Google Acquires iOS-Based Time Management App Timeful

[MacRumors]

Google today announced an acquisition of iOS-based time management app Timeful, which first launched last year. When it was released, Timeful was described as "the first intelligent time manager" for mobile devices, aiming to help users manage their lives by combining a time management app with a calendar, a to-do list, and reminders designed to reinforce positive habits.

In its current incarnation on iOS, Timeful connects to the Calendar app to import existing events into a daily view that includes all tasks that need to be completed. It also lets users create to-dos, and when there's a block of open time on a user's schedule, Timeful will insert "Habits." Habits are user-defined tasks like "Take a Walk" or "Read for 30 Minutes," and are aimed at fitting recreation or skill-building tasks into each user's schedule.

Google plans to incorporate Timeful's clever time management tools into its existing products like Inbox and Calendar, making it easier for users to schedule events and find time for all tasks that need to be completed in any given day.

The Timeful team has built an impressive system that helps you organize your life by understanding your schedule, habits and needs. You can tell Timeful you want to exercise three times a week or that you need to call the bank by next Tuesday, and their system will make sure you get it done based on an understanding of both your schedule and your priorities. We're excited about all the ways Timeful's technology can be applied across products like Inbox, Calendar and beyond, so we can do more of the work for you and let you focus on being creative, having fun and spending time with the people you care about.

According to a blog post on the Timeful site, the Timeful app will continue to be available on iOS, but going forward, attention will be on "new projects at Google." Current Timeful users can export their data out of the app for use with other apps if desired.

Article Link: Google Acquires iOS-Based Time Management App Timeful

 

[rhysmorgan]

God damn it. Yet another well-loved application bought and killed by Google. Bastards.

 

[Taskman]

God damn it. Yet another well-loved application bought and killed by Google. Bastards.

Doesn't matter who bought it, what matters is if it will work equally good on iOS and Android.
Just because Google bought it doesn't mean it is killed.

 

[KidAKidB]

God damn it. Yet another well-loved application bought and killed by Google. Bastards.

Just because Google bought it doesn't mean it's dead.

 

[rhysmorgan]

Doesn't matter who bought it, what matters is if it will work equally good on iOS and Android.
Just because Google bought it doesn't mean it is killed.

It already says in the article that Timeful is dead:

According to a blog post on the Timeful site, the Timeful app will continue to be available on iOS, but going forward, attention will be on "new projects at Google." Current Timeful users can export their data out of the app for use with other apps if desired.

Also, as stated in the email I've just received from Timeful:

What does this mean for you?

A couple things to note:
Timeful will remain in the App Store, and we'll continue to support it. We won't be adding new features, but we're more than happy to help you with bugs or answer any questions you have.

 

[SuperBrown]

God damn it. Yet another well-loved application bought and killed by Google. Bastards.

This is literally, almost word for word, the exact same thought I had when I read the headline.

 

[sflomenb]

Very bad. I started using this app when it first came out, slowly stopped. Disappointed that it won't be supported anymore.

 

[TMRJIJ]

What's the word I'm looking for. Oh yeah, . . . Yawn.
Would anyone actually use gmail like that? I never seen anyone that consistent with their to-do lists and calendars in a way Habits seems to do.
I do want to see for myself what Google is going to do with Timeful integration.

 

[DavidTheExpert]

I guarantee that absolutely nothing will come of this.

Those promises that Timeful's features will be integrated into Google's own apps? Lies.

The app will no longer be supported at all, and its features and value will be lost forever. The developer(s) may be given token jobs at Google based on their skill level, but nothing very meaningful.

This is what Google does. They buy out their competitors, and shut them down.

 

[usamaah]

I guarantee that absolutely nothing will come of this.

Those promises that Timeful's features will be integrated into Google's own apps? Lies.

The app will no longer be supported at all, and its features and value will be lost forever. The developer(s) may be given token jobs at Google based on their skill level, but nothing very meaningful.

This is what Google does. They buy out their competitors, and shut them down.

Sometimes? Rarely?

But more often than not, Google AND Apple buy these companies because they see value in them and their tech.

One example is when Google bought Waze and incorporated them into Google Maps. Google bought Zagat and incorporated reviews into Google Maps. Quickoffice acquisition really improved Google Docs (later Google Drive). There are many more examples. Google bought Nest (not exactly the same since they sell hardware, but my point is they felt it fit into a grander vision).

 

[AlecZ]

This thing looks as weak as all those other calendar apps.

 

[furi0usbee]

God damn it. Yet another well-loved application bought and killed by Google. Bastards.

Woah... kinda harsh language there. I'm an atheist and I don't like Google, but still a bit harsh.

 

[coolfactor]

God damn it. Yet another well-loved application bought and killed by Google. Bastards.

Yes, this was my thought, too. But such is the life of a startup... designed to be bought. I'm assuming that Timeful was created by a startup with venture capital funding? Not sure.

 

[nutmac]

Sometimes? Rarely?

But more often than not, Google AND Apple buy these companies because they see value in them and their tech.

One example is when Google bought Waze and incorporated them into Google Maps. Google bought Zagat and incorporated reviews into Google Maps. Quickoffice acquisition really improved Google Docs (later Google Drive). There are many more examples. Google bought Nest (not exactly the same since they sell hardware, but my point is they felt it fit into a grander vision).

There are are always exceptions, typically for large acquisitions such as Nest, Waze, and YouTube. But smaller acquistions such as Timeful are usually talent-based acquihire. A good example would be Sparrow. While Sparrow team may have contributed to Gmail and/or Inbox app, I see very little resemblance to Sparrow.

