Things ($49.95) is a pretty cool application for keeping track of the ‘things’ you need, or want to do. The advantage that it has over a number of other GTD type applications is that it will sync between your Mac and iPhone/iPod Touch (although not across multiple Macs and your iPhone/iPod Touch yet), and is very easy to set up.
These are two ‘must haves’ for me, so it ticks the right boxes straight away, although at $49.95 I think it is a good $20 over priced, especially as it doesn’t sync across multiple Macs (yet!). I keep saying yet as when I first started using it I was told that it would ‘one day’, but that day has yet to come ….. there is a sort of work around if you sync with iCal in terms of visibility of To Do items across Mac’s but it isn’t really that useful as you can’t manage your tasks, projects etc. There is also a somewhat complicated method using Drop Box that you may want to look at, but personally I think it best to wait at least a little longer!!!
Desktop Application
The ‘Leopard like’ interface is very slick, and very easy to use. I found that it provided just the right amount of ‘at a glance’ information, and in particular allows the window to be resized into a column that can sit at the side of my screen as a always visible reminder of what needs to be done (or more often what needs to be rescheuled for another day!).
The use of tags is the most useful aspect for me, as it cuts down on real estate i.e. no columns, so again you can make the most of your available desk space.
The data entry window is very neat indeed, allowing for Quick Entry, again very useful and to me a ‘must have’ function as the longer you have to spend entering what you are going to do, the less time you have to do it!
iPhone Application
I only have one real issue with Things on the iPhone and that is the fact that to sync you have to come out of the application and go in again. That is fine when you are first opening the application, but having made a change the lack of a ‘refresh’ option is frustrating, and somewhat bemusing to be honest! Oh yes, you also have to be on the same network, so it syncs just fine when you are at home, but not when you are out and about! So really at the moment it is pretty useless …. the best that can be said is that at least you leave the house all synced up!!!
They are minor issues, and no doubt they will be fixed in due course, but for now they make it a overpriced application, and a competent assistant rather than in indispensable one.
That said, I really like Things and use it all the time.
Features
Enough to be useful, not too many to overcrowd. Personally I found little use for Projects and have the impression that it really isn’t enough to really manage a project. It is more of a sub-folder Action list, that if you aren’t careful becomes a little overcrowded.
Hi Chris
I took a look at it when I returned to work at the beginning of January, as prompted by, I think, a comment from Wayne on an earlier post here. I spent a while working with it and getting to know it. However, in the end, I walked away from it. There are some things in it that, for me, just didn’t seem right. I felt as if I’d have to adapt to the software, rather than have it adapting to me. At $50 for the desktop application and another £6 for the iPod Touch counterpart, it was too much cash for not enough functionality. However, I do admire the reputation the team have developed for the product and will continue to keep half an eye on it. Perhaps, if I’ve not invested in a competing product, I’ll take a close look at v2 when it comes out.
In the meantime, I’ve recently seen a couple of interesting references to Hog Bay’s TaskPaper, so I might take a look at that. Or, if I’m feeling brave, Omni Group’s OmniFocus.
The syncing is really not good at the moment. I like the simplicity, and will stick with it …….. for now!!!!