Prerequisites
Welcome to Azynote. This page covers everything you need to set up before you install the app. Once you are done here, you will be ready to launch Azynote with your Mac already primed and your credentials ready.
If anything here is unclear or broken, please email support@azynote.com.
1. Add your Google Calendar to Apple Calendar
Azynote reads events directly from the Apple Calendar app on your Mac. It does not connect to Google or Outlook by itself. Add your Google (or Outlook, or iCloud) account to Apple Calendar once, and Azynote will automatically see every event.
This is a deliberate choice. By piggybacking on Apple Calendar, you don't have to give Azynote any cloud credentials, OAuth tokens, or API keys for your calendar. macOS handles authentication for you. Azynote just reads what is already on your Mac.
- Open Calendar.app (Cmd+Space, type "Calendar")
- Menu bar: Calendar > Settings... (or Cmd+,)
- Click the Accounts tab
- Click the + button at the bottom-left
- Pick Google in the account type list
- Sign in with your Google account in the browser window that opens
- Make sure Calendars is checked in the list of things to sync
- Click Done
Your Google events should now appear in Apple Calendar within a minute or two. Repeat for any other Google account, Outlook, or iCloud account.
2. Tune the refresh interval (so events stay fresh)
By default, macOS only pulls fresh data from Google every 15 minutes. If you create or move an event on your phone and want it visible quickly, you can speed this up.
- Calendar > Settings > Accounts
- Pick your Google account in the left list
- Find the Refresh Calendars dropdown at the bottom of the panel
- Pick Every minute (most responsive) or Push if available
3. Prepare your AI credentials
Azynote uses Google Gemini to generate OnePagers, answer questions about sessions, and power its smarts. Pick one of the two options below and have your credentials ready before launching the app.
| Option | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Studio (API key) | Individuals, fastest setup, free tier | Free tier available |
| Vertex AI | People with a corporate Google Cloud account | Billed via your GCP project |
You can switch later, so pick whichever is easier.
Option A: Google AI Studio (the easy path)
- Go to https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey in your browser
- Sign in with your personal Google account
- Click Create API Key
- Copy the key (starts with
AIza...) and keep it somewhere safe
That's it. You will paste this key into Azynote after install.
Option B: Vertex AI (corporate Google Cloud)
If your company has a GCP project with Vertex AI enabled, follow these steps. Set aside 10 minutes.
B.1 Install the Google Cloud CLI
brew install google-cloud-sdk
gcloud --version
If you see gcloud: command not found, add this line to your ~/.zshrc and reopen the terminal:
source "$(brew --prefix)/share/google-cloud-sdk/path.zsh.inc"
B.2 Authenticate with Application Default Credentials
gcloud auth application-default login
A browser window opens. Sign in with your company Google account. This creates a credentials file at ~/.config/gcloud/application_default_credentials.json that Azynote reads automatically.
Verify it worked:
ls ~/.config/gcloud/application_default_credentials.json
B.3 Find your GCP Project ID
- Open https://console.cloud.google.com
- Confirm you are signed in with your company account (avatar top-right)
- Click the project selector dropdown next to the "Google Cloud" logo
- Pick the project your team uses for Vertex AI
- The Project ID is shown in grey under the project name (for example,
my-company-ai-123)
The Project ID is not the project name. The ID is lowercase with no spaces. If you are unsure which project to use, ask your team lead or GCP admin.
Note down your Project ID and your preferred region from the list below. You will enter these into Azynote after install.
| Region | Location |
|---|---|
us-central1 | Iowa, USA |
us-east1 | South Carolina, USA |
us-east4 | Virginia, USA |
us-west1 | Oregon, USA |
us-west4 | Nevada, USA |
europe-west1 | Belgium |
europe-west2 | London, UK |
europe-west3 | Frankfurt, Germany |
europe-west4 | Netherlands |
asia-east1 | Taiwan |
asia-northeast1 | Tokyo, Japan |
asia-southeast1 | Singapore |
You are ready to install Azynote. Your calendar is syncing and your AI credentials are prepared. Next: First Launch.