Things

Things is a premium task management application developed by Cultured Code. It stands out in the crowded productivity space due to its exceptional design quality and focus on the user experience. Available exclusively within the Apple ecosystem, Things is built from the ground up to feel at home on macOS, iPadOS, and iOS, utilizing native platform features for a seamless experience.

The core of Things revolves around simplifying task management without sacrificing depth. It employs a 'Getting Things Done' (GTD) inspired structure, allowing users to organize tasks into projects, areas, and use features like 'Today', 'Upcoming', and 'Anytime' to manage focus. Key features include:

• Project Management: Create projects with multiple steps, add deadlines, and use headings to structure complex tasks.
• Subtasks: Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps within any task or project.
• Areas of Responsibility: Organize projects and tasks into broader life areas like 'Work', 'Personal', or 'Family'.
• Scheduled Tasks: Assign start dates to tasks, making them appear in your 'Today' or 'Upcoming' lists only when relevant.
• Recurring Tasks: Easily set up tasks that repeat on a daily, weekly, monthly, or custom schedule.
• Quick Entry: Capture tasks instantly from anywhere using a global shortcut.
• Email to Task: Forward emails directly into your Things inbox to convert them into actionable tasks.
• Search: Find any task, project, or area quickly with powerful built-in search.
• Native Integrations: Integrates smoothly with Calendar and Reminders on Apple devices.
• Clean & Intuitive Interface: A beautifully designed interface that prioritizes clarity and ease of use.

Things' unique selling proposition is its blend of powerful GTD principles with an unparalleled user interface and experience on Apple devices. While it may lack extensive collaboration features found in some other platforms, its strength lies in providing a focused, distraction-free environment for managing personal and individual project workflows.

Things: A Deep Dive into Apple's Premier Task Manager

Things by Cultured Code has established itself as a flagship productivity application for users within the Apple ecosystem. It is widely praised for its meticulous attention to detail, elegant design, and a user experience that prioritizes clarity and efficiency. This review examines its core functionalities, strengths, and identifies areas where it might not be the best fit for all users.

Core Functionality and Workflow:

At its heart, Things provides a structured yet flexible framework for managing tasks. It adopts principles reminiscent of Getting Things Done (GTD), offering distinct areas like 'Inbox' for capturing new ideas, 'Today' for immediate focus, 'Upcoming' for planning, and 'Anytime' for tasks that can be done when time permits. Projects allow users to group related tasks under a common goal, with the ability to add headings for further organization and subtasks to break down complex steps. This hierarchical structure, combined with features like deadlines and start dates, provides a powerful system for managing both simple to-dos and larger initiatives.

Design and Usability:

Things is arguably one of the best-designed productivity applications available. The interface is clean, uncluttered, and visually appealing, adhering closely to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines. Navigation is intuitive, with smooth animations and responsive controls. Features like Quick Entry with a global shortcut significantly streamline the process of capturing tasks without interrupting your current workflow. The commitment to native development is evident in how seamlessly Things integrates with other Apple services and feels 'at home' on each platform.

Key Features in Detail:

• Project and Area Management: The ability to create projects within areas of responsibility provides a robust organizational layer. This helps users categorize tasks not just by project, but by the broader life contexts they belong to (e.g., 'Work', 'Personal', 'Health').
• Scheduled and Recurring Tasks: Effectively managing tasks with deadlines and start dates is crucial for planning. Things handles this elegantly, with the 'Upcoming' view providing a clear overview of what's coming up. Recurring tasks are easy to set up and manage, ensuring regular activities aren't missed.
• Email to Task: This seemingly minor feature is a significant time-saver. Being able to forward an email and have it automatically create a task with a link to the original message simplifies processing emails that require action.
• Search and Filtering: As your task list grows, the ability to quickly find specific items becomes essential. Things' search is fast and accurate, and while it doesn't offer complex filtering rules, the built-in views ('Today', 'Upcoming', 'Deadlines') cover most common organizational needs.
• Platform Consistency: Things offers dedicated applications for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS. The experience is remarkably consistent across devices, with seamless synchronization via Things Cloud. This ensures your task list is always up-to-date, regardless of which device you are using.

Limitations and Considerations:

While Things excels in many areas, it's important to note its limitations.

The most significant is its platform exclusivity – it is only available on Apple devices. This makes it unsuitable for individuals or teams working across different operating systems (Windows, Android, Linux). Furthermore, Things is primarily designed for individual use.

Conclusion:

Things is an exceptional task manager for individuals fully invested in the Apple ecosystem. Its beautiful design, intuitive interface, and powerful underlying GTD principles make it a highly effective tool for managing personal tasks and projects. While it lacks cross-platform compatibility and advanced team collaboration features found in some competitors, its strengths lie in providing a focused, distraction-free, and genuinely pleasant environment for personal productivity. If you are an Apple user seeking a premium, reliable, and beautifully crafted task manager, Things is undoubtedly one of the best options available.