What’s On (My) iPhone – Productivity Apps- Part 1

Three weeks after "OS X iPhone" (as Apple calls it) began allowing installation of 3rd party apps, I’ve settled into using a relatively regular collection of applications.

It is a pretty long list, so I’ll do the first half today and the second half tomorrow.

So, what’s on (and likely to stay) my iPhone?

ToDo-

I’ve tried five or six different task applications, ranging from free to $29.99, but I keep coming back to ToDo.  $9.99, for a full-featured task application, is an amazing deal, especially since it syncs seemlessly OTA with Toodledo and RememberTheMilk. It is highly configurable, easy to use and remarkably stable (one of the few applications that have never crashed on me). The "seal-the-deal" function for me is the linking feature- when a task to either call or email someone is initated, ToDo creates a link to that person’s contact information. As a result, when the time comes to make the call or send the email, ToDo automatically offers up the information, thereby cutting down on one or two additional steps.   I’ll be doing a full review of the app in the next few days.

Evernote-

Right now I have a like/hate "thing" going on with Evernote. I like Evernote and have been using it since it was first in Beta, as the web 2.0 service.  I have continued to use it, taking advantage of its iPhone web app.  It has become indispensable to me for storing notes, forwarding emails, and saving web clippings.  As long as I have a data connection, I can access all my notes in list form, search using a key word, or, if i need more access to the note (for example to edit it), I can (quickly and easily) email a note (to myself or anyone of my choosing).  Since July 11th, I have been using the resident app, as well.  Unfortunately, unlike the web app, notes cannot be emailed- a HUGE shortcoming for me.  In addition, like the web app, Evernote still requires a data connection (hence, notes do not become resident in the device) and notes are still not editable (once they’ve been created and saved). There are some things the resident app does offer, however, that the web app does not:  creation of a text, snapshot or audio note OR a note using a previously taken photo. Despite its limitations, I use Evernote constantly on my iPhone and look forward to an update- hopefully soon.
    
Jott-

As I wrote in a prior posting, I was not taken with Jott’s resident app when it first came out.  But since the update was released, I love it.  Jott allows me to quickly create a voice note and send a transcription of it to someone (myself included).  The fact that the resident app allows me to create the note, without first having to call Jott, is a huge convenience and a time saver. Additional benefits of the app include: notes are all collected in one place, notes are resident on the device (therefore accessible at all times), notes can be organized and saved through the creation of personalized folders, notes are editable (even after they have been created and saved).  Jott has become an incredibly important tool for me.

Note2Self-

Since I already use Jott, it might seem redundant for me to use another voice note app.  However, it isn’t, because Note2self performs two useful functions which Jott does not.  It allows you to record a voice note, exceeding 15 seconds in length, and email it to yourself (with one tap) or someone else (with two taps).  It does not, however, transcribe voice notes (not something I always need anyway).  We know, from Web IS developer, Alex, that the app will steadily improve over the next few months. 

HurryMail-

As I wrote in my review last week, HurrayMail allows me to create a home screen shortcut, of a blank email, pre-addressed to one of my eight most frequently emailed contacts (determined by me, of course). It is a simple app, but one which has already proven to be a tremendous convenience for me.

FileMagnet and Annotater-

I’m still waiting for a true word processing application for the iPhone, effectively turning it into a mobile office.  Until that happens, these apps at least allow me to transfer documents (of varying formats) to and view them on my iPhone.