Alternative to Google Calendar

[milstonw]

New Droid user. Is there any alternative to using Google Calendar on the Droid? My reasons for wanting this are below. The underlying problem is a Google Calendar issue, but Google has been so unresponsive to direct inquires about this on their web site that I am now asking here.

I find that Google Calendar refreshes subscribed calendars way to infrequently for my use. Google's online info says refresh occurs "every few hours" and they are considering a manual refresh option. However, some of my subscriptions didn't refresh for four days. I finally gave up and deleted/reentered the subscriptions by including a dummy variable in the url, which apparently "fooled" Google Calendar into thinking it was looking at a different webcal feed. The reentered calendar showed updates that had occurred during the four day interval since initial synching.

This behavior makes Google Calendar unusable for me. In turn this makes the Droid calendar function unusable for me unless I can free myself from Google Calendar. Is there any alternative to using Google Calendar on the Droid? As far as I can see everything must funnel through Google Calendar. Is there any app that reads webcal feeds directly without interference from Google Calendar? Is this even possible for some enterprising software developer?

Thanks.

 

[pyro6128]

That sounds like odd behavior. My google calendar updates instantly without fail. It may sound dumb but are you sure you always have the sync on your phone turned on? Maybe there is some other setting you're overlooking. In response to your original question though, sorry I don't know of any other calendar. I'm sure someone else will though

 

[milstonw]

That sounds like odd behavior. ...snip ... I don't know of any other calendar. I'm sure someone else will though

Thanks.

Events entered directly in Google Calendar by browser are mirrored to my Droid calendar app just fine. Events/changes entered via the Droid calendar app also show up in Google Calendar online. However, calendars subscribed to in Google Calendar by browser are not refreshed in a reasonable time frame. I've actually never observed them to be refreshed in over a week of working on this. These latter calendars are the problematic ones.

 

[Benton]

Not sure why this would be. When I have modified calendar items from on-line they update almost instantly to the phone (give or take a minute). I just tried it on an upcoming event and it was updated on the phone in <15 seconds. The only thing that comes to mind is to check your Sync settings on the phone and make sure Background Data and Auto Sync are "checked" and your gmail account sync enabled.

 

[milstonw]

Not sure why this would be. When I have modified calendar items from on-line they update almost instantly to the phone ...

I wasn't clear. The problem is that calendars linked to Google Calendar by url (that means they are added by entering a url using the "Other calendars" tab) do not refresh. This is a recognized problem discussed at length (without even a response by Google) on the Google Calendar web site. In contrast, items entered in calendars "intrinsic" to my Google Calendar (that means they are added and edited under the "My calendars" tab) are mirrored in and edited by Droid just fine. The latter seems to be what you are describing. I need an alternative to the former method of getting linked calendars to my Droid because Google doesn't seem interested in improving this aspect of Google Calendar performance.

Thanks.

 

[REMilk]

Events entered directly in Google Calendar by browser are mirrored to my Droid calendar app just fine. Events/changes entered via the Droid calendar app also show up in Google Calendar online. However, calendars subscribed to in Google Calendar by browser are not refreshed in a reasonable time frame. I've actually never observed them to be refreshed in over a week of working on this. These latter calendars are the problematic ones.

If you subscribe to the 'Sports' calendars, they are not synced to the Droid. I subscribe to two additional calendars and they sync quickly.

Just my experience, your may differ.

Bob

 

[milstonw]

If you subscribe to the 'Sports' calendars, they are not synced to the Droid. I subscribe to two additional calendars and they sync quickly.

Just my experience, your may differ.

Bob

That's interesting. The subscriptions I have trouble with are webcal feeds I generate myself from a web site I run for a volunteer group. They refresh fine when subscribed to by iCal on Mac OS. Can you direct me to one of the calendars that sync to Droid quickly for you? Comparing might reveal if my Google Calendar behaves the same as yours, and how I can make my webcal feeds sync quickly also.

Thanks!

 

[Medicineman]

Does any know how to set a reoccurring date for every two weeks? I really need this feature.

 

[Gillyanne]

Does any know how to set a reoccurring date for every two weeks? I really need this feature.

sorry OP I can't help you b/c I only have one calendar to follow, but since this was asked in here figured I'd reply to this poster.

in google cal on a web browser/computer, with the event open to edit, select weekly from the "repeats" menu under the "when", and then you have the option to change "Repeat every X week" where you can drop down 2 and then select the day(s), you can also set how long this occurrence runs (forever, or until XYZ date). These same options can be found under outlook's "recurrence" options, but I do not see a expanded option (other than weekly on the day it's set) via the phone app

 

[Vink70]

i wish the alerts were more prominent and clear and continued until i looked to see the event. Im on a fire department and put my on call schedule on the calendar to remind me at 4:30 that im on call at 5. it beeps once, and puts an icon in the top left. my old phone rang until i looked to see the event and acknowledged that i saw the notification.

 

[milstonw]

i wish the alerts were more prominent and clear and continued until i looked to see the event. Im on a fire department and put my on call schedule on the calendar to remind me at 4:30 that im on call at 5. it beeps once, and puts an icon in the top left. my old phone rang until i looked to see the event and acknowledged that i saw the notification.

I think this discussion is leading to the obvious conclusion that Android desperately (perhaps a slight exageration) needs alternate calendar apps. That is one of the major points of the open OS, isn't it? Apps should more easily surpass the default functions.

 

[alucardx]

agreed.. i've been searching for one and can't find a good replacement.