iPod Touch?

[jrdouce]

Has anyone tried to practice GTD on an iPod Touch? I'd love to get an iPhone, but AT&T has dreadful coverage in my area - I can't make a phone call from my house. The iPod Touch seems to be just an iPhone without the phone, so I was wondering if I could use that to replace my out of touch Palm.

I need access to Google Calendar, readwrite access to the standard GTD apps; Action List, Notes and Contacts. I would need access to both my personal Gmail account and Exchange at work (we have wifi).

It appears that the iPod does not have a voice recorder, which is too bad, but I can get by.

Any thoughts?

 

[jrdouce]

Let me rephrase the question.
Given the assumption that the iPod Touch is an iPhone with out the phone and only WiFi (no 3G network).

Has anyone had experience, good or bad, implementing GTD on the iPhone? Would you see the lack of phone3G as a deal breaker? Limited access to my Google calendar when, WiFi is not available, is the only shortcoming that stands out.

 

[mcogilvie]

Let me rephrase the question.
Given the assumption that the iPod Touch is an iPhone with out the phone and only WiFi (no 3G network).

Has anyone had experience, good or bad, implementing GTD on the iPhone? Would you see the lack of phone3G as a deal breaker? Limited access to my Google calendar when, WiFi is not available, is the only shortcoming that stands out.

I use iCal, Contacts, Appigo Todo, and Appigo Notebook. Both the Appigo apps sync to Toodledo, a web app, but have local copies of data. Toodledo has its own local iPhone app, and Appigo todo will also work with Remember the Milk, another well-regarded wep app. You can use Gcal over wifi, but you need net access. I think there is an app in the App Store which keeps a local copy of your gcal data, but I haven't used it. I am very happy with the iPhone, but would not be as happy with the Touch. I have wifi at home and in my office, but not everywhere. My current GTD implementation is similar to what I would do on a Palm, and pretty minimalist. There are some good mac/iphone apps, OmniFocus and Things, that provide more features and structure, but the desktop apps are mac only. Llamagraphics is porting Lifebalance to the iPhone and Touch, and I think they will sync to both macs and pc's. Chapura, which had the best palm program for syncing to outlook, also has a todo list for iPhone and Outlook. I think you have choices, but you are somewhat constrained by the other devices and services you use, and you have to think carefully about how you like to work.

Oh, and there are a ton of voice recording apps for iPhones, but maybe they don't work on the Touch.

 

[TesTeq]

No microphone!

Oh, and there are a ton of voice recording apps for iPhones, but maybe they don't work on the Touch.

iPod Touch has no microphone.

 

[mmurray]

iPod Touch has no microphone.

But there is a version of the iPhone earbuds + mic coming for the 2G Touch

http://store.apple.com/au/product/MB770G/A?fnode=MTY1NDA0Ng&mco=MTcyOTAyNg]

not sure about recording software but I assume it won't be far behind.

Michael

 

[jennynoel]

I have a 2g Touch and currently use iProcrastinate Mobile, which works but is not ideal.

I have yet to find a perfect solution that includes syncing with my Mac and requires very few steps to add and check off tasks.

From what I've read, the 2g Touch does have voice recording ability when using an external mic. I have not tried using it yet.

 

[alsa]

I have switched from Palm (after nearly 9 years) to iPod Touch and don't regret it.

The first thing I immediately installed was a program for GTD called Things -- similar to Omnifocus, but, perhaps, easier for some to use. Since then, I have entertained switching from Things to Omnifocus as it has some neat options Things doesn't have (yet) but decided to stick it out with Things for now. Also, I am hearing Pocket Informant (Datebk5/Agendus for iPhone basically) is nearing completion so I may check this out when it is released. See the images here:

http://www.mobiletechaddicts.com/2008/07/20/pocket-informant-for-iphone/

What I like about Things:

It has a Desktop version
Its iPhone/iPod version syncs with the Desktop version via your local Wireless network easily and nicely.
Both desktop and iPhone side are built around GTD
I like the Today screen for easy to-do decisions on the spot.
Things are easy to enter and to edit, to show and to hide

http://culturedcode.com/things/iphone/

I do miss some Bonsai/Shadow features I liked from Palm but I think those are soon to come.

