Regulars
Question of the Day: What Gadgets Do You Use to Keep Your Life Organised?
Posted by Sean Fallon at 7:20 AM on September 5, 2008
I have to admit, I am nothing without my mobile—my whole life is crammed into that thing. Back in the day I wandered around aimlessly—my appointments scribbled down here and there on random scraps of paper. Fortunately, I manage to keep up these days because the software makes it easy and my phone is always close at hand. That having been said, I'm curious to know what tools you use to keep your schedule organised.

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Alex
Posted September 6, 2008 1:48 PM
I use the Nokia Calendar App on my 6120 classic. I can't live without it now. It won't sync to my mac, but shmeh... It works for me and I don't forget things anymore.
Cordfucious v 2.0.1
Posted 7:58 AM 5/9/08
T-Mobile Dash with Jott, Remember the Milk, and ReQall and I sync with outlook '07. The redundancy serves as back-ups... oh and not to forget Dashwire
Cordfucious v 2.0.1
bhaelochon
Posted 7:57 AM 5/9/08
I use Google Calendar's online interface, as well as Thunderbird with the MozCal and GCal proxy add-ons so I have an offline copy.
bhaelochon
Curves
Posted 7:56 AM 5/9/08
Old fashioned paper calendar booklet that I keep in my purse. Invaluable at tax time too.
Curves
lpranal
Posted 7:56 AM 5/9/08
I got my first, second, AND third windows mobile devices for this purpose. Guess what? 3 strikes, and you're out. Sorry Bill. The iPhone broke down enough barriers to at least have a chance at keeping me (somewhat) organized, which is an accomplishment for me.
lpranal
Ken_Darrow
Posted 7:55 AM 5/9/08
iPhone for myself. iPod Touch for many others. Now that Mobile Me is working really good, work and personal stuff all sync OTA. Which is really nice.
Ken_Darrow
dc-united
Posted 7:54 AM 5/9/08
My wife.
On weekends I ask "Do we have anything planned?"
She tells me.
I also use an iPhone w/ iCal (Outlook on my Windows boxes - home and work)
dc-united
Phenostar
Posted 7:52 AM 5/9/08
@WMyers: You beat me to it.
I used to use daylight, ical, mail to-do.
This summer has been too busy to be handled by anything, including my brain.
Phenostar
Salinger
Posted 7:50 AM 5/9/08
iPhone Synced with Office outlook 2007....suits me just fine....i can handle appointments on the fly and i can add detailed events using my< pc when i get home. Plus i have them wherever i go....online or on the road.
Salinger
bimplebean
Posted 7:47 AM 5/9/08
Cingular 3125 Smartphone hacked with Windows Mobile 6.1, synchronized with Outlook at work, which also synchronizes with Outlook and Outlook Express at home via Plaxo.
bimplebean
Mr Torben
Posted 7:47 AM 5/9/08
Blackberry with BES(exchange) and BIS
Mr Torben
WMyers
Posted 7:46 AM 5/9/08
wife...does she count as a gadget?
WMyers
Scott
Posted 7:44 AM 5/9/08
@nutbastard: I miss those days. I need to free up my time a bit. I'm over committed right now.
Scott
shamoononon has a hebetudinous dog
Posted 7:44 AM 5/9/08
Post-it-notes and my forearm... and something to write with. I pretend not to be able to use the outlook calender, that's my 'I forgot about the meeting' excuse.
shamoononon has a hebetudinous dog
enchantedgoose
Posted 7:44 AM 5/9/08
a piece of paper...
enchantedgoose
Scott
Posted 7:43 AM 5/9/08
Just stupid boring Outlook.
Scott
rezin khanz
Posted 7:43 AM 5/9/08
palm centro
rezin khanz
deenster
Posted 7:43 AM 5/9/08
I try very hard to use any gadget I can to keep my life organized, but at the end of the day, I need a gadget to organize all my gadgets. It's out of control. I spend too much time organizing and not enough time actually doing anything. It's the ultimate conundrum of the GTD generation.
deenster
YamIinLawSchool
Posted 7:42 AM 5/9/08
iphone and ical
YamIinLawSchool
12-Inch Idongivafuck Sandwich
Posted 7:40 AM 5/9/08
Blackberry...and now I could never go back...I will always have some sort of PDA type phone from now on.
