GTasks: To Do List | Task List

Summary

On most days I find that there’s quite a lot to do and take care of, whether it’s buying a book, remembering to congratulate a friend on their birthday or writing a Android application review ;).

The brain is known for many traits, forgetfulness being one of them. So what are we to do? Some still favour classic hardware such as notebooks or post-its to help them remember things. Android lovers will agree that there are applications out there made to make life a little bit simpler: apps that will compensate if you can’t remember everything you’ve got on your plate.

Could GTasks be one of said smart little memory aids? Find out in today’s review!
 

Test device: Motorola Defy with CM 7 (Android 2.3.4)
App: As of Android 1.5—The application requires access to accounts registered on your device. Ditto for syncing.

If the name is any indication, GTasks is more of a tasks-app than a notes-app. The ‘G’ stands for neither ‘great’ nor ‘gigantic’—it is, of course, a reference to Google. The app synchsonises with the somewhat hidden Google task planner (you will find it in your Email area).

The homescreen shows a to-do list of tasks (both ‘taken care of’ and ‘must still be attended to’); tasks are displayed by due dates. Switch between checklists by swyping. These lists are useful as they make it possible to really categorize you tasks. Add more tasks to a list by hitting the ‘New Task’ button.

There are options for setting due dates for tasks as well as marking tasks as ‘done’ (by checking them off).

Aside from assigning due dates to tasks, you can also set a task as recurring. While it isn’t possible to set every single recurring date (for instance, setting every third Sunday of the month as a recurring date isn’t possible), but in a general sense you can determine time frames for tasks.

One major advantage with GTasks is the option to sync with Google. This has several advantages: if you are prone to switching Android devices you can rest assured that you will be able to access the application whenever, whatever. The UI is also advantageous. Syncing commences automatically when the app is started up; it can also be deactivated and/or used manually.

The widgets are also very convenient: they come in two sizes, allow instant access to information about tasks and can be controlled directly in relation to the list that is being displayed. Configuring the colour they come in is… erm… interesting, to say the least. Try it, you’ll see what I mean.

Bottom line:
While GTasks doesn’t come with a vast spectrum of functions, it’s controls are easy and fast to use. The fact that it only has a few useful features is actually an advantage as it gives the app a tidy, neat general feel. The webtool is also very useful (even if it isn’t part of the app in the strictest sense, it does tie the whole thing together). That being said, a few extra details such as assigning a scale of importance to tasks or else a tool for estimating how much time each task is likely to take would not have gone amiss. Mind, adding such functions may be limited by the syncing with Google.
 

GTasks’ controls are excellent: control elements have really been reduced to the essentials. As a result the app comes with symbols that really look like what they stand for, an efficient search tool for tasks and self-explanatory settings.

The app’s overall look is clean-cut, minimal and well-designed. The app comes in a discreet blue and white colour scheme.
 

GTasks performed very well during our test runs. There were no problems with the app’s stability and loading times were totally decent.

GTasks can be downloaded for free from the Google Market. Ad banners are displayed, but they aren’t very in-your-face. The ad free version costs 54 HK$ (about EUR5), which I find to be a bit steep .