Gemini Calendar - my vision of calendar software

[powell]

I have set a new event within Gemini and set a reminder 1 - 10 Min before and reminder 2 - 15 min before. The event is a one time event on today. I set the time for 30 min from now and saved it. Nothing happens 15 min or 10 min before the event. What am I missing.

I checked my sound settings and all volumes are max. level.

I would recommend to check the stock calendar, go to options in the stock calendar and set the proper reminder tone. Gemini will use the same settings. You can also check how reminders in the stock calendar behave.

I am running 0.9.33 that I downloaded from the developers site (trial - un registered)

Do you mean Android Market ?

2) Can you set a reminder for an event END. I.e. a reminder that the meeting should be ENDING vs. the long drawn out meetings that go on way to long... It would be great to set it as a ring tone to make it like you are getting a call and must end the meeting... If not this would be a good feature.

I am sure you will find another way to do that. I cannot find other meaningful reason to set the reminder in relation to the event end.

I read that you are using the Google database, is that why I see the Android Calender app show up in my Advanced Task Killer app routinely throughout the day even though I don't start it myself?

No. Gemini uses the calendar database, not the application itself. And Gemini does not start by itself, if you do not start it manually.

* swipe left/right to change months - I understand about the 'accidentally press a day' problem, but the actual HTC calendar does it without any issues?

This not a matter of accidentally press a day. As you can see, stock calendar does not display the events right after you touch the day of month. If you touch day of month in Gemini, it immediately displays the events on that day, so this gesture is already served. When you move your finger along the screen, Gemini displays another days, so it would not be obvious, if you want to change the month, or just see the other day. Maybe I could find the solution to this problem in the future, we will see.

Also the animations still go the same way no matter which way you swipe.

Yes, I know that.

* 4 x 1a widget - I think it's great that the different positions on the widget take you to different things. I second someone's suggestion to make the right hand box a small plus sign to add an appointment. The innovative way Gemini adds appointments is one of its major strengths but at the moment to add an appointment from scratch you have to open Gemini, press menu, press add. One hit from the widget would be fantastic.

Ok, I will think about it.

* font - given that you're developing for Android and not Apple, I reckon it would be nice to have the days and numbers in the calendar in the DroidSans font instead of the Helvetica that the iPhone uses! This would also give the app a bit more consistency across the look. I've attached it to this post...

Thanks.

* on the look, I think the brushed steel can look a bit foreboding - and all the shadows and textures tend to make it even more busy and cluttered. Especially in the calendar month, which is essentially a grid of numbers with coloured dots and lines all through it. I think it would benefit and look more professional if it was simplified a little.

Right now I am looking for a graphics designer, who would want to help me to make a new look of Gemini.

Have toggles to include the location and/or description (or neither) of the appointment when viewing from the agenda or day, rather than needing to go into the item to see location. At the present time in agenda and day it shows the description of the appointment rather than the location.

O.k., good idea!

As an MS Outlook user I love the way that I can colour (that's the same as color for the Yanks) code my appointments based on a string of text so I can easily see fun stuff, family stuff and work stuff by the colour of the appointment. Can Gemini have this as an option.

It would be nice indeed.


Other questions - next time.

 

[momomo]

I bought a experia X10 a couple month ago and downloaded Gmini Calendar, but now I get a errormessage when i try to acces the program: "Gemini Calendar beta verson har expired". I have tried to search for the program in marked but cant find it anymore. I have used the searchword "Gemini". What can I do to get the calendar?

 

[desiredroid]

do you happen to own the X10 mini or other small screen device ? (screen resolution 320x240)? If so, I am afraid, Gemini is not compatible with your devices for now.

Doesn't download to T-Mobile Pulse Mini either (240x320).
What is the minimum resolution allowed? Worth knowing before we buy, as Gemini Calendar looks like the best thing for demanding ex-Palm users!