On a similar note, I would be very surprised if Google's Calendar revision will resemble Timeful in any significant way.

 

[roar08]

Yes, this was my thought, too. But such is the life of a startup... designed to be bought. I'm assuming that Timeful was created by a startup with venture capital funding? Not sure.

Of course. Very Google-friendly folks, too (Khosla, Kleiner, etc.). Circle of life.

"Thanks to our investors: Keith at Khosla Ventures, Bing at Kleiner Perkins, John at Greylock, Matt at Data Collective, Chemi at Pitango, Ashton at AGrade, and others."

 

[rhysmorgan]

Woah... kinda harsh language there. I'm an atheist and I don't like Google, but still a bit harsh.

Honestly, I don't think I was harsh enough. I self-censored to some degree, because I am *that* pissed off.
I was really looking forward to the promised Timeful for Mac and iPad, but that's not happening now.
Even if some of the special sauce behind Timeful makes it into Google Calendar, that's completely useless to Timeful's users who don't use Google Calendar!

 

[usamaah]

There are are always exceptions, typically for large acquisitions such as Nest, Waze, and YouTube. But smaller acquistions such as Timeful are usually talent-based acquihire. A good example would be Sparrow. While Sparrow team may have contributed to Gmail and/or Inbox app, I see very little resemblance to Sparrow.

On a similar note, I would be very surprised if Google's Calendar revision will resemble Timeful in any significant way.

I see what you're saying. You may never have that old app again but I think, as you said, there are contributions made to a different app that improve its function (as Waze improved Google Maps).

Still I don't know if we need to be as cynical about it as OP was. Granted I use primarily Google Apps which is maybe why I'm not as down about it.

 

[DogHouseDub]

Damn you Hooli

 

[rhysmorgan]

Still I don't know if we need to be as cynical about it as OP was. Granted I use primarily Google Apps which is maybe why I'm not as down about it.

This exact same thing happened with Tweetie, happened with Sparrow, happened with Posterous.
I'm most sour about the Tweetie acquisition, because they utterly destroyed the best Twitter application at the time.

 

[wikiverse]

Very bad. I started using this app when it first came out, slowly stopped. Disappointed that it won't be supported anymore.

I also started using this app when it first came out.

Then I stopped two weeks later because it was useless.

It took more time to actually put things into the app and fix their 'suggestions' than to just enter things into iCal.

Google could shut down timeful tomorrow and the world will have lost nothing of significant value.

 

[rhysmorgan]

I also started using this app when it first came out.

Then I stopped two weeks later because it was useless.

It took more time to actually put things into the app and fix their 'suggestions' than to just enter things into iCal.

Google could shut down timeful tomorrow and the world will have lost nothing of significant value.

Great, you don't like it, but some of us do.

 

[RickInHouston]

This is literally, almost word for word, the exact same thought I had when I read the headline.

If it's so good and you would miss it so much, start planning to use Gmail for iOS, no?

 

[furi0usbee]

Honestly, I don't think I was harsh enough. I self-censored to some degree, because I am *that* pissed off.
I was really looking forward to the promised Timeful for Mac and iPad, but that's not happening now.
Even if some of the special sauce behind Timeful makes it into Google Calendar, that's completely useless to Timeful's users who don't use Google Calendar!

Several apps I liked were eaten up by Google and Facebook. It sucks I know.

 

[thisisdallas]

This thing looks as weak as all those other calendar apps.

So you haven't tried it but you're criticizing it?

FYI: It's actually really nice. I've used it for about a year now and it's really easy and straightforward to create an event that syncs with OSX Calendar. It had some unique features I haven't seen on any other calendar app either, primarily the auto-schedule feature. It was really great being able to tell the app that I wanted to get XYZ done by a set time, and then have it automatically put it on my calendar and notify me when it thinks I could be working on it.

Since it's shutting down, I'll probably give fantastical a try since I have no interest in using an unsupported application.

Sad day though

 

[splogue]

I guarantee that absolutely nothing will come of this.

Those promises that Timeful's features will be integrated into Google's own apps? Lies.

The app will no longer be supported at all, and its features and value will be lost forever. The developer(s) may be given token jobs at Google based on their skill level, but nothing very meaningful.

This is what Google does. They buy out their competitors, and shut them down.

Normally I cringe at the very mention of anticompetitive practices, but what you've just said is absolutely true. They will trail on for a little while, then disappear, never to be seen again.

I'm not saying it is nefarious, but it is true.

----------

Sometimes? Rarely?

But more often than not, Google AND Apple buy these companies because they see value in them and their tech.

One example is when Google bought Waze and incorporated them into Google Maps. Google bought Zagat and incorporated reviews into Google Maps. Quickoffice acquisition really improved Google Docs (later Google Drive). There are many more examples. Google bought Nest (not exactly the same since they sell hardware, but my point is they felt it fit into a grander vision).

And what has Nest done since then? They disabled the wave to silence feature in their smoke alarms, and did not release any new models. Of anything.

They have released nothing since Google bought them. No new products. Heck, the geofencing feature has been broken for Dropcam ever since Nest bought them. They haven't fixed it. Why?

So, maybe they are working on a self-aware home control unit that runs on ambient light and and supports every known home control protocol, but so far we've seen nothing, and they've completely lost both the momentum and buzz necessary for new companies. Extremely disappointing.