Lists To Do ...

I've had enough problems with Wunderlist to need to jump ship. The Android app is very large (OK, my phone's space is limited) and it loads slowly if at all. I started with a list of free Wunderlist alternatives (what I want may not be free, but I'll start here). I selected for Android AND (Online OR (Mac AND Linux)) clients AND NOT Freemium. (In some cases, like Google Tasks, I know there are many clients for Android, so I let it slide even though technically it's Online only. I want an Android client so I have offline access to my tasks when my phone doesn't have an uplink, and yes I know synchronization is hard.) So the list started as:

• Google Tasks: Free by Google - Online
• Simplenote: Free by Automattic - iPhone, iPad, Online
• Producteev: Free* - Mac, iPhone, Windows, Android, Online, Blackberry
• Todo.txt: Open Source by Gina Trapani - Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android, Linux
• Any.DO: Free by Any.DO - iPhone, Android
• Org-mode: Open Source by Carsten Dominik - Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android, Linux
• Cloud Checklist: Free by Skybuffer - Online
• allthings: Free* by welovelists - Online
• Coolendar: Free by Fabiano Franz - iPhone, Android, Online
• Yodiz: Free by Yodiz - Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android + Tablet, Linux, Online
• Smthngs: Free by Valentin Shergin - Online, Android
• TickTick: Free by Appest Limited - Mac, iPhone, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome OS
• One Line Todo: Free by eveningsun - Android
• do.com: Free - iPhone, Android, Online
• ToDo Pro: Free by Appigo, Inc. - iPhone, iPad, Android, Online

I want:

• multiple lists (or filtered views aka smart folders),
• tags (bonus if the application can know which are GTD contexts; not a feature in Wunderlist either),
• easy way to re-order tasks,
• optional due dates (or I'll keep the ones with due dates in Google Tasks, assuming Google doesn't kill it off like Reader)

So far:

• Google Tasks: Adding dates far in the future is painful from the web interface, so I need a good client.
• Simplenote: I already use JadeNote on my phone, but it's not to-do-specific. (last)
• Producteev: Wait, I can't re-order tasks? Bah.
• Todo.txt isn't going to be very different from Simplenote that I already use.
• Any.DO: The interface wasn't compelling enough to make up for its Android footprint.
• Org-mode: I'm worried about offline access now that I look at it again.
• Cloud Checklist: No tags or filters, but the rest is there. The web interface doesn't seem to have a mobile view, although it's fairly responsive on my Android phone, but that does mean no offline access.
• allthings: Worried about offline access when my phone doesn't have a data link.
• Coolendar: I'll check it out. (middle)
• Yodiz: It sounds like much more than I need for myself.
• Smthngs: Whoa. Wait. This one merits serious consideration. (#1) UPDATE: It's available online and on Android, it works in offline mode, it has all the ways I like to slice and dice, except for ONE BIG ONE. I always need import and export before I put my data in a bucket, and I don't see that. I'm sad, because it's lovely and responsive, but I'd like to save myself a headache in the long run. *sigh* Strike another one from the list.
• TickTick: The Android app is a bit large, and I'd rather see screenshots or a test mode.
• One Line Todo: This one has Google Tasks support for the Online access I want (I hope). However, the bar is set at the Google Tasks interface, and I'd rather do better than that.
• do.com: I don't really need deals, thanks.
• ToDo Pro: Just for me, thanks.
• Taskos (Task List): Thanks to Rob, I'm adding this to the list as a Google Tasks Android client. (#2)

Android Camera crashes

Unfortunately this struck while I was on vacation! The camera on my Android phone started saying "The application Camera (process com.android.camera) has stopped unexpectedly." with "Force Close" as my only choice more often than not. The suggestion of resetting all Camera application options didn't work for me until I also rebooted. I did not lose any pictures, just customizations like geotagging.

