# Appointment reminder? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245 "2007-08-20T14:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/1 "2007-08-20T14:11:37Z")
I badly need an appointment reminder program, hopefully free and easy to use. Any suggestions? I use XP w/ IE. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/2 "2007-08-20T17:38:18Z")
I use [Stickies](http://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/stickies/), which works really well; you simply tell it to “sleep” until you need the reminder. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/3 "2007-08-20T18:27:52Z")
I use [Rainlendar](http://www.rainlendar.net/cms/index.php) at work, if you want something one or two steps up from Stickies (which also looks like an awesome program) but not quite up to something as complex as Outlook. It’s fairly small, has no real performance footprint and is free and reliable. It’s also skinnable, so it’s not too hard to find a look that isn’t a complete eyesore. ---
**Author:** ![shimmery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@shimmery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shimmery)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/4 "2007-08-20T20:28:58Z")
You could try Google Calendar, which can send reminders to your phone via SMS! I like this because it can remind to do things even when I’m not sitting at the computer. Otherwise, I think you have to download something extra to get pop-up reminders - I have not tried this. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/5 "2007-08-20T21:13:50Z")
[QUOTE=shimmery] You could try Google Calendar, which can send reminders to your phone via SMS! I like this because it can remind to do things even when I’m not sitting at the computer. Otherwise, I think you have to download something extra to get pop-up reminders - I have not tried this. [/QUOTE] This is what I use. I used both Stickies and Rainlender in the past. I liked Rainlender, but once Google Calendar came out, I just liked it more. I have Google Desktop running with the calendar gadget added. It displays pop ups for my appointments and I receive text messages as well. You can indicate when you want to receive your reminders (10 mins., 30 mins., 1 day, etc.) and you can also request emails. If you like SMS reminders, I’ve found the website [ohdontforget.com](http://ohdontforget.com) to be pretty useful too. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/6 "2007-08-20T21:17:13Z")
Computer Shopper named [Kirby Alarm](http://computershopper.download.com/Kirby-Alarm/3000-2084_4-10260143.html?tag=lst-0-1) one of their best freeware programs. ---
**Author:** ![Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nikki_Tikki_Tavi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/7 "2007-08-20T21:18:32Z")
Yahoo calendar will send you text messages to your phone and email reminders. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/8 "2007-08-20T21:24:25Z")
Another vote for Yahoo (although I never used Google) ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_On_My_Sleeve)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/9 "2007-08-20T22:47:40Z")
If you have a cell phone, you might want to check if there’s a calendar or alarm system in there somewhere. I had the tiniest, low function Nokia phone and it had a reminder function. As mentioned above, I like using the phone because you’ll get the reminder wherever you are. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/10 "2007-08-20T23:34:59Z")
I’ve been using Remember the milk. It’s pretty good, but I’ve personally had trouble with the email reminders. It seems it’s only me, though. Other than that, it has some pretty nifty features. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/11 "2007-08-21T20:24:54Z")
Thanks everyone. I’m trying out “Stickies”, looks pretty simple and effective for what I need. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appointment-reminder/416245/12 "2007-08-21T21:18:49Z")
[QUOTE=psycat90] This is what I use. I used both Stickies and Rainlender in the past. I liked Rainlender, but once Google Calendar came out, I just liked it more. I have Google Desktop running with the calendar gadget added. It displays pop ups for my appointments and I receive text messages as well. You can indicate when you want to receive your reminders (10 mins., 30 mins., 1 day, etc.) and you can also request emails. If you like SMS reminders, I’ve found the website [ohdontforget.com](http://ohdontforget.com) to be pretty useful too. [/QUOTE] Google Calendars also recently updated their reminder interface so you can have it send you multiple reminders at multiple intervals. Quite nifty, really. I have mine set up to nag me more than my mom does, and that’s saying something. 😉