 

[jbng]

Right now I am looking for a graphics designer, who would want to help me to make a new look of Gemini.

Send me your graphics files Powell - I'd be honoured to have a crack at it. You'd better also tell me what file types and resolution etc you need too!

Cheers

 

[powell]

Is it possible to have a freeform time set in the system for your alarms, rather than the presets? A slide bar from 1 to 90 with the option of minutes/hours/days/weeks/months next to it? This would allow a much more customisable alarm setting option and not limit users to presets.

It is possible, but slightly less comfortable and slower than presets. I wanted to make it as fast to use as I can. But I will think about it.

Also, when I looked at the recurrence of a birthday today its repeat was listed as "every year on 8" for an appointment on 16/8/2010 and repeating yearly. I assume this refers to 8 for August.

In fact it should say: Every year on Aug 16. Otherwise, it can be a date format fault, I will look at it.

Finally, my daughter was in Sydney this week for the sat 14th and sun 15th, which I diaried as an all day event in Outlook. The appointment has been carried across to the Google calendar OK and views OK in the standard HTC Calendar. When viewed in agenda and day view on Gemini it shows up as an appointment on Monday 16th as a time of 0:00 to 0:00, even though the end time was effectively 23:59 the day before.

I will check this.

And finally, for the agenda view above the calendar the day is shown (ie 14/8/2010), but not the day of the week. I know the day is visible on the month view immediately below but as an ease of use thing, could it also be included as a part of the date on agenda?

Good idea.

I bought a experia X10 a couple month ago and downloaded Gmini Calendar, but now I get a errormessage when i try to acces the program: "Gemini Calendar beta verson har expired". I have tried to search for the program in marked but cant find it anymore. I have used the searchword "Gemini". What can I do to get the calendar?

Sometimes it looks that Google server has problems with finding some applications. If you have had Gemini installed and now you cannot find it, just wait couple of hours and try again. Unfortunately, this is the only advice I can give, I hope you will eventually find Gemini.

 

[jbng]

Hi again Powell

I'm pretty sure I read this in the thread somewhere already, but I can't find it.

One really annoying thing about the time picker is the way that the 'end time' adjuster actually changes the 'start time' values if it goes past. I think it's great that the 'end time' moves as the 'start time' is adjusted, but I'm finding that if I swipe a bit too far when I'm setting the 'end time', I muck up the start time and have to go back and change it all again.

So if a user clicks 'add appointment' it should come up with the default start and end time (probably should both be 12pm). As they adjust the start time, the end time should sync with it. Then as they adjust the end time, it should be stopped from going earlier than the start time.

cheers mate

 

[seelawyer]

Donated.

Thanks for creating a calendar app that allows me to keep my Captivate. As previously stated, this is the greatest calendar app available.

1 issue:
My agenda view wiget (4X2) began with all calendars shown. Over the last 2-3 days, the agenda view has started listing only those appointments from my exchange calendar. I confirmed that all calendars were checked in the "More" - "My Calendars" option. I removed them all, saved, and added the various calendars saving each time. The agenda wiget never added back any of the appointments. It continued to show items the exchange calendar only, until I removed the wiget from my start screen and readded it. Not sure if this will repeat but will drop in again in a few days to update.

This "issue" may well be user error, as I am VERY new to android and did several "experiments" before deciding to keep the app and phone.

Thanks again for a truly elegant app.

UPDATE: No continuing problems. I believe the problem was all user error. Highly recommend.

 

[circus]

I'm a recent arrival to Android (via Sprint's CDMA HTC Hero) and was so very pleased to discover Gemini Calendar. It's been on my phone for less than three hours and I've already donated in an amount greater than the price I've ever *paid* for a phone app -- but feel it is well worth every penny to restore the scheduling ease and clarity I enjoyed on the Samsung i700 PocketPC for five years (before my errant past 21 months on the iPhone).

