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Daily App: Ready to Go misses the mark as a manager for those last minute tasks
Ready to Go from AppBit has an interesting premise -- rather than a to-do list for everything you need to do in a day, the app focuses on those routine household tasks you must do every time you are "ready to go" somewhere. It's perfect for folks like me who rush out the door and forget something every time. The app launches to the "ready to go" screen, which allows you to mark off tasks that you need to complete before you leave the house. It is blank when you begin as you need to add tasks from the default checklist. Tasks include turn off the faucet, lock the door, check the iron and so on. When you've selected your tasks, you return to the "ready to go" screen and swipe your tasks as you complete them. You also can set time-based alerts to remind you to complete your tasks. As much as I like the idea behind Ready to Go, I'm not going to keep it on my phone as it lacks one major feature -- customization. There is one checklist provided with the app, and you can't add to it or change the existing list items. This is a missed opportunity as not everyone has an iron or a teapot that needs attention before they leave. Along with a single customizable list, I would love to see support for multiple lists and maybe even a location option that alerts you when walk out the door. This might be a jump ahead, but this is a perfect application for a household iBeacon. Install it at the door and get alerts as you walk through the threshold. Ready to Go is pretty with its minimalist UI, but it is not very practical without the ability to create your own list. The task manager is available for 99-cents from the iOS App Store. It is compatible with the iPhone and requires iOS 7.0 .
Mac App of the Week: 2Do, a task manager with the right mix of power features, simplicity
I'm always on the lookout for new task managers that offer a different UI or a different approach to help me keep track of my seemingly endless to do list. The latest app to cross my path is 2Do for the Mac from Guided Ways technology. I was familiar with 2Do, having used their iOS app a few years ago when it launched. The tabbed interface of the iOS version never grabbed me, so I stopped using it after a few weeks. Late last year though, the company launched an OS X version, which was recently updated and overhauled. This latest Mac version (v.1.5.1) has brought me back into the 2Do fold. 2Do is a mid-tier task manager -- it's a step up from the Reminders app, but isn't as complex as Omnifocus. Very similar to Things, 2Do offers a nice balance between usefulness and simplicity. It's robust enough that you can use it to manage a large number of tasks and projects, but loose enough that you can adapt it to your own style of management. You're not pigeonholed into GTD or some other task management method. Rather than cover all the features of the app, which are too many to count, I wanted to point out a few features that'll keep me using 2Do for the foreseeable future. First and foremost is the app's smart list feature. This feature allows you create a custom list of tasks based upon search criteria such as tags. As the app review editor, I keep track of a lot of different apps for potential review. I tag every task and then use the smart list feature to group only iOS apps, only productivity apps or those apps assigned to my co-workers. It's a very flexible and powerful way of keeping track of a lot of tasks. Another aspect of 2Do I appreciate is how it approaches your tasks. Each individual task is more than just a simple note with a due date. You can add an image to your task, upload a file or attach an audio recording to help you remember unwritten details. 2Do supports status based on priority and tags, which are searchable within the app. You also can set a task to be recurring based on the days of the week, the days of the month or a set amount of time (every 4 days, for example). An alarm feature will remind you when your task is due, and you can choose when you want this gentle reminder to arrive. Last but not least is the Focus section in the app. This section sits in the left sidebar, which shows all your lists, smart lists, and a calendar. The Focus section is at the top, and it groups your upcoming and important tasks together. This is your central dashboard for the items that need your attention right away. It shows you all your tasks that are due today and highlights those that are overdue in red. This focus feature isn't unique to 2Do, other apps like Things have a similar focus section, but I am glad that Guided Ways decided to incorporate it into its app. It is extremely useful. Among the minor features, 2Do offers syncing across OS X and iOS devices so your task list will always be at your finger tips. It supports OS X Quick Look so you can highlight a task and tap your space bar to get an overview of your task. It also has a quick entry feature allowing you to add a task from any app. These are all small, but important items that increase your productivity. Note: If you use the default quick entry shortcut, you may lose the ability to access the new emoticons in OS X Mavericks as they both use the same Control-Command-Space shortcut. Just go into the preferences for 2Do and set your own custom keyboard shortcut. 2Do is as capable as any task manager I have used, with the exception of Omnifocus, which is in a league of its own. 2Do is a great choice for 99% of the Mac owners who are looking for a robust task manager to handle a variety of home and work tasks. It has a long list of features and is intuitive enough to use that you don't have to pull out a manual every time you want to add something to your to-do list. 2Do is available from the Mac App Store for $39.99.
