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I was a CE Idiot! -Calendar |
Ted Butz is the most technology resistant guy in our office. We figured if he could explain how he managed to get a grasp on Windows CE and its usefulness that anyone could. Thus we present to you a series of articles designed to put you in the know about the basics of Windows CE -from the perspective of an idiot! Calendar Previous Articles "Inputting Data" | "Contacts" | "Inbox" On my Compaq Aero when I looked down for the first time at the hot keys which automatically launch the Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Note Taker applications, I have to admit they didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Sure the rolodex-like icon reminded me of the rolodex on my desk (for some reason nobody else in my office has a rolodex…??) and I guessed that to be the Contacts button. But the other icons didn't inspire a clue as to which applications they were for. However after a simple process of elimination I now know that the button on my devices far left launches the Calendar application. When my Calendar application opens, it opens to what it calls the "Month" view, meaning I can see blocks of days in the typical pinned on your wall calendar style. However instead of being only 30 or 31 days you get a few extra so at the end of the month you can see into the next week a little… very thoughtful. Double tapping on any of the individual blocks, say the one numbered 30 changes your view to the Day view and your screen changes to show you the day broken down into hourly rows. Tap a row once beside the time of day you would like to enter some information and select from the file menu either "New appointment", "New All Day Event", or " Make Meeting". Being already familiar with entering data (see previous articles "Inputting Data" and "Contacts") you fill out the desired form fields, indicating the description, location and time duration and then jot a few notes for a reminder if necessary. You have the option to be reminded or not of the event you've described by checking "Remind me" at the bottom of the screen and you can customize the reminder experience by clicking the little alarm bell icon. This will offer you a reminder setting screen which you can configure to remind you of your impending appointment in advance of its occurrence by various periods of time. It goes even further than that and offers "Reminder options" of "Sound", "Repeat the sound", "Message" or "Flashing light". If you choose "Sound" you can choose between 29 different alarm sounds. Of course if your going to choose the "Repeat the sound" reminder option you should try to be near your device when it goes off or risk pissing the entire office off as they listen to a 3 second blurb of "Chopsticks" playing over and over again while your in the toilet. After you "OK" all your reminder settings and click "OK" in the event input area. The Calendar will return you to the "Day" view of the Calendar, with little icons featured in the time slots that you entered your event for. It looks like a page right out of a Filofax. After that I prefer to return my Calendar back to the "Week" or "Month" view so I can have an idea about the big picture of organizing my life. Also in month view you get a cool little clock icon on the days you have scheduled events with the time periods of your events shaded in like a sundial. The next topic I'm going to tackle will be "Tasks". Right now I'm not sure why "Tasks" and "Calendar" aren't the same application but by next week I hope to have your answer. T.B. |