Thinking about getting a Droid

[apastuszak]

I am seriously thinking about getting a Motorola Droid.

Does anyone have an Android based phone they're using for GTD?

Any apps you can recommend? Best practices?

I'm currently using an iPod Touch with Action Lists and Appigo Todo. Though I like both apps, they each have something wrong with them that doesn't make them perfect.

 

[TesTeq]

These aren't the droids you're looking for.

Obi-Wan Kenobi said: "These aren't the droids you're looking for."

 

[Oogiem]

Does anyone have an Android based phone they're using for GTD?

Hubby is an Android developer so we have one. So far I've not played with it much but the SW seems lacking.I like the keyboard and the idea of the Android but can't make it work at this point.

 

[apastuszak]

Using an iPod Touch now...

I'm using an iPod Touch right now. I'm using both Action Lists and Appigo Todo. Each app is very good, but has one thing wrong with it.

Action Lists forces me to assign a task as next action, someday, inbox, or waiting. This doesn't work for me for long project lists, since I may have a lot of tasks that I am not waiting on anyone, just waiting for the next action to complete. I'd like another status called "Planned."

Appigo Todo is very good, but it will not let me hide upcoming todo items, so I can't use dated Todos as ticklers.

Struggling to find a wireless access point to sync my changes up is getting tiring, though. The iPhone might be the obvious choice, but Verizon doesn't have the iPhone yet.

The Droid looks very good, from the short time I played with it in the Verizon store.

I think the best GTD app I have used is MonkeyGTD. The problem with it is, you can't take it with you.

 

[mcogilvie]

I'm using an iPod Touch right now. I'm using both Action Lists and Appigo Todo. Each app is very good, but has one thing wrong with it.

Action Lists forces me to assign a task as next action, someday, inbox, or waiting. This doesn't work for me for long project lists, since I may have a lot of tasks that I am not waiting on anyone, just waiting for the next action to complete. I'd like another status called "Planned."

Appigo Todo is very good, but it will not let me hide upcoming todo items, so I can't use dated Todos as ticklers.

Both of these sync with Toodledo. Have you tried using Toodledo (Touch and/or web) with the Status field enabled? That gives you a wide range of status values, including "Planned".

 

[apastuszak]

Toodledo

I have done that. I like Toodledo a lot.

Issues I have so far are mostly with Action Lists. I would like the status to sync over as a tag, so I can filter by next action, etc. Sadly it doesn't do that.

Also, I am on an iPod Touch, with no Internet connectivity while I am at work.

So when I make all these changes in the Toodledo web interface, I can't take it with me, until I get home and sync.

So, I was looking for something on my current carrier that is a smart phone and has a good range of apps.

So, I thought Android would be the way to go, since Verizon is supposedly releasing a laundry list of phones with Android.

 

[humblepie]

I'm using an iPod Touch right now. I'm using both Action Lists and Appigo Todo. Each app is very good, but has one thing wrong with it.

Action Lists forces me to assign a task as next action, someday, inbox, or waiting. This doesn't work for me for long project lists, since I may have a lot of tasks that I am not waiting on anyone, just waiting for the next action to complete. I'd like another status called "Planned."

Appigo Todo is very good, but it will not let me hide upcoming todo items, so I can't use dated Todos as ticklers.

Struggling to find a wireless access point to sync my changes up is getting tiring, though. The iPhone might be the obvious choice, but Verizon doesn't have the iPhone yet.

The Droid looks very good, from the short time I played with it in the Verizon store.

I think the best GTD app I have used is MonkeyGTD. The problem with it is, you can't take it with you.

If u use only the ipod touch as the main todo list then syncing is not a problem. I link it to toodledo but i seldom use toodledo.

 

[johnaohman]

Yes, I'm using a Droid

I bought a Droid the first day it was available. However for a sense of perspective on my comments that follow, please understand that I was migrating from a Palm Treo 700P running Chapura's KeySuite software to sync with my Outlook at work. For those unfamiliar with KeySuite, it used proprietary databases but synced perfectly with Outlook. As such it was a very good system for implementing GTD-like productivity from the Outlook platform using sync technology to the smartphone.

However, I felt that the Palm platform was slowly dying and that I was missing some of the nice new features on "always connected" devices like the iPhone, Palm Pre, or Android phones. When Verizon ventured into this space, I jumped on board.

I must say, the environment (regardless of whether it would have been an iPhone, Pre, etc) was for me a total paradigm shift from "working locally then syncing". Actually on the "working locally" front, I still think many of the hardware/software features of the Treo with KeySuite were actually more agile, but I'm rapidly adapting to this new environment.

Now, on to your question of GTD or GTD-like systems on the Droid .. .. ..

I certainly haven't found them all, but there are a number of candidate apps that seem to fall into two broad categories - those that sync with some web-based task manager and those that don't.

Remember the Milk (RTM) has it's own Android app, but you must subscribe to the RTM upgraded service ($25/year) for it to work (after a 15 free trial). Astrid and TooDo also sync with RTM. TooDo also syncs with Toodledo.

Any of those (except the RTM app itself) apps can also be used stand-alone if you like them and choose to do so.

Two notable stand alone Android apps are ActionComplete and Shuffle. Both are definitely GTD based in their approach. I tried both and chose ActionComplete.

