PIM for Ipod Touch?

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Posted by jamesofford
May 31, 2011 at 02:28 AM

Greetings:

My old Ipod was stolen out of my car, and I needed to buy a new one.(Well, not really needed, but you know what I mean.) Since I was buying a new Ipod, I decided to buy an Ipod Touch. That way I would get a new Ipod, and a new gadget at the same time. I am also leaving my current job, where I used Outlook, and an Ipaq from HP to manage my schedule. My new schedule is not going to be anywhere as hectic as my old one was, but I would still like to be able to use my Ipod and computer to help me keep track of things.

I bought an Ipod Touch instead of an Ipad because my main computing is on my Macbook(Just got a new MacBook Pro. Love it. Gave my old MacBook to my daughter, she is loving that!) I wanted something small. I currently carry a Kindle, a phone, and sometimes my MacBook Pro. I didn’t need another big item like an Ipad as well. I know that I could have gotten rid of one gadget by buying an Iphone, but I didn’t want the monthly data fees. The Ipod Touch should serve me fine, and my daily carry bag hasn’t gotten significantly larger.

So, a question: Does anyone have any experience with PIMs on the Ipod Touch? I noticed that Pocket Informant is available, but I am not sure that isn’t overkill. Does the built in calendar suffice? I need something that will remind me, and on which I can enter appointments on the run.

Also, those of you out there using a Mac, what do you do for calendaring and email? I have been using Gmail as my email program outside of work. I would like to be able to have something that is an integrated email/calendar program. I got Entourage 2008 with my copy of Office 2008. I have that set up as an IMAP client to Gmail. However, I seldom actually use Entourage.

I have been using a Mac for years, but my life has always been split. Work, scheduling, meetings and email separate from my real life. Now I have a real life, but no work. (Hopefully I will be rectifying that soon.)

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Jim

Posted by Hugh
May 31, 2011 at 07:52 AM

I use OmniFocus on my Mac and on my iPod.

Pros:
- they do what they say on the tin
- they’re flexible, so that you can use them for most task-management purposes, GTD or not
- they’re actively supported by a medium-sized developer (so there’s less risk of their development ceasing suddenly or going dormant as some notable Mac task-managers have) and a large, demanding and very vigorous customer-base, which in the case of the Mac app has contributed many useful Applescripts (that even I can understand and apply!)
- those Applescripts and other syncing applets can be used to tie together otherwise separate calendar, task list and email applications

Cons:
- a learning curve, though not a substantial one
- in the case of the Mac application, slightly more complexity than some people may want or need
- occasionally iffy wireless syncing of the applications between desktop/laptop and iPod (in my case I think this may be more a weakness of my router than of the applications themselves)
- although they’re flexible, they’re built around the David Allen GTD model, so they major in single “Contexts” and currently lack tagging. If you favour multiple tagging of tasks, then Things may be a better choice (and is also frequently said to be more beautiful ;)) but when I last looked Things lacked nested projects, which OmniFocus has. If you enter this world of Mac task-managers, you will soon find that there’s a rivalry between the protagonists of Things and OmniFocus that is reminiscent of Frasier and Ali…

There’s no over-arching calendar and email application equivalent to Outlook other than Entourage (or is it now called Outlook for the Mac?), as far as I know.

HTH.

Posted by Hugh
May 31, 2011 at 08:10 AM

Just as a postscript, I should have added that:

- for email I continue to use Apple Mail, with a small plug-in called MailHub to expedite the task of getting my inbox cleared: http://www.hungerfordroad.com/ I think MailTags and Mail Act-On are similar

- for my calendar I use the built-in calendars on my Mac and my iPod. Most of the Calendar replacements on the Mac are actually plug-ins or add-ons that enhance but do not completely replace the built-in functionality. Probably the most sophisticated replacement app is BusyCal, which I’ve considered purchasing in the past, but it has always seemed too much for my needs: http://www.busymac.com/

In my case and I think, quite a few others’, actually the most useful enhancement for both these and many other Mac applications is the utility/launcher Launchbar, although Alfred is coming up fast on the outside track:
http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html
http://www.alfredapp.com/
Both of these enable you to type in “native” text calendar instructions and also (IIRC) send emails effectively without leaving the “front” application you’re using. They’re replacements for the wonderful but now less reliable Quicksilver.

Posted by Hugh
May 31, 2011 at 08:21 AM

As a post-postscript (!!), to complete PIM suite, I continue to use the Mac’s built-in Address Book and the iPod’s Contacts. They sync with so many other Mac applications and are reasonably good and flexible, that it seems pointless to replace them with something else.

And again Launchbar makes using Address Book so easy.

Contrary to what I said above, I think there actually are Outlook equivalents apart from Entourage (Daylite?), but thanks to the built-in apps, OmniFocus and Launchbar, I’ve never felt the need to investigate them.

Posted by Ken
May 31, 2011 at 03:23 PM

Jim,

enjoy your new Ipod Touch. I tried to use one to replace my Sony Clie, but eventually bought a Droid phone last year. But, before I switched, I was looking at Pocket Informant. And, I was using Toodledo for tasks. I am sure there are a number of programs that have been released in the last year, but I would start with these two if I went back to my iPod Touch. Also, I use a service called Nudgemail so my mail messages can be re-sent to me when I need to be reminded about them. Its a free service, and quite useful. Let us know what you decide, as I may be replacing my netbook with an iPad, but that is the subject of another thread.

—Ken

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