t even know about Google Calendar at all until I read this article. Thanks!