Anyone else frustrated by the Calendar?

[klynn]

I've been using Windows Phone for two months now (Verizon/Trophy) and I'm really loving it. Previously I've had the Droid Eris/Android (meh), Palm Pixi/webOS (loved it but realized it was a dying OS so regretfully moved on) and iPhone 4/iOS5 (did everything I needed it to but still, meh) so I've experienced all the major OSes except BB. I decided to try WP due to the upcoming Windows 8 because I like the idea of having my phone & computer more in sync.

My only real complaint is the Calendar. It does the basics fine but has two major flaws for my use:

1) Only syncs backwards about 4-6 weeks
2) No way to search! (yes, I have the 3rd party app for searching but you can't edit from there--also, the search is limited by the backwards syncing issue). This is also a problem with the Hotmail Calendar, another issue I have with Microsoft calendar options.

Now these two issues are not enough for me to leave WP but I really hope future updates address them. Are other users frustrated by these limitations?

(I know members of the forum are tired of people complaining about the OS. I promise that I will eventually list everything I love about it!)

 

[Seketh]

No need to apologize for this complaint. Unlike what happens in others threads, this is actually an example of what people want in the forums: constructive criticism.

Anyway, it doesn't bother me, but I'm in college and I don't really need to review older appointments. I can see how it is frustrating for other users though. Both Windows Live services and Windows Phone are getting future updates, so I expect this one to be addressed.

 

[Los]

Yes the OS isn't perfect, it still has much to mature but feedback like this is necessary to help it get better. Hopefully MS is listening. I myself would like to be able to send calendar events through MMS and email. I was able to on my Blackberry Bold

 

[eric12341]

The calendar is fine to me.

 

[cckgz4]

I never tried to search on my calendar outside of looking up the date. Never knew it was possible

Sent from Le Lumia de Cyan using Board Express

 

[Forgewizard]

I never tried to search on my calendar outside of looking up the date. Never knew it was possible

Sent from Le Lumia de Cyan using Board Express

Coming from Palm Treos, Centro and WebOS as well as a couple Ipaqs I feel the calendar in WP7 is sorely lacking MANY criticalthings -
1) a readable month view other than showing hw many days in the month - what good is that display?You cannot zoom in to see what is written as scheduled!
2) There is NO week view. I live more than one day at a time. I schedule things more than one day at a time and I PLAN things more than one day at a time. There is NO week view to show what hours are still open.
3) Reminder settings need to be customizable, not just a selection list.
4)Alarms for different calendar entries needs to be customizable - not just one generic GERIATRIC sound!
5) Calendar setting times ( appointment dates and times) needs to be more customizable - like having the ability to set for repeat every "x" weeks, or every "x" days - NOT just a selection from an irrelevant list!
6) There should be categories too - and have the ability to colorize the category - that way a quick glance would show what days and/or times are tied up doing different things.
Yes, Iknow there are different colors for different CALENDARS - like facebook, windows live, birthdays etc - but I don't USE facebook to schedule my life, I don't need to see a bunch of other people's birthdays on my calendar - I just want to see how my life is planned out and have the ability to VIEW what is planned more than one day at a time!
The AGENDA view is a bit annoying because if you turn on TODOs they encompass the entire agenda view or if you have multiple appointments scheduled you cannot view them at one glance - youhave to scroll and scroll.

Whomever designed the calendar application obviously doesn't even USE it!

 

[madhouse1616]

Coming from Palm Treos, Centro and WebOS as well as a couple Ipaqs I feel the calendar in WP7 is sorely lacking MANY criticalthings -
1) a readable month view other than showing hw many days in the month - what good is that display?You cannot zoom in to see what is written as scheduled!
2) There is NO week view. I live more than one day at a time. I schedule things more than one day at a time and I PLAN things more than one day at a time. There is NO week view to show what hours are still open.
3) Reminder settings need to be customizable, not just a selection list.
4)Alarms for different calendar entries needs to be customizable - not just one generic GERIATRIC sound!
5) Calendar setting times ( appointment dates and times) needs to be more customizable - like having the ability to set for repeat every "x" weeks, or every "x" days - NOT just a selection from an irrelevant list!
6) There should be categories too - and have the ability to colorize the category - that way a quick glance would show what days and/or times are tied up doing different things.
Yes, Iknow there are different colors for different CALENDARS - like facebook, windows live, birthdays etc - but I don't USE facebook to schedule my life, I don't need to see a bunch of other people's birthdays on my calendar - I just want to see how my life is planned out and have the ability to VIEW what is planned more than one day at a time!
The AGENDA view is a bit annoying because if you turn on TODOs they encompass the entire agenda view or if you have multiple appointments scheduled you cannot view them at one glance - youhave to scroll and scroll.

