Google Calendar Part II

So it has been 30 day’s plus with Google calendar and I wanted to give some follow-up thoughts on the product. If you read my first post on Google Calendar, you know that I was not completely sold on it. I just couldn’t get excited about it. After messing around with it for 30+, I can tell you why it doesn’t work for me. In point of fact it’s a pretty cool application and may provide you with a lot of positive benefits, but I’m speaking for those like myself who are really on the go.

The Frictionless
1. Google Calendar is incredibly easy to use. The interface is well thought out. Just click on a date and start entering your information. I really like how you could simply name an event or smoothly get to the detailed view.

2. You can share and download other calendars. For example, you can download and calendars people have created for various events and then import them into your own calendars.

3. You can easily setup multiple calendars and view them in a flash.

The Friction
1. My number one problem with Google Calendar, believe it or not is that I am not connected to the web. I sometimes leave my laptop or desktop. If I’m not connected to the web not only do I not get to my calendar, but I also don’t get event alerts. Interestingly enough I found out there are two things I never leave behind, which are my cell phone and iPod. I’ll get to that later.

2. Google Calendar does not work in Safari or Opera. That is an interesting zinger and surprises me quite a bit. Given that the advantage of a web browser is platform independence, Google obviously has some sort of dependence there. Whatever that is, I don’t really care and just like to do stuff in my applications, not sit there and why it doesn’t work over there.

3. Google Calendar doesn’t link directly to Gmail. I’d like to be able look at an email and if I need to set an appointment with that person, quickly add an appointment. Currently there is no such luck here. What seemed even odder to me is that in the upper left hand corner, you have your links to where you are e.g. calendar, Gmail, Google, etc. I have no idea why they couldn’t fully or more tightly integrate those two products. People tend to like integration vs. isolation in their information apps.

Conclusion
The above being said, the friction out weighs the frictionless. Of all the items listed, the deal breaker for me was the connectivity issue. Web calendars are cool, but they are just that, tied to the web. The other side is that I did come to realize how easy and logical it was to use my iPod and cell phone for the calendar function. In the end, I settled on my iPod for a couple of reasons. Here are just a few:

1. Every time I sync my iPod, not only is my calendar updated, but also my contact and task list. Enter info once, view enter through my desktop, laptop or iPod.

2. My iPod provides alerts from my calendar, no matter where I am. Given that it’s in my top menu level, I’m only one click away at anytime from checking my calendar and events.

3. I can use iCal to import data from Google calendar. What that means it that when I came across an “On this day in history” calendar, I could easily import it in to iCal and automatically have that on my iPod. Nice.

You may not have an iPod, but as I said, the cell phone (depending on the make and model) can be just as easy. It’s totally based on preference on that one. It just depends on how you want to experience your digital life.

Observing Google, I’m sure that there will be improvements as time goes by. I sure hope that they find a compelling way to innovate. Another thought is that as this time, Google Calendar is Beta-ware, so I suppose that give them any number of outs (including killing the project if they decided to). We will have to wait and see, but in the mean time a calendar as killer app will go to the cell phone, iPod, PDA or other similar digital device.

// Jaye Morris, Technologist

Illegal Immigrants Meet Cyberspace

It’s obvious that we are a Nation of Immigrants. If your not a Native American Indian, then your in some way, shape or form an immigrant. That’s an easy and simple fact. The controversy regarding illegal immigrants is pretty interesting on several fronts, but there’s one angle that President Bush, the United States Senate and Congress, and business owners are not talking about. Identity theft.

In order for illegal immigrants to work here in the United States, they have to obtain a “social security” number. In all cases this is coming from the existing pool of numbers (both living and deceased). As I watched video of all those people marching through various cities, what I was thinking was, “look at all that identity theft.”

Americans have to understand, like it or not, your Social Security” number is actually the most important link of information that each of us have which helps to define us. Just think about how many services you use that have your Social Security number as a part of your profile. There’s a line that can be traced through cyberspace, from your banking to health insurance, to loans, to credit scoring agencies to governmental agencies, to even your cellular service in many cases.

Illegal immigrants are demanding “equal rights.” Illegal immigrants are demanding to be “let out of the shadows.” But what they don’t talk about or take personal responsibility for is the fact that they put themselves in the shadows by “illegally” gaining entry into The United States and then stealing someone’s identity in order to get that job that supposedly no America want to do. On that scale, I don’t care if you’re from Mexico, China, Ireland, India, Africa or anywhere else. Identity theft can be a devastating experience for legal citizens and lives can and have been ruined by this type of criminal activity. I saw a sign yesterday saying “we are not criminals… let us become legal citizens.” Actually if you steal someone else’s Social Security number and assume all or part of that person’s identity, you are a criminal. It’s called fraud and impersonation.

I have a few final thoughts to add a little perspective to the identity theft issue. It’s estimated that there are in the range of 11 to 20 million illegal immigrants. Cutting that number in half to play it conservative that’s 5.5 to 10 million stolen Social Security numbers. That’s just plain staggering.

If you want to become an American citizen, I say “fine.” My only request is please do it with out stealing legal American’s identity.

// Jaye Morris, Technologist