A great calendar app for any device

Sunrise Calendar’s (iOS|Android) clean user-interface carries over to all major platforms, providing a consistent experience that works with iCloud, Google, and Exchange.

The latest version adds more functionality with the addition of supported apps such as TripIt and Evernote so you can get travel plans and reminders all within the same app.

I’ve used the Sunrise Calendar for quite some time, and already think it’s one of the best cross-platform calendar apps available, but with the new additions it’s even more useful.

Sunrise is one of the best looking calendar apps available (pictures)
See full gallery

Connecting accounts

The initial setup process for Sunrise Calendar is simple. After installing the app, you’ll need to create a Sunrise account, which can be done using an email address or by connecting to your Google or Facebook account. If you use Facebook or Google to create your account, the respective calendar will be imported into your account automatically. After the initial account creation, you can then add iCloud, Google, or Exchange calendars to the app.

iOS users who take advantage of both iCloud Calendar and Reminders will appreciate the fact that Sunrise imports both services, allowing you to view reminders and calendar entries on the same screen. Personally, I gave up on using iCloud Reminders due to the segregation of Apple’s Calendar and Reminders apps. I understand why some users would want them separated, but it makes more sense to me using Sunrise Calendar where I can have upcoming meetings and reminders listed in one easy-to-read interface. One annoyance here, however, is that even though you can see your reminders, you can’t create or mark a Reminder as complete within Sunrise Calendar.

Navigating Sunrise

On an iPhone, the default view displays the next two weeks in a familiar month view (albeit abbreviated) along the top. By swiping down on any of the days, it will display a full-month layout.

Just underneath either layout you will find an agenda view, where items in your calendar are displayed in a list. Along with the time of your next entry, you will also find the weather forecast displayed for the next few days.

Instead of a five-day view that most mobile calendar apps have, Sunrise opts for a three-day view. At first, not being able to see those two extra days was a shock to my planning workflow. But the more I used Sunrise, I began to realize I hardly ever need to look that far ahead in my calendar on a regular basis. When I do, I often just tap on the respective date in the month view.

Adding events