Our Verdict
The to - do list is a productivity necessity , but ending up with several leaning of put off length is all too easy . Things 2.0(Mac App Storelink ) from Cultured Code aims to naturalise those lists , and the program is n’t complicated — learning how to cope your task in Things wo n’t become its own to - do item on the list .
Things features a neatly design two - pane windowpane for working with your to - do detail . The left column lists the various grouping of items . The wide editorial to the right shows a one - line sum-up of each to - do . Clicking a line expands the item to expose more details and to permit editing .
you could add to - do items to Things within the diligence itself , of course , but thing also offer a systemwide keyboard shortcut for apace entering a task with minimum disruption . However , Things must be running for the shortcut to employment , so you have to get in the habit of keep the software open all the time .
fresh to - DO drop into thing ’ inbox , where they await categorization . One agency to sort a to - do is to assign tatter ( short , descriptive words or phrases ) . As you commence to typewrite a ticket , Things display any matching tags you ’ve previously used , to advance consistency . Press Return on your keyboard , and the tag is encapsulated in a disconsolate bubble and assign to the labor . Another organisational tool is ‘ Areas of Responsibility ’ ( commonly referred to as just Areas ) , a set of umbrella family for your to - dos that appear in the left column of the Things windowpane . A third grouping method is the Project . Unlike the generally descriptive Areas , Projects can have due date and a completion status . call up of Projects as super to - dos : When all the items in a Project are perfect , the Project itself is complete .
If you need to manage other people ’s tasks , Things allow for you to assign items to contacts from your Address Book . You must first add contacts to Things ’ leave sidebar ; subsequently you could relate Projects and to - State with a person by sweep up project to the link ’s name .
Besides the aforementioned classification scheme , Things has a few way to help you focalize on your most relevant to - do point without getting overwhelmed by long list . In the left chromatography column , just below the Inbox , is the Today group . As its name suggests , this group lists items that expect care on the current day . The Today group also picture past - due items and any to - disk operating system you ’ve set to appear before than their actual due particular date . Having something show up too soon can make sense — just because a job is n’t due until Friday does n’t mean you could dismiss it today .
Below the Today chemical group is the Next group . This is a list of to - Doctor of Osteopathy and projects that are fighting but do n’t needfully require your immediate attention . Below the Next grouping is the Scheduled group , which lists incomplete to - dos that have due dates assign . Finally , the Someday group is exactly that : job you hope to finish finally but must await for one understanding or another .
Rare is the to - do list that does n’t involve errands or other job that do n’t take spot at the computing machine , so Cultured Code offers versions of thing for theiPadandiPhone / iPod touchas well . Owners of Things on multiple gimmick may signalise up forThings Cloud , a free armed service that synchronize your to - dos . Not to be confuse with Apple ’s iCloud , Things Cloud is a proprietary inspection and repair . In my testing , two - way synchronization of Things datum between my Mac and iPad was fast and effortless .
The documentation was the only unsatisfying part of Things . The help - arrangement information seems to be from a premature version . It contains no mention of Things Cloud , and it instructed me to click an Apply button that is not present in this edition . Cultured Code ’s website has more - current selective information , but it ’s amaze that an otherwise well - conceived and well - executed ware would overlook the documentation .
Bottom line
thing 2.0 excels at managing to - do lists . It offers just enough methods to group and categorise your labor without becoming needlessly complicated . As tilt managers go it is n’t cheap , but its organisational prowess makes it a sound investment for anyone with a good deal to do .
