By: Nick Gambino
For those iOS users that use Google Calendar religiously for its convenience and ease of use you might be happy to know there’s now an iPad version of the popular app.
Until today Google Calendar was only optimized for the iPhone so when you opened it up on the iPad it looked overblown and stretched out. Now the new iPad version of the app looks like it belongs there on your big tablet screen.
In terms of functionality it’s the same as the iPhone version. It’s basically a big calendar to track your events and activities. There’s nothing there to blow your socks off but it’s practical.
One of the useful features in the app includes the ability to schedule meetings with groups of people and find available rooms. I’m sure plenty of those who depend on their iPad for organization will find that useful now that they have this ability on the tablet.
And if you use Gmail and other Google Drive features you’ll find the calendar slips right into the fold working hand in hand. For instance, flight times and other appointments in your Gmail can be added directly to the app.
Google Calendar updates periodically with more useful functionality. A recently added feature lets you add goals right to the calendar to ensure you stick to whatever it is (e.g., weight loss).
One complaint that hasn’t been addressed yet is the missing ability to see events and scheduled meetings from the notification center and lock screen on your device. Google says a Today View widget is coming soon that will solve this problem. For now, we’ll have to make due with Spotlight Search which can search the calendar.
You can download the new Google Calendar app to your iPad from the App Store starting today.
What do you think of the new Google Calendar app optimized for the iPad? Is this something you’ve been waiting for? Let us know in the comments section!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nick Gambino is a regular script writer and tech beat reporter for NewsWatch. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and daughter.
