CNET Editors' review
Need to keep up to date? Try the unobtrusive but feature-rich Active Desktop Calendar. Launching at start-up, it displays an attractive three-month calendar view on, yes, your desktop. By double-clicking a day or the sidebar, you can quickly access tasks and see details of upcoming events. You also can display Outlook information and download and connect to other people's calendars via a LAN to see changes in their schedules. The program has a simple contact manager as well.
Considering all the cool stuff it does, Active Desktop Calendar doesn't consume much memory. We did notice a few shortcomings in this generally excellent program. For example, though the window for adding a new note contains a subject line and a body field, only the subject-line text appears on the calendar and in the sidebar. The monthly calendar view looks pretty clunky, too. On the bright side, you can switch among several desktop images and set the program as the default screensaver, which will display several world clocks.
Active Desktop Calendar also exports and imports iCal calendar files and can read your Google Calendar on the hour (though not, apparently, at specified intervals or on demand, which is a bit frustrating). Overall, this program's strong functionality and design make it a good choice for home and business users.
Publisher's Description
From XemiComputers:
Active Desktop Calendar is a fully customizable calendar with notes, tasks, alarms and contacts provides seamless integration and interactivity with the desktop background. You can organize data in color coded layers and share them in a local network. The program integrates with Outlook to show its appointments/tasks on the desktop and offers connection with Google calendars and web based ICS files. There are preset calendars with holidays for different countries. You can choose calendar icons, fonts, colors and type: one, two or three months on the desktop. Through interactive desktop the program accepts clicks on dates, appointments and tasks. Printing calendar data is easy, in monthly view or as a list of appointments in a chosen date range. Built-in address book allows you to keep details about all your contacts and import them from other programs. CSV and iCal formats are supported for importing and exporting data. The program saves daily backup automatically.
What's new in this version: Version 7.96 has desktop tooltips that show additional note description.
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All versions:
3.7 starsout of 134 votes
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Current version:
2.7 starsout of 10 votes
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My rating:
Write review
Results 1-10 of 10
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"Good program with lacking essentials"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
+Stable
+Very adjustable
+DetailedCons
---No sync to other apps available!(catastrophic)
-Only one desktop styleSummary
Active Desktop Calendar is a good program with a devastating blunder. It can't sync both ways, only from other programs to itself. This single issue makes me want to give it an even lower score(between 1 and 2 stars) than I have, but it wouldn't do the rest of the program justice.
By the way. Time for a bit of advise in case ADC has some people who look through these sites.
If they added proper syncing between programs, which is a MUST in the digital calendars of today, this program would easily haul in 4 to 4.5 stars. The last points would be gained by adding more layouts to the desktop and improving on easy to use in the settings menu. Personally I don't have a problem, but some people won't bother because of the way it looks.
Updated on Apr 16, 2013
If you want to improve the easy to use. Make an "EDIT" button on the desktop. This should make the calendar size, layout and style freely adjustable. You should be able to do it all via point-click-drag. Bothering with a detailed settings menu stops many users in their tracks.
If people have chosen the setting that makes the calendar merge with the wallpaper, open an invisible overlay while resetting the wallpaper to standard. When the client is done editing the new layout should be printed on the wallpaper. -
"Desktop Calenders"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
Plenty big enough.
Cons
Way too big on the desktop.
Summary
I did not like it and uninstalled after 3 days usage.
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"Won't display Outlook 2010 calendar/tasks"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
Works fine with Google layer
Easy to set up and fit into desktop display
Sales department was quick to provide a resolve for a download mistake (grabbed 32 bit instead of 64 bit).Cons
Poor support. Multiple emails to get the staid old response..."you must have your spam filter on..." type of excuse.
Response has been to follow the set up information already on display in the ADC forum...even after explaining that attempts to resolve the problem with the set up procedure and layer installation ISN'T WORKING.Summary
Happy to upgrade my review...once Xemi comes across with the resolve for the problem that I am having on two (laptop and workstation) systems with the same problem.
For the time being...save your money or go over to Rainlendar. -
"With 4 kids, it keeps me organized!"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
Pretty easy to set up and use. Does not take up tons of resources on my computer either. Prints out nicely. I can get it to do what I need it to do without investing lots of time learning how to work it.
Cons
The layers data is a bit useless for me. I just dont bother with it, no biggie. Oh, and I wish you could import and use your own icons to use on the calendar.
Summary
Over all its a great calendar. I like that I can control how it is going to look and the position it takes on my screen. Alarm feature is useful. I bought the full version 3 years ago and still think it was a good investment. Cant say that for other software products Ive purchased. Defiantly a good purchase for busy moms.
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"Maximum 10 entry"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
None that I can think of.
Cons
Other than number of days before it expired for the free trial it also has maximum number of entries. More than 10 entries then you have to buy the software. What a waste of time.
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"15% DISCOUNT COUPON found today"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
Easy to set up. Great for reminding of reoccurring things like birthdays, and bills. And I've found a good discount here:
www.***********.info/active-desktop-calendar.htmCons
Nothing bad to say.
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"uninstalled after 1 hour"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
if it worked at all I would give a pro
Cons
just sat there like a lump
Summary
I have used other calendars (tinnes) this one is use-less
-
"Gets the job done"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
syncs with iphone and outlook
Cons
pretty basic nothing too crazy
Summary
good for what it is
-
"could not find a way to shut down"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
has a lot of holidays included
Cons
could not add a event or a task
Summary
impossible to use
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"stopped working after 1 month...unable to reinstall"
Version: Active Desktop Calendar 7.96
Pros
was great while it worked...but...
Cons
stopped working after 1 month and unable to reinstall
Summary
waste of time
stopped working after a couple of weeks...tried to redownload with no success...not worth the trouble...
Updated on Feb 4, 2012
Results 1-10 of 10
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