For bustling professionals rushing from meeting to meeting, keeping track of necessary tasks amidst the chaos can be quite a challenge. Everybody has their own system of tracking the tasks they need to complete: to-do lists jotted on a notepad, random sticky notes pasted across the office wall, sharpie notes on the palm of your hand, and so on.
If these methods were truly effective, you wouldn’t have opened this page in the first place, would you? So, put down the sharpie, save the environment and ditch the scraps of paper and sticky notes, and grab your iPhone. Make it all the way to Number 1 and surely you’ll find an iPhone To-Do app that will work for you.
5) Name: iProcrastinate Mobile
Cost: Free
Features: iProcrastinate offers a simple interface, allows users to color-code and group tasks, assign subjects, arrange list by priority or due date, and add notes for tasks. This app also allows the user to list sub-tasks, or steps, for each task, ensuring you don’t miss a thing!
Pros: A simple, free app to help you keep track.
Cons: No list sharing or obvious automatic syncing.
4) Name: Things from Cultured Code
Cost: $9.99
Features: Standard creation of tasks with due dates and priorities, sortable by due dates and priorities, integrated and intuitive interfacing, and sub-task capabilities make it a close race for Things on this list.
Pros: A Things for Mac desktop version of the software is available, allowing automatic syncing to your computer via Wi-Fi, and tasks can quickly be moved from the “Today” pile to “Tomorrow” when you find your list longer than you can handle. On a fun note, there is also a “Someday” categorization for those tasks so low in priority that you just never seem to have time for them. Now you won’t forget that you haven’t cleaned the gutters in 6 years.
Cons: No word yet on a PC-friendly counterpart to Things for Mac to allow those of use who don’t worship Steve Jobs with very purchase to join the syncing fun. Oh, and that Things for Mac software that makes this app so nice? That’ll be another $49.99.
3) Name: reQall
Cost: Free
Features: Once again, the standard features of due date and prioritizing are quickly overshadowed by some serious pizzazz with the ability to add tasks via voice, and the ability to send yourself reminders by text message, instant message, e-mail, calendar alert, or a computerized voice right from your phone. Add automatic syncing to a website with free membership that can be accessed anywhere and this is darn close to top of my list.
Pros: Web syncing and voice-to-text recognition make it a breeze to add or review tasks on the go, or when your battery inevitably dies… working on that yet Steve?
Cons: I have to admit I do have a rather heavy accent at times, but the voice-to-text really tends to fail with me. But this really is my only complaint.
2) Name: Use Your Handwriting and Use Your Handwriting Gold
Cost: UYH is Free, while UYHGold Costs $0.99
Features: Allowing you to create color-coded, categorized lists is cool, but the best feature is the ease of use. Simply tap a line and start writing with your pointer finger as your pen. Automatic scrolling and several sensitivity options means, with a little trial and error, you should be able to tap and write at a normal speed with no delay. And for those of use with chubby fingers, the amount of time needed to make a note on the phone is significantly reduced when not aiming for those lovely little letters on the keypad.
Pros: UMH (Free) provides all of the basic usability with a much smaller drain on the phone than the majority of lists. The Gold version adds a larger number of possible categories and allows you to sync your lists to your Facebook account so everybody can see how important you are.
Cons: Unfortunately, there are no due date settings or reminder capabilities. But for quick note-jocking, this app is absolutely my favorite.
1) Name: Toodledo
Cost: $2.99
Features: There are just too many features to count, all for less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Tasks can be assigned not just a standard due date, but a start date, length of time needed to complete, and status as well. Organize by folders, contexts (work vs home for example) or set broad goals with sub-tasks. The standard note feature is present, as well as a notebook feature that allows you to write up to and including a full-length novel if needed. Pop up alerts, unlimited sorting options, the ability to set tasks to repeat, and additional language support all launch this app straight to the Number 1 spot on my list.
Pros: Free automatic syncing with their website allows you to add tasks on your phone or quickly and easily manage your time entering tasks via the web. But my favorite feature of all is the ability to assign tasks locations (home or work, for example) and estimated length of time. Then, from the website, you can enter the amount of free time you have to fill and your location and Toodledo shows you tasks by priority that you could be working toward. No more XKCD while I decide what to do I suppose.
Cons: I honestly haven’t found a single con to this app. If Toodledo could add the voice recognition features of reQall this app could take over the world.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this review of my favorite iPhone To-Do apps. I hope you found one that will work for you! Leave a comment if you would like to see a review of another app or category.