Get Things done
Yesterday, on January 6th, Cultured Code released version 1 of their task management application Things. I have been using the beta version for quite some time and it has become my favorite to-do manager that helps me get things done.
The availability of GTD applications for Mac was pretty small just a couple of years ago, but lately a lot of applications has become available. The most notable ones are iGTD, Actiontastic, OmniFocus, Midnight Inbox and of course Things. I have evaluated all of them, but Things is the one that I keep coming back to.
When making a software application, especially one like this, it is difficult to get the correct balance of either too few features versus feature bloat. Things, in my opinion, got the perfect balance.
The user interface contains just the correct amount of GUI controllers without feeling bloated. It is pretty much self-describing; but it also got some nice descriptions in the background of each view which appear when the it contain no items (it can also be disabled). This is, in my opinion, a very nice and innovative way to help you get started using the application – the application got virtually no learning curve. Many software developers have a lot to learn from how Cultured Code have done this.
The application is divided into 6 main views: Inbox, Today, Next, Scheduled, Someday and Projects. Inbox is the place where you normally will put tasks that don’t below to a particular project or Area yet.
The Today view contains contains tasks that you have marked as to be fulfilled today, while the Next view got all the next tasks that are either scheduled or the next tasks to be completed in a project. The Scheduled view contains items that are scheduled for a specific day; which can also be a recurring task. In the Someday view you can store tasks or projects that you don’t plan on starting on yet, and will therefor not appear in the Next or Today view. Projects contains your current running projects (duh).
Adding new tasks is easy as pie. You can basically add tasks in any view, and there is also a feature called “Quick Entry”. Quick Entry is available by clicking its button, but you are also able to create a system-wide keyboard shortcut to the feature – eliminating the need to go into the application first. Adding a task inside the application is equally easy, with a similar box.
Once you have added a task you will see it in the corresponding view(s). Moving it around between projects etc. is a matter of drag-and-drop. When you have completed the task you can tick it off. When you got some finished task (or projects) the Log Completed button will appear, which will move the completed tasks/projects into the Logbook, for archiving.
After you have added a task you can use the Tags window, or corresponding shortcuts (seen to the left of the tag name), to add tags to your tasks. You can then choose to show just one tag. This prove very useful, especially when you tag your tasks according to priority (shortcut 1,2 and 3). You can of course also create your own tags.
Hopefully the screenshots in this post make you want to try out the application yourself. A 15-day full-featured trial is available from Cultured Code’s website. Also, be sure to check out their blog, forum and wiki pages.
The price is reasonably priced at $49.95, or $74.95 for a family license (which can be used by up to 5 users who live in the same household). Additionally, until January 15th, you’ll be able to get the application for 20% off the full price by using the coupon code THINGPRESALE20, so be sure to take advantage of that offer.
Last, but not least, I should mention that Cultured Code has also created a Things client for the iPhone and iPod touch which is just as good as the desktop application. Be sure to check it out in the iTunes Store.