Whomever designed the calendar application obviously doesn't even USE it!

I agree and what's more surprising to me is that they didn't just make the calendar more outlook like which does all of that..smh

 

[cp2_4eva]

You seem like you have a more advanced and needy work flow in the calendars. Some of what you need are functionality things, not necessities Hope that doesn't sound as bad as it sounds. thats not my intention. Also, there is another app for things like this. Ever try the "Clearer" application? I hear it's nice. but the calendar works for me. I've been using it like crazy since I got this phone and I never used calendar outside of my job before.

 

[socialcarpet]

It needs to be more robust, certainly week view is a glaring omission. Honestly the Palm OS calendar from 10 years ago was much more versatile than this.

I'm sure it will be addressed in WP8 though, I'm patient.

 

[Winterfang]

There's a lot of little frustrating things on the OS, its mostly because is a really old OS, its showing its one year old already, feels behind. When are they going to announced WP8?

 

[Loiselle]

I just wish I could set the default view of the calender. I'd prefer it set to view the whole month instead of the individual hours of the day.

 

[bpgui]

I wish I could set the default reminders to none (or anything else) rather than 15 minutes.

 

[Forgewizard]

You seem like you have a more advanced and needy work flow in the calendars. Some of what you need are functionality things, not necessities Hope that doesn't sound as bad as it sounds. thats not my intention. Also, there is another app for things like this. Ever try the "Clearer" application? I hear it's nice. but the calendar works for me. I've been using it like crazy since I got this phone and I never used calendar outside of my job before.

Well could it be that I've evolved my organization from paper day planners weighing in at two pounds to digital devices? Converting from paper calendars full of sticky notes to day at a glance spiral bound calendars to three ring day planners to a rolodex electronic , then a sharp wizard, then Palm PDAs and then a string of smartphones which combined PDAs with communication?

My business has changed a bit and isn't as intensive as it used to be, but I do need to back track sometimes to review when I last visited a client - I can't DO that with WP7! Not from the phone nor from my Windows Live calendar - but jeepers every fragging facebook friend's birthday is still visible!

My day job hours will vary and I clock them in on the phone. Check them at the end of the pay period against the time clock punches - wanted to go back to review past overtime hours to see the work flow - and cannot do that because every last entry older than a couple weeks has disappeared! For pete'ssake - shouldn't it be MY discretion when to delete information? If I want to tie up 16 GB of my phone's memory with calendar entries then so be it - don't presume YOUR idea of a calendar suits my needs.

Sorry microsoft - MAJOR FAIL of WP! Smartphones should offer a progression in technology - not a dismal dereliction of basic functions!

Have I checked out "Clearer"? Not yet, but will. Yeah, checked out Clearer -which is simply yet another TODO app of which I already added a TO DO app as well as use OneNote and Quicklist for regular todos. I want (scratch that) NEED a useful CALENDAR whose entries don't disappear according to some corporate programmer's whim.

Still, I think its ridiculous to have to locate a third party app to do what the on board programming should do now and did do in past iterations of Winmo.

If I wanted a digital pocket toy that can communicate I could have gotten a PSP or Nintendo DS - instead I wanted a SMARTPHONE that combines a PDA and a communication device in one - ability to play games should be a distant third priority for smartphones. But apparently it defines WP because basic functionality is seriously lacking. Communication connectibility is carrier driven - so what else is there? Oh yeah - Angry Birds! Which I refuse to waste my time on!

Please Digital GODS hear my plea - restore the simple tools and business functionality to WP when Apollo is released and PLEASE make Apollo compatible with my Arrive!

 

[AwesomeAndy]

Are things better with an Exchange server instead of the windows live calendar? I dont know, but i assume, since many corps use this, there would be more functionality?

 

[Jazmac]

I just wish I could set the default view of the calender. I'd prefer it set to view the whole month instead of the individual hours of the day.

