Cross-platform organizer/calendar

[CleanChucks]

Hi guys,

Having a bit of trouble organizing and managing my personal life and business, and I'm looking for some help.

I'm looking specifically for a way of syncing a calendar-type program to my desktops and laptop, and a potential PDA/smartphone, with alerts at user-inputted intervals before the appointment would happen.

For example I log an appointment for activity A in a week, then have reminders a day before, and an hour before, either by gmail or some other way that I'm guaranteed to notice and receive. If I could get smartphone to keep with me at all times that would get this done, that'd be great.

I'm a bit clueless with them at the moment, but have been eyeing several android phones, blackberrys, iphone, etc. but am unsure I'll be getting exactly what I need with any of the above.

(To give you an idea of the type of thing I'm looking for, think 'gmail notifier' add-on in firefox, but for calendars on a smartphone).

Other things I'm looking for in the smartphone: gmail access (and alerts for new mail?), and general monthly pricing for a Canadian.

Thanks for any help, much appreciated!

[glc]

Have you looked at this?

http://www.google.com/intl/en/googlecalendar/about.html

[CleanChucks]

Yeah, I currently use google calendar. Problem is I'll have an appointment for a week ahead, then forget to check my calendar the day before/day of, and there goes the appointment.

I need something that actually alerts me, like the aforementioned gmail notifier with it's popup every time you get a new email. Maybe a rumble or a call on the smartphone...

[XenaWP]

Any Windows Mobile phone (HTC makes lots, Samsung, HP, etc.) will sync your PC Outlook to the phone's contacts, appointments, tasks, reminders, etc. Email can be sync'ed too.

[CleanChucks]

Should have done a bit more research before posting here; it basically looks like most (if not all) new smartphones have their own personal calendar/reminder system included, and most can access gmail/google calendar which actually does have a built-in reminder system which I somehow missed until now.

I'm now just comparing the prices of phones and the rates, have yet to decide between what will most likely be a blackberry storm, iphone 3Gs or a motorola droid.

Thanks for the replies!

[XenaWP]

Among those you list, I'd go for any Android-based phone any day. They are still a little raw, but the platform is so much more open than Apple or RIM.

[CleanChucks]

Yeah, I've heard really good things about droid phones.

Only problem is with pricing - my girlfriend and a few of my friends have blackberrys, and with their relatively cheap BBM service it would save us all quite a bit on text messaging. But I really want a droid

[wolfhound]

I love my HTC Hero. It allows my wife to share a calendar and that way we can see what the other signs us up for.