Minimalist task manager Begin adds tap-to-edit, new full-screen mode
Begin is a tough-as-nails to-do list that helps you manage the tasks in your life that are due right away. You are allowed a single list of tasks and each item in your list has three options -- do it today, do it tomorrow or mark it as done. It's simple, but effective. A recent update (version 1.5) softens the app by increasing the amount of time a task can stay on your list from two to five days. You don't have to do things "right away"; you just have to do them in the next few days. One of the biggest improvements is the ability to edit a task by simply double-tapping on an item. There also are a few new UI tweaks to make it easier to find and tally up your uncompleted tasks. Last but not least, Begin adds a new in-app purchase that unlocks an optional full-screen mode, new typefaces and the ability to disable reminders over the weekend. Begin is available for free from the iOS App Store. The in-app purchase to unlock additional features will cost you US$0.99 and is free for customers who already purchased the "Themes" option.
Astrid task manager to shut down on August 5
Astrid was acquired by Yahoo earlier this year, and now the web component of the task manager will go offline in a few weeks. Astrid sent out an email to all customers informing them that the cloud-based service would shut down on August 5. To help customers move to another task manager, Astrid is providing an export tool at astrid.com/home/export. As noted in the email, customers can download their data from Astrid and import it into another task manger like Wunderlist or Any.do. Wunderlist has even created its own import tool at astrid.wunderlist.com to help make the transition as seamless as possible.
6Wunderkinder brings new pro features to its Wunderlist task manager
6Wunderkinder today introduced a new Pro option in its popular to-do app, Wunderlist. The new Wunderlist Pro moves the task manager towards small business use by adding features that focus on team collaboration. Wunderlist Pro now lets users share their workloads by assigning tasks to colleagues and friends. Both parties will be able to update the task and track it as it moves towards completion. Users can also break down a task into subtasks and add as many subtasks as they need, now that subtasks are unlimited. Wunderlist is available for free from the iOS App Store and the Mac App Store. Customers can upgrade to the Pro version via an in-app purchase. Wunderlist Pro costs US$4.99 for a monthly subscription or $49.99 for a year.
Todoist, a web-based task manager available for iOS
With the staggering amount of task-management apps out on the market, we shouldn't think in terms of which one is "best," but rather which one is "best for you." Todoist is a web-based task-management app that offers all of the basics you expect via to-do lists. However it has one killer feature that makes it incredibly useful for my specific needs. Namely: nested lists. Todoist separates your lists into projects and then tasks, which can be added on the website and accessed via their handily iOS app. You can even add subtasks for an extra layer of detail. For example to help with keeping track of chores around the house, I made a project called Chores. In that project each room is listed as a task, with sub-tasks for doing the dishes, sweeping and cleaning the cat box. What could be incredibly complicated is a breeze thanks to the clean design of the web and app interfaces. Using two arrows you can move tasks right or left to nest them with your projects. You can also drag and drop tasks for easy reordering. Todoist also has browser plugins so you can add projects on the fly without opening a new page or pulling out your phone. When you're done with a task, simply check it off your lists. You can leave items crossed out on your screen or move them to an archive. In addition, the handy settings allow you to easily color-code labels, set deadlines and edit tasks. If this all seems complicated, don't worry. It comes with a clear and helpful walkthrough. The service also has a premium option, though the apps and website are free to use. The iOS app allows you to work offline, meaning commuters can create lists on the fly. However the free program is missing some major features that could turn off budget users. Features like the ability to filter completed tasks, add notes to tasks, push notifications and integration with iCal are strictly for paying customers. In addition, premium users get SSL encryption for their tasks. My shopping lists don't need to be secured, but it's worth noting when considering Todoist. The premium version of Todoist is available for US$29 per year. Todoist doesn't revolutionize task management, but its easy-to-learn interface and nested lists make it ideal for people who want a simple, yet powerful tool for keeping their day organized.
