This weekend we have taken the new mobile application out of Beta and it has become the new official FacileThings app, version 2. Although it is (and always will be) a work in progress, we believe it’s already a much better app than the previous version 1.
The new app is available for iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play) under the name of FacileThings 2. This is a completely new application, so you’ll have to download it from the store (it will not automatically update over version 1).
Let’s take a look at the current features of the new app.
1. Working off-line and synchronizing data
This application uses a data synchronization algorithm that lets you get and post to the server only the new data and the ones that have changed since the last synchronization. With this system you can work with the app even if you have no internet access. The data is synchronized again after restoring the connection.
If you have internet access, synchronization is performed automatically each time you enter and exit the application. Sync is performed steadily in iPhones, because here the process cannot be run once you exit the application.
You will see a white sync icon (1) when all the local information is already synchronized with the server and an orange sync icon when it is not synced yet. Although not necessary, you can force the synchronization process manually, by touching that icon.
In case something goes wrong or your local data get corrupted by whatever reason, the “Reset data” option (2) in the Settings menu will clean all local data and force a full synchronization, leaving the data updated.
2. Collecting
The option to collect stuff is the default screen and opens automatically when you start the application. You can also access it from the main menu (3) and from virtually any place. You will see a collect icon on the top right of most options (4).
As in the web application, you have a tool to help you enter the most used tags without writing them (5).
3. Processing
You can process the captured stuff by following the sequence of steps established by David Allen in his GTD book (Getting Things Done).
First you must think about what you have at sight and write a correct, accurate and unambiguous statement. Then you must decide whether it is an action or not (6). According to your answer, the next step will present all the possible options for that input to get perfectly organized (7).
If it is an action that should be done by someone else you have the opportunity to delegate it to the appropriate person (8):
During the first step of processing you can edit the text, add tags, assign a reminder, add notes and define a checklist. You will see all these things in detail below, in the “Editing tasks” section.
4. Managing lists
The following five menu items (9) give you access to the next lists: Inbox, Calendar, Next actions, Waiting for and Reference material. Other lists, like Tickler file, Trash and Done, do not appear in the mobile version for two reasons: simplicity (they’re not necessary when you’re out there 99% of the time) and efficiency (the Done list can accumulate easily thousands of actions).
In each list, you can see the items ordered following the same criteria as in the web application, except the Calendar, in which the events are shown grouped by date (10), for quick visual recognition.
In the bottom of the lists you have a tool that allows you to filter (11) the elements of the list by one or more tags (if there are elements in the list containing tags.) At any time you can reduce the Next Actions list to those actions that you can actually get done in the context you are in.
All lists with actions (Calendar, Next actions and Waiting for) allow you to mark any of their actions as done (12).
5. Editing tasks
Tapping on a list item allows you to edit all its data (13). The edit window also lets you edit its notes (14) and checklist (15).
The checklist management screen allows you, in addition to edit the check points and mark the ones already done (16), to do something you still cannot do in the web application (we will add it soon): change their order (17).
6. What comes next
As I said earlier, this app will always be in constant evolution and we will be adding new features and improving the existing ones so that its use will become more and more comfortable and, above all, useful.
Our idea is to constantly improve it with the support of your feedback and publish a new release every 3-6 weeks.
The next improvements we are working on will allow you to assign Perspective values (projects, goals and areas of responsibility) when you are processing stuff , search for information on the lists, organize items in lists according to the GTD workflow, etc.
How can you help? Simply warning of any malfunction you can find and telling us what feature you are missing the most at the moment. When a good number of users point in the same direction, priorities become clear ;)
1 Although version 1 is obsolete and will no longer receive more updates, you can continue using it if you still have it downloaded on your mobile (it is no longer shown in the Apple App Store and Google Play to not cause confusion to new users.)
14 comments
The app was a bit barebones, but this is now getting much closer to all the functionality of the web app. Great work. Like the fact that you can still work off-line.
I am still in my one-month trial, but I will pull the trigger and buy a full-year subscription when tria ends. I am GTD practioner since a number of years and I've tried many apps... No other app implements GTD this well and especially as completely as this, without adding unrelated gimmicks to the system. Keep up the good work!
