I'm with this one - I quite often want to quickly change one field (such as location/list/tag). For instance, I might have a task that requires action in one place and then requires action in another with a new location and due date.

I feel as though I am button-pressing more than is necessary.

I agree on this, too. Everything should be streamlined, like Appigo Todo.

agreed! +1

+1 again.

I posted something along these lines before. It does get to you after a while.

+1 … "I agree on this, too. Everything should be streamlined, like Appigo Todo." Word!

+1 No doubt, the iP* app requires WAY too many button pushes!

I also agree. Once I have "pushed" a button, I would expect to return to the main screen.

best set up would be when creating new item auto open to title field with keyboard up. save also moves you up one level. things like this will help it move faster.

Lets offer them some constructive ideas on how to make it better. the RTM team seems to listen to users about features.

I don't even have an iphone (waiting and hoping for a port to android) but.....

I have got to say, I totally agree. I kinda figured the actual application, would more streamlined than the website. It is disheartening to hear that the app still requires tons of taps, and conformations etc. --- I pretty much don't even care if it is ported to android unless this is fixed.

Yup, I also agree.... Any sub-menu that requires only a single-item selection should immediately return to the previous screen without requiring a separate tap on the "Save" button.

Further, I'd really like to see a "Quick-Entry" methodology where new tasks can be added to the Inbox with a minimum of fuss... Something that just brings up a single-line data entry field to enter a quick task description and save it with no other fields required. This would be very useful in jotting things down very quickly and processing them later in normal GTD method fashion.

> Yup, I also agree.... Any sub-menu that requires only a single-item selection should immediately return to the previous screen without requiring a separate tap on the "Save" button.

ToDo (by appigo, which I haven't opened since this came out) had a real nice setup. When you viewed an individual task it was also a quick edit screen, you could change priorities on the spot since they were buttons and edit the task name. these are the kind of things that keep you from getting iPhone RSI due to awkward thumb taps.

Something like a "long press on the plus sign" switches to quick add would be a good compromise that doesn't clutter the interface IMHO.

Appigo's ToDo is, in my opinion, a much better interface with one glaring exception: it does not recognize "Smart Lists". But I understand they are working on it. Once that happens, it will be difficult to justy using RTM's iPhone app.

ToDo is definitely better from that point of view. I would prefer to use RTM though so please fix this guys!

Agreed.

I think that the RTM team could definitely take a few cues from the ToDo guys with regard to tap count.

Currently the RTM app is designed very well visually and there are a lot of great features.

Now they need to take time to analyze each and every possible tap path and see which are the most common "paths" and try to reduce the tap count for those paths.

I think that both ToDo and RTM have built excellent iPhone apps. Each have their strengths. Obviously RTM has an advantage over ToDo because the RTM team will always know best how to communicate with their backend infrastructure.

+1 It is quite tedious!

+1

Agreed! You guys have over-engineered this thing. For example, when I get to the task, it takes me extra 2 clicks to see, not all, but one of the notes. Why can we show the note on the task detail, and treat it as one of the fields? Is it necessary to have an one-to-many relation between a task and notes?

Also I'd like to be able to check tasks right off the list without having to hit the "Edit". The check box with different color can be used to indicate its priority.

This thing should not be more difficult to use than to have the to-do's written on paper, where you can just check it off right away. Please be intuitive.

Honestly as someone that came from OmniFocus their iPhone app was slow to open but wow once it was open it was really laid out well. If the RTM app was free I could understand it being not as good and well thought out as the other todo apps but it does require us to be a PRO subscriber. (Something I am happy to do to support your company being around for years to come. BTW) When you click + it should open a new item auto open the title and pull the keyboard all at once. when you click done or click a choice it should be off and running currently it waits for you to hit the Done/Save button each time, this is just dumb. You guys are great and streamlining as we see that on your full website version on our computers. Please help us help you make RTM even better on the iPhone.

On the positive side your iPhone database opens very quickly (something that I know takes work to get right), the app is well written and well laid out. The click intensiveness is the only issue most people have.

Thanks for all the hard work you guys do it really is appreciated.

+1

Agreed. Please consider this. Andrew

I agree. Too many taps. To Do is fast an so is Things but that is nothing compared to Bonsai (Palm app). A new powerful phone from Palm is coming out and devs are already configuring their software for it. Palm was famous for using very few taps and now with Palm Pre they will be implementing the same features. RTM better consider that.

IMO, this is one of two "must have or I keep looking for an alternative app" sorts of issues for RTM iPhone (the other is easy Tagging...and for that matter, even the ability to view tags in smartlists on iPhone).