I was just checking out your phone history image and I remember every single one of them. I also remember saying just how COOL they looked when they were new. Like from the old amber/green screen displays of Lotus 1-2-3 to the artsy Photoshop CS5. lol.

 

[socialcarpet]

I just noticed something today, I was looking at the month view on the calendar, squinting to try to see if maybe I could read the words on in the day squares..... and I could.

I swear.. they say "Hello from Redmond"

Take a look at your phone and I bet you'll see it too.

I had to laugh at that... even though it's kind of annoying that the calendar is so gimped. It would be funnier if Windows Phone were 3 months old, but it seems a little ridiculous at this point.

 

[dtboos]

The calendar definitely has room for improvements, and will likely see many features and improvements with WP8.

 

[Forgewizard]

Frustration with WP7 Calendar is waning for me after downloading "MyNextDays" from the marketplace! Check it out! Yeah, its a third party app that does what the onboard app should do automatically - but I can Read everything and I can even increase the font when my eyes are still blurry in those early morning hours!

The app is the best so far I think - after trialing all the "week view" apps in the marketplace. For $1.49 it alleviates a LOT of dissatisfaction with WP7!

 

[eric12341]

Well could it be that I've evolved my organization from paper day planners weighing in at two pounds to digital devices? Converting from paper calendars full of sticky notes to day at a glance spiral bound calendars to three ring day planners to a rolodex electronic , then a sharp wizard, then Palm PDAs and then a string of smartphones which combined PDAs with communication?

My business has changed a bit and isn't as intensive as it used to be, but I do need to back track sometimes to review when I last visited a client - I can't DO that with WP7! Not from the phone nor from my Windows Live calendar - but jeepers every fragging facebook friend's birthday is still visible!

My day job hours will vary and I clock them in on the phone. Check them at the end of the pay period against the time clock punches - wanted to go back to review past overtime hours to see the work flow - and cannot do that because every last entry older than a couple weeks has disappeared! For pete'ssake - shouldn't it be MY discretion when to delete information? If I want to tie up 16 GB of my phone's memory with calendar entries then so be it - don't presume YOUR idea of a calendar suits my needs.

Sorry microsoft - MAJOR FAIL of WP! Smartphones should offer a progression in technology - not a dismal dereliction of basic functions!

Have I checked out "Clearer"? Not yet, but will. Yeah, checked out Clearer -which is simply yet another TODO app of which I already added a TO DO app as well as use OneNote and Quicklist for regular todos. I want (scratch that) NEED a useful CALENDAR whose entries don't disappear according to some corporate programmer's whim.

Still, I think its ridiculous to have to locate a third party app to do what the on board programming should do now and did do in past iterations of Winmo.

If I wanted a digital pocket toy that can communicate I could have gotten a PSP or Nintendo DS - instead I wanted a SMARTPHONE that combines a PDA and a communication device in one - ability to play games should be a distant third priority for smartphones. But apparently it defines WP because basic functionality is seriously lacking. Communication connectibility is carrier driven - so what else is there? Oh yeah - Angry Birds! Which I refuse to waste my time on!

Please Digital GODS hear my plea - restore the simple tools and business functionality to WP when Apollo is released and PLEASE make Apollo compatible with my Arrive!

Don't know what you're doing differently because my calendar goes back to December in agenda view, in calendar view it goes back forever. To view a past appointment or to-dos you tap on the day with stuff on it then scroll over to day view or to-do view.

 

[thed]

I just noticed something today, I was looking at the month view on the calendar, squinting to try to see if maybe I could read the words on in the day squares..... and I could.

I swear.. they say "Hello from Redmond"

Take a look at your phone and I bet you'll see it too.

I had to laugh at that... even though it's kind of annoying that the calendar is so gimped. It would be funnier if Windows Phone were 3 months old, but it seems a little ridiculous at this point.

One time I tried squinting at the calendar and I thought one of the days said "Hello from Seattle", which made me laugh since that exact phrase is on the back of my Zune.

Don't know what you're doing differently because my calendar goes back to December in agenda view, in calendar view it goes back forever. To view a past appointment or to-dos you tap on the day with stuff on it then scroll over to day view or to-do view.

Some of the appointments go back but not all of them. Birthdays and holidays go back indefinitely, and it also looks like some recurring meetings do too. It looks like if you currently have a recurring meeting that goes back a long way, then it will show in the calendar. But one shot meetings in the past definitely don't show up anymore for me.