Friday Favorite: Using AppleScript to work with tasks in Things 2
A few weeks ago I purchased Things 2 when it was on sale in the Mac App Store. I've used the demo before and have always enjoyed the simplicity of the Things interface and the power of its tagging system. One difficulty that I faced with Things is its closed environment, which keeps all your tasks inside the app. That's great if you work only with Things, but not so convenient if you want to share your tasks with other apps or other people. You can drag and drop your tasks individually to other apps like OS X Calendar, but the easiest way to export your tasks is to use AppleScript and transfer them in bulk. One script I regularly use is this export Things to text script from Dexter Ang (thepoch) on github. This script exports the Things database to the desktop as Things Backup.txt. You can tweak the script to export certain parts of the Things database like your Today tasks or Next tasks. This is very handy as you can then edit the text file and upload it to Google Docs or any other app that'll import and format a text document. Another one of my favorite scripts is this Reminder export script from NightLion.net. This script lets you export all the tasks in your Today list and import them into the OS X Reminders app. I've been using this script each morning to pull my tasks down into Reminders, which I then use to set flexible notifications for the tasks. The last script that I've adopted is this Mail To Things script posted by marekz on the Cultured Code forums. This script lets you select a message in your OS X Mail inbox and send it quickly to Things. The task will appear in your Things Inbox with the subject as the name of the task and a link to the email in the notes. These are just a few scripts that I have found during my initial weeks with Things. If you have any favorite scripts, please share them in the comments. If you want to create your own scripts, you should check out Cultured Code's PDF guide to using AppleScript with Things as well as our growing list of AppleScripts for OS X.
Appigo launches Todo Pro, a task list synchronization and collaboration service
Appigo overhauled its Todo Online sync service and replaced it with a task synchronization and collaboration solution. The new Todo Pro service lets you seamlessly sync your tasks across your Mac and iOS devices. Todo Pro is an improvement over Appigo's former online sync service and is much faster at syncing your tasks across devices. Besides syncing, Todo Pro also lets you share your task lists with co-workers, family or friends. When a list is shared with others, these people can view the tasks, make comments and leave notes for other members to see. It's a great solution for a small workforce or a family that wants to share shopping lists, packing lists and more. The service is powered by a web app that is accessible from any desktop browser. There are companion iPhone, iPad and Mac apps so you can access your task lists on almost any device. Todo Pro integrates with Siri so you can use the voice assistant to add a reminder. It also supports advanced features like subtasks, repeating tasks, GTD and full task searching. The Mac and iOS App are available for free from the Mac App Store and the iTunes App Store. You can try out the new Todo Pro for free by signing up for a basic account. A premium account, which lets you connect the mobile, desktop and web apps, costs US$1.99 per month or $20 per year. The premium account also includes Siri integration, email notifications and an unlimited number of shared lists.
Metro Tasks is an option-filled task manager for detail-oriented users
Power users looking for an effective way to manage their to-do lists should take Metro Tasks from Developer One for a spin. Metro Tasks is filled with features that'll let you control your tasks, instead of your tasks controlling you. When you first open Metro Tasks, you are greeted with a very busy interface. Don't be turned off by the clutter. Start using the app and you will soon see that each item on the screen is logically laid out and serves a purpose. Metro Tasks is meant to emulate a paper-based workspace. In the center is your notebook and surrounding it are folders. The folders represent categories, which you use to organize all your tasks. The app includes several default folders like fitness and family, but you can customize them to your own workflow. On the right-hand side of the workspace is a wheel that you use to switch between completed tasks, tasks that are in progress, and all tasks. There's also an option to let you share your task list and another for the settings menu. On the top of the workspace is your calendar area which lets you select whether you see the tasks that are due today, tomorrow, this week, this month or sometime in the future. You have two options when you want to add a new task. You can use the bar above the workspace to quickly add a task. If you need advanced options, you can tap on the big checkmark on the right side of the screen. This will open a box that'll let you set a due date, a repeat frequency, and a folder for your task. You can even attach a photo and add personal information pulled from your contacts list. Once you create a task, you can easily move it from one folder to another by dragging it from the workspace and and dropping in into another folder. One unusual feature of the app that's worth noting is the repeating tasks. You can set the repeat frequency for a task, but the app doesn't calculate the repeat date until you complete a task. This method works well if you do a task on time, but once there is a delay, the repeat date for your task is all out of sync. Despite this idiosyncrasy, Metro Tasks is definitely worth checking out. The app looks overwhelming at first, but it gets easier to use once you dive in. If you give it a shot you may discover that you appreciate having all these options at your fingertips. Metro Tasks is available for US$6.99 from the iOS App Store. You can read more about the to-do app on Developer One's website. Update: After speaking with the developer, he confirmed that this unusual repeating behavior will be tweaked in a future update.
