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Tag: calendar

  • Google Calendar will soon drop support for devices

    Google Calendar will soon drop support for devices

    Google Calendar is a popular app that millions of people use to manage their everyday lives. It allows users to create events, schedule meetings, and set reminders. However, if you are still holding on to an older Android device running Nougat 7.1 or below, your days of using this app on your device are numbered.

    The change was first noticed by AssembleDebug from TheSpAndroid who discovered a new flag in the newest version of the Google Calendar app (v 2023.46.0-581792699-release) called “UnsupportedOperatingSystem__enabled,” which is used to display a message to users who are running an unsupported operating system. The particular message found within this flag informs users that they need to update their device to Android Oreo (8.0) or higher in order to continue using Google Calendar.

    The reason for dropping support for older Android versions is likely due to security concerns. Older versions of Android are more vulnerable to hacks and data loss, and Google wants to make sure that its users are protected. Additionally, newer versions of Android offer a number of new features and improvements that are not available on older versions. As a result, Google is encouraging users to update their devices to the latest version of Android.

    Google announced a similar change earlier this month for Chrome both on desktop and Android, stating that Chrome version 119 on Android would be the last version supported on devices running Nougat and lower. Chrome 120 on Android no longer supports Android Nougat.

    It is important to note that this will most likely not be the last of Google’s apps that will undergo this change. Android Nougat 7.1, released in 2016, is now a seven year old version of the operating system. Although Google has not yet officially announced dropping support for Android Nougat for Google Calendar, the evidence found in the flags suggests that this change is imminent. As a result, users with older devices should start planning to update their devices to newer versions of Android.

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  • Google Calendar update brings new working locations improvements

    Google Calendar update brings new working locations improvements

    One of the most important Google apps for those using the search giant’s tool for work is by far Calendar. Many of its features help users keep track of their meetings scheduled, as well as the overall workflow. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for tools that would provide users with the same level of productivity while working from different places has increased.

    Google Calendar has had a specific feature since 2021 that enables users to provide information about where they’re working from directly in the app. Although Google has further improved this feature in the last couple of years, there’s always room for improvement.

    The most recent Calendar update introduces a new feature for the working locations functionality, which allows users to set working locations in Calendar that indicate where they are working for specific portions of the day. Up until now, you could only highlight one or more days to indicate the period of time you’ll spend working from a specific location.

    The new option makes working locations even more accurate when reflecting the availability of a user based on the physical location they set, which can change throughout the day. Important for those that are part of a hybrid work environment where employees may work from home, and office, a specific building, or a combination of any of these, the new feature is meant to appeal to another type of audience, one that has become larger since pandemic.

    According to Google, the new Calendar feature is already available for those using the app, but only if you’re enrolled in the rapid release program. For the rest of us, the new feature should start rolling out on July 14.

    The working location feature will be enabled by default (unless disabled by an admin). To start using the new option and set a sub-day working location, simply select Working Location as an event type in Calendar, choose a location, and modify time, date, or recurrence by clicking on the time element.

    It’s important to add that this is available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits.

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  • Google Calendar will reportedly introduce new Material You widgets teased years ago

    Google Calendar will reportedly introduce new Material You widgets teased years ago

    Introduced in 2021 with Android 12, the Material You treatment on Google Calendar enabled consumers to personalize the app more seamlessly than before. While some intriguing widgets relied on the background to create personalized colors, the overall design wasn’t really unique. Well, things might be changing now, for Google might currently be working on an update of the Material You widgets.

    Pictures of the revamped widgets were found on a Google News Telegram channel, which activated them using a hidden flag in version 2023.22.1-537255951. So far, so good. What makes these changes interesting, though?

    Let’s first determine which view modes get a revamped widget design. Looking at the pictures, it becomes clear that the changes in question shall apply to the monthly overview of Google Calendar and the agenda view.

    As mentioned, the design changes on the Material You widgets haven’t been officially confirmed yet. Still, keeping in mind that a mere flag in the code allows them to run, it could be safe to say that the revamped design will be coming to Google Calendar sooner or later.

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  • Google Calendar adds new feature: Focus Time

    Google Calendar adds new feature: Focus Time

    Many of us rely on Google Calendar for a huge portion, if not all, of our work schedule. Meetings, important calls, even coffee with a coworker or friend—for plenty of us, it’s all slotted in right there on our Google Calendar profile, with notifications reminding us at all the right times. But sometimes, it can get a little overwhelming.

