And the Winner Is: CleverToDo

Last November, just two days after the launch of Windows Phone, I offered a $50.00 bounty to the first developer who could provide a Task application with some basic functionality, along with three “no compromise” requirements:

• Reminder Alert – Day/Time
• Recurrence Function
• Live Tile w/ # Due & # Past Due (in red), like Tasks 2 / 1

I contacted several developers, questioned some, and advanced a part payment to one, all in the hopes of having an app that could replace what I had gotten very accustomed to while using Windows Mobile. In the process I learned an awful lot (for a non-developer) about how live tiles work on WP devices, which led me to tracking down the Endpoints Registry bug ( which is hopefully, history). Weeks turned into months and i think I trialed and/or purchased every task app available in the Marketplace without success. I eventually settled on CleverToDo, as it came closer than any other app to doing what I needed it to do. But having to open the app to update the live tile (the reasons, pre-Mango, would take another article to explain) and see what tasks were due, was a real PITA.

Don’t know if any other task apps have been updated with Mango changes in the Marketplace, but at this point I don’t particularly care. I have been testing the MangoBeta version of CleverToDo for the past two weeks and the experience has been nothing short of total satisfaction. Aside from the robust list a features this well designed app already touted; including a live tile, two backup solutions (Dropbox and dev server), tags, repeating tasks (by days, weeks, months, specific patterns, etc.), projects, notes, etc., you can add two more;

• A live tile that updates automatically at midnight showing you current/past due tasks (with the next three printed out) when you pick your phone up in the morning. You can set the app to move a task to the today view, based on the start or due date, for the current day, or 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours prior.
• “Real” reminders prior to the start of a task instead of those silly vanishing toast notifications. Can finally pull all that string off the tips of my fingers and save a bundle on Post-It notes.

There have been some comments about how CleverToDo is a bit boring with its colorless white on black look, but when it comes to work apps, those that you depend on, please hold back the artistic license with colorful flower backgrounds and 48 point header text. As an example, Cocktail Flow is admittedly a beautiful looking app and is often used as the baseline for all others. But in all honesty, if you really want to know what’s in a particular drink, download Mobile Bartender. Boring, maybe. But packed with detail and information.

No, CleverToDo will not sync with Outlook. And yes, I do know that Windows Live\/ToDo’s now sync with my device, but where are they. Buried in some Agenda view. If you are looking for a real task/reminder app, and you are wiling to part with $2.99 then CleverToDo is for you. The app is currently at Ver 1.10.0.0, but the Mango update is in final testing and is expected to roll out any day now. You can find CleverToDo here.

So, thank you Piotr and the entire team at Clever Software. Being a stand up guy, that bounty from last November is waiting for you. Just let me know where to send it.