I - and others - really want you guys to succeed -- and I love everything else about the desktop and iPhone versions of your service. But you need to get these two issues covered, or I'm still on the "could leave RTM for another app" list.

Good luck; happy to help (beta, whatever) to help you get it done...

+1. Optimally, a one tap quick-add box (one that was smart about dates, time, etc.) would be nice. gCal does this pretty well. ToDo has a quick-add box (incredibly handy) but doesn't parse out due dates and times (not as handy). If I want to fiddle with precise task editing, I'll do it later, not when I'm just trying to write down that I have a quiz next thursday at 10:30am in curtiss hall.

+1 Less taps.

This is similar to what I just posted about.

joechrysler Pro says
"If I want to fiddle with precise task editing, I'll do it later, not when I'm just trying to write down that I have a quiz next thursday at 10:30am in curtiss hall.?"

I agree with you. RTM may be slower to input info but it more than makes up for it by having a landscape feature. I timed the seconds it takes to input data in ToDo, Toodle, Things and RTM. The usage of a landscape screen is three times as fast. If we add to it how much faster RTM opens when launched, the bottom line is that entering a single item in the inbox in RTM is about half the speed used to enter the same item in other apps. Setting times, priorities and other things is better done at a calmer time and not during a busy meeting.

+1

If I could get the email list import to work, I'd just use that for rapid input.

I'm totally in agreement on this one. I love the convenience of taking my to-do list with me and sync'ing when I get back in wi-fi range (I'm using the Touch), but all those taps to do something....OMG!

For instance, to postpone an item, I should only have to tap on the task and then tap 'Postpone'.

To change a date, tap on the item and tap 'When'. The 'Edit' button is totally unnecessary.

To change the priority, how about just tapping on the task and tapping the appropriate checkbox?

I think what's making this app so inefficient is that 'Edit' button. If you can work on getting rid of it, the app will become much more streamlined. (The 'Done' button would also be unnecessary at that point).

Sorry to add to this thread when I'm sure you're already getting the message loud and clear, but I do find the extra taps quite frustrating when I have to deal with dozens of tasks in a day.

Thanks for listening!

-Peter

I couldn't agree more, I've actually stopped using the iphone version of RTM and gone back to AppiGo's ToDo app for precisely this reason.

One more reason to reduce the number of taps -- folks like myself who have hand problems. I've got an RSI, and I've switched to using ToDo on my iPhone because the number of taps needed to do simple stuff, like complete or postpone a task, was causing too much pain. I'm sure someone with arthritis would have the same issue.

It's a little frustrating, because RTM's integration with Jott is awesome & fabulous for my hands.

That said, I _love_ RTM

agree...to enter in a note/todo takes way too long. To change and alter a notes is like digging for gold.

I hate to whine - really - but this thread started on November 18 - 30 months ago - and RTM has done NOTHING to enhance the iPhone app to address any of these issues. Very disappointing, and quite surprising.

Anyone have any idea why they are not reacting. It's not the way RTM usually deals with issues. They seems to have stalled lately.

Sorry - 3 months ago. Blasted typos.

+1 need quicker inputting and editing of tasks. please take above suggestions.

maxmuller

it should be obvious to everyone here that RTM has reached its level of incompetence or indifference. They don't check posts anymore. Don't waste your breath. It's just not worth it!

+1 too many taps/swipes for sure. Screens where there can only be one selection should go BACK once you make the selection automatically.

Hi all,

This is definitely on the feature request list. Sorry I can't let you know when/if it will be implemented - as soon as I know something solid I will share!

Just one more vote in favor of what everyone else says.

I began using RTM for the iPhone yesterday, and I really love it. If only I had to push fewer buttons this would be the best to-do (gtd) app for iPhone for my taste / use.

One of the most important missing features right now is that when you make a new task you have to click once more to bring up the keyboard. This is just really unnecessary. It would be much faster and easy if the keyboard would be there at the same instant that you press the '+'-button (no animations to slow it all down either).

We want to get these things out of our heads fast as fast as possible. :)

Thank you, the devs, for a great app! Here and on the iPhone.

Guys,

I ran an interesting experiment a few weeks ago. I timed input of a new task in Toodledo, To Do, Things, Nozbe, Omnifocus and RTM. Even though RTM does require more taps, the input time was shorter due to the landscape mode. I would say that this more than makes up for the swipes. Now, let's consider the following: when we use the iPhone app, usually we are on the move. Real editing is regularly performed on the desktop/online application. So, what's the big fuzz?

