![]() ![]() ![]() Wunderlist finds a middle ground between Clear and Todoist its sync is rock solid and the shared lists are useful and easy to set up with family members. Todoist provides a lot more power, but the additional filters and searches overlapped too much with Omnifocus. Clear has a cool minimalist interface driven by gestures, but it was too simplistic for my needs and I’d run into occasional iCloud sync delays between devices. I’ve previously bounced around and tried Clear and Todoist, but both ultimately lacked staying power. I dig Omnifocus as a task manager for complex work tasks, but it’s overkill for simple to-do lists I write for chores, tasks at home, and other miscellaneous work. Parsing has gotten better over the years and the clean, stripped down reader view is easier on the eyes than many original web sources. My one stop source for catching up on content I’ve saved elsewhere on the web and aforementioned news apps like Tweetbot and Reeder. But Mailbox adds its extras elegantly with swipe gestures to archive or delete messages, I’m able to move through my inbox much faster than previous mail clients (there’s no coincidence Apple added similar swipe functionality to Mail with iOS8.) Overall, Mailbox adds just enough functionality to add value, but not too much to distract from my inbox content. I generally shy away from email apps that try to add their own productivity features on top of my inbox. But those are small quibbles on an otherwise strong 1.0 product. It could use a Dropbox or iCloud based backup, not to mention a more customizable export system. The app centers on an intuitive interface for me to start, stop, and switch timers easily. But both felt optimized around more complex, team based workflows, when I prefer a simpler system. I first tried popular web based time tracking software like Harvest and Toggl. I like to keep track of how much I’m working on both my day job and side tasks. Its timeline sync between devices is an especially nice touch. And while there’s been strong improvements on the official Twitter app lately, it still can’t match the speed and customization Tweetbot offers. I check up on Twitter frequently, which makes a strong Twitter client essential. It’s about speed and sharing to other services like Pocket and Twitter, not lingering to read full stories. ![]() ![]() Also, the screen density of list items – dense but not too dense – matches my workflow. There are other quality apps with Feedbin integration, but I find Reeder syncs faster than the competition. On the go, Reeder is my Feedbin reader of choice. I like having full control over my news aggregation, so for me there’s no substitute for RSS in the form of a Feedbin account. It’s that smart use of bullet points that make all the difference on the go. At its core, NYT Now lists the full NYT app’s top stories, but adds larger imagery and helpful bullet point summaries for articles I don’t have time to read. Yet after a week of usage it secured a permanent slot on my phone’s home screen. I was I was skeptical of the streamlined, simplified interface of NYT Now when it debuted earlier this year. I’ve tried many tools that build content off of my Twitter feed none of have stuck the way Nuzzel has. And via the “news from friends of friends” option, I usually discover some tech, film or gaming related articles I would have otherwise missed. There’s no faster way to see what’s trending among my Twitter friends. The app aggregates and lists the most linked to articles in your Twitter feed, ordered by popularity. It sizes down effectively for the iPhone (and other mobile devices) so I can scan both sites easily. Another plug for my self-built news site that lists top stories from Designer News and Hacker News. It deserves special praise for its handling of image galleries and videos, both of which pop up frequently on Reddit threads. Thankfully, Alien Blue handles the browsing component well. I never comment, happy to scan a handful of design and gaming subreddits for links and general information. My Reddit usage pales in comparison to other social media and news sources. Many are well known within tech circles, but there’s a few lesser known apps that are also worth your time. As we wrap up 2014, I wanted to highlight my “must-haves”. They stand the test of time for months, if not years, of usage. Most apps I try are completely disposable within a few days I delete them or relegate them to a folder off the home screen, for use only on rare occasions. My iPhone app usage aligns with the 80-20 rule. ![]()
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