'Things' for Apple Watch Puts Task Accomplishment Tools on Your Wrist

[MacRumors]

Cultured Code, the company behind popular task management app Things, already announced plans for an Apple Watch app, but as of today, the company is ready to share an in-depth look at how Things for Apple Watch will bring powerful task accomplishment capabilities to Apple's wrist worn device.

As detailed in a post on the Cultured Code's blog, Things for Apple Watch was created to guide people through their daily "Get Things Done" goals, much like Apple's own built-in fitness-based apps help guide people through their daily movement goals.

Things for Apple Watch revolves around a "Today list" that serves as a central place for people to list all of the goals they want to accomplish in any given day. Tasks can be pulled from different to-dos and projects in the Things app and compiled into this daily list, which is what's displayed on the Apple Watch.

For quick access to the daily task list in Things for Apple Watch, Cultured Code developed a "Glance" view. Swiping up on the Apple Watch's face brings up Glances, and the Things Glance offers a look at progress that's been made on a task list as well as remaining tasks that need to be completed. Like Apple's apps, Things uses a circle to help users visualize their progress -- as tasks are completed, the circle fills up.

A tap on the Things Glance view can be used to open the full Things app, where tasks can be viewed in more detail or marked as completed. Tapping on a task brings up information like due dates, notes, and the project it's in, and from this view, tasks can be postponed until another day.

To add new tasks to a list on the Apple Watch, Things takes advantage of Siri. Tapping on the "+" button within the app will bring up an option to enter a task through dictation, where it can be added to the list of daily to-dos. New tasks can also be added to the Things' Inbox by activating Siri with the Digital Crown.

Things for Apple Watch is part of the iPhone app, and as such, it's integrated into the Things Cloud that syncs all tasks across all devices with Things installed. Changes or additions to to-dos from the Apple Watch will sync to other Things apps, and vice versa.

Things for iPhone with the accompanying Apple Watch app can be downloaded from the App Store for $9.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: 'Things' for Apple Watch Puts Task Accomplishment Tools on Your Wrist

 

[roland.g]

Get OmniFocus on there and we're talking. Things is not up to the task (of task tracking).

 

[extricated]

I downloaded "Things" back when it was offered as a promotion for the grand price of FREE. Beyond playing with it a little, I've never been compelled to use it regularly (or at all).
I see the benefit of integrating such apps with the Apple Watch, but this one just doesn't grab me.

Would love to hear if any forum members use the app and what they think about it.

... Not exactly the same thing, but I use "Clear" fairly often and like the interface. Curious how the Apple Watch version will be implemented.

 

[JayHova]

I use ToDoist, mainly because its available on multiple platforms and the price was reasonable.

The stock reminders app isn't intuitive for me and lacks some of the functionality other apps provide. One feature I use often is the the location based reminders. To remind myself to buy stuff before going home, I set the reminder to alert me whenever I exit the freeway. Never have to go home and forget to "buy ____".

 

[Simplicated]

Used to use OmniFocus, but recently switched back to Things because I liked that it's simpler. The fact that I can schedule a task to be done today or later is very nice, too. The Apple Watch app looks really well designed and I can't wait to start using it when I get my Watch.

 

[Treyt10]

This will be the app I use the most on my Apple watch by far

 

[carrrrrlos]

Just wondering why anyone would look at a device with such a small form factor to retrieve info like this. Your iPhone or iPad is going to be nearby, or even on you, both much better to read on than something no bigger than a matchbox. And with an iPhone, can just use one hand, not two to interact.
The apple watch will have its place for sure, but there will undoubtedly be a multitude of crap apps out there for this product.

 

[aloshka]

Just wondering why anyone would look at a device with such a small form factor to retrieve info like this. Your iPhone or iPad is going to be nearby, or even on you, both much better to read on than something no bigger than a matchbox. And with an iPhone, can just use one hand, not two to interact.
The apple watch will have its place for sure, but there will undoubtedly be a multitude of crap apps out there for this product.

Na, the ability to quickly add tasks from your watch. To remember things like Tuesday is trash & recycle day and that you need to call x to do y is going to be incredibly awesome. A+ to cultured code for making it so simple and I love the "reward" for finishing the entire day. So the watch having this functionality is going to be insanely useful and make a lot of peoples' lives much easier.

I think cultured code's way of doing todo takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you will love it far more than anything else and every other task management system will seem "complicated".

Basically you create a long list. It's been proven that longs lists = nothing get's done as there is no reward for finishing things when you have 20 things left over. With Things, you have the long list, but you select a few things for sure you need to get done that day. You only see those items, and everything else goes in your "inbox. No special contexts, sorting, priorities, or anything else that actually takes a long time to set up.

I don't work for Cultured Code, but can't say enough things about having a simple task manager. My tasks / workload is insanely complex, and it's nice to have something so simple to manage it all. I can truly focus on what's important and know that everything else will either show up on my today screen when needed or I can see on the next day.

----------

I do find it interesting that Cultured Code has been quiet with little updates last year, and this year, they are releasing new stuff just non-stop. Very cool, and really hoping to see something cool with version3 .

 

[slippyr4]

I use things on Mac iPhone and iPad, and I love it. Looking forward to it in apple watch.

 

[chfilm]

Splendid!
I absolutely love things and was so looking forward to the watch app.. Looks perfectly executed! Actually looks like the best app I've seen so far, cause you can actually do things with it, not just read content.

