The category for iPhone task management apps is certainly a crowded one, with apps ranging from bizarre free task lists to advanced expensive full-blown multi-list task managers. I’ve been evaluating several task list apps on my iPhone during the last month and am surprisingly impressed with one of them, Zenbe Lists.
Zenbe Lists doesn’t try to outperform the more advanced task lists such as ToDo or Things. Instead, Lists offers a very straightforward, simple task list with a clean, uncluttered interface. When I say Lists is very simple, I mean very simple: lists doesn’t offer the ability to set priorities, include additional task notes, assign categories, or delegate sub-tasks, though it does provide checkboxes to mark tasks as complete.
The process to create a new task is as easy as they could possibly have made. When you tap the “New” button in the top-right corner of the app, you are presented with the window shown below. Basically, you type the task name/details and optionally select a due date. That’s it. Once complete, tap to check it off, and it disappears from the list.
One interesting note, however, even if you set a due date, the app provides no audible alarm or other notification. Rather, the due date seems to serve only to provide a sort order when viewing the list; items due sooner appear at the top of the list while items due later or with no due date appear towards the bottom of the list. The app’s icon doesn’t display any badging to show the number of tasks, nor are there any push notification alerts. Though I can understand the lack of push notification alerts in a basic app like this, I would like to see Zenbe add icon badging.
While Zenbe Tasks is most certainly a basic task list, it does feature excellent syncing and integration with Zenbe’s website, and after setting up a free account, you can add new items and mark items as complete from your web browser, and have those changes sync back to your iPhone the next time you launch the app. This is a feature commonly found only in subscription-based task managers like Toodledo or Remember The Milk. Zenbe’s web interface is included in the purchase of the app, and features nonintrusive ads on the right-hand side.
For those looking for a basic task list to keep track of occasional to-do items, or perhaps a small shopping list, who also would like the ability to manage it from the convenience of your computer, then Zenbe Lists is perfect. If you’re looking for more advanced task management functionality, then you might want to look elsewhere, Lists won’t satisfy you (stay tuned for upcoming reviews of several other task list apps that might be what you’re looking for).
For what it is designed to be, Zenbe Lists is an excellent, very basic task list with one big feature setting is apart from the rest of the little guys: the ability to sync your task list to the web over the air.
Zenbe Lists is available on the App Store for $2.99 (link).
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