12-Inch Idongivafuck Sandwich
gamecrazychris
Posted 7:38 AM 5/9/08
iphone calendar for important stuff and a calendar I got for free at gamestop for free for everything else.
gamecrazychris
RoboChop
Posted 7:36 AM 5/9/08
Sadly none...I use my addled mind to less than stellar results.
RoboChop
RE-L
Posted 7:35 AM 5/9/08
I could not vote because I use several: cellphone (notes tool for keeping addresses for job interviews and places we go out to in NYC); a wall calendar for things that everyone in the house has to see (like due dates for bills); a small dry-erase white board on the fridge for reminders like REPLACE WHAT YOU FINISH! DO NOT SLAM CABINET DOORS! FLUSH THE TOILET! etc..; and at work I MUST use my Entourage calendar otherwise I'd never be able to keep up with all the projects and meetings. I think that's it.
RE-L
jagowar
Posted 7:35 AM 5/9/08
moto q synced to my google calendar...
jagowar
marm0lade
Posted 7:35 AM 5/9/08
I get my weekly agenda tattooed on my arm every monday.
marm0lade
Glare
Posted 7:34 AM 5/9/08
I need something though.. any recommendations?
Glare
Glare
Posted 7:34 AM 5/9/08
I need a Blackberry Curve bad, but Sprint requires me to extend my contract by 2 years an extra $99.
Screw them, I'm switching to at&t once my folks get the family plan done with.. next year :(
Glare
joandrade
Posted 7:34 AM 5/9/08
Windows Mobile 6 PDA
joandrade
rospaya
Posted 7:31 AM 5/9/08
Long term: MS One Note combined with Facebook events and birthdays (They are actually very important to women. Who knew?), and short term, as in the next 2-3 days: notes app on my Nokia E51 or whatever phone I use that week.
rospaya
shorty63136
Posted 7:30 AM 5/9/08
iPhone synced to iCal at home and Entourage at work.
Wall calendar at work - sometimes I just need the pen and paper.
Post-It Notes & To-Do lists - again, old school is necessary for me sometimes.
shorty63136
Xelinor
Posted 7:30 AM 5/9/08
Memory...I am not a very organized person :)
Xelinor
zimstyles
Posted 7:25 AM 5/9/08
Blackberry synced to work via bes (exchange) and a personal blackberry for home..
zimstyles
praevalesco
Posted 7:24 AM 5/9/08
Bad title, keeping your life organized can constitute many other things than just calendaring. That being said...
Outlook syncing
Todoist for the todo's
praevalesco
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 7:24 AM 5/9/08
Me and At-A-Glance kick it old-school.
92BuickLeSabre
nutbastard
Posted 7:23 AM 5/9/08
my life is fairly simple with few obligations - pretty much after work, im free to do whatever. wednesdays i hang out with the russians. that's pretty much it.
nutbastard
breamarie
Posted 7:22 AM 5/9/08
iCal + mobileme = organized on iPhone, Macbook Pro, and Powermac G5 <3
breamarie
Geisrud
Posted 7:22 AM 5/9/08
BB synced with outlook (contacts and calendar)
Geisrud
Joseph
Posted 7:22 AM 5/9/08
@Joseph: Nope, I'm an idiot.
Joseph
Joseph
Posted 7:22 AM 5/9/08
White board? I guess that's other.
Joseph
darth_indy
Posted 8:14 AM 5/9/08
Google Calendar, when it comes to calendaring. Syncs with both Outlook at work and Thunderbird at home and all my family's calendars. I can't do paper calendars because my schedule changes so much and I want/need to be able to access it anywhere; that's also why I choose Google calendar; the interwebs is everywheres!
darth_indy
caliaa
Posted 8:10 AM 5/9/08
Thunderbird's Lighting synchronized with my Windows Mobile phone. Google Cal sucks because it doesn't support tasks, wtf Google!
caliaa
sebas0069
Posted 8:09 AM 5/9/08
Iphone/Ical
sebas0069
mrtech
Posted 8:08 AM 5/9/08
Treo 700p with Palm calender. Still waiting for the next version of Palm software, hopefully in 2009. Really hate outlook (all versions) for calender
mrtech
dwight-schrute
Posted 8:04 AM 5/9/08
Google Calendar + SMS notifications = saved my butt plenty
dwight-schrute
ferrdidly
Posted 8:03 AM 5/9/08
iCal/iPhone
ferrdidly
shiftyeyedgoat
Posted 8:01 AM 5/9/08
I actually just mentioned this morning that my life is getting to the point where what I do and exactly when I do it is requiring more than my passing attention minutes before a scheduled item is to be done.