The single best feature (which iPhone and others sorely lack) is the copy/paste for individual events which I've truly missed since abandoning my PPC/phone. Thank you for creating a truly powerful, sensible, intuitive, and elegant alternative to practically every other phone calendar I've seen available for iPhone or Android devices.

I am also quite impressed with your responsiveness to suggestions and bug queries. The Apple could learn a thing or twelve from you, Powell (and this comment is coming from a devoted user of Mac computers).

I do have one suggestion and two issues regarding behavior of version 0.9.34 on Sprint HTC Hero running on Android OS 2.1 --
As a followup to jbng's 12 August question about left or right swipe to scroll the month views (and your response that the swipe gesture was already served/used in selecting dates which display their events above the month view), perhaps a swipe across the lower right corner box which contains the name of the month itself could be the solution. As it is, the left and right arrows in the month box are a bit difficult for my fingers to accurately trigger.

Also, I've noticed in PREFERENCES that the Default View and Vibrate options are greyed-out. I've investigated the pref settings of the basic calendar app in case that influenced Gemini's behavior but found nothing which I would suspect to cause the issue. Any suggestions?

Thanks, again, for this brilliant app which is nearly perfect (and rapidly approaching that pinnacle).

 

[powell]

So if a user clicks 'add appointment' it should come up with the default start and end time (probably should both be 12pm). As they adjust the start time, the end time should sync with it. Then as they adjust the end time, it should be stopped from going earlier than the start time.

I know what you mean. My idea was, that if the user changes the end time, and he/she reaches the start time, it should be allowed to go even further back and start time should be decreased too. But, all in all, if user wants to adjust the start time, he can just select the proper field. I think I will change that in the next release.

My agenda view wiget (4X2) began with all calendars shown. Over the last 2-3 days, the agenda view has started listing only those appointments from my exchange calendar. I confirmed that all calendars were checked in the "More" - "My Calendars" option. I removed them all, saved, and added the various calendars saving each time. The agenda wiget never added back any of the appointments. It continued to show items the exchange calendar only, until I removed the wiget from my start screen and readded it. Not sure if this will repeat but will drop in again in a few days to update.

Please, consider, that every widget and the main application has its own configuration in regards of calendars being displayed. So you can have for example:

1. one widget displaying events from Calendar_1,
2. one widget displaying events from Calendar_2 and 3,
3. and your main application can also use different set of calendars,

Widget settings are saved when you place it on the homescreen. I am not sure, why your widget stopped to display events other than these from the exchange calendar. Are you sure, that it displayed other events before?

perhaps a swipe across the lower right corner box which contains the name of the month itself could be the solution. As it is, the left and right arrows in the month box are a bit difficult for my fingers to accurately trigger.

You haven't tried to swipe on this area, have you ? This function is already there.

I recommend to look at Tips & tricks I have published on my site:

Tips & Tricks

Also, I've noticed in PREFERENCES that the Default View and Vibrate options are greyed-out.

This is not the issue, this option is not implemented yet.



Today Google had another breakdown of Android Market. For several hours Market was not available at all, after that, many applications could not be found. Now it looks that they fixed the problem, but I am starting to worry, because it happens way too often.

 

[powell]

For those, who like films: look at this YouTube

 

[jimnyo]

THANK YOU so much for the video--it was so great to have all the features highlighted and even though i've been using this for a few months now, i learned at least 2-3 things that i didn't know about!

this app is truly amazing. thanks for all your hard work. one technical question. i noticed how fast the events loaded as you scanned the calendar with your finger. if i am in the current month, that happens for me. but if i jump forward to a date several months ahead, it takes anywhere for 5-10 seconds for events to load. is that normal? just wondering.

thanks for everything!!

 

[gw.hicks]

Hi Powell. I just got an HTC EVO 4G and I think you're calendar is the best.

I would like to request a full-screen widget (combined month and day view) so that I can replace the HTC widget.

THANKS for the GREAT App!

