Remember The Milk Becomes First To-Do App With Push Notifications
Slowly but surely, push notification apps are trickling into the App Store, as you can see from this handy little list by AppAdvice.com. Some of them are less than impressive, since they offer strange niche functions that I could never picture myself actually using. Beejive IM came out last week, though, which has become by far my most-used app since, and now Remember The Milk (Free with RTM Pro account, iTunes link) is available, as of today, with push features.
A to-do app with push might just be the thing I need to get me to buckle down and actually use a to-do app with some kind of consistency. Sure, RTM for the iPhone requires that you have a Pro account with their service, which is a $25-a-year subscription, but I actually already have one from when the app was first released. Yes, I signed up many months ago and haven’t exactly taken great advantage of that subscription since, but version 1.1.0 gives me reason to believe I may actually begin to get my money’s worth.
The problem, for me, with to-do apps (whether they be desktop, web-based, or iPhone apps), is that for them to actually work, you kind of have to check them consistently. Sure, most allow you to send email alerts when a task’s due date is approaching, but my email comes in with such frequency that it’s very easy for a task reminder or two to slip through the cracks as I tackle more urgent messages. Now, RTM for iPhone will send me push notifications in the form of text alerts whenever a task’s due date is approaching, at a time determined by me that I set up via the web through my account settings. Audio alerts are oddly omitted from this version, but developers say that the addition is included in the next update.
Is it worth the $25 price of admission, when there are probably one-time purchase apps with similar features on the way as we speak? That depends on your to-do tasking practices. If, like me, you like the added convenience of having your list accessible from any Internet-connected platform (and offline, too, via Google Gears), then RTM, with its attendant free iPhone app, might be what you’re looking for. You could also hold out for Appigo ToDo’s push features, which are included in an update that’s already been submitted to Apple. Either way, if you’re looking for some way to get things done more efficiently, this implementation of Apple’s push could be the most practical yet.
Tweet This (26)
Oli Kenobi on June 29th, 2009 at 10:14 am
RTM is an awesome to-do solution, thanks to the iPhone app.
I almost never use the main website, because it’s way easier to manage tasks on the iPhone.
RTM also offers a widget for Gmail, so you can see your tasks in the sidebar as well.
antonioj on June 29th, 2009 at 10:50 am
When together with a proper notification system, like GriP (growl for iphone), push notifications can be awesome
http://twitpic.com/8rmj9
Christopher Scott on June 29th, 2009 at 10:52 am
It looks like you need a ‘Remember to Charge my iPhone’ app….
dave on June 29th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
For ‘tasks’, I would suggest using the Calendar app to alert you, because Apple has said that Push is a ‘probably will get through’ system, not a ‘will get through’ system.
If you sync the calendar to your phone, you can set how far in advance the phone will alert you to the task…
iDekz on June 29th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
dave hit the nail on the head. What exactly does this app do that the calendar app does not?
I’ve never seen the appeal of these “to-do” apps.
Gwydion on July 1st, 2009 at 2:16 am
Apple calendar on the iPhone doen’t have tasks, which are not events.
JR on June 29th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I need something that syncs my task to my MS outlook. I am constantly on outlook and update my task there. Is there any options out there?
Leah on June 29th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
RTM is a great product and has a number of very useful features not found in Outlook or iCal. You can use Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook, iPhone/iPodTouch, Blackberry and others with Remember The Milk. The tagging and smart list features are particularly helpful. You can also share lists wtih RTM.
Give RTM a try, you can even use the iPhone/iPodTouch app for 15 days free while you try it out. (The $25 is only for the pro features.)
Alan on June 30th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Can’t get any alerts to show…
Alan on June 30th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Push is set, 3GS has been restarted, alert is set for RTM prefs, I set a specific time for the task to be completed…
Any ideas?
antonioj on June 30th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Yeah, this
http://www.rememberthemilk.com/help/guide/reminders/
And to the guy that says calendar is enough. How can you see all your running tasks in a single screen on calendar? How can you group them by projects? How can you can you add tasks that do not have a due date? You really have no clue…
Alan on June 30th, 2009 at 10:15 am
thanks. still a little wonky, but at least i’m getting alerts. still not sure about this, tho. i’m thinking i may just pony up for the full version of “todo”