Send events from Google Calendar to friends’ and family members’ cell phones
If you are an avid Google Calendar user, then you probably already know that you can send yourself text messages about upcoming events on your schedule. But, did you know that you also can send text messages about events to friends and family members with cell phones (even very, very low-tech cell phones)? Here’s how –
When you create an event, click on “edit event details”:
Once the event page appears, enter the contact information for your friends’ and family members’ cell phones as guests for the event:
The contact information for your friends’ and family members’ cell phones consists of their 10 digit cell phone number followed by the extension for their specific carrier. For example, if the cell number is (555) 555-1234 and they have Verizon as their cell phone carrier, you would list 5555551234@vtext.com as a guest. If their carrier is AT&T Wireless, you would list 5555551234@txt.att.net as your guest.
When you choose “save” for your event, a pop-up screen will ask if you want to send your messages to your guests. Choose “send” so your guests will receive an initial invitation to the event. Please note that they will not receive an event reminder if you have one set unless you log into Google Calendar and choose to “e-mail guests” on the events page the day of the event.
Here are a few extensions to help you figure out your friends’ and family members’ contact information for their cell phones:
#telephone#@vtext.com
Verizon
#telephone#@txt.att.net
AT&T Wireless
#telphone#@messaging.sprintpcs.com
Sprint
Standard message charges apply for all carriers.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Posted by Erin on May 13, 2008 |
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12 comments posted
Posted by Jason Nelms - 05/13/2008
You could use teleflip.com at the end of the email instead of having to remember what all of the carriers use. Teleflip deciphers it for you. =) I found out about them a couple of years ago and they have made sending email to SMS a much easier experience.
Posted by Jason Nelms - 05/13/2008
I forgot to add my examples:
If you were on any carrier and your number is 5552321111, the email that you would send to that number would be 5552321111@teleflip.com – No need to know who the carriers are for all of your friends.
Posted by Erin Doland - 05/13/2008
@Jason — I haven’t tried it, but that sounds like a good service, too. My only fear would be that teleflip may store the messages as a third-party provider. You can’t get around the information being stored by you cell company … but also having it stored by a third party makes me a little uneasy (especially since Calendar events include times when I won’t be at home). Just my two cents …
Posted by Michele - 05/13/2008
I would only add the caveat that some people do not have generous text messaging plans, and you could be costing your friend or family member a dime — or more — every time you text them.
Posted by Carly - 05/13/2008
Thanks for the teleflip info, Jason! That’s VERY useful!
Posted by T - 05/13/2008
I second the reminder about costs – I get charge 25 cents every time someone texts me, with no option to just not look at the message to avoid charges. So, I sure hope this doesn’t pick up as a broad tendency without people knowing in advance that everyone they’re sending this to can see messages without paying!
Posted by Renee - 05/13/2008
Thanks for the tip. I hadn’t used google calendar before but tried it on your suggestion. I just typed in a few dates and added my husband’s e-mail address to the events. Not only did he get an invitation to these events sent straight to his blackberry, when he accepted the invitation, the events went straight into his blackberry calendar which is great as he always needs organizing!
My only problem is, it didn’t seem to want to do the same for my blackberry. I included my e-mail on the distribution list but didn’t get anything come in. I’d be delighted if I could have my events go straight to my blackberry calendar with no extra typing.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Posted by bee - 05/13/2008
renee,
Google calendar has a service now to sync your calendar with outlook; if ou are using a blackberry i imagine you could use outlook on your work computer and sync them that way.
Posted by Renee - 05/13/2008
Thank you for your response. Any suggestions as to how to go about this?
Posted by Renee - 05/13/2008
I was just reading up on it and it looks like my blackberry provider doesn’t support this service, while my husband’s does. Not fair!
Posted by Lori - 05/14/2008
I will third the caution about text messages costing the recipient — far more people have pay-by-the-message plans than unlimited message plans — and add that there are many people who still do not get text messages at all. I was one of them until very recently, and the carrier (in my case, Sprint) usually does not notify the sender that the intended recipient does not have text messaging on their plan.
This can be a handy tool for those who text, but you should not use it indiscriminantly.
Posted by nola - 05/14/2008
no, thanks. google has enough info about me from my computer already; i’m not voluntarily turning over phone numbers. plus, i already get enough text message spam (event promoters are pretty text savvy) that i don’t need this, too. ugh.
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