Which PIM is best?
November 13, 2008 8:53 AM Subscribe
Using a Mac, and finding iCal, Mail, Address book disjointed. What are your recommendations for an all in one PIM? Chandler? Airset? The Google-plex? What has worked for you?
The iApps work fine for me, but some of my friends (who have way more important stuff to keep track of) love Entourage.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:13 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:13 AM on November 13, 2008
I really didn't like Chandler, especially as it stopped working for me within two weeks - literally, the program wouldn't run.
I would go with Entourage, as Fuzzy Skinner suggested.
posted by Picklegnome at 9:14 AM on November 13, 2008
I would go with Entourage, as Fuzzy Skinner suggested.
posted by Picklegnome at 9:14 AM on November 13, 2008
Just keep in mind if you go with Google they can and do take away people's accounts and data forever. Back up everything locally.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:21 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:21 AM on November 13, 2008
I'm not sure if it would do what you want, but now that Highrise has data export (finally!) I can recommend it.
posted by PatoPata at 9:44 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by PatoPata at 9:44 AM on November 13, 2008
Best answer: AddressBook Mail, and Calendar are all tightly integrated : Emails are completed from AddressBook Email invites appear in iCal, Invites are sent using mail, Birthdays appear in iCal, VoIP apps provide menus for AddressBook, etc. What are you missing?
I suppose Apple give the stand alone appearance to reduce apparent complexity and encourage usage. I've seen Mac only shops use other calendar applications because iCal isn't quite flexible enough, but never for lack of integration.
posted by jeffburdges at 10:29 AM on November 13, 2008
I suppose Apple give the stand alone appearance to reduce apparent complexity and encourage usage. I've seen Mac only shops use other calendar applications because iCal isn't quite flexible enough, but never for lack of integration.
posted by jeffburdges at 10:29 AM on November 13, 2008
Thunderbird + Lightning works for me, although I will admit I am not a heavy user.
posted by gyusan at 10:32 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by gyusan at 10:32 AM on November 13, 2008
Hosted Microsoft Exchange
posted by blue_beetle at 11:38 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 11:38 AM on November 13, 2008
Best answer: As jeffburdges says, the Apple apps are very tightly integrated -- they also use system-wide databases, so that any app that needs to can get access to your data, from apps like Today to the iPhone (iTunes will only sync with the system databases).
Entourage, which gives you the appearance of integration with its one-window, isn't nearly as well integrated. It tries to use sync services, but I've heard more than one report of serious data loss, and it wiped out one of my calendars. So if you use it, you're stuck with it and the rest of the Office apps.
It is, however, the best possible option for all-in-one. But I'd strongly recommend dropping the all-in-one approach and using apps designed for their particular functions. Apple isn't quite there yet, but because it uses the system DB, the option is there for replacements to come along.
posted by bonaldi at 12:45 PM on November 13, 2008
Entourage, which gives you the appearance of integration with its one-window, isn't nearly as well integrated. It tries to use sync services, but I've heard more than one report of serious data loss, and it wiped out one of my calendars. So if you use it, you're stuck with it and the rest of the Office apps.
It is, however, the best possible option for all-in-one. But I'd strongly recommend dropping the all-in-one approach and using apps designed for their particular functions. Apple isn't quite there yet, but because it uses the system DB, the option is there for replacements to come along.
posted by bonaldi at 12:45 PM on November 13, 2008
Best answer: I was an Entourage user for years and didn't enjoy switching over to Apple's apps (Mail, iCal and Address Book). They didn't feel integrated to me - but after using them for a while, I'm so glad I made the switch. jeffburdges and bonaldi really summed it up well.
posted by 2oh1 at 9:25 PM on November 14, 2008
posted by 2oh1 at 9:25 PM on November 14, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by leotrotsky at 9:00 AM on November 13, 2008