Tag: Google Calendar

Found my shared Google Calendars

Google Calendar helps my teammates at work with planning 1:1s, conferences, meetups, and reviewing AFK dates. The account is through my employer (Automattic), and I mainly use it on a desktop browser. On my iPhone, Fantastical 2 and Calendars 5.

For several months, I couldn’t view shared calendars on my Automattic account. On my personal Google account, I remembered an obscure Google page that had to be viewed on my iPhone in order to toggle visibility of the calendars.

After searching Google Help pages without success, the “Fantastical 2 for iPhone FAQ” by Flexbits had the correct page for me! 🥳

https://m.google.com/sync/settings/

Years ago, I assume I set up my Google account with Exchange and Google Sync.

This post will be handy if I decide to add another calendar, and I need to see it on my phone. 😄

P.S. I wrote this post from the new WordPress block-based editor! 🤩

Fixing Google Calendar and Gmail in iOS 7

My Google calendars disappeared while comparing Fantastical 2 with the built–in Calendar app (iOS 7.0.3, iPhone 4S). I mentioned this before, and somehow “fixed” it:

I think I deleted and re–added the account, and all was well. Temporarily.

After some searching, here are a couple articles that explain why I was tripping:

  1. “How to enable push Gmail on your iOS device“. You add an Exchange account for push e–mail. I originally set this up while using iOS 5, and probably followed the same steps over a month ago. Not sure why that continued to work until now.
  2. “A new way to sync Google Contacts“. I was overdue in adding a separate CardDAV account, but was apparently built into adding a Google account process in iOS 7. Also not sure how that worked while I was on iOS 6.

How I fixed things:

  1. In Settings, then Mail, Contacts, and Calendar, delete my Google account (previously configured as Exchange).
  2. Follow the instructions from the support page, “Sync Google Calendar with your iOS device“. The notable difference is adding a Google account, not Microsoft Exchange. You can also turn on Mail or Contacts without configuring a separate IMAP account or CardDAV account, respectively.

Get a Google Calendar already

It doesn’t matter who you are. You need a calendar. (More specifically, Google Calendar. It’s free, you know.)

Do you truly respect people and their time?

While working at a law firm for last five years, I learned that everyone uses a physical and/or digital calendar. That calendar is sacred. If it’s not on there, it doesn’t happen.

I get annoyed when something gets planned or bumped at the last minute. I’m not talking about randomly, but on a regular basis.

I’m not calling you an idiot for not having a calendar. I just think you’re foolish to keep your schedule in your head. Additionally, if people rely on your calendar to schedule things involving you, what other incentive do you need to create and maintain a calendar accessible to others?

It’s alright. They can just text/call me and I’ll let them know.

What if you’re off the grid for a few hours, or your cell phone battery is dead? Do you really want the back-and-forth exchange one person has to undertake with several people?

How about if someone is asking me on the spot?

Tell them you’ll check your calendar and get back to them. Or, keep a paper copy on hand with the next few weeks.

Can’t I just keep it on my basic cell phone calendar?

What if your cell phone breaks or it’s lost? Where’s the backup?

Alright wise guy, so how do you keep your calendar?

I love Google Calendar. Look at its features! I’m sharing my calendar for potential customers[1. I still don’t know if it’s better to call them clients.].

  • I don’t have a smartphone (e.g. BlackBerry, iPhone), but I have a data plan, so viewing [a few weeks of] upcoming events through their mobile site is simple.
  • I can add items via SMS (text message).
  • Even though I check my calendar daily, I can choose to receive reminders via SMS.
  • Customers looking at my calendar shows when I’m busy – private, yet effective.
  • Tip: I can export my private ICAL (.ics) file[2. How? On the left, click the dropbown arrow next to your calendar, then Calendar Settings. Under Private Address, right-click and save the ICAL file to your computer.], then copy it onto my Apple iPod (3G). It’s not painful to do this every few days and it forces me to have a backup on my computer. If you have a newer iPod or iPod Touch, you could do this, too.

Convinced? Setup your own Google Calendar now!