GTD App Review – Nozbe
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Nozbe’s new Mac app is a well thought out GTD specific app, that has some great integration with other popular services like Dropbox and Evernote.
Nozbe is specifically designed for GTD, so benefits from being streamlined for the GTD process and doesn’t require bending in some way to make it fit.
The Dropbox and Evernote integrations, unique to this app (out of those reviewed), make a great addition. Especially as I use both of these services frequently, especially Evernote for a GTD reference bucket.
The Android app has been re-written with a much improved UI, stability and speed improvements. So if you’ve tried it before and had a torrid time of it, it might be worth a second look.
Bear in mind the Mac app has just come out of beta, so for a first release it’s pretty good.
How it Scored
This is how it scored against the criteria for a great GTD app.
| Criteria | Result |
|---|---|
| Quick add | No |
| Projects/Sub-tasks | Yes, projects. |
| Contexts/tags | Context, with icons |
| Order tasks | Yes |
| Notes | Yes, as multiple comments |
| Highlight/star | Yes, for marking tasks as next action |
| Search | Yes |
| Deadline | Yes |
| Reminder | No |
| Recurring tasks | Yes |
| Sync with Google Calendar | Yes |
| User Experience | 4/5 |
Downsides
No keyboard navigation in the Mac app.
It’s a little on brown side. The right-hand side editing pane, lacks colour and contrast.
On the Android app, it’s a bit sluggish (tested on HTC Desire) and there was the odd error.
Puzzling
Fonts seem blurry.
Selected tasks lose their icons and deadline when selected. Would be nice for those to remain, so you don’t have to re-find them on the edit pane.
Useful Extras
- Can tag projects with labels, eg work, home
- Smart task entry with hashes to add context, deadlines, project, comment etc
- Looks like you can invite people to work on a project
- Time needed to complete a task
- Add multiple notes to a project
- Add files to projects
- Associate a dropbox folder a project (looks like the Web app has box.net support too)
- Evernote notes tagged with your project name get associated with that project
- Colour code your projects
- Full-screen for OSX Lion
- Can add how long you think a task might take
- Backup/export everything (except files) from Nozbe
- Add tasks via Twitter
How it Looks
-
- Add Task
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- Calendar
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- Contexts
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- Edit Task
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- Change Project
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- Next Actions
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- Project Documents
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- Project Notes
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- Projects
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- Android – Edit Task
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- Android – Inbox
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- Android – Projects
Platforms
Mac, Android, iPhone/iPad, Windows and Web (incl iNozbe a html5 offline capable mobile web app).
Support
They are active in their forums and can be contacted directly too.
Price
Free for up to 5 projects, then 9.95 EUR per month for unlimited projects for a single user. There’s also pricing for groups.
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8 Comments + Add Comment
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Frankly, I don’t see how come they don’t support nested sub projects yet after zoo many years. They seem to have made a big step forward by putting out real Apps that can be used while offline, but to me there are 2 key features that are yet to be implemented by Nozbe: Sub-projects, task creation by dropping a email into the App.
Mylifeorganized features the two (even though you only can link back to the original email on the same computer you created the task from)… unfortunately they do not seem to be willing to release a Mac OSx version…
no perfect app out there, right?
When I started the reviews I thought there would be clear winner/s but as it’s coming to a close, I think choosing my gtd system is going to be one of compromise. Most of them have everything you want but then there’s always just 1 thing missing.
Your review does not actually have a link to the Nozbe website.
It drives me crazy that somebody can’t just get all the features right (and by right I mean the way I want it to work ;-). I’ve had several times where I started to write my own beacuse no one else can get it right.
One thing I’ve concluded from your reviews and my experience is that anything based on Toodledo is probably not going to be a good solution. In my opinion, and I’m sure others will disagree, Toodledo is not a good fit for GTD. You can make it work, but I’d rather have something that just works. It’s attractive to a developer to just support Toodledo and think your job is done since they already have a web app, which is unfortunately unusable.
Conqu looks good, but until they have repeating tasks, it’s a non-starter. Currently using doit.im, but would like something where the developers are responsive.
Yep, lame, can’t believe I didn’t link it (added now).
Dear Tom,
I stumbled onto your page searching for a review of ToDo Online. Finding for the right to-do app for iPhone/iPad/Online has been making me crazy. After reading all of your reviews (and probably 90% of your site) I’m thinking Nozbe looks best for me. Wait. There’s more…
So you know, the only thing I’d ever even heard of on your site was GTD. I found your writing to be so interesting that I kept reading and learning. It’s 2:30 AM here in Los Angeles. When I wake up later this morning I’ll explain to my husband why I ordered something called a Boxee. Also, I have a feeling I’m going to need a 12 step program to pull me away from XKCD. I love my iPhone and my iPad – and even though I think Laters is very cool, switching to Android isn’t going to happen! LifeTuned is fantastic. What a great idea.
Having disclosed all of the above, I think it’s only fair that you reveal to me which GTD app you have chosen for yourself. Please Tom! I’ve got to know. I think you could be a bit of a genius and I want to use whatever your using :)
Thank you for entertaining me with your website. I had fun exploring and discovering. I will of course be following you on Twitter.
Sincerely,
Lori
LOL, this is either a very sophisticated spaming bot or great flattery. Genius either way ;)
Thanks for your kind comments. Small delay on the roundup of which GTD app I’m going to use, my laptop has had 2 visits to the Apple doctor. Got it back yesterday, so hope to get this out soon.
Enjoy your Boxee box :)
Tom, we should kidnap Andrey (creator of MyLifeOrganized) and make his powerful software work on Mac OSx!!!
Finally rounded of the reviews and chose my trusted GTD system. http://tomphilip.me/index.php/best-gtd-app/ Phew, wasn’t easy.