Grocery Lists for Android

I know lifehacker likes Grocery IQ, and it does have the coupon tie-in since it's from Coupons.com if you're into that. However, after this trip, Grocery IQ won't be on my phone, and ZipList will stay. For lists of about the same size, Grocery IQ is using 5 MB of user data (and I'm running low on main memory even though it's installed on SD, and deleting items then clearing the history helped), while ZipList is using 104 KB for user data. That's a huge difference when I'm not using the coupon tie-in! So ZipList wins for me.

Jumping Ship

I bought an Android phone, the LG Optimus V, yesterday evening. Usually when I buy a new gadget, I can't stop playing with it. That hasn't happened yet. I'm sure I'll get there (I hope), once I get it "personalized" with my data and likable applications. I want to replace both my ancient Treo 700p and my old first-generation iPod touch with this Android (3G and WiFi). I want a single device that I carry everywhere, unlike the handful I carry now.

I am currently in the no-man's-land of waiting for my cell phone number to port from the old phone to the new phone, so I have no coverage on either phone despite many bars of service. No WiFi, no Android connection.

Where I need to start is a list of what applications I use on the older devices.

any smartphone or PDA worth its salt:

• Calendar
• Tasks
• Contacts
• Email (not strictly needed for a PDA)
• Alarm (meeting reminders and timers)

Palm OS 5.4.9:

• Graffiti Anywhere and ShortCut (may not need on Android, but invaluable on my Treo)
• NoteTaker (for the sync-to-Mac text files, a Palm sine qua non for me)
• Patience (solitaire, to play when Cale's almost asleep and I want my brain to turn off)
• Eat Watch (weight tracker for Hacker's Diet)
• NFP (female cycle tracker)
• TCPMP (The Complete Portable Media Player, very awesome to play almost any media, another Palm sine qua non)
• Handy Shopper (perfect for Palm, otherwise try ZipList for shopping lists)
• Labor Timer (I don't need this anymore, but it was absolutely top-rate when Cale was ready to arrive)
• FileZ (file manager)
• VNC (Palm VNC for Palm)
• ssh (pssh)
• RPN Calculator (because I really do prefer RPN)
• Toast Timer (for timers and countdowns)

All of those Palm applications are free, most from Freeware Palm, and I love 'em. I don't need to duplicate all of those to Android, but those were worth a spot on my Treo. I never did find a Palm application for drawing that I liked as well as what was built-in on my Palm Tungsten T3, so that was always an open spot.

iOS 3.1.3:

• Dropbox - if you use it, you want the app
• Evernote - ibid
• Simplenote - ibid, and this could replace Palm's MacNoteTaker
• Wunderlist - ibid, and this could handle the most basic Tasks
• White Noise - I have insomnia, he snores, and we travel together
• Stanza - or another book reader
• ZipList - could replace HandyShopper in most ways
• Air Sharing - I love this, but I'm not sure if I'll need to replicate it
• Twitter - if you use it, you want an app for it
• Sudoku - if I need a break from solitaire, even though it doesn't put me to sleep
• GasBuddy - if you drive, you want the app
• site-specific applications like Yelp, SparkPeople, eBay, WRAL and whatever else you like
• Flashlight - don't laugh, this is more useful than you think!
• Handy Level - ibid
• Pandora - you know, I haven't used it yet on my iPod ... it may not need to make the jump either
• Frotz - ibid
• Subnet Calc - single-purpose, but fills that niche
• EasyTask - I notice I haven't used it in ages ... it was the best fit to my checklist so I bought it, but the user interface just never pulled me
• and kid games to keep me and the kids sane at times

I'm sure I'll want Google Docs, Firefox, Photos, and Music too; those seem like reasonable expectations nowadays.

And then I'm sure there are Android-specific needs to fill. At a glance, Astro File Manager, Gist, Google Sky Map, and Barcode Scanner as well as GTasks, Toddler Lock (but Cale will miss Spongebob), Color Flashlight, Smart Measure, Spirit Level Plus, and Barcode Scanner (again) all look appealing. And I get the feeling I want to be on the AppBrain train as well. Zoinks, that's a lot of work ahead of me just so I can make friends with my new phone that doesn't even place or receive calls anymore! Ugh, I think I'll head to the water cooler ...