 

[bednar]

Hi Powell,
Your calendar is great. I suggest choosing from lets say 3 types of events when adding new event: REMINDER, MEETING, CALL (like in old Nokias s40). 1. When one choose REMINDER then only description of event and the start time are allowed.
2. Choosing MEETING shoud give the ability to choose person (or multiple persons???) from contact and setiing start and end times. When setting start time the end tim should automatically change to be +1 hour. When one changes the end time then start time should stay unaffected, but event should remember the lenght of the meeting (eg. 35 min). Then when one again changes start time, the end time should follow start time keeping meeting length.
3. CALL should operate only start time, but should (as it just do) give an access to contacts (multiple?).
The choosing from 3 types of events should be an option (accessible e.g. by MENU button like now it is CALL from LOG or CONTACTS), with the default action (saved in settings) available by just long-tap on the selected day in month view.

One more important suggestion. Maybe it is possible to add a button at the location field, which can point the location using Google Map. It would be interesting. Another, maybe even better, option is using the default address of the selected contact in the Location field. When the contact has saved postal address e.g. home is should be inserted into location by default.

 

[dmil]

By far the best calendar app and I have tried many on my HTC DInc! Thanks, thanks, thanks! Just installed last night and love it so far. Will try it for a good week and then will donate to the cause!

 

[Imparatus]

Hi Powell, GREAT job. I have a recurring all day event for a week on my Google Calendar. I do not have the corresponding event on Geminii. Apparently they were not synced. Is this an issue?

On a side note, PLEASE, if you get help from a designer to work on Geminii, allow us to keep the original look as an option. I LOVE it.

Mark

 

[Greatrandu]

Powell, I'm a new android phone user (HTC Aria) and I've been struggling to find a good calendar. Gemini is it. Thanks for putting together such a great app. I can now remove all the widgets and programs I've been trying: agenda widget, calendar pad, jorte, pure calendar, pure grid calendar, and smooth calendar!

The program is terrific and I have faith that the widgets will get there. I like the full program so much that I would like that to be an option for the 4x4 widget. Calendar and agenda up at all times. The only thing this would lack is more than a day showing on the top agenda portion. Would it be possible the make the week numbers on the far left of the calendar active, such that you can select the week number in the same way you select a day. That would put all events for the week up in the agenda portion.

Of course that would be too many items for the agenda space, but wouldn't it be cool if the agenda space was scrollable up and down so you could easily look at all the upcoming events for the week? Just a thought.

Thanks again and a donation will follow shortly.

 

[Kr0nos]

I havn't read the thread for a long time, tried to catch up, but certainly missed s.th.

- First one question about the "resent" change in viewing more-day-events:
Is it a bug ore a feature that there are now both the line and a dot every day?
I personly find that a bit anoying or confusing, i would prefer this being indicated only by a line, and the dots only to be shown when there is an additional event.
- What I really miss is an indication that there's more than one event a day. I don't know how you can realise this for all//more-day-events, but otherwise is it possible to show up to 3 dots if there are more events?
And if these dots are also coloured by "code words" as already suggested - that would be a dream

I also like the current theme, and would like to have an option to keep it
(I know that all these options blow up the app, i hope thats no problem)

@Greatrandu : the agenda space IS scrollable
What is missing in my opinion is an indidation that there are more events than can be shown

 

[Greatrandu]

@Kronos - I'm an idiot. I didn't have any days with more than three events so I didn't realize it was scrollable. It's cool already - before I even made the suggestion. Powell's amazing telepathy skills continue.

 

[powell]

i noticed how fast the events loaded as you scanned the calendar with your finger. if i am in the current month, that happens for me. but if i jump forward to a date several months ahead, it takes anywhere for 5-10 seconds for events to load. is that normal? just wondering.

I cannot see the connection between the date and speed of calendar. This is not normal and does not happen on my devices.

I suggest ...

