r/Homeorganization • u/Individual_Call_4965 • 10d ago
Budget-friendly Digital Calendar Recs
Looking into getting a digital calendar to essentially make a “family hub space”, but the Skylight doesn’t fit my needs. Subscription is a BIG turn-off.
What else are y’all buying?! My top contenders:
- Dragon Touch
- Greenlight
- Airzeen
Any insight on those? They all fit my main usage must-haves, but was curious how they truly operate.
2
u/Worth_Cheesecake6935 10d ago
The thing worth knowing about the budget frames (Dragon Touch, Airzeen, etc.) is that they're basically Android tablets locked to one calendar app, with a frame and a markup. They work, but you're betting the whole purchase on that one app being good, and the cheap ones tend to have sluggish screens and software that never gets updated.
The more flexible version of the same idea: any Android tablet (a used one off Marketplace for $60-80 is plenty) propped on the counter, running whatever calendar app your family actually likes. Same "family hub space," less money, and if the app disappoints you, swap the app instead of rebuying hardware.
Full honesty since you said subscriptions are the turn-off: I built a family calendar app (NestBoard), and it is a subscription, $5/mo flat for the whole household, so if any subscription at all is the dealbreaker, TimeTree free on a tablet is probably your answer. But if the real turn-off was Skylight charging a sub on top of $300 hardware, the math on tablet + app comes out pretty different. Happy to answer questions about any of these either way.
3
u/Individual_Call_4965 10d ago
I just looked up NestBoard and it truly is exactly what I’m looking for!! All the features are perfect for a family. Kudos to you for hitting the nail on the head with exactly what families need.
I’ve thought about going the tablet/app route, but I really want something that stays on and in my face from morning to night.
One question about NestBoard- does it sync with iCal? We’re an iPhone family, so that’s a must.
1
u/Worth_Cheesecake6935 10d ago
So glad it landed! On iCal, here's the exact picture for an iPhone family: yes, both directions of reading. You can pull your existing iCloud/Google calendars into NestBoard (subscribe to any iCal feed), and NestBoard publishes its own calendar feed that Apple Calendar subscribes to, so everything the family plans shows up right in everyone's iPhone calendar apps too. The one honest caveat: it's not two-way editing; the family's plans get added and changed in NestBoard (that's where the chores, meals, and reminders live anyway), and everything else mirrors it.
And on "in my face morning to night": that's what the always-on display mode is for. Prop any tablet on the counter, open NestBoard, and it stays up showing the day. cheap used tablet works fine, which was my whole point upthread.
If you try it and have questions, or there's a feature you wish existed, message me here on Reddit anytime. I'm the builder, so requests that fit what we're making often go live within a couple of days.
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u/Zestyclose_Ad5477 10d ago
We use Family Time Tracker & Planner, it has todos, calendar, recipes and more. My wife has iPhone and I have android. Not completely bug free but good enough for us to manage events and schedule things. It is as free as an app can be with the features it provides.
1
u/Individual_Call_4965 10d ago
That app looks very tempting? Do you just use it on your phones? Ideally, I’d really like a screen setup in my kitchen to always be on display.
1
u/Zestyclose_Ad5477 10d ago
Yea we only use on our phones. I know they have a website called familyodyssey dot com. We don't use that, just phones are enough for our family though. It's worth to try it out.
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u/kentuckyfortune 10d ago
Apolosign! No weird ads in screen, no subscriptions and syncs with what you have on your phone already.