The best alternative to the standard calendar in OS X

Calendar is a must-have app that manufacturers always complement any device and operating system. In OS X is present from the very first versions and Apple is constantly working to improve it. The Mavericks Calendar got a lot of new features, however, users want more and for one reason or another, we are always looking for better alternatives.

If you look for a substitute for the standard calendar on Mac - this article should be useful to you. Today we tell about the best alternative to the native calendar, which you should pay attention to and consider the chips of each of them.

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Fantastical

After installing Fantastical, its icon is placed in the menu bar and the app will be hidden there until until you need it later. Very convenient that the reminders are associated with Fantastical, and eventually you get a complete solution "all-in-one." Fantastical main screen displays all your scheduled events in one list, which you can easily navigate them. Due to OCR, you can talk to the Fantastical on "human language". That is, instead of the "January 29 meeting of Nastya at 12.00", you can simply write "Tomorrow at noon meeting with Nastya." In addition, the application has a lot of keyboard shortcuts. Also pleased with the presence iOS-version, though so far only for the iPhone.

If you are a lover of simplicity and minimalism (but not for the sake of functionality), you should pay attention to the Fantastical.

BusyCal 2

BusyCal 2 is a complete replacement for the regular calendar with the support not only of iCloud, but Exchange, Google Calendar and other CalDAV-accounts. The work is not limited to audio synchronization with them, BusyCal 2 supports shering calendars between accounts. Integration with Weather Underground makes it possible to track the weather directly in the application. Another useful feature is the ability to organize calendars in groups for more convenient work with them (it will be useful if you have many different calendars). In addition, BusyCal 2 integrates with your reminders, saving you from having to use two applications.

If you have a lot of calendars, you need advanced functionality can try BusyCal 2.

QuickCal 3

QuickCal 3, in contrast to previous applications, is a superstructure for the regular calendar, not a complete replacement. In addition to integration with the native calendar, QuickCal 3 can work with Google Calendar. There is also support for the "human" language, both for calendars and reminders, with whom the application is also integrated. Using hot keys can open QuickCal from anywhere on OS X, that allows you to quickly work with your calendar without having to switch between applications. And ozhna pleasure, if you assign an event at a certain time, and then try to add to it another time - QuickCal 3 will give you the know.

If you are looking for an application that provides quick creation of events and interaction with them - QuickCal 3 would be a good solution.

TimeWorks

TimeWorks calendar is not in the conventional sense of the word. But it will allow you to open the regular calendar is much less likely to view the current event. In fact, its responsibilities are to ensure that display your calendar on your desktop or in a separate window. You will constantly monitor a list of all your affairs, within the current week. Thus, the event will always be on your mind, one has only to cast a glance on the desktop. This is a simple application, but in terms of efficiency, it is of great value.

If you need extra motivation and rapid monitoring of scheduled events - try TimeWorks.

Blotter

Blotter integrates with the native OS X calendar and has a similar TimeWorks concept but somewhat different in terms of visual appearance (for the better). Instead, coverage of events planned for the whole week, Blotter focuses on current problems, giving you a clear overview of the events for the day. Besides it shows the date and day of the week, which is a kind of substitute for the widget calendars. And thanks to clear interface, all is well with existing wallpaper, making your desktop informative, and at the same time accurate.

If you need a semblance of a desktop calendar, diary, to keep all the cases before the eyes - Blotter suitable for this can be very useful.

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If I have missed any decent alternative, or you have any comments - we are always happy to hear your opinion in the comments. Tell us whether you are using the standard calendar or find a successful replacement?