Agree with all of the above (esp fewer clicks comments) and have two suggestions:
1/ can swipe-left go to edit mode and swipe-right delete
2/ look at free iPhone app TouchTerm to see some really innovative integration of the keyboard. The semi-transparent keyboard is an amazing space saver and workspace extender.

Otherwise job well done!!

riabatt,

I did look at Touch Term and even though it is nice we must consider that DSA is faster in signing, but slower in verifying.
A DSA key of the same strength as RSA (1024 bits) generates a smaller signature.An RSA 512 bit key has been cracked, but only a 280 DSA key.
It doesn't matter because with Ssh only authentication is done using RSA or DSA algorithm, and then the "rest" is encoded using a cipher like IDEA, DES, Blowfish, etc, etc after the authentication is done.
While Ssh2 can use either DSA or RSA keys, Ssh1 cannot. Ssh2 will also not use patented cypers like IDEA.
I tend to distrust this when using sensitive information. But that's just me.

I would be interested to know WHEN RTM will be updating the iPhone app based on ANY of the feedback given since the launch.

It seems that not much has changed but users have provided tons of feedback... I'm concerned that the iPhone app being free is not motivating RTM to do much work on it.

I would rather pay another $5 and have regular updates with the improvements that have been consistently requested.

binaryeric

man, you're touching a subject that could fill a hard drive! I too, would be willing to pay not $25/year but $25/mo. in order to be able to use this app to its max.

+1

+1 to fewer taps and more intuitive task editing.

You know, with the exception of SmartLists, Appigo's "Todo" application syncs beautifully with RTM for RTM Pro account holders, and the application is far better. And Appigo is working on syncing Smartlists as well. I highly recommend it.

+1

Hey I just wrote this for a feature suggestion. It makes sense to have it hear under this subject too.

iPhone App Request for task due date default settings

Due/Picker is set by default to:
Month/Day/Year
I would find it very helpful to be able to change this default to:
Day/Hour/Minute/AM-PM

As it is now if I want to set the time for anything after tapping 'Due' I must go to 'Custom' type the day, switch the keyboard to numerical, enter the time, switch back to letter keyboard and enter am/pm.

Should the time be added as a default option this would save time in data entry.

Please make this default flexible.
Many thanks,

+ 1 And why after several months, no official word from RTM people.

If work is going into readying the app for 3.0, I think a terribly valuable component of that work would be to revisit the UI and grind out as many taps and swipes as possible. Adding tasks fast is really the goal.

I still find emailing a task to my inbox to be the quickest way, and that's nutty when there's a native app on my iPod.

One particular case I noticed was simply trying to mark a task as complete. Currently you tap the task, tap the edit button, swipe down to the bottom, then tap the Complete Task button. That's three taps and a swipe to do a very simple function.

Perhaps the Complete Task button can be right on the main task page, not buried under the Edit screen.

Just a simple example of how screens can be stream lined.

If I understand it correctly, you are talking about marking a task as "complete", right? If so, you don't need all those steps. Just swipe your finger over the task and a "complete" button will appear. One swish, one tap.

+1 to the "too many taps" bit, especially when selecting one-touch things like priority, etc.

Plenty of things that need fixing on it, that's for sure.

+1

gui.azurdia - thanks! I didn't know about that feature.

In the words of an AOL user:

me to!

or

+1

whatever floats Timmy's boat :)

+1

1.1.0 doesn't fix this :( Still a +1 for me.

Also agree - I think a step-by-step approach would be the best - Tittle >> Due date >> List and Priority >> Additional Fields. Some kind of a tab-Style navigation can be implemented too (write to me if you need visual ideas, I am a professional designer and would love to help).

One more think - I would add a second button to the "Done" one, appearing upon a slide - a "Postpone" button namely. After all, we are all procrastinators for some things.

+1 As well.

+1 I am considering to buy a pro account, so it would be good if sth is being planned for this issue. This seems to be an important one.

agreed there are too many taps involved in creating a new task. ie you have to make a selection and then "accept/done" the change.

it would be better if when you make a selection, the change is auto-accepted.

+1

iphone app has a lot going for it, great work.

I'd like to see the removal of the "Edit" button on each task. If I click on a field, it should allow me to edit it directly.

I would also like to be able to make a task in-progress. I tend to have a few things going on simultaneously, such as email threads to close an issue, so it's important for me to know what tasks need started versus what needs closure.

Looking forward to sticking with the product to see it evolve.

@seanhorgan Regarding your in-progress suggestion, what many people do who seek this sort of feature is adopt an in-progress tag (e.g., ip) and then use that as the basis for various smarlists (such as overdue tasks not in progress, all things now in progress, etc.).

