Spanning Sync is a new tool you can use to synchronize the exchange of content between Apple’s iCal software and Google Calendar. The software, previously available as a beta version, has reached 1.0 and is now available as a 15-day trial. It costs $25 for a one-year subscription or $65 for a one-time payment.
iCal is included on all shipping Macs, and enables users to track events, to do items and multiple calendars that are maintained locally or on servers. Google Calendar serves much the same purpose, but is offered as an online service through Google itself.
Spanning Sync bridges a connection between iCal and Google Calendar, providing two-way synchronization based on Mac OS X’s Sync Services technology. You can share calendars between multiple Macs and multiple Google accounts, similar to what you can do with Apple’s subscription-based .Mac service, for example.
You can sync between Google Calendar and Sync Services-compliant devices and software, such as smartphones, iPods and Apple’s forthcoming iPhone.
System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.4.8 or later. Spanning Sync is a Universal binary that runs natively on Intel and PowerPC-based Macs.