 

[cube]

<rant class="unoriginal">watchrumors.com</rant>

 

[aloshka]

<rant class="unoriginal">watchrumors.com</rant>

you mean whateverapplehasthatismostpopularrightnow.com ... which is sort of what a rumor site should be

 

[carrrrrlos]

Na, the ability to quickly add tasks from your watch. To remember things like Tuesday is trash & recycle day and that you need to call x to do y is going to be incredibly awesome. A+ to cultured code for making it so simple and I love the "reward" for finishing the entire day. So the watch having this functionality is going to be insanely useful and make a lot of peoples' lives much easier.

I think cultured code's way of doing todo takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you will love it far more than anything else and every other task management system will seem "complicated".

Basically you create a long list. It's been proven that longs lists = nothing get's done as there is no reward for finishing things when you have 20 things left over. With Things, you have the long list, but you select a few things for sure you need to get done that day. You only see those items, and everything else goes in your "inbox. No special contexts, sorting, priorities, or anything else that actually takes a long time to set up.

I don't work for Cultured Code, but can't say enough things about having a simple task manager. My tasks / workload is insanely complex, and it's nice to have something so simple to manage it all. I can truly focus on what's important and know that everything else will either show up on my today screen when needed or I can see on the next day.

----------

I do find it interesting that Cultured Code has been quiet with little updates last year, and this year, they are releasing new stuff just non-stop. Very cool, and really hoping to see something cool with version3 .

Don’t get me wrong, the app design seems nice. And the iPhone app itself is very useful. My criticism is mainly about apps, like this one, that are scaled down counterparts to a more robust version already available in ones pocket. Apps like this are a novelty. Where the apple watch will shine is with apps that use the form factor for something truly unique. #

 

[happyduck42]

Get OmniFocus on there and we're talking. Things is not up to the task (of task tracking).

Omnifocus was already updated for the watch. MR did not give it a dedicated post that I have seen.

 

[ipedro]

When the iPhone first enabled native apps, it became clear that there are things that are just better done on a smartphone and others that could only be done on a smartphone.

The success of AppleWatch hangs on finding those apps that are better done on your wrist or that can only be done well on your wrist. Things may be the very first 3rd party app that can convincingly claim to be better on your wrist.

As CulturedCode put it, it's not geared towards Task Management. It's geared towards Task Accomplishment. Having a ToDo list in your pocket isn't very useful for getting things done. Having it on your wrist available at a glance and with a satisfying progress meter is a use case where it is in fact a better app on a watch than on a smartphone.

Things will very likely be my most used app on AppleWatch.

 

[maverick2099]

This will be the app I use the most on my Apple watch by far

Mee too. They've done a great job and I can't wait to use it and take a glance on it

 

[chfilm]

I'm wondering, on the cultured code website it says:

"With Siri, you can add new to-dos to Things right from your Apple Watch. Just press and hold the digital crown, or say “Hey Siri, remember to contact Sarah about our trip”. This sends the new to-do to Things’ Inbox where you can process it later."

I'm pretty sure they refer to the feature we already know from iPhone, being able to dictate a Remindee, which is then synced from apples own app to the things inbox right?

It would be SOOOOOO unbelievably awesome if the watch would allow for Siri input like this but directly into specific apps without first having to open them.

Like simply raising your arm, and say "hey Siri, open things and make a new to do 'wash my car' for tomorrow.

Or raise your arm, "hey Siri, please set a timer for potatoes, 5 minutes" then later add another one "set a timer for steak, 6 minutes" and Siri would already know that those timers are to be set in a specific app that focuses on cooking timers with names and a tap alert attached to them...

I sure hope upcoming software versions, or the next watch will allow for such things.

 

[2457282]

I downloaded "Things" back when it was offered as a promotion for the grand price of FREE. Beyond playing with it a little, I've never been compelled to use it regularly (or at all).
I see the benefit of integrating such apps with the Apple Watch, but this one just doesn't grab me.

Would love to hear if any forum members use the app and what they think about it.

... Not exactly the same thing, but I use "Clear" fairly often and like the interface. Curious how the Apple Watch version will be implemented.

I used tasks within Outlook on my work computer, but it was hard to carry that clunky box around. I tried using reminders from Apple but found that to be only good for quick hit type things. I got Things on the free promo deal and instantly this became my go to app for tracking my to dos both for work and personal.

I find the interface simple and intuitive. Pretty much everything I need. I do most of the entry using the iPad, but throughout the day I check out what's next or check off what done through the phone. I have even converted my wife over to using this app.

The project section could still use a couple of extra features just as dependencies between tasks, but overall I really like the app. And with the watch interface, this could really be awesome. The only problem of course is the hot mess with the watch launch which means we will have the app but not the watch.

 

[KenBotwinick]

Nice video

Too bad they can't even show us ONE screenshot of the Things 3 for Mac they announced 1.5 years ago.

There hasn't been a substantial enhancement to Things for Mac in FOREVER. And no I don't consider simply making Things for Mac interact with other new Apple devices a substantial enhancement to my workflow use of Things for Mac.

It's so underwhelming that I finally made the decision to switch to 2Do after I realized they released a new 2.0 version three weeks ago which has most of the enhancements I've been wanting to see in Things for Mac for the past 7.5 years.

So glad the competition is finally catching up and surpassing Cultured Code.

Things 3.0 would have to be earth-shatteringly mind blowing for me to decide to stick with it and stop the transition to 2Do 2.0. And considering Cultured Code's track record, well... I'm not holding my breath.

 

[kMacAustin]

Things for Mac

It is a $50 App for the Mac.... very steep for a utility and one that has tons of competition