Michal Ždanský Time management was one of the main functions of the first PDAs. People suddenly got the opportunity to carry their entire agenda in their pocket instead of a comprehensive diary. It was on the organization of time together with a good e-mail client and a secure IM service that BlackBerry based its business and thus created the smartphone segment. For a modern smartphone, a calendar is nothing more than one of the applications connected to a protocol that ensures synchronization between devices and services.
One of the iOS 7 ailments it's also a relatively unusable calendar, at least as far as the iPhone is concerned. It doesn't offer a clear monthly view, and task entry hasn't changed much since the first version of iOS. We still have to enter information into individual boxes, instead of the app taking over part of the work for us. It seems that almost every calendar app in the App Store will do a better job than the pre-installed one Kalendář. calendars 5 by Readdle represents the best that can be found in the App Store.
Information in every view
Calendars 5 offer a total of four types of views – list, daily, weekly and monthly. The iPad version then combines the daily overview and the list into one view and adds an annual overview. Each of the reports provides enough information unlike the calendar in iOS 7, and all are worth mentioning.
List
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You may also know the list from other applications, including the one pre-installed in iOS. On one scrolling screen, you can see an overview of all consecutive events by individual days. Calendars 5 display a kind of timeline in the left part. The individual points on it have a color according to the given calendar, in the case of a task it is even a check button. However, I will get to task integration later.
In addition to the name of the event, the application also displays the details of the event - location, list of participants or a note. Clicking on any event will then take you to the event editor. Scrolling down the list also scrolls the bottom date bar, so you always know immediately what day it is. In any case, the date above each series of events from the given day is used for orientation, which also tells the day of the week. The list, as the only one of the views, also contains a search bar for searching for events or tasks
The
The daily overview is not much different from the pre-installed app in iOS 7. In the upper part, it displays the events of the whole day, and below it there is a scrolling overview of the whole day divided by hours. A new event can easily be created by holding your finger on a specific clock and dragging to pinpoint the start. However, the ubiquitous /+/ button in the top bar also serves to create.
For finished events, you can also change the start and end time by holding and sliding your finger, although this action is not exactly the most intuitive. A context menu for editing, copying and deleting will also appear when you hold your finger on an event. A simple tap in turn brings up the event details dialog, which also includes a delete icon or edit button. You then move between individual days by swiping your finger sideways or by using the bottom data bar.
As I mentioned above, the iPad combines a day view and a list. This view is interestingly intertwined. Changing the day in the daily overview scrolls the list to the left to show the events of the currently selected day at the top, while scrolling the list does not affect the daily overview in any way. This allows the list to act as a reference view.
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Week
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While the weekly overview on the iPad faithfully copies the iOS 7 application from Apple, Calendars 5 deals with the week on the iPhone in a rather unique way. Instead of displaying the individual days horizontally, the authors opted for a vertical display. You can see the individual days below you, while you can see the individual events next to each other in the form of squares. The iPhone will display a maximum of four squares next to each other, for the rest you have to carefully drag your finger in a specific row, as you move between weeks with the same gesture.
Events can be moved between individual days using the drag & drop method, but to change the time, the event must be edited or switched to landscape view. In it, you will see an overview of the entire week, similar to the iPad, i.e. days arranged horizontally with a time line divided into individual hours and a line showing the current time. Unlike Apple, Readdle was able to fit a full 7 days into this view (at least in the case of the iPhone 5), the pre-installed app in iOS 7 only shows five days.
If you prefer to see an overview of the next seven days instead of the week displayed from Monday, there is an option in the settings to switch the display from the current day. Thus, the weekly overview can start on Thursday, for example.
Month and year
I have to admit that iOS 6 and earlier versions have had the best monthly view of the iPhone so far. In iOS 7, Apple completely killed the monthly overview, instead Readdle prepared a grid in which you can see a list of events for individual days in the form of rectangles. However, due to the dimensions of the iPhone display, you will usually only see the first word of the event name (if it is short). It is possible to switch to landscape mode for better visibility.
Probably the most useful is the option to zoom in with two fingers on the display. Pinch to zoom is a rather ingenious solution for this type of display on a small display, and you may use it often for a quick overview of the month. The iPad version shows the month classically, similar to the Calendar in iOS 7, only the direction of the swipe to change the month differs.
The annual overview on the iPad will then offer a normal view of all 12 months, unlike the Calendar in iOS 7, at least it will indicate which days you have more events by using colors. From the annual overview, you can then quickly switch to a specific month by clicking on its name, or to a specific day.
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One of the most unique features of Calendars 5 is task integration, specifically Apple Reminders. The integration could also be seen in other third-party applications, Fantastical for Mac displayed them separately, Agenda Calendar 4 showed them side by side with events from the calendar. A combined calendar and task app has always been a productivity dream of mine. He did that, for example Pocket Informant, on the other hand, only offered proprietary sync.
