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BusyCal is out and just as awesome as BusySync

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Sep 30th 2009 at 8:33PM

busysync
Let's face it, data sync is the real Big Bag of Hurt in our brave, digital world. But since I started using BusySync over a year ago, much of my calendar sync issues have dissolved away. BusyCal, the successor to BusySync, was recently released and it is just as amazing as BusySync at keeping your iCal and Google Calendar data in sync. In fact, it is much, much better than BusySync because it is an iCal replacement.

The idea is simple: you want to have 2-way sync between your iCal stuff, your Google calendar stuff and any local Macs. Simple, yes, but so complicated very few do it right. There's MobileMe if you stick with Apple's solution, and Google Sync if you are a devout Gmail user, but there's still the issue of 2-way sync when it comes to subscribing to calendars. And let's not forget that MobileMe data has to go to Apple's servers when you could sync between computers locally, right?

BusySync fixed all of this for me. Local Macs used Bonjour to connect and sync, and my Google calendars appeared in iCal with seamless 2-way sync. Calendar data is a tricky thing, and the last thing you want to happen is to have all your appointments and reminders vaporize in an instant. However, I can report that BusyCal doesn't nuke anything. Like 1Password, you can always go back to Apple's default tools.

Enter BusyCal as a full application. Why replace iCal? I have to admit, I was a little skeptical. BusyCal is iCal evolved, providing a better experience in several key ways. First, one feature I have longed for in iCal is a list view, a simple top-down view of every appointment within one or more calendars. This makes is much easier to make decisions about nuking an entire calendar at once, and is very handy if you have too many calendars or no time to go month by month, scanning for the right color or words. Second, there's a lot more UI finish to BusyCal, with easy-to-access panes for adjusting event info. Even Snow Leopard's iCal, which reduced the number of clicks it took to edit an event, doesn't allow you to edit events this easily. For you UIX geeks: a frickin' non-modal floating window OR an embedded entry window. What a concept!

Adding to the ease there are some nifty extras, such as seeing your to-do's grouped logically or moon phases and the week's weather in your calendar. Of course, these options are all configurable, as is the Google sync option. More than nifty are features like rich text, adding images and stickies to events, a more advanced alarm window, and offline editing. BusyCal has, in less than 24 hours, become a mission-critical application for my Mac, both at home and at work. If you are a BusySync user, you can upgrade for $10, or buy new for $40 (per computer). It is well worth the price if you deal with lots of calendars.

Be sure to check out our previous coverage here and here. I would also be remiss in pointing out Spanning Sync, which also syncs Address Book with your Google contacts, but works a bit differently.


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Let's face it, data sync is the real Big Bag of Hurt in our brave, digital world. But since I started using BusySync over a year ago, much...
 

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21 Comments

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Wayne

I've been using BusySync for about 18 months and made the move to BusyCal a few weeks ago.

In my case, the dated To Do's (which automatically move forward if not completed) and the ability to sync to multiple Google accounts was the big selling points.

Up to now, syncing to both my personal Google Calendar and my company's Google Apps Calendar was a major kludge.

If you live in iCal like I do, BusyCal might just be worth the $ for you.

October 01 2009 at 8:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
glev

There is another alternative - check out http://www.addressbookserver.com/

Shares both calendars and address books

October 01 2009 at 2:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lars

Next to the 'no iPhone' filter, I'd like something that filters out usage of the metaphor 'bag of hurt'.

October 01 2009 at 11:39 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Stefan (ZZESTO.COM)

Hi. Just to acknowledge the story. I've been using the trail version which is fully functional for 30 days, and also allowes for full and automatic move to iCal if you decide to NOT use it. And have purchased the payed version.

I actually don't even use the sync to LAN with other mac's option. I'm coming from a PC/Outlook history and need to sync that calendar to Google Calendar and use BusyCal to sync with Google Cal. And, yes, that is all also possible with iCal.

In my experience though differences are very much appearent in the UI, and the functionality that BusyCal provides over iCal. What I was used to in Outlook (integrated Mail, Addressbook and iCal) I could not at all find in especially iCal. BusyCal gave me better options for:

- easy (1 click, and keyboard) access to event-details (with prefs to what data is showed in default panes)
- snooze and dismissal options that make sense
- todo's
- dated todo's
- dated todo's auto add to todo list when are over due-date
- listview of all (upcoming, filtered or whatever) events
- very easy sync to Google Calendars
- etc
- etc

So, if you're a user where 40 euro's matter. Just go ahead and use an free alternative. If you're demanding serious functionality to plan and keep track of appointments, go BusyCal.

OT: on my iPhone I chose (and payed for) Informant. Calendar for the iPhone is, even more than iCal for the Mac, way too underpowered to be adequat for serious users.

kind regards
Stefan

October 01 2009 at 9:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jason Kratz

I'll echo the comments about CalDAV with Google. I used to use Spanning Sync to keep my contacts and calendars in sync with Google Calendar. This product isn't necessary for me anymore. The CalDAV option works flawlessly. I keep seeing many rave reviews for BusyCal all over the Mac websites and I still don't see what the killer feature is there that would make me want to spend money on it. I tried the beta and was not impressed by any means.

October 01 2009 at 9:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kieran Delaney

Why not just sync your Google Calendar with iCal using CalDav for free? It's perfect? I have multiple macs syncing with the same google calendar, and it's not costing me $40.

If you need a better calander then fine, but if you need to sync this isn;t really the answer.

October 01 2009 at 2:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
6 replies to Kieran Delaney's comment
raymo

I've been using BusyCal beta for a couple months and love it! Very solid product and soooo much better than iCal, especially if you want to share calendars. I can't recommend it enough!
//Ray

October 01 2009 at 12:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt

I used the beta version for a long time and it was awesome. However, one feature that was sorely missed was being able to make appointments straight from Mail. I use that so much, I had to go back to iCal.

September 30 2009 at 10:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MacBookOwner

Just curious, does the BusyCal dock icon show the correct day like iCal does?

September 30 2009 at 10:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to MacBookOwner's comment
Allan Smithee

No, it doesn't.

October 01 2009 at 1:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
no name

you can get list view in iCal by typing "." (yes, a dot) in Search and hit enter.

September 30 2009 at 9:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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