Productivity is what you want. As much of it as is physically (and virtually) possible! We all want to be able to do lots more things in much less time. That’s why the App Store is virtually breaking at the seams with productivity Apps that want to help you get things done.
There are hundreds of task oriented Apps that are clamouring for your time, and money, in exchange for making you more productive (a notoriously elusive thing to measure). We’ve reviewed a good selection of them here, from the complicated (Omnifocus) to the desperately simple (TeuxDeux) but there is a new contender…
If you need a simple way to get your tasks done, and want cloud synchronisation across all platforms, then SpeedTask may be the one for you!
Say Hello To SpeedTask
SpeedTask wants to save you time and make you more productive by allowing you to easily create and view your Tasks from anywhere!
When you first open SpeedTask you are presented with a gorgeous list of tasks, each one a short note that will help you get started. It’s a delight that you can master the workings of the entire App in less than two minutes! As someone who has tried many task managers that bombard you with features and customisation options, the pure simplicity is a joy!
SpeedTask
Design & Interface
On the design front SpeedTask definitely delivers! It’s simple but not minimalistic – using a cork pinboard as its inspiration while a more minimal App such as TeuxDeux favours white space. Personally I like the slightly retro feel of the cork and the way your tasks are held up with little pieces of tape, although it won’t be to everyones taste.
Your Tasks
The way in which tasks are marked out as important is a good touch – with your more vital tasks surrounded by dashed red borders! I also like that there are no side bars or even other menus to the App – with the sole exception of the drastically basic settings menu. Overall, the interface is well designed and manages to retain some character while focussing entirely on its primary function. Some productivity Apps gobble up your time as you wade through a slew of menus – with SpeedTask that’s just not the case! The settings menu is there to help you get cloud synching going and that’s about it!
Setting Up Cloud Synching
Functionality
SpeedTask is designed to be as intuitive and quick as possible, while separating itself from the pack with its simple cloud synching ability. Interestingly, I’m not now going to say something about how the outward simplicity hides a myriad of options – they just aren’t there! The developer of SpeedTask has taken executive decision over what should be in a simple To-Do App and what shouldn’t – and it’s admirable.
Entering A Task
Firstly, they have chosen to have all of the functionality accessed from a single screen – everything from entering tasks to adjusting their due date or priority. Secondly, they have drastically limited the number of options you have available for each task – you can name your task, add a level of importance, or save it for tomorrow. The sheer lack of menus and limited number of options available for each task would seem quaint to anyone who has been using a more feature-rich task manager like Things or 2Do.
Your Options
For the quick entry of tasks and all day to day jobs SpeedTask may have perfectly judged the level of complexity required, but if you start to plan tasks into the future you begin to see where simplicity becomes a limitation. Entering tasks for today, tomorrow, or even the weekend is a breeze but entering tasks more than two weeks ahead requires you to scroll to your intended day and could get seriously frustrating! Where is the calendar? Why can’t I edit the due date of a task or drag it to its new day?
To quickly and easily put things off until tomorrow simply tap your task and touch the small red calendar button on the right!
The Cloud
It has to be said that inputting tasks multiple times on different devices is a massive waste of time and productivity and it’s a noble goal that SpeedTask is trying to achieve with its ability to cloud synch. Of course we should have one source for all our tasks! Of course we should have access to a synchronised list anywhere!
It is unfortunate then that however noble its intentions, SpeedTask’s implementation of cloud synching is functional at best. While I always found that the web App matched my iPhone the service is let down by the clumsy interface of the web App and its hopeless relationship with iCal.
The Web App
The web App mimics the look and feel of the iPhone App but leaves out some of the nicer touches – such as the dashed border indicating the importance of a task. It’s afforded considerably more space but declines to use it! Worse than that is the the way it ‘synchs’ with iCal. Using the calendar subscription feature you can sign up to your SpeedTask account from within iCal, but all your tasks are entered as all-day events rather than, say, tasks…
Final Thoughts
Overall, SpeedTask is very effective at keeping track of a simple To-Do list, but would struggle with anything more. Its iPhone interface is nicely designed and its simplicity and ease of use is refreshing – if let down by the web App and iCal synchronisation. In addition it’s worth noting that for $4.99 many people would be frustrated by its limited functionality.
If you’re looking for a quick and simple task manager that looks good and provides free cloud synching, then SpeedTask may be exactly what you’ve always dreamed of! Just don’t expect it to live up to the likes of other more feature-rich (albeit more expensive) productivity Apps.