    And Google is aware of our reliance on its calendar app and working to further enhance users’ experience by introducing a new feature called Focus Time.

    It’s essentially something like an unobtrusive office manager who keeps everyone away to give you a quiet place to work, while also taking care of some of your scheduling for you.

    The main function of Focus Time is to allow you to section off important time for personal work that needs to get done, come what may. This keeps it visible on the calendar for you and anybody the calendar may be shared with, and also prevents your being assigned meetings during your scheduled heads-down time.

    Focus Time will be logged in Time Insights, where your time spent in meetings is also tracked—it will feature a headphone icon and you can assign a different color to your focus time, to set it apart from other events.

    Other than changing up the appearance of your work calendars, Focus Time can also automatically decline conflicting events while you slog away, without your lifting a finger.

    One scenario where we could see this going wrong is, you’ve got a tentative or rather arbitrary event scheduled in, such as “Coffee with Kate Tuesday 2pm maybe??” And unbeknownst to you, your boss requests an important meeting with you at the same time while you’re MIA in Focus Time—and he is automatically denied, because Google hasn’t quite reached the intelligence of differentiating varying levels of priority.

    But don’t worry, the “automatically decline events” feature is optional. The primary function is simply the ability to block out time for personal, uninterrupted work.

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  • Google Calendar update adds Dark Mode for Android users

    Google Calendar update adds Dark Mode for Android users

    Google has just announced that the long-awaited dark mode is now rolling out on Android for two of its apps: Calendar and Keep. Ahead of Android Q’s release, Google has decided to bring dark mode to many apps. We learned last week that Google Keep will be getting the feature, but Calendar is a bit of a surprise.

    The announcement contains a couple of screenshots showing both Calendar and Keep apps with dark mode enabled. If you want to start using it on Google Calendar, you should head to Settings / General / Theme, and select Dark mode. It’s much easier to enable it in Google Keep; simply go to Settings and choose Enable Dark Mode.

    Now, it’s worth mentioning that dark mode for Calendar is only supported on device running Android Nougat and higher. Also, if you have Android Q preview installed on your phone, you’ll be able to set the entire OS in dark mode by default. The same goes for Google Keep with one exception, dark mode will work on all devices powered by Android Lollipop and later.

    According to Google, the update that brings dark mode to Calendar and Keep apps will be rolled out to compatible Android devices over the course of 15 days. The rollout has already begun on May 16 for Google Calendar, while Google Keep will get it starting today, May 20.

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  • The Google app hits an impressive milestone in the Play Store

    The Google app hits an impressive milestone in the Play Store

    Remember when the Google Play Store was called the Android Market? Google changed the name on March 6th, 2012. Twenty-six months later, Gmail became the first Android app to reach 1 billion installs. Since then, two other apps in the Play Store have been installed over 5 billion times-that is, until today. Google Maps and YouTube have been joined in the exclusive club by the Google app.

    Video streaming site YouTube was the first Android app to hit 5 billion downloads, and was followed this past weekend by navigation app Google Maps. Now, the Google app itself  has joined the club. Technically, there are four members if you include Google Play Services, but this is a systems app that allows an Android phone to update Google developed apps and apps from the Google Play Store.

    The three apps, YouTube, Google Maps and Google, are not only must-haves for every Android user, they are also pre-installed on every Android phone that comes with Google Play Services out of the box. When an app is pre-loaded onto an Android device, that is included in the total number of installations.

    Google has worked on expanding the features offered by each of the three apps in the 5 billion installs club. Besides offering streaming videos from amateurs, the site now includes trailers from movies and clips taken from television shows. In addition, YouTube now offers its own original programming for paid subscribers. Google Maps has added several new navigation based items, including the ability to report a crash or speed trap, a speed limit reminder, and more. It also has moved into the lifestyle category by showing places of interest to visit in your home town and locations you travel to.

    The Google app, which helps users search for websites, also reports news, sports and weather of interest to the user. A summary of the user’s schedule for the day can be seen thanks to Google Calendar integration, and a list of stock prices can be monitored. All three apps do have iOS counterparts in the Apple App Store.

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