[URL="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/2do-tasks-done-in-style/id303656546?mt=8&at=10l3Vy]2Do, Tasks Done in Style[/URL], by Guided Ways Technologies, Ltd. (universal binary)
$9.99, ****1/2
Pros:
? Simple layout and design
? Nice options for use
? Good balance of features (complexity) and ease of use (simplicity)
Cons:
? Help file is not very intuitive
When Apple announced that the new iOS (version 5) was going to have a to do list, a lot of people predicted that would be the end of third party to do lists. However, the Apple app ?Reminders? is great, but it still leaves a lot of room for enhancement, meaning there is a lot of room for third part apps. One of the best reminder/to do lists apps I have seen recently is 2Do: Tasks Done in Style.
When developing a to do list manager, you always have the question of balancing ease of use and plenty of features. Basically this has to do with the level of complexity. Depending what you are looking for, a simple, list based to do list might be all you need ? very easy to use, not a lot of features. On the other hand, maybe you want a robust feature set, with many many option ? this is more complicated, not as easy to use but has a lot of options. Most of the time I have seen apps focus on one or the other ? 2Do is one of the few apps that I have seen that manages to combine both features.
As with any to do list, when you open 2Do, you start off seeing your list of tasks. They can be sorted by due date, status, priority, title, and more. You can even sort them manually. You have built in tabs to see items that have been starred, scheduled, categorized as home or work, and even ones with a due date of today. So a lot of easy to use methods for finding your specific to do items. To mark a to do item off, simply tap the icon and it will be crossed out (but still visible, in case you need to un-erase it, or want to look back to see what you have done). If you want to put an item in one of the tabs (label something as ?work? for example) you can do it through a menu system, or you can drag and drop it making it very easy to change something to ?today? or starring an item. I tested the app out on my iPhone, but pictures of its use on the iPad indicate it makes very good use of the larger screen. You have a calender to look at, a item preview screen, and even a summary list that includes things like "items due today" or "overdue items".
Creating to do lists is easy. You have three different options ? create a simple to do item, create a checklist, or create a project. A project is an interesting idea ? it basically will simply be a ?folder? that stores multiple to items. This is a great way to organize a lot of activity for one project or goal. When creating a list, you can keep it simply (due date, add a note, start date) or you can add additional features, like an alarm, repeat the item, and a picture or url. You can even add an associated action ? sending a text, calling someone, send an email, visit, or surf the web. But the nice thing is that the layout is still very simple ? thus, you have a lot of features with an easy to use layout.
Tasks and items can be synced to other devices (using dropbox), so you can create an item on your iPhone and it will appear on your iPad. Syncing can also be accomplished with iCloud, mobileme, toodledo, Yahoo Calendar, and iCal servers. You can also add location based alert (something that I think is a great feature in Reminders). There is a search feature built in to the main page as well, so you can search for keywords in an item (just in case your to do list is so long, you don?t have time to look through everything!). Along those lines, when creating a to do item, you can add keywords (including tags for people and contacts) that can also be included in the search feature.
I do wish the help file was a little better. The help file is currently set up as a project, where each little tip is a separate to do list item. While that does mean you can check them off as you see them, it does make it a little difficult to look up a question.
All in all, 2Do is one of the best to-do apps that I have seen out there. It is easy to use, but offers a feature set that is robust enough that you don?t feel you are giving anything up for simplicity. This universal binary will keep your action items synchronized between multiple devices, so you don?t need to worry about entering items multiple times. At $9.99, this app is a little pricey, which is the only real flaw that I found. But if you rely on to-do lists to keep yourself organized, the price is probably well worth it. Four and a half out of five stars.
* = No redeeming qualities or features, probably not worth it even if it is free
** = Few redeeming qualities, or is simply isn't worth the price
*** = Some good features but also some clear flaws.
**** = A solid app, worth the money if interested, a few flaws or problems or slightly overpriced
***** = Top of the line app, no problems or drawbacks.
Price is factored into the ratings. Ratings are lowered if I feel the price of the app outweighs the benefits/enjoyment/features it provides. Likewise, an app that is a good value for the money will have a higher rating. Please comment on these reviews. If you own the app, tell me what your opinion is. If the review prompted you to buy (or not buy) the app, let me know why. If you want more information about the app, go ahead and ask.
