scheduling

Users who have the native Mac backup system in use may want to adjust the preset options. TimeMachineScheduler for Mac does add some functions to the backup system that work well, but few of them are critical to most Mac users.

TimeMachineScheduler for Mac downloaded quickly and its installer did not require user interaction. A readme file clearly explained the installation process, which was a nice feature. The presence of a native uninstaller was also useful. The lack of tutorials was not much of a problem since the application is little more than an additional section of the preferences menu. … Read more

For teachers and students alike, the iPad is a perfect timekeeper. With its robust suite of built-in tools and endless supply of options and apps, it can easily keep track of your projects, classes, exams, and teachers in a single space. Of course, most apps are not designed for this type of tracking, so a tool like Lessons Schedule is much needed. But does this app perform as needed in that role? For the most part it does, with a few minor exceptions.

Upon opening, if you have a Dropbox account (and the app installed), Lessons Schedule will attempt to … Read more

Schedulers and planners are supposed to make life simpler by helping you be on time and on task. i-Schedule Free offers a slightly different take on a scheduler in that it's focused on school schedules. The problem, however, is that its user interface isn't well integrated, so it requires lots of input, making it more trouble than it's worth.

i-Schedule Free opens with a dragon design while you wait for the actual app features to load. From there, you're presented with nine different menu options that all require you to input some kind of information. Going … Read more

High-quality tax tools don't always come with high prices. Moose-Tech's Schedule D Tax Tool is a standalone tool for generating IRS Schedule D tax data in TXF files that can be imported into major tax preparation software. It can import XLS data and match individual transactions. It doesn't prepare your taxes for you, but it does simplify the process of entering your tax data, which frees you up to focus on more important parts of the whole taxpaying experience.

Schedule D Tax Tool's compact Main Menu offers a gentle reminder to have your personal data ready: &… Read more

Organizing events through Facebook for school activities, parent meetings, or just time with friends? If the address for the location of the event is long, or you having a lot of specific people to invite, doing so can become cumbersome.

Instead of trying to keep up with making a new event each day, week, or month, you can set up a repeat event of one you already have very easily.

You'll need to create an initial event, which can be done by clicking the Events link on the left-hand side of the Facebook Web page. Next, tap the Create … Read more

Finally, starting today, the greater Android community can download the official Google Calendar app straight from Google Play. Previously available only on select devices like the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, the official calendar app provides a robust hub for managing all of your calendars, including those associated with different Google accounts.

With today's release the app also gets a few feature updates, including a "snooze" function, predefined messages to quickly notify event attendees of your status, pinch-to-zoom in and out of single-day view, and a home time zone setting. Also, you can now review events up … Read more

Loan Amortization Schedule for Excel is, no surprise, an XLS file that has loan amortization formulas embedded in it. Distributed as a ZIP file with the XLS sheet and a couple of text files (release notes and license agreement), there's no installation process to follow. Just open the XLS file with Excel (or compatible program) and you're good to go.

The layout of the first sheet is simple: space at the top for loan mount, interest rate, term, and a few other details like payment frequency and compounding period. You just enter your information to see the monthly … Read more

By now most everyone knows about Apple's deficient Maps app in iOS 6 -- particularly those who counted on the former Google-powered app for public transit directions. Apple CEO Tim Cook publically apologized for the Maps app and said the company is working to make the app better. But in the meantime, if you need public transit directions, you're going to have to rely on third-party apps from the App Store.

Before you start sifting through hundreds of transit apps, I put together this collection so you can get the help you need right away. It's important … Read more

This is one of those moments when people might ask, "what did we do before smartphones?"

Google announced today that its Maps feature now has public transit schedules for more than 1 million bus, train, subway, and tram stops around the world -- encompassing nearly 500 cities.

"Public transportation information is especially useful when it's in the palm of your hand," Google Maps software engineer Christopher Van Der Westhuizen wrote in a blog post today.

In addition to reaching 1 million public transport schedules, Google also launched an update to its Google Maps for Android … Read more