That being said, I use solely my memory currently, but I will soon update to using my iPhone's calendar and perhaps a computerized version soon enough.
shiftyeyedgoat
urbanturban666
Posted 7:58 AM 5/9/08
installed samurize to show to do lists on my desktop...
urbanturban666
Stash
Posted 8:37 AM 5/9/08
iPod touch syncing with MobileMe for Calendar, Contacts and Mail.
Stash
TuxRug
Posted 8:33 AM 5/9/08
PDA Synced to a Calendar
I keep my iPod Touch synced to my University's exchange server via push.
TuxRug
mailbox01
Posted 8:25 AM 5/9/08
Exchange thru 1&1 and Outlook 2007 at home & work and my Tilt. Everything is update real-time whereever I'm at.
mailbox01
freelunch
Posted 8:21 AM 5/9/08
Blackberry Pearl synced to Lotus calendar with reminders on half of the stuff...
and also a Blackberry Curve as a fallback if the Pearl doesn't work for some reason...
and last of all, an old Motorola V180 that doesn't have a camera that I have to use when visiting secure facilities.
freelunch
aec007
Posted 8:20 AM 5/9/08
Moto Q9h global + outlook
aec007
anti-hello-kitty
Posted 8:57 AM 5/9/08
Treo 680 synced with Outlook at home. Agendus for organization of ToDo's/Calendar events.
and
iPhone also with Calendar/iProcrastinate.
and
Franklin Covey pocket planner for weekly planning...
anti-hello-kitty
AdmNaismith
Posted 8:55 AM 5/9/08
Palm T/X with the Palm Desktop. What more do you need?
I have a pay-as-you-go cell phone for the odd text and voice call.
AdmNaismith
Akibake-
Posted 8:53 AM 5/9/08
Before iCal, I basically didn't care about organizing my time. Now, I can remember birthdays. Ok, it's a bit more than that. Syncing with my cell definitely helps, with setting reminders on the go. I think the iCal app on the iPhone could really be redesigned to make it easier to use at-a-glance. Other than that, it's as much "structure" as I need.
Akibake-
m4ximusprim3
Posted 8:44 AM 5/9/08
unfortunately, my work (and therefore my life) runs on lotusnotes 7.
Translation: I'm a sad, sad man.
m4ximusprim3
puntai
Posted 9:12 AM 5/9/08
notepad
remember the milk
puntai
silence04
Posted 9:08 AM 5/9/08
OS X iCal with BusySync organizes and schedules my Graphic Design department at work.
I tried about 20 different demos and free job scheduling apps, after using those, i thought i'd be using the dry erase board for the rest of my life. Finally decided to try iCal, and wow... it's everything my department needed!
silence04
ripfire
Posted 9:06 AM 5/9/08
@m4ximusprim3: Hey, it could be worse; it could've been using Groupwise.
ripfire
ripfire
Posted 9:03 AM 5/9/08
Me? Organized? Ha!
But when I'm out for business, it's WM6 synced to outlook.
ripfire
sonburn
Posted 9:34 AM 5/9/08
ipod touch - best PDA I've ever owned.
sonburn
saronian
Posted 9:56 AM 5/9/08
iCal to iPhone via BusySync. Very solid!
saronian
Ubert
Posted 9:51 AM 5/9/08
@breamarie:
I'm with you, only I'm using an iPod Touch with a MacBook Pro.
Ubert
graham1010
Posted 9:51 AM 5/9/08
Blackberry Curve pulling work e-mail/calendar as well as my personal e-mails. No question I wouldn't know what to do without it now. Which I know is pretty sad!
graham1010
phlavor
Posted 9:42 AM 5/9/08
I put gCal because it is the central hub but it all syncs with the rest of my family, iCal (which I never open) and my iPhone.
phlavor
cowpop
Posted 10:13 AM 5/9/08
There isn't anything sophisticated yet for me to use in a snap and be organized. I've seen people crumble because they only kept their life organized on technology and *boom* it went. Memory's the way to go unfortunately., until the day we have a wrist-gadget that's lightning fast and shows me stuff in a simple way. No competition here unfortunately.
cowpop
jharris0221
Posted 10:10 AM 5/9/08
Both desktop and laptop pull off Gcal.