Microsoft details memory reclaiming process within Metro-style apps
Microsoft has made clear that Metro-style apps will be "suspended" when they aren't the foremost app that's running, enabling the associated CPU to divert its power to more... shall we say, pressing matters. But for those wondering about memory in the aforesaid scenario, there's an entire post now dedicated to explaining precisely that. Microsoft's own Bill Karagounis -- group program manager on the Fundamentals team -- has penned a behind-the-scenes look at how memory will be reclaimed within Windows 8, even when Metro-style apps are suspended. The long and short of it is this: starting with Windows 8 Consumer Preview, "whenever Windows detects memory pressure on the system, it will repurpose nearly all the memory that suspended Metro style apps would otherwise hold onto; [the OS] can reclaim this memory without having to terminate an app." For those seeking an even deeper understanding, the source link has your name written all over it.
Microsoft launches Windows 8 developer preview, downloads are live!
We got a taste of Windows 8 back at D9, but the real bounty is waiting in Anaheim. The company's kicking off its Build conference with a full-on developer preview of its next major desktop operating system, still code-named Windows 8 for the time being. According to Steven Sinofsky -- president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft -- the company has "reimagined Windows," bringing about a "new range of capabilities" that coders will begin to dig into sooner rather than later. As we'd seen before, the "Metro-styled" user interface is front-and-center, bringing graphical elements of Windows Phone 7 to desktop, laptop and tablet users of the future. Internet Explorer 10 is also onboard, as well as a focus on "apps" that can communicate with one another, and content that can sync across devices. Folks comfortable in a Win7 environment ought to be right at home here -- Win8 is built on the same foundation, though the retooled Task Manager and Windows Explorer should tickle the average fancy. The Windows Store will enable devs to hawk their apps to any nation where Windows is sold, and yes, support for ARM-based chipsets is proudly included alongside compatibility with x86 devices. In other words, everything from "10-inch tablets to laptops to all-in-ones with 27-inch HD screens" will be able to ingest Win8 with ease. That's a markedly different take than the folks in Cupertino have expressed, with an (admittedly limiting) mobile OS being chosen to run the tablet side of things. Only time will tell which mantra proves more viable, but we're guessing the both of 'em will find varying levels of success. Microsoft has also confirmed backwards compatibility with "devices and programs" that support Windows 7, and while an exact time has yet to be revealed, we're told that developers will be able to download the Windows Developer Preview via the new Windows Dev Center later this week. Full fact sheets can be seen in the source link below, and our hands-on impressions of the new code can be found right here. Update: Downloads are live! Get in! %Gallery-133323%
Microsoft patent details a 3D desktop interface with a room for your windows
Many have tried and failed to bring a 3D desktop interface to an otherwise 2D operating system, but that certainly hasn't stopped others from trying. The latest example to crop up comes courtesy of none other than Microsoft, which recently received a patent for what it describes as a "method and apparatus for providing a three-dimensional task gallery computer interface." In other words, it's an interface intended to help you better manage multiple tasks, which the patent suggests could be done in a 3D environment with a floor, walls and a ceiling. Apparently, you'd be able to group multiple windows at various spots in the "room," which would let you rely on your spatial memory to easily find a given task -- with the room getting deeper and deeper to accommodate more tasks. In the patent's claims, the only means described for navigating around that room is a set of icons that would adjust to suit the 3D environment, although it certainly seems like it could easily be adapted to accommodate gesture controls as well. Hit up the source link below for plenty more line drawings where this one came from.
Beta Beat: Dejumble 2
Apps like Things and OmniFocus are (still) the big contenders for your task-management dollars, but there are plenty of fresh ideas popping up from "smaller" developers. For example, ThinkingCode just released an exciting public beta: version 2 of Dejumble, their entry into the task manager market. We've been watching Dejumble since its early days, and it's always been a fairly unique player ... though not necessarily cut out for heavy-duty task management. Version 2 is taking a crack at changing that. A streamlined interface is the base for a faster task entry system and great new search features. The tagging system is easily navigated with mouse clicks, and it works with smart folders (as you'd probably expect). In addition to projects and tags, tasks can have subtasks, so advanced organization is possible. It's looking impressive, for an early beta. While it's very usable right now, there's much to do before final release. I corresponded with the developer last week, and got a list of features planned for implementation before 2.0 is officially released. Online sync, a more finely-tuned "Smart Bar" and other navigation improvements for large task lists, as well as further Mac integration (AppleScript, Automator, Services hotkey for note capture) are all promising. Also among the standout features in the roadmap is an iPhone (and, potentially, iPad) companion app, with iCal/over-the-air syncing. The iPhone app is, apparently, very close to being ready and should be available in time for the 2.0 desktop release. The planned price for Dejumble 2.0 will be US$39, but it's a free upgrade for current customers and pre-orders will start soon at $20US. If you do grab the beta, be sure to stop by the support forum, get the latest news, and leave your feedback to help shape the final version!
