I post here for reference, a few information management applications I have come across here or elsewhere, allowing one to work across the three platforms of my choice. There's bound to be others, but I've limited my self to those working with Android 2.1 which should cover most users.

As a bonus, they are also available for Mac:

- B-Folders - discussed here in the past, it's got strong encryption and syncs among your devices via LAN, without giving any servers access to your stuff.

- MyShelf - a virtual corkboard for info, as recently discussed. I'm quite surprised I had not ran into this before. Like B-Folders, it syncs among devices without resorting to The Cloud.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.encomit.apps.myshelf
http://www.encomit.de/myshelf/index.html

- Notecase Pro - see relevant thread
http://virtual-sky.com/

- Vault 3 - mentioned in the Notecase Pro thread; a 'classic' outliner making a comeback
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ericbt.Vault3Paid
http://www.ericbt.com/Vault3

- Wikidpad - well known and beloved by many; Android app is in Alpha as yet
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.mbutscher.wikiandpad.alphabeta
http://wikidpad.sourceforge.net/

Missing links to B-Folders
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jointlogic.bfolders.android
http://jointlogic.com/b-folders/

Keepnote is still actively developed and has far more to offer than "The Guide".

It runs on Mac, Windows, Linux and there is talk of getting it running on Android.

I tried NotecasePro many times, but honestly could not really see what advantages it offered over the open-source Keepnote program.

Thanks for the heads up on Keepnote. It's been mentioned here in the past, and I've actually glanced at it before. But within the present context two of its characteristics become quite interesting: (a) it is a three-pane outliner (tree, list of items and detail) which means that it can handle really large amounts of data and (b) it keeps its data in individual files which can themselves be accessed by my Android via Dropbox.

I'm not sure how the Android client would work, unless it includes some kind of direct Dropbox integration, i.e. on-demand downloading of required files. Keeping the Keepnote file folders in Dropbox alone would probably not suffice, as long as Dropbox in Android only downloads the files one specifically requests.

I found a quite good task manager Task Unifier which works in Linux, Mac and Windows and syncs with Toodledo. There are quite a few task managers for Android (too many to mention in fact) which sync with Toodledo.

I think this is actually a very interesting and usable model of multi-platform access:

- Popular service for web access and syncing
- Desktop client by one developer
- Android client by other developer

Admittedly, the popularity of Toodledo and Google Tasks makes such options more easily available for task management than other areas.

Thanks for that efficient list, Alexander. I've tried B-Folders and been rather impressed! It's imported my old ListPro files quite nicely (I've been trying to manage them with List Master, but the Android version of that app keeps crashing).

I've also acquired Vault 3 (now that's an oldie but goldie! I remember running that on Windows 3.1), and NoteCase Pro (I like NoteCase, I must say).

Android Outliner is also worth mentioning in this respect, especially now it's come out of beta. It's Natara Bonsai-compatible - the Pro version syncs with Bonsai files - so could be a gift to those of us who still work with Bonsai. More on this very popular app here (high marks in Google Play store): http://android-outliner.blogspot.co.uk/

For task management purposes, I would also note that Todoist (at todoist.com) uses an outliner-style layout (both projects in the navigation bar on the left AND tasks in the main screen on the right can be organised as outlines, so you can set up subprojects and subtasks). It's not super-sophisticated, but it works well - I've recently upgraded to the Pro version (i.e. with encryption), having abandoned RTM as just too simplistic. And there are iOS and Android clients, both currently under development by the original developer and already available (my current favourites are Budoist on Android and the rather oddly named but very good Allegheny on iOS).

For Windows and Android users, note that EssentialPIM now comes with an Android client, but you can only sync with your desktop if you have EssentialPIM Pro. EssentialPIM also has an iOS client, but it's currently for iPhone only (well, it runs on iPad, but at iPhone size, so is distinctly irritating!). The Android version is actually quite good, with full single-pane note/task outlining capability and support for the rather peculiar EssentialPIM tabbing concept.

MadaboutDana wrote:

I've tried B-Folders and been rather
impressed! It's imported my old ListPro files quite nicely

As generic .CSV I assume? Most of the other import options of B-Folders seem to be Palm oriented.

Android Outliner is also worth mentioning in this respect, especially now
it's come out of beta. It's Natara Bonsai-compatible - the Pro version syncs with
Bonsai files - so could be a gift to those of us who still work with Bonsai.

Thanks for the heads up. Bonsai is in my list of Windows applications to test install on Crossover Linux.

For task management purposes, I would also note that Todoist (at todoist.com) uses
an outliner-style layout (both projects in the navigation bar on the left AND tasks in the
main screen on the right can be organised as outlines, so you can set up subprojects and subtasks).

