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On sending an SMS via iCal alert, can't an Applescript be written that would send a text message in iChat without additional software?
If you add your own cell number (the format +11234567) as an AIM contact, then SMS messages can be sent from iChat. Seems like a relatively simple script that would send an alert to that contact is all you need.

folklore said:

Perhaps, but it would only work for cell phone numbers in the U.S. (Living as I do in France, I'm constantly bugged by limitations like this, and since Macworld has readers around the world, I want to highlight solutions that are likely to work for everyone.)

[quote name='JoeKissell']
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folklore said:

Huh. I just assumed you could substitute the country code for the +1 and it would work. I guess it makes sense that it wouldn't.

I find alarms to be the most valuable part of an electronic calendar. Google Calendar can pop up an alarm at any time if you install Google Notifier, but I started experiencing error messages with it. Even when it works perfectly, the alert only stays on your screen for a few seconds, and what good is that? If you're away from your computer when the reminder comes up, you'll miss it. I'll have to try Growl and see if that resolves the problem.

"It can send e-mail alerts only when your computer is awake and connected to the Internet"
What qualifies as being awake? I set myself up with an email reminder, it never came. When I went back to the Mac to check, I see it is in the Outbox in Mail. Never sent. I keep my computer on 24/7 (not logged in though). My settings in Energy Saver prefs are:
Put computer to sleep..., I have it set to never.
Display sleeps after 15 minutes.
Put hard disk to sleep when possible is checked.
Do I need to change something? It seems that the email gets generated, just not sent. This has happened both times I tried doing this tip.

pwrmacbob said:

Awake just means not sleeping :-). The point I was trying to make is that your Mac (and in particular, iCal and Mail) needs to be active. But neither iCal nor Mail is running if you're not logged in, so they can't send anything. You must be logged in too.

Joe

Hmmm. Oh well. The idea is nice, but I don't like to be logged in constantly. Another thing with iCal is that if you have reminders for a particular day, and you never log in that day, those reminders never pop up the next time you log in. Whereas in Outlook on Windows (ugh) will list all your reminders since the last time you were signed on. If there is a way to do this in iCal I haven't seen it, or maybe I'm not setting my reminders properly.