OmniFocus 1.6 checks off bugs and adds new features
The Omni Group just released OmniFocus 1.6, and it's a big, big update. Current users are going to be pleased, even if they don't bother to page through the extensive list of new features and fixes in the release notes. I've never said anything to the contrary, but this is proof that Omni is listening carefully to users and working hard to evolve with user demands while still maintaining their original vision. For the uninitiated, OmniFocus is one of the top contenders for your task manager dollar. Among the commercial options -- along with Things and up-and-comer, The Hit List -- OmniFocus is considered to be the powerhouse, at least as far as features. It's been a bit too much power for a number of people looking for simplicity in both form and function, but for those who need the extra power, it's a solid choice. When I say "extra power", I'm talking about advanced sorting based on just about any criteria, saved filter sets called "Perspectives," AppleScript support, integration with Mail, iCal sync, iPhone sync (with separately purchased iPhone version) and some advanced capabilities to help you determine your "next action" with less input than some of the others. Things and The Hit List are still contending for my ultimate love, but I've used OmniFocus extensively and can honestly say that the only reason I tend to drift away from it is complexity -- both in the UI and in general functionality. As I mentioned, the 1.6 release notes are extensive, and the vast majority of the entries are of very similar importance, making "highlights" hard to do. There are changes and additions to the filtering options, a new "Flagged" collation type for Context view, a prodigious number of bug fixes and enhancements to existing functionality, UI improvements, AppleScript fixes and improvements ... seriously, it's a long list. If you're a current user, you should be notified of the update within the application (check your update settings in Preferences), and new users can download a free demo. OmniFocus will hit your pocketbook for $79.95US ... competitive in the GTD arena and fitting for the punch it packs.
ActionGear, simple yet powerful task management
ActionGear has been out for a while, but I think it deserves a mention as a potentially great task-management app, falling somewhere between iCal or a bare bones outliner such as TaskPaper, and the robust end of the scale where Things and OmniFocus are duking it out. Within ActionGear's simple interface, you'll find a sidebar with your Inbox, (nestable) Groups, and Smart Groups. The main focus of the interface is a task list in which tasks can be nested within their groups (folders). Each task can have flags, notes and attachments, and there's a tagging system which allows Things-like flexibility. You can use it as a basic to-do list, or make the Groups into projects and tags into contexts and go all GTD with it. The Smart Groups can emulate, to some extent, the Perspectives you'd find in OmniFocus. Overall it seems like a good solution for those who need a little more structure and power in their task management than what can be done with iCal, but don't really need all of the extra features of OmniFocus. If that's you, give ActionGear a shot with the free trial. If you dig it, it's $29USD for a license.
HTC brings the "close" back to Pocket PC close buttons
Anyone who's ever made the switch from Palm OS to Windows Mobile goes through the same series of feelings: the initial thrill of being able to keep several applications open at once, followed by the intense frustration of finding out that the little red "X" in the corner doesn't force an app to actually quit. Microsoft has publicly stated that this "feature" exists because users shouldn't have to manage their own memory, and while this is an admirable goal, it doesn't take into account the fact that some folks may actually want to decide what's running and what's not. Most of us have gotten around this annoyance by installing third-party software that brings additional functionality to the close button, but that won't have to be the case for long, as HTC has announced plans to add the same option to all future devices running AKU 3.2 and higher. The HTC Task Manager will allow you to end running programs with either a single tap on the close button or a tap-and-hold, although it's not clear if you'll be able to map this feature to a hard button a la Pocket Plus. Still, this is definitely an encouraging development for Pocket PC users, and hopefully one that other manufacturers will take notice of -- or preferably, Microsoft.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