The way Calendars 5 integrates tasks is probably the best I've seen in calendar apps. Not only does it display tasks alongside events, but it includes a full-featured reminder manager. Switching to task mode is like opening a separate client for Apple's Reminders. By synchronizing with them, Calendars 5 can work with other applications and services connected to them, for example with the notification center or the application 2Do, which enables similar synchronization.
The to-do list in the app is handled better than Reminders in iOS 7 in many ways. It automatically considers your default list as Inbox and ranks it at the very top above other lists. The next group contains the Today, Upcoming (all tasks with a due date listed chronologically), Completed, and All lists. Then follows a group of all lists. Tasks can be performed, created or edited in the manager. For example, it is nice to drag and drop tasks between lists on the iPad, where, for example, you can drag a task to the Today list to schedule it for today.
Calendars 5 supports most task flags, so you can specify their repetition, set a due date and a date with a reminder time, task repetition or a note. Only notifications for locations are missing. If you get over this shortcoming, Calendars 5 can become not only your calendar app, but also an ideal to-do list that looks a lot better than Apple's apps.
Creating events
The application allows you to create events in several ways, some of which I have described above. One of the most useful ways is using natural language. This is nothing new among iOS applications, the first time we could see this feature was Fantastical, which was able to guess what the name of the event, date and time or place was based on the typed text.
Smart entry in Calendars 5 works on the same principle (you can also turn it off and enter events classically), it should be noted that the syntax only works in English. If you want to add new events to the calendar this way, you have to learn the syntax rules, but it doesn't take too much time. For example by entering "Lunch with Pavel on Sunday 16-18 at Wenceslas Square" you create a meeting on Sunday from 16:00 PM to 18:00 PM with the Wenceslas Square location. The application also includes help, where you can find all the options for smart input.
The editor itself is excellently resolved, for example months, not from rotating cylinders as in the Calendar in iOS 7, as well as the time is depicted as a 6x4 matrix for hours and a bottom bar for selecting minutes. You will see the same matrix when entering a reminder. The connection with maps is also great, where you enter the name of a place or a specific street in the relevant field and the application will start suggesting specific places. The given address can then be opened in Maps, unfortunately the integrated map is missing.
Then, to insert a task, you first make a space in the smart input field, after which a check box icon will appear next to the name. A task cannot be entered using the English syntax as with events, but you can set individual attributes including a list after entering its name.
Interface and other features
While switching views and the task list on the iPad is handled by the top bar, on the iPhone this bar is hidden under the menu button, so switching is not nearly as fast, and I hope that the developers will solve this problem, either with better layout of elements or gestures. Under the calendar icon are hidden settings for individual calendars, where you can turn them off, rename or change their color.
Everything else can be found in the settings. Classically, you can choose the default duration of the event or the default reminder time, or the choice of preferred view after starting the application. There is also the option to display the current day on the badge next to the icon, but this can also be changed to the number of today's events and tasks. There is no need to elaborate on calendar support, you can of course find here iCloud, Google Cal or any CalDAV.
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There are many quality calendar apps in the App Store, and it's not that easy to stand out among them. Readdle has an excellent reputation for productivity apps, and Calendars 5 is definitely among the best, not only in Readdle's portfolio, but also among the competition in the App Store.
We had the opportunity to try many calendars, each of them had their pros and cons. Calendars 5 is a no-compromise calendar with unique reminder integration that you won't find in any other app. Along with useful insights into your agenda, this is one of the best apps of its kind to be found on the App Store. Although the price is higher, you can buy Calendars 5 for 5,99 euros, but you get both the version for iPhone and for iPad, in addition, it is essentially two applications in one. If you depend on a good and clear organization of your time on iOS, I can highly recommend Calendars 5.
[app url=”https://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/calendars-5-smart-calendar/id697927927?mt=8″]
Very nice review.
I decided to try it, but I can't figure out how to make the badge appear on the application icon when an event is detected, as it is with classic reminders in iOS. I have it confirmed in the settings, but the badge just won't show up
This is a very important feature for me, so thanks in advance for the tip.
Settingd – View Options – App badge icon – All Events For Day (for example)
Díky
and how is it with the synchronization of the laptop or the desktop on osx?
Normally via CalDAV, works with any calendar.
Can anyone compare it to Pocket Informant? I use PI and have beta versions of apps from Readdle, but have overlooked Calendars 5 until now.
I can't find a year view on my iPhone.
As I wrote in the review, it is only on the iPad.
I bought it. Unfortunately, it is not possible to create and confirm invitations...so I'm deleting again.
Can hotmail.com and Exchange calendar too?
Don't know how to turn off birthdays that are displayed from Facebook? I have them turned off in the iOs calendar, thank you.
It's probably not what in Czech??? Thanks for the reply
Invitations for iCloud users (they work for Gmail), according to readle, will be available in version 5.3, so we'll see...
Is this calendar compatible with MacBook Air? I bought the iPhone and iPad version and would like to connect it all
Classically via iCloud (CalDAV).