+1
While I love the ability to pick multiple categories, I miss the simplicity of the Treo's ToDo list. While I'm sure that Apple is dictating this 7-lines per screen thing, it would be nice if I could do everything to my task from just 1 level down.

I agree. It takes too many steps to add task. Instead of moving to another view, why can't we just enter the task name right in place? Also, like seanhorgan suggests, tapping the task should allow user to edit it. Another minor complaint, in the This Week view, the top blue bar is too small to show the day of the week and date both. Use a short form instead, for example, wed for wednesday, 8/8 for Aug 8. Or smaller font size.

The bottom white bar is unnecessarily occupying the already small screen. I'd suggest to remove it and make it like how we navigate iPhone Home screen, by swiping to the left and right. The default is incomplete, swiping to the left will bring us to complete. Move + to the top where Edit is right now. And do we really need a reload button? Say, we're in Today view, make tapping Today on the bottom again automatically reloads the page.

I'd prefer RTM to show This Week similar to most calendar, all texts (today, tomorrow, monday... etc.) are unnecessary. Show icons only with badges, that is, the number of tasks incomplete (or high priority only) for that specific day. If a summary can be shown, it will be great too.

Lance

After spending some time this week thinking about the app, these are the changes I would make:

ADD NEW TASK
Access to the + sign is good, however when I hit this button, the app should launch straight into the Edit Task Name window, THEN go to the Task Details window.

EDIT TASK
Single-tapping a task brings up the Task window, which is not a useful screen. Instead, each field in the Task window should be editable by tapping in the field. (I like the display of these fields in the Task screen much better than the view in Edit Task). Keep the layout of the Task window, mind you. Because only a couple of fields are shown here, the end of the screen should have a button called "Add Field" which would take one to the current Edit Task screen, just with every usable field listed.

The "When" field should be called "Due" to keep it consistent with the rest of RTM. Also, this field should respond to a swipe, revealing a "Postpone" button.

The Due window should default to the Picker view instead of Basic (this should be an default option one can pick in the Settings window)

VIEW TASKS
I have no use for "Tomorrow" or "This Week". I would much rather see "Search" and maybe a favorite list item appear in the 5-icon footer menu. Perhaps this menu should be editable as it is in iTunes (our local CBS affiliate, WRAL, has an app with an editable menu bar, too, so it can be done with the SDK).

I don't see a way to sort in the task view. One should be able to sort by Priority, Name, or Due Date.

Thanks so far for a really good app. I am coming up on my one-year anniversary, and can say that it has been worth it. I cannot do my weekly management of ToDos with this app, though. Hopefully with some change I will be able to.

dmccall,
Just like in iTunes, you can edit the bottom bar by tapping More, tapping Edit at the top, and moving the icons you want to change.

This is also in our iPhone FAQ (under "How do I customize the icons shown in the tab bar at the bottom?").

+1

+1

+1

+1

The list views (e.g. 'Today', 'Tomorrow', specific lists, etc) are too cluttered. It'd be better to provide more space for the 'dynamic' part of this display and show more tasks. This is the view I think RTM users spend most time looking at, and I think it would be better with less buttons, not more - let us see more tasks!

It's important for the list view to focus on listing out tasks and giving the option to complete and add tasks. The other options should be put elsewhere in order to display more tasks.

I agree with many of the points above, particularly those discussed in the posts by dmccall and lancefu.

Essentially, I think the two bottom bars should be removed in this list view, and the space used to show more tasks!

1. Remove the 'Edit' button and put the '+' here (as laucefu suggested). Personally, I don't find I have many many tasks to complete or postpone in one go - swiping is fine (and satisfying!). Postponment could be achieved by a left swipe, or in the task view itself.

2. Remove the refresh button from this view. It could be moved to a 'root' screen or in settings - or even activated by shaking? Indication could be provided by a swirl in the centre of the screen, or next to the repositioned '+' (if indication is necessary?).

3. I never use the buttons 'Incomplete' and 'Complete' - this seems like a waste of space. An option to show complete items could appear in the settings, if users find this helpful. There's always the option of viewing these in a smart list.

4. All the buttons in the bottom bar could be put on a 'root screen'. The default view could then be 'today', with a button in the top left to go up to the root, where it's possible to go to 'This Week', 'Lists' etc, much like other iPhone apps.

5. Remove the display of the list in grey below each task - I don't find this useful here - show more tasks instead!

For me, the more of the display that is dynamic and used to display tasks, the better!

Maybe discussion of the list view layout should be a new thread?