Thinking of changing PDA--> mac laptop. Opinions?

[ScottL]

I've been using a PDA though I've been using it with a paper calendar I keep at home since I miss the large month at a glance. I'm going to replace my windows computer desktop with a mac, and was thinking of getting a mac laptop as well. I assume there are mac programs I could use which would give the month at a glance calendar so maybe I could carry my mac laptop to work and get rid of the paper calendar (don't want personal info on work computer).

1. Thoughts? (I sit at a desk all day).

2. On the palm I mainly use an older version of datebook and lifebalance BUT I ONLY USE LIFEBALANCE AS AN OUTLINER. Basically I can enter tasks with multiple steps and see the tasks grouped by project, or by context I guess DA calls home, phone, etc.

I know lifebalance is available for the mac. What other alternatives would people suggest I check out for the mac? Especially ones I can use for the calendar with month at a glance?

Thanks.

 

[Todd V]

re: Mac Laptop & Month View

iCal will be all you need for great-looking month views -- especially when you print them out. If you tend to work mainly at your desk, get a 24" iMac. The screen size is worth it. But if you are mostly portable and like working on-the-go as well, consider getting a Macbook Pro laptop and an Apple Cinema Display you can plug your Macbook Pro into when you are at your desk. This will give you double the screen space to work with when at your desk.

As for mac programs, there are many. Since you are using a Palm, focus on those that offer ways to either sync or port your tasks over to it. Many of them use iCal to sync with the Palm. Here is a comprehensive list you can get started with. The key is to find and use what works best for you.

That's my two cents.

 

[Jim]

I keep my information synchronized between my G5 Mac Tower and my MacBook Pro and my iPhone using MobileMe (which is working well now, after a rocky start). iCal works, and has a reasonable web version if you subscribe to MobileMe. You can also use Google Calendar to keep things synchronized to iCal for free if you read this article.

I love OmniFocus, as it works just like their outliner.

As far as I know, OmniFocus doesn't sync to the Palm. They make a native iPhone application, which I use to collect and process. I can access the full application on my Macs, and have mobile access to the entire system on my iPhone. I keep the iPhone version of the app running, and it is pretty good as a collection tool. And since it collects right into the processing side, it works very well for me.

If you are set on sticking with your Palm, then some Mac GTD applications will sync to iCal, which should then sync to your Palm.

As Todd pointed out, there are a lot of GTD programs for the Mac. Just don't get lost in the forest while looking for the perfect tree.

 

[ScottL]

Thanks folks for the ideas.

I'm looking at replacing the palm with a mac laptop, so if I do it, I will not need to worry about syncing the palm any more.

edit:

"As Todd pointed out, there are a lot of GTD programs for the Mac. Just don't get lost in the forest while looking for the perfect tree."

heh. Been there, have the scars.

 

[larykirk]

Try Daylite

I think if you check Daylite (www.marketcircle.com), you'll find everything you need for a Mac application that can be readily adopted using GTD principles.

Feel free to drop me a line at weblistlrk@mac.com if you'd like more direct insight into that program, how to set it up, etc. Their web site, however, has demos, screen shots and the like and should give you a pretty good idea about the program.

Great for GTD!