ActionComplete entries fall into one of 4 categories:

Actions (e.g. Next Actions)
Waits (e.g. Waiting for)
Projects
Pending (e.g. Someday/maybe)

Projects can have multiple actions associated with each. Projects can also have Waits associated with them. Any entry can be "transformed" into an entry of another type. The software also utlizes tags, locations, contacts, due dates, reminders and notes for each entry type. While it doesn't sync with any web service, there is a local backup/restore function.

Action complete also has an ancillary app called AC Inbox. This app allows your to capture voice memos, typed memos, photos, or video clips with as much or as little ancially info as you choose for later processing. You can process an item into ActionComplete as any one of the ActionComplete entry types.

Overall this system is pretty fast and agile and very dedicated to GTD methodology.

Hope this helps.

 

[mcogilvie]

I have done that. I like Toodledo a lot.

Issues I have so far are mostly with Action Lists. I would like the status to sync over as a tag, so I can filter by next action, etc. Sadly it doesn't do that.

I take you either don't like or haven't tried the Toodledo iPhone app, which does sync the status field? I think it is $2.99. Just updated with a tag picker too.

 

[ashcot28]

I have a Droid and love it!

I would definitely recommend getting the Droid. Currently I am using the Remember the Milk application for most of my GTD work. It is nice because I can update it on the web while at work and it syncs with my phone so I have the most up to date info while on the go. The app is free but to sync you have to pay $25 per year. For me, it is totally worth it. The app also has a widget that can be installed right onto one of your homescreens. I put my due today tasks as the default list, but you can put any of the lists you created in RTM as the default.

For quick items that I don't want to forget (which typically occur while I am in the car) I use Voice Recorder. Simple app that records what I say and time and date stamps it.

Another cool app that I use is Shazam that tells you what song you are listening to. It is useful because it will save the info until you remove which gives me an opportunity to put on my SM - Music list.

Hope that helps!

P.S. - I typed up this post on my Droid. I have only had for a week and have become very comfortable with the keyboard.

 

[witte2007]

Memo with the Droid.

I am also thinking about getting a Droid. Thank you so much for the information with RTM. Although RTM has memos attached to tasks, what do you use for memos only? I have A LOT of memos (and they are categoried) with my Palm. For example I have my login and passwords in a memo, past addresses, may want to get (wish list), my 1/2 marathon results, dog registered number, etc. I also love how the RTM can be updated on the web so that you do not have to enter everything on the phone.

Any advice?

 

[ashcot28]

Memo RTM

For memos, why don't you create separate lists in RTM?

Gift - X family member
Gift - Y family member

You can even put all you SM lists in there. That is where I have my books, music, movies, restaurants, etc. Just make sure to put a due date to never otherwise all these will constantly show up

For user names and passwords, I use Keeper which let's you safely store all the personal info behind a password protected app. I believe it is also web based but it costs $25 I think. RTM is worth syncing, not this app IMO.

 

[andersons]

I am also thinking about getting a Droid.

But everything you want to do can be done with Life Balance, which has an app for iphone OS.

 

[johnaohman]

Evernote!

I am also thinking about getting a Droid. Thank you so much for the information with RTM. Although RTM has memos attached to tasks, what do you use for memos only? I have A LOT of memos (and they are categoried) with my Palm. For example I have my login and passwords in a memo, past addresses, may want to get (wish list), my 1/2 marathon results, dog registered number, etc. I also love how the RTM can be updated on the web so that you do not have to enter everything on the phone.

Any advice?

Yes - suggest you import notes into Evernote. The Android app is progressing quite nicely.

 

[apastuszak]

I have the Toodledo app...

I take you either don't like or haven't tried the Toodledo iPhone app, which does sync the status field? I think it is $2.99. Just updated with a tag picker too.

I have the Toodledo app installed. It's been a while since I used it. I know there was something about it that concerned me.

I'll have to look at it again tonight.

Andy

 

[apastuszak]

I have the Toodledo app installed. It's been a while since I used it. I know there was something about it that concerned me.

I'll have to look at it again tonight.

Andy

I went played with the ToodleDo app, and after a while I got the Status field working, which was my only complaint with it. So, I've been playing with it and am quite impressed. The beauty of having Toodledo as the backend for all these apps is I can switch between apps and still have my list.

The other problem with these apps is that they're all traditional apps, and are due date/priority driven. There is no way to turn priorities off in Toodledo. By default everything is set to 2. For now, I'm simply ignoring priorities.

 

[kewms]

Wait until January. Reliable rumor suggests additional Android-based phones are in the works.

(Wall Street Journal article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703757404574592530591075444.html)

Katherine

 

[mcogilvie]

The other problem with these apps is that they're all traditional apps, and are due date/priority driven. There is no way to turn priorities off in Toodledo. By default everything is set to 2. For now, I'm simply ignoring priorities.

It's easy to turn priorities on or off, just like any of the other fields. From the top level, go to Settings, the Fields & Defaults. Reordering the fields (upper right corners) allow you to move fields between uses and unused. On the web, it's Account Settings>Fields & Functions Used. Note that you can have different settings for the web version and the iPhone version.

 

[apastuszak]

price

Wait until January. Reliable rumor suggests additional Android-based phones are in the works.

(Wall Street Journal article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703757404574592530591075444.html)

Katherine

Yes, I have herd the rumors. But with the Droid having a $100 rebate on it, and me getting a $50 credit because my contract is up, I can get one for $150.00. That's pretty good price for a top of the line smartphone.

Andy