The app was a bit barebones, but this is now getting much closer to all the functionality of the web app. Great work. Like the fact that you can still work off-line.
I am still in my one-month trial, but I will pull the trigger and buy a full-year subscription when tria ends. I am GTD practioner since a number of years and I've tried many apps... No other app implements GTD this well and especially as completely as this, without adding unrelated gimmicks to the system. Keep up the good work!
Hi Ugo,
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!
Hi Ugo,
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!
Hi, I've been waiting for this update for some time. The version is more usable than the previous one which I mainly used to capture things. And I'm happy I'll be able to organize stuff on the go now ...But where did the search function go? It wasn't good but worked to some extent. Is It now gone completely?
Hi, I've been waiting for this update for some time. The version is more usable than the previous one which I mainly used to capture things. And I'm happy I'll be able to organize stuff on the go now ...But where did the search function go? It wasn't good but worked to some extent. Is It now gone completely?
Hi Piotr,
Search function will be added very soon. It's just that since you now have the possibility to filter items by tags, the Search has got less priority in our development plans.
Hi Piotr,
Search function will be added very soon. It's just that since you now have the possibility to filter items by tags, the Search has got less priority in our development plans.
Trying out the trial version cause of Gmail and Evernote integration. I was hoping that when emails and notes came into FT that there would be links back to the original emails and EN notes but no such luck. Is this something that will be coming to FT? I need links to take me back to Gmail and EN for this app to work for me.
Also, a bit more color in the UI would be a nice addition. :)
Trying out the trial version cause of Gmail and Evernote integration. I was hoping that when emails and notes came into FT that there would be links back to the original emails and EN notes but no such luck. Is this something that will be coming to FT? I need links to take me back to Gmail and EN for this app to work for me.
Also, a bit more color in the UI would be a nice addition. :)
Actually, since FT has its own notebook in EN that's not as much of a concern now that I think about it. Gmail,yes.
Actually, since FT has its own notebook in EN that's not as much of a concern now that I think about it. Gmail,yes.
Hi Robert,
There are links back to Evernote but no to Gmail. We'll probably build a GMail add-on in the near future (not before January though).
Also, we are re-designing our brand from scratch, so there will be a new design in the next months (colors, fonts, logos, icons, etc. will change). It'll be very nice. Really, I've seen the sketches ;)
Hi Robert,
There are links back to Evernote but no to Gmail. We'll probably build a GMail add-on in the near future (not before January though).
Also, we are re-designing our brand from scratch, so there will be a new design in the next months (colors, fonts, logos, icons, etc. will change). It'll be very nice. Really, I've seen the sketches ;)
Somehow I can't find the link to the Evernote note. Additionally when I create an entry using Taskclone the link the Evernote note is not clickable.
Thanks,
Pascal.
Somehow I can't find the link to the Evernote note. Additionally when I create an entry using Taskclone the link the Evernote note is not clickable.
Thanks,
Pascal.
Hi Pascal, the Evernote links are still not implemented. We'll add this feature asap.
Hi Pascal, the Evernote links are still not implemented. We'll add this feature asap.
Great job Francisco!
Few of my early experiences:
* For some of the icons seem a bit small and a bit too close together.
* What I miss most right now are my project lists.
* The notes field gives a limited view (less than half the screen size) and is not scrollable.
* I process training videos I need to watch/study. Not possible on mobile app to indicate the length of the video.
* Process window slightly bigger so all of the text fits on
Great job Francisco!
Few of my early experiences:
* For some of the icons seem a bit small and a bit too close together.
* What I miss most right now are my project lists.
* The notes field gives a limited view (less than half the screen size) and is not scrollable.
* I process training videos I need to watch/study. Not possible on mobile app to indicate the length of the video.
* Process window slightly bigger so all of the text fits on
The app is looking good. What I would like:
1) Define my own starting view
2) Ability to add project to an inbox task
3) Have a project list
4) Evernote link in the task
5) Changing a date on a task takes 9 clