[alligator]

I'm frustrated that I can't keep my calendar in sync with my wife's calendar. I use computers, and she uses a paper kitchen calendar. We need to know when the other person has some activity scheduled so one of us can be home with our kids. What devices/tools do others use to keep everyone on the same page?

The first thing I thought of was a Palm, or Pocket PC based device. This will work for me, but not for my wife, who likes to write events on a paper calendar. Is there some device that I can get her to switch to that would have the look or feel of a paper calendar? I really don't want to buy another whole computer (like an iMac) for this. Is there anything smaller & cheaper that people could suggest?

In case it helps, I have a G5 and a PowerBook, but none are located in the kitchen where her calendar is located. Both are being used in the basement. I could use iSync to sync the calendars, and then use the web based .Mac calendar at work. Then I'd just have to worry about what my wife would use. Any ideas?

[DigitalEl]

If you find a solution, please share. My wife absolutely refuses to put stuff (doctor's appointments, after hours work events, etc.) in iCal. Most of the time she doesn't write them on her own calender either... Then it's everybody's emergency when the event comes up and "surprises" us. I offered to buy her a PDA, but she doesn't want one. My solution is to take the time to ask her what's coming up that week, putting it in iCal for her myself, then setting iCal's e-mail alerts to give everyone a heads up the day before. Inelegant... But problem (sort of) solved.

[bbales]

I can't help you with the "absolutely refuses" to put stuff on the kitchen calendar, though I'm completely sympathetic with the desire of wife No. 1 to using one!

I'm a person with a foot in several worlds. As I am a wife, as well as keeper of the home calendars (plus run my own home-based business), let me weigh in. We have a kitchen calendar and I get highly irate when stuff is NOT written on it. When it's on there, EVERYONE knows what is going on, or they would if they looked. The 3 kids are also expected to write their things down (and I have a 16-year-old who works -- I'm always harping at her to put her days/hours down).

THis is far from streamlined, but the best way I've found is to write the stuff on the kitchen calendar, then input it to the laptop to ical. I then sync my laptop to my desktop, which is in my basement home office. (I also sync the desktop to my Palm.

Let's face it, if you want to be computerized, at SOME point, the information has to be input. So start with the kitchen calendar for writing it down, and input from there. For us, the kitchen calendar holds everything and if you want it on a computer, then use the kitchen calendar as the blueprint.

Oh -- I BELIEVE many calendar programs will allow you to print out pages, so if it really grates you to have to write stuff down, you could input first, then print out a new calendar as things change. But I suspect that won't work nearly as well. For one thing, you can't write things down that are months out.

[ism]

For us, the kitchen calendar holds everything and if you want it on a computer, then use the kitchen calendar as the blueprint/[/B]

As much as I love technology, I have to recognise my girlfriend doesn't (Unless it's buying clothes online). Sometimes you just can't beat paper and a pen for usability.

Plus, my girlfriend bought me the Holly Valance calendar we have in the kitchen. Way better than iCal.

[alligator]

Maybe I'll just have to accept that there isn't an electronic solution. I discussed this briefly with my wife last night, but she tends to tune me out when I get into discussions about electronic items like the computer.

[buffalolee]

Hi,

Why don't you just buy an iMac G5 for the kitchen. Set it up so that iCal starts up everytime you boot up the computer. It may be very expensive, but it might be the best solution.

If your wife spends 80% of her life in the kitchen, why not place a computer there. If she has a schedule, I am sure she doesn't want to go to another room to add an item to a calendar and walk back.

[bbales]

Now there's a great idea -- although a lot more expensive than mine!
Of course, she'd have to have room for that in the kitchen. ON the other hand, hook it up wirelessly and she'd probably never LEAVE the kitchen! neither would the kids. Neither would anyone. Instead, everyone would be fighting over using the new G5.

[-Q-]

That's what my wife uses her old iBook (clamshell) for - an internet and recipe station for the kitchen. You could probably pick up an old iBook on eBay for use as a calendar station.

[Casper Crane]

Originally posted by alligator:
The first thing I thought of was a Palm, or Pocket PC based device. This will work for me, but not for my wife, who likes to write events on a paper calendar. Is there some device that I can get her to switch to that would have the look or feel of a paper calendar?

well, i am loathe to suggest it, but the only computerized device that can have the feel of a paper calendar is a tablet PC. you could use Outlook to be the always-on calendar on the tablet that your wife enters her appointments into. have her send the appointments to your Entourage or do it yourself.

this is of course another expensive solution. but it's the closest thing. if you are already willing to spend enough for a Palm or Pocket PC, I would just buy a used iBook as was previously suggested. having a wireless notebook in the kitchen is highly desirable. just get a keyboard protector to keep out the crumbs!

[mhuie]

What about the Logitech IO? U just have to "sync" the paper to your Mac. Might have to do some OCR.... ?

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?pa...9&languageid=1

[willed]

Originally posted by mhuie:
What about the Logitech IO? U just have to "sync" the paper to your Mac. Might have to do some OCR.... ?

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?pa...9&languageid=1

from the Logitech website:
To successfully install and run the io2 Software, the following are required:


IBM� PC Compatible


Windows� 2000, Windows� XP Home and Pro
Pentium� III - 500 MHz (700 MHz or higher recommended)
128 MB of RAM (256 MB recommended)
Free USB port
Screen resolution of 800x600 and 256 colors
Microsoft� .NET Framework 1.1 (included on in-box CD) and above
Microsoft� Internet Explorer 5.01 (included on in-box CD) and above
Approximately 300 MB of free disk space
Email support requires a MAPI-compliant email client