FATN Review: SmartTime

[msbaylor]

*** A quick note: Videos do not represent my update in rating of the new release.
I have included some videos below for this review. I think readers will get more from the videos (I hope) So, two of them are mobile videos while the other is a video for streaming on a computer. Please give me feedback regarding these videos. If you like them, I will continue to post them with my reviews.

NOW for the review....

The SmartTime application is a simple yet complex to-do application.

When creating a task/event, you have multiple options, including color category (6 choices), duration, deadline.

By tapping on the blue circles next to title, duration & deadline, you will be given more options for each correlating section. In the title/description section details (pic above), you have several shortcuts that enable quicker entry. You also have the ability to insert a location (Where), if you do this, when viewing the event, you can send it to the Maps App, and it will route you to your event, etc.

There are 3 different views - Smart, Calendar, & Focus.

The smart focus view (my favorite) basically shows all your upcoming events & tasks in one view. The tasks are represented by a bar that is half the width of the screen, and events are the whole width of the screen. The color indicates a certain category that you can change to suite you.
The circles indicate a deadline - if there is a red dot with an exclamation point, it means it is overdue. If there is a an orange circle with a '0' in it, it means it is due that day. If the circle is green and has a number in it, that means the task is due in that number of days.

The Calendar view shows your events & tasks (if it has a deadline) in the corresponding day and time. The Calendar is quite easy to navigate. By swiping your singer across the screen you go from day-to-day, by moving your finger up and down you move through time (dun dun duuun... ;) ). One of the two problems I found is located in this view, it you have a large event that covers a large amount of time and you are trying to move the calendar around, if you accidentally touch the event and drag you finger around, the event will also drag (see example in the long video.) The other issue is, if you tap an item, you cannot change views. You have to tap 'defer' then cancel before you can change the view. This was fixed in version 1.2!

The focus view basically displays what you have due today and what you have already completed today. You also have the option in this view, to view the history of completed tasks.

The small magnify glass in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen in any of the 3 views, by tapping on it, it allows you to apply a filter in order to find a certain task or event. This is fantastic if you have a bunch of to-dos and your looking only your urgent to-dos (I have mine color-coded red).

In the Smart & Calendar view, when you click on en event/task, you are given the option to mark it done, defer, copy the task/event, share event/task, or show in map app.

This is a very well done, and I don't see why it shouldn't be a paid application.


Pros:
-Complex, yet simple
-Color-coding categories
-Option of task or event
-Nice and easy UI

Cons:
-Home & Work schedules can make things confusing when scheduling events/tasks (view video)
-Complexity of the app can be confusing

4/5

$9.99

Media:

Short Video (for mobile devices) - quick overview of features

Short video (normal quality)

Long Video (for mobile devices) - lengthier video detailing features and issues with application.


More screen shots can be found here.

[msbaylor]

VERSION 1.2 WILL BE REMOVED FROM APPLE STORE WITHIN THEN NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, GET IT NOW WHILE YOU CAN!!!!

The 1.2 version of SmartTime will be discontinued as version 1.3 has been released and cost $9.99. A bit high for this app right now, however, they are adding features soon with the release of 2.0

Right now this "Pro" version doesn't have many differences than the free version but they are saying that you will be able to back up your data via Google calendars, Outlook or iCal It will also remind you of tasks via the SMS.app (this is a great idea to get around the reminder problem for 3rd party apps!!!)

I would definitely get the free version now & wait till 2.0 comes out or there is a price drop!

[bmn]

is there anyway i can still get the free version of this application?

[msbaylor]

nope, unfortunatly not. However I would try SaiSuke Free. It has many of the features that SmartTime has. Both SaiSuke & SmartTime have full versions for $9.99. However, I think SmartTime is charging a bit too much. Watch appshopper.com for a price drop. SaiSuke, I haven't quite finished evaluating, so I cannot so a whole lot about it. Remeber if there is an app you want a review of, just post it in the app review request board.

[bmn]

thanks for the information. I LOVE the layout of smarttime, but i dont think its worth $10 for what its doing