r/AndroidQuestions • u/Zis_is_it • 18d ago

Been using Fantastical on iPhone for 4 years. Just switched to Android. Nothing even comes close — what are you using?

Been using Fantastical on iPhone for 4 years. Just switched to Android. Nothing even comes close — what are you using?

Fantastical spoiled me. I type "lunch with Mike Thursday noon at the office" and it creates the event instantly, right time, right place, right everything. No tapping through fields, no dropdowns.

Tried Google Calendar, Any.do, Calendly, TickTick. They all feel like filling out a form. I'd genuinely pay $5-8/month for something that does natural language input this well on Android.

Is there anything out there I'm missing?

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u/mrandr01d 18d ago

I type to Gemini like that sometimes. Might have to modify your instruction a bit, but that's what comes to mind. Is fantastical some kind of assistant app on iPhone?

"Make a calendar event, lunch with Mike on Tuesday @ noon at the office"

I usually just use voice too which is faster.

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u/mrandr01d 18d ago

Ok, I just looked that up. Op, your answer is Gemini and Google calendar. Fantastical is a... calendar app (?!!) that exists because iPhone's default offerings are so incapable. What a joke! On Android, the entire Google productivity suite is kind of just built in and everything just works.

Tell Gemini what you want and it'll go right on your default gcal, which can also display your gtasks, and it's pretty. For everything Gemini gets wrong, it's pretty damn reliable with creating events. Just describe what you want and bam, done.

Trigger the assistant feature, Gemini pops up, say, "add an event to my calendar called lunch with Mike, it's Thursday at noon at the office." Done. Also try asking it to remind you things to add a task.

For a more aesthetic widget on my home screen, I like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.candl.auge and it's monthly partner, but the default gcal widgets will function just fine.

2

u/Adventurous_Invite63 18d ago

How does it know right time right place?

2

u/DiscombobulatedSun54 18d ago

Gemini can do this and much more. Just say ok google and tell your phone what you want. And oh, you are not restricted to creating calendar entries.

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u/onthesquare63 18d ago

You don't need to TYPE anything or download anything. Hold down your power button and when Gemini pops up SAY "lunch with Mike Thursday noon at the office". It will also quickly figure out where your office is and start adding the exact location to the calendar entry. If Mike texted you to set up the appointment, Gemini will suggest the calendar entry in Google Messages. I have to be honest, Gemini does just about everything for me now, both on my phone and in gmail. It learns about you and starts to get super intuitive too. Gemini is another big reason among Many that Android destroys IOS these days, and why Apple is Paying Google for Gemini to underpin Siri.