Desktop and laptop use outlook.
Desktop syncs both cellphone (Xv-6700) and iPod touch.
All of them are in sync. I can always access my data.
jharris0221
djcaleb
Posted 10:06 AM 5/9/08
iPhone to MobileMe to iCal for me.
djcaleb
philesaid
Posted 10:00 AM 5/9/08
iphone nuevasync'd to gcal.
...'otta stay away from outlook & mobileme. eh.
philesaid
WeedMonkey
Posted 10:27 AM 5/9/08
I really hoped iPhone would be the answer, but I need a to-do list that syncs to Outlook. So for now I'm sticking with an old Palm syncing to Outlook on a PC.
WeedMonkey
danmandle
Posted 10:54 AM 5/9/08
I use push syncing with my Clarkson University's exchange server to my computers and my iPhone
danmandle
fussnfeathers
Posted 10:52 AM 5/9/08
I use my Treo, loaded up with Agendus Premium, synced to Outlook. My memory just ain't what it used to be....
What was I saying?
fussnfeathers
shenanigans
Posted 10:44 AM 5/9/08
true jedi masters use memory.
shenanigans
strider_mt2k
Posted 11:09 AM 5/9/08
I go where the universe takes me.
OOh! Piece of candy!
strider_mt2k
FredicvsMaximvs
Posted 12:10 PM 5/9/08
Moto Q9m synched to Outlook at home and work.
FredicvsMaximvs
HeL0
Posted 12:23 PM 5/9/08
ThingsToDo.txt
relatively low tech, works for me
HeL0
Freeassociator
Posted 1:11 PM 5/9/08
HTC Tornado synched with MS Exchange.
Old but works.
Freeassociator
squarie
Posted 1:08 PM 5/9/08
crackberry+giant franklin-covey planner thingie
squarie
tech-tard
Posted 1:46 PM 5/9/08
To Dos are in OneNote & sync with OneNote Mobile on WinMo phone. Outlook does all the backend calendaring stuff for work. Google Calendar for personal events w/ google calendar sync
tech-tard
infmom
Posted 1:49 PM 5/9/08
We have a big wall calendar in the breakfast nook to keep track of family plans and events. I have a PDA, husband has a Crackberry. We also go through a lot of Post-It notes.
infmom
jabiez
Posted 2:12 PM 5/9/08
iCal+iPhone+ wall calendar :)
jabiez
HonusWScruggs
Posted 3:09 PM 5/9/08
I'm becoming a big fan of Groove. It's the best way I've found to manage the same set of work on multiple computers used in different places, and to occasionally work with others.
HonusWScruggs
Narfmaster
Posted 4:47 PM 5/9/08
iPhone to iCal, and then a biiiig whiteboard for task lists. Always forget to check them on a computer so having them in physical form is so much better.
Narfmaster
mister_s
Posted 7:18 PM 5/9/08
@breamarie: so proud *cough* smug *cough* you are. good for you.
mister_s
pixeljunkie
Posted 8:52 PM 5/9/08
Google cal synced SE K550 thru goosync
and 30min reminder(sms) for each event
pixeljunkie
TBM-Fan
Posted 10:41 PM 5/9/08
I use whiteboard, outlook, paper agenda, my own memory
and besides that a cell phone and my ipod
i think that's all....
TBM-Fan
BethanyBoo
Posted 10:41 PM 5/9/08
I used to use google calendar, sync that up with iCal, then sync with my iPhone. Now I use iCal, mobileme for syncing, and my iPhone.
BethanyBoo
hanswurst0815
Posted 11:08 PM 5/9/08
HTC Wizard with Outlook.
hanswurst0815
mjschmidt
Posted 11:08 PM 5/9/08
Can't pick multiple options in the poll at one time. And why no yahoo! Calendar? Not everyone loves Google as much as Gawker does.
PDA (synced with...)
Yahoo! Calendar
Cellphone
Wife
mjschmidt
KStrike155
Posted 11:42 PM 5/9/08
Google Calendar synced with Mozilla Thunderbird/Lightning/GCalProvider on 3 computers.
