Tag: Google

Macness introduces gSync - synchronise iCal with Google Calendar

gSync - synchronise iCal with Google Calendar
With gSync its easy to securely synchronise your Apple iCal calendars with your Google Calendars. This means you can update calendars across all your Macs, keeping everyone (including wifes, husbands and significant others) in ‘sync’ with your calendar.Synchronisation works both ways...e.g. if you make a change in your Google Calendar, it will show up in your Apple iCal and vice versa.

gSync uses Apple’s powerful SyncServices technology (used by iSync, iPhone, and iPods), which means a more complete solution for when you require to update all your Apple devices and software (that supports it).

Also, gSync connects directly with Google Calendar (no 3rd party servers) keeping your data private between you and Google.
Features (planned for v1.0 release)

* Autosync: define when and at what intervals to update calendars
* Flexibility: use multiple iCal & Google Calendars
* 2 way sync: bi-directional synchronisation
* Privacy: sync directly to Google (no third party server)
* Safety: backup & restore
* Apple SyncServices: gSync is based on Apple’s SyncServices allowing us to integrate with anything that uses this (e.g. iPhone, iSync, etc...)

Download

Currently we are only offering a BETA download of gSync.

WARNING If you are an existing gSync user you will have to manually remove your existing gSync by following instructions here. For those in a rush: just run the gSyncClearTool included with
gSync

WARNING: gSync is still BETA software we highly recommend that you back up your iCal and Google Calendars before trying it out. Note that we believe that gSync, due to its design, will not corrupt data, but it;s possible to ‘mess up’ which is why you should back up.

Please read Commercial demo license before you download.Download gSync_0.9.3_rc1.dmg (requires Mac OSX 10.4)
FAQ

Where’s the documentation? or even Application icon ?

Having a 1st and 2nd careers (and being programmers) we are focusing on achieving stability first before putting on the ‘window dressing’. Rest assured that v1.0 and past releases will have all the creature comforts one would expect from a commercial (or should I say Open Source project, because people have high expectations of free software nowadays!) release.

In addition, we have a very nice designer having a go at designing something useful and wonderful...and we wouldn’t want any of you getting attached to the existing interface now

When will there be a stable release?

Macness won’t make a commercial release if software is not stable and does its primary purpose robustly. We think we have a few more BETA releases before we make a v1.0 release....our target date is April 1st 2007 for v1.0 (but sometimes software is done in its own time)

How do I uninstall gSync?

Review the instructions found here

What is the difference between gSync and SpanningSync?

The main difference is that gSync connects *directly* to Google, whereas SpanningSync uses a 3rd party server between you and Google.

Purchase

An unlimited license for gSync release v1.0 will be available for $20.00 when we release v1.0.

Do we all work for Google?

Dave Winer of Scripting News wrote a thought provoking post called Maybe we're writing for Google?. Dave suggest that bloggers are actually writing for Google and the on-line news outlets.

Like the public radio stations, maybe we're fooling ourselves if we think we're not writing for Google, as they are fooling themselves into thinking they're not creating for NPR. -- Dave Winer

I think the central point of Dave's thesis is sound. Many blogs are editorials; opinions on news items or other commentary found elsewhere on the web. We write our thoughts on the story and link back to the source material driving traffic to those sites. This increases their page rank.

PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. -- Google Page Rank

As more blogs link to a story the more votes it receives and the more traffic driven to the site. It is this page ranking system that makes Google Search so useful. I can be very certain that the first 10 items in the search results are relevant to what I seek. This increase Google's value to me making me come back to Google each time. This ensures Google a market for it's advertising.

So, the question is, are bloggers really independent or just the "sucker fish" on the underbelly of the whale?