*To all who are awaiting reviews ? I apologize about the lack of reviews recently, but I hope to post a steady stream of app reviews of the next few weeks. If you have contact me regarding an app review, I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Please note that contacting me (even sending a promo code) does not guarantee a review. If you have not heard from me within the next week or so, please send me another PM*
$9.99, ****1/2
Pros:
? Simple layout and design
? Nice options for use
? Good balance of features (complexity) and ease of use (simplicity)
Cons:
? Help file is not very intuitive
When Apple announced that the new iOS (version 5) was going to have a to do list, a lot of people predicted that would be the end of third party to do lists. However, the Apple app ?Reminders? is great, but it still leaves a lot of room for enhancement, meaning there is a lot of room for third part apps. One of the best reminder/to do lists apps I have seen recently is 2Do: Tasks Done in Style.
When developing a to do list manager, you always have the question of balancing ease of use and plenty of features. Basically this has to do with the level of complexity. Depending what you are looking for, a simple, list based to do list might be all you need ? very easy to use, not a lot of features. On the other hand, maybe you want a robust feature set, with many many option ? this is more complicated, not as easy to use but has a lot of options. Most of the time I have seen apps focus on one or the other ? 2Do is one of the few apps that I have seen that manages to combine both features.
As with any to do list, when you open 2Do, you start off seeing your list of tasks. They can be sorted by due date, status, priority, title, and more. You can even sort them manually. You have built in tabs to see items that have been starred, scheduled, categorized as home or work, and even ones with a due date of today. So a lot of easy to use methods for finding your specific to do items. To mark a to do item off, simply tap the icon and it will be crossed out (but still visible, in case you need to un-erase it, or want to look back to see what you have done). If you want to put an item in one of the tabs (label something as ?work? for example) you can do it through a menu system, or you can drag and drop it making it very easy to change something to ?today? or starring an item. I tested the app out on my iPhone, but pictures of its use on the iPad indicate it makes very good use of the larger screen. You have a calender to look at, a item preview screen, and even a summary list that includes things like "items due today" or "overdue items".
Creating to do lists is easy. You have three different options ? create a simple to do item, create a checklist, or create a project. A project is an interesting idea ? it basically will simply be a ?folder? that stores multiple to items. This is a great way to organize a lot of activity for one project or goal. When creating a list, you can keep it simply (due date, add a note, start date) or you can add additional features, like an alarm, repeat the item, and a picture or url. You can even add an associated action ? sending a text, calling someone, send an email, visit, or surf the web. But the nice thing is that the layout is still very simple ? thus, you have a lot of features with an easy to use layout.
Tasks and items can be synced to other devices (using dropbox), so you can create an item on your iPhone and it will appear on your iPad. Syncing can also be accomplished with iCloud, mobileme, toodledo, Yahoo Calendar, and iCal servers. You can also add location based alert (something that I think is a great feature in Reminders). There is a search feature built in to the main page as well, so you can search for keywords in an item (just in case your to do list is so long, you don?t have time to look through everything!). Along those lines, when creating a to do item, you can add keywords (including tags for people and contacts) that can also be included in the search feature.
I do wish the help file was a little better. The help file is currently set up as a project, where each little tip is a separate to do list item. While that does mean you can check them off as you see them, it does make it a little difficult to look up a question.
All in all, 2Do is one of the best to-do apps that I have seen out there. It is easy to use, but offers a feature set that is robust enough that you don?t feel you are giving anything up for simplicity. This universal binary will keep your action items synchronized between multiple devices, so you don?t need to worry about entering items multiple times. At $9.99, this app is a little pricey, which is the only real flaw that I found. But if you rely on to-do lists to keep yourself organized, the price is probably well worth it. Four and a half out of five stars.
* = No redeeming qualities or features, probably not worth it even if it is free
** = Few redeeming qualities, or is simply isn't worth the price
*** = Some good features but also some clear flaws.
**** = A solid app, worth the money if interested, a few flaws or problems or slightly overpriced
***** = Top of the line app, no problems or drawbacks.
Price is factored into the ratings. Ratings are lowered if I feel the price of the app outweighs the benefits/enjoyment/features it provides. Likewise, an app that is a good value for the money will have a higher rating. Please comment on these reviews. If you own the app, tell me what your opinion is. If the review prompted you to buy (or not buy) the app, let me know why. If you want more information about the app, go ahead and ask.
*To all who are awaiting reviews ? I apologize about the lack of reviews recently, but I hope to post a steady stream of app reviews of the next few weeks. If you have contact me regarding an app review, I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Please note that contacting me (even sending a promo code) does not guarantee a review. If you have not heard from me within the next week or so, please send me another PM*
. Great review. 
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