Structure-wise, this sounds ideal. But there seem to be very few offline applications which can sync with Todoist. After much much hope, trial and disillusionment, I have come to the conclusion that I am more effective using a simple list which I can view and edit at any time, than relying on a structured model which I can only access under specific conditions.

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:

Structure-wise, this sounds ideal. But there seem to
be very few offline applications which can sync with Todoist. After much much hope,
trial and disillusionment, I have come to the conclusion that I am more effective
using a simple list which I can view and edit at any time, than relying on a structured
model which I can only access under specific conditions.

I've also been looking for the ideal model for managing todo lists and some of the questions that emerged were whether to 1) have one list or several lists (in folders), 2) have one list in one app or several lists in several apps, 3) have a flat view of the list or a collapsible tree view in a single pane, and 4) use a list and/or a calendar?

After years of experimenting I've decided that I want to use several different apps for different lists. I want a manually sortable flat list with reminders for my personally most important project (which is my PhD). It needs to open in a single window and not in some sub-folder. I need to be able to drag manually the most important task to the top of the list and rearrange it dynamically as circumstances change. I settled on the built-in Reminders app in iPod/iPad/PC browser.

My second most important list is my job where I get paid. Here my todo list is my email. Every unread email is a task, and I strive to get them done immediately, so that the mailbox is always clear, so that I can get back to Project no. 1. These are tasks I may not like to do but I have to do, so the sooner done, the better. No need for separate todo list.

My third most important list are tasks entered into Google calendar that need to be done at a specific time, whether it's for my academic project, work, family, or personal.

My fourth app is ShopShop on iPod, which is my shopping list, organised by the type of store I need to go to.

My fifth list is a legacy app, Toodledo, but I'm clearing it out so I can get rid of it, as the folder organisation just didn't work for me. I need to be able to see all my tasks in a flat view. Perhaps I would swap Reminders for an app that can have a single-pane tree view but I'm wondering if it could make things more complicated, rather than simpler.

My final list is my anti-GTD list: the list of things I refuse to write down because other people want me to do them, not me. They will have to work hard to convince me that I need to do them. I they succeed, they will go on one of my lists.

Sorry, Alexander, just spotted your post. Correct, output from ListPro in standard CSV format, using a very simple scheme.

As for Todoist: both Allegheny and Budoist work offline, in fact! They synchronise when you reconnect to the web.

I haven't found a desktop app that works offline with Todoist, it's true. But please note that Todoist now claim their web apps all work offline, too (including their mobile app at www.todoist.com/m). I've been running the latter on my Galaxy Note, and yes, it does appear to be true. HTML5 is the key, apparently (according to this rather amusing YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9IQdpvH0Ps

This is confirmed in a recent support forum exchange, here: https://pl.todoist.com/Support/showQuestion/2238/

Note that Todoist is still working on its own native Android and iOS apps. I'm looking forward to seeing them!

MadaboutDana wrote:

I haven't found a desktop app that works offline with Todoist, it's
true. But please note that Todoist now claim their web apps all work
offline, too (including their mobile app at www.todoist.com/m). I've
been running the latter on my Galaxy Note, and yes, it does appear to be
true. HTML5 is the key, apparently (according to this rather amusing
YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9IQdpvH0Ps

(I imagine that the 'amusing' refers to the narrator's tacky way of speaking which would probably be more at home selling lingerie... IMHO anyway)

HTML5 indeed provides acceptable offline functionality to several web apps, including the mobile version of GQueues which is my favourite online task manager. My concern however is that the moment you clear the cache (which I am eventually sure to do) everything goes away. And, perhaps most importantly, for me 'offline' should equal 'local' copy of full data in a location I am able to set myself. In my PC I have a 'LOCAL' directory under which I have subdirectories for Evernote, Google Drive, Nomadesk, Postbox and more--i.e. files that I know I don't need to back up, but otherwise they are just like what goes under My Documents.

I should have added that my starting point is the desktop 90% of the time, so the Android applications, while nice, don't help me much in my usual workflow. But for others things may be the other way around, making he combination of, say, Budoist and Todoist ideal.

Just a note to add that Task Unifier, the cross-platform taks management application I mentioned earlier, in its new version support sub-contexts, sub-folders and sub-goals. The sub folders bit is particularly useful to me; I use folders to represent projects, and this allows me to break bigger ones into sub-projects, instead of keeping all tasks together.

For reference: Treepad, mentioned in another thread:
http://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/4690/0/treepad-and-android