The default calendar for the iPhone is not the worst calendar on a smartphone, and it is perfectly usable. It gets the job done. Unfortunately, it still leaves a lot to be desired for many users. This includes myself. I have been on a search for the ultimate iPhone calendar since I got my iPhone at the end of September. I think I have finally found the perfect calendar app in Fantastical for iPhone.
When you open up Fantastical for iPhone, the first thing you will notice is the user interface. It is very different from the default Calendar app that comes with the iPhone. It is not a bad thing, it is actually a breathe of fresh air. The colors are bright colors and pastels, which is very refreshing.
Fantastical looks similar to the iOS Calendar app. In the default Calendar app there is a “today” button, but in Fantastical you simply tap on the month bar and you are taken to today. Instead of simply having a Week View, we are introduced to the DayTicker, a quick intuitive way to swipe through your week and see just how much you have going on. All of the events for the week are displayed in a scrollable list while the associated date floats by in the top bar. If you tap the month at the top you are taken back to the current date. It is a great approach to using this, and something that I absolutely love. In order to engage in the month view, simply swipe down on the DayTicker.
One of the greatest features that come with the default Calendar app is the ability to show the events for a certain day in the month view, and this feature does not disappear in Fantastical. If you pull down on the DayTicker, you are easily able to quickly toggle the month view at the top of the app. By tapping on each day you are able to view a list of events that take place on that particular day. Pull up on the month view again to jump back to the day ticker. Create an event by tapping the “+” button in the top right.
All of the calendars that you entered in the default calendar app are brought into Fantastical from your first launch. There is no setup required, which makes the transition from the default app to Fantastical that much easier.
Fantastical is better looking and easier to navigate than other third party calendar apps. The interface on other apps tends to get cluttered very quickly. Fantastical aims to improve on a lot of these issues by improving on the default calendar app.
In order to create a calendar entry in Fantastical, simply tap the plus sign in the upper right hand corner of the main calendar view. You will then to be taken to the add event feature. You do not have to enter a ton of different fields. You can simply add History Class, and the rest will be taken care of for you. Adding /work or /home to the end of an event quickly changes the events calendar to the work or home calendar. This is a great feature that sets Fantastical apart from other calendar apps that are out there for iOS.
This is a great app that is light years ahead of other calendar apps for iOS at this time. It has quickly become my default Calendar app on my iPhone, and that says a lot since I have been using the default Calendar app religiously since getting my phone. It is definitely worth the investment and at a price of $4.99, you really cannot go wrong.
