Rating: 5 

Version tested:  2.0

Rainlendar is a desktop calendar, to-do list, and events manager that is highly customizable. It hovers transparently over the desktop or other applications for easy access whenever you need it.

This software has everything going for it; it is very easy to use, extremely elegant, and requires very little system resources.

Rainlendar features all the standard calendar functions: Events/tasks can be ‘dated’, their duration defined, and they can be set as recurring (or not). They can be associated with audio alarms that go off at user-defined times before the event/task is due. They can also be categorized.

In addition to these Rainlendar has some pretty sophisticated functions.

• You can define multiple calendars running at the same time (you might want this for different projects, for example).
• You can easily import and export events with other PIMs and calendar software, as it uses the iCalendar format for compatibility.
• There is also a ’search’ function for to-do’s and events.
• Highly customizable and skinnable, with a wide array of skins available for downloading
• Resides in the tray area for easy access.

Differences between Lite and Pro versions:
Unless its a beverage, I have a natural aversion to anything that has ‘lite’ in its name. Nonetheless I do not feel that the differences between the lite freeware version and the paid pro version diminish this software in any significant way.

The pro version of Rainlendar includes a plugin that enables it to view to-dos and events from MS Outlook without having to have that application open all the time. It also gives you the option to connect to shared events online to “stay up to date with current events” (whatever that means), as well as publish your own online.

Go to download page for latest version. The program home page.