 

[jrdouce]

Thanks for your input.

I've been struggling in recent years over a workable platform for GTD. In the past I was most successful with a simple system, Day Timer, then basic Palm apps. The proliferation of personal data sources makes consolidation into a single system impossible -for me.

There are lots tools that do some of what I want. Palm is portable, but insufficient. Google Calendar displays my work, personal and families' calendars in 1 view. Great!, but it's online only. G Calendar only syncs your personal calendar to Outlook. I use Outlook as my desktop at home (but not for email), because Palm stopped evolving and innovating. I want my work stuff in my system, but not my system on my work Exchange server.

I have to hope Google supports multiple calendar sync soon - and supports off line view of the calendar. But if I go with the iPod Touch, I'll have a killer mp3 player at least.

 

[alsa]

[QUOTE/I have to hope Google supports multiple calendar sync soon - and supports off line view of the calendar. But if I go with the iPod Touch, I'll have a killer mp3 player at least.[/QUOTE]

And a killer mp3 player it is! The 32 GB version is awesome! There will probably be a 64 GB version in 2009-2010.

My new Apple is probably my 10th handheld -- and the best one so far! Better than any previous Palm even though it lacks some features (like copy/paste) -- it outdoes Palm in almost anything else.

 

[jrdouce]

Thanks Alsa. It sounds like you are as attached to handhelds as I was (and want to be again). The Verizon Wireless guy is pushing the LG Dare. It's a good phone, but it doesn't have the basic GTD apps, Action Lists, calendar sync, and I've read it renders Google pages poorly - so no G-Cal. The BB Storm looks promising, buy $45 a month for data on top of phone service is outrageous.
I think a good phone and iPod Touch is my best option.

 

[kabell]

Let me rephrase the question.
Given the assumption that the iPod Touch is an iPhone with out the phone and only WiFi (no 3G network).

Has anyone had experience, good or bad, implementing GTD on the iPhone? Would you see the lack of phone3G as a deal breaker? Limited access to my Google calendar when, WiFi is not available, is the only shortcoming that stands out.

Mac + iPhone/iPod Touch + OmniFocus + OmniFocus for iPhone/Touch = the ultimate GTD solution.

The apps will cost you a bit, but they work perfectly, sync perfectly (over wifi for the touch), follows the GTD practices perfectly and has really changed how I work with GTD.

Get it! Now!

 

[mmurray]

Mac + iPhone/iPod Touch + OmniFocus + OmniFocus for iPhone/Touch = the ultimate GTD solution.

The apps will cost you a bit, but they work perfectly, sync perfectly (over wifi for the touch), follows the GTD practices perfectly and has really changed how I work with GTD.

Get it! Now!

Yes definitely. I find OF on the iPhone excellent for quick capture and review. It would be possible to do a full review although more tedious than on the Mac. I'm finding with OF I am a lot more likely to do my Weekly Review and that has to be good

Prior to getting the iPhone I had Palm TX and I'm pleased to get away from the restrictions imposed by the limit of 15 categories and I'm finding data entry easier. Mind you I still find occasionally that I am sliding my finger up the side of iPhone to hook out the stylus -- old habits

Michael

 

[jrdouce]

Mac + iPhone/iPod Touch + OmniFocus + OmniFocus for iPhone/Touch = the ultimate GTD solution.

That sounds like a great solution, but I don't own a mac - yet - and AT&T has abysmal coverage, so I need a phone and a touch. I ended up with a BB Storm. It's no where near as intuitive as the iPhone/Touch (and Verizon certainly isn't Apple), but it's 1 unit and I got a great corp discount.

If I can figure out how to sync with Outlook I should be fine.