I love it.
KStrike155
Minifig
Posted 11:28 PM 5/9/08
I adore iCal, but since I don't have an iPod Touch or iPhone, I use a moleskine planner book. Old fashion pen & paper... works when I remember to use it ;)
Minifig
ppiddy
Posted 11:58 PM 5/9/08
I use iCal+iPhone for my own work stuff, Groupwise to view coworkers calendars, and Google for sharing calendars with friends/family. But...
Groupwise won't sync with any of them until the Notifylink connection at work is updated.
Google calendar can be downloaded into iCal as a static feed, but I can't edit GCal entries in iCal and then sync them back to Google.
iCal can get its contents into google calendar via my WebDAV server, which are then editable on Google Calendar, but they won't sync back to iCal (except via the uneditable feed).
Syncing multiple macs is a pain. The contents of the WebDAV server won't gracefully sync my two macs without hackery. The iPhone only syncs to one computer, which makes managing calendars on multiple computers a royal pain, even if you edit the binary library files to make the iTunes unique ID the same.
Oh, and at this 30,000+ person university people use virtually every calendaring system so coordinating meetings between departments is a joke. Then there's coordinating schedules with the various consulting firms we use on projects...
Paper calendars seem like a good idea after writing this...
ppiddy
f0rge
Posted 12:27 AM 6/9/08
iphone synced to outlook
f0rge
TR3-A
Posted 1:52 AM 6/9/08
Keep my life organized? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...(choke)... oh my. But seriously...
TR3-A
Rain-man
Posted 2:11 AM 6/9/08
I use my iPhone synced with iCal, but I rarely refer to iCal. I usually schedule events with the calendar app and make to do lists with the ToDo app. And I am waaaaay more organized because of it.
Rain-man
Ubik2501
Posted 2:54 AM 6/9/08
Various methods, in order of most-used to least-used:
-Cellphone (Blackberry Pearl)
-Moleskine notebook
-Rainlendar on main PC
I mostly use my cellphone to alert me for important appointments, while Rainlendar goes more towards planning weekend or family activities, and the Moleskine pretty much absorbs all of those two plus any random things that enter my mind (including my budget).
As much of a gadget whore as I am, the idea of syncing appointments and such across numerous apps and devices strikes me as nothing but a giant hassle.
Ubik2501
Rebles
Posted 9:07 AM 5/9/08
I use Outlook 2007 + iPhone which syncs to my (trial) MobileMe. I use stickies for the ToDo's :)
Rebles
Duc
Posted 4:45 AM 6/9/08
Fortunately for me I'm a loser so I keep this technology stuff to a minimum.
At work I use Entourage, a good ol' 8x5 spiral notebook, and an iPaq (tho rarely the iPaq cause its a piece)
At home I use iCal and a mini legal pad.
Duc
desmondie
Posted 5:55 AM 6/9/08
@ppiddy: Try Calgoo for two way sync between iCal and Gcal. Perfect.
desmondie
desmondie
Posted 5:53 AM 6/9/08
@desmondie: and no spell check!!
desmondie
desmondie
Posted 5:52 AM 6/9/08
Google calendar synced to Outlook (work pc using google calendar sync), iCal (home Mac using Calgoo) and Balckberry. the BB is the key coz it's always with me! (Oh! And a Moleskine pocket weekly notebook diary for expenses and notes.)
desmondie
ZekeSulastin
Posted 7:32 AM 6/9/08
Outlook 2007 + Treo = :D
ZekeSulastin
dnem41
Posted 1:08 PM 7/9/08
umm i dont like how iCal's interface isnt customizable. i wish Sunbird would be developed for the Mac and eventually would have sexy themes for add-ons.
dnem41
toddrick
Posted 2:13 AM 9/9/08
Psion Series 5mx. Yes, still. I think someone really needs to bring an updated (WiFi, USB) model of this machine to market. Instant on, usable keyboard, runs on AA batteries, large touch screen, great calendar, etcetera.
toddrick
Kalidor
Posted 9:36 PM 9/9/08
HTC TYTN II synced with Outlook
Kalidor
jcoll
Posted 7:23 AM 11/9/08
1. Outlook synced with GCal to Iphone.
2. Moleskine
jcoll