Thanks for the interesting ideas, bednar.

I have a recurring all day event for a week on my Google Calendar. I do not have the corresponding event on Geminii. Apparently they were not synced. Is this an issue?

I will send you a private mail soon.

The only thing this would lack is more than a day showing on the top agenda portion. Would it be possible the make the week numbers on the far left of the calendar active, such that you can select the week number in the same way you select a day. That would put all events for the week up in the agenda portion.

Week view is planned and it will be a separate view.

- First one question about the "resent" change in viewing more-day-events: Is it a bug ore a feature that there are now both the line and a dot every day?
I personly find that a bit anoying or confusing, i would prefer this being indicated only by a line, and the dots only to be shown when there is an additional event.

My aim is to indicate events like this:

1. line + colored dots, if it is an all day or multiday event
2. colored dots for other events

Dots are NOT colored yet, but they will be (according to the calendar color or other preferences). For some reasons, I do not want to color lines.
However, I may consider other way of event coding.

- What I really miss is an indication that there's more than one event a day. I don't know how you can realise this for all//more-day-events, but otherwise is it possible to show up to 3 dots if there are more events?

Yeap, this also came to my mind.

 

[madhatter1689]

Powell, this looks good. Does it have a year view or at least a 6 month view? Something like that would be really useful and is lacking on all the Calendar apps I have looked at.

 

[jimnyo]

On a side note, PLEASE, if you get help from a designer to work on Geminii, allow us to keep the original look as an option. I LOVE it.

Mark

I also love the original look.

 

[FadeFx]

hi powell, i managed to make the dev of android agenda widget to build in support for opening gemini calendar, but seems he can only open the app like you open it from launcher. so can you maybe help and give some info how he maybe could open a particular event or just getting to the events date in calendar and how to start a new event directly from his widget? i

 

[bangordroid]

New version (0.9.11) has been just released.
This time I have changed some GUI details in Month View and Edit Event View, and - in response to many requests - I added the configurable first day of week (Sunday or Monday, see Preferences).
On the previous version, I have implemented active links, that are in fact clickable WWW, e-mail addresses, phone numbers and map coordinations (this can be configured in Preferences too).

There are some other, minor changes, as well.

Please, keep sending comments and requests about Gemini Calendar.
It is not that I am sitting in the armchair, waiting for someone to tell me, what to do Your opinions will help me to choose from the pile of to-do's things that could be done earlier.

Two ideas I used to use on BB Tour was font size adjusment and an app called laterdudepro which allowed you to link an email, contact phone number to a calendar. Example I would get an email from someone and want to contact them on a week, right from email I would click laterdudepro from menu and it would add to calendar. If I picked a contact I could do the same from menu choose laterdudepro and choose which phone # and it added it to calendar.

 

[braj]

Pure Calendar also only opens it like the launcher.

Anyhow, I have a couple requests of my own:

Make the bottom month arrows larger buttons, touches are not registered much of the time on the first try.

Can you make the dates in the previous/next month selectable, they are displayed but it would be nice to open them when touching.

I'd love some skin options, I find the fonts hard to read. Simple white text on black would be perfect. Would it be faster without the gradient images in the skin?

Can you lose the 'Gemini Calendar' bar? I would happily pay for a version without this

Possibility of hiding the month calendar? Not huge but it would be nice!

Anyhow, I find Gemini more useful for adding events right now than for viewing the calendar, which is fine really,

 

[jae_63]

For those, who like films: look at this YouTube

Powell, this is a nice video. Gemini on your phone is insanely fast. On my Droid Eris (and with my rather large calendar), not so much

It seems that you're updating a local dataset with retrieved calendar information, in the background. This is a fine strategy. Is it possible for you to set some sort of indicator on the page to show that all of this retrieval is completed, and therefore (for example) touching a day will correctly all of that day's appointments?

For example, you could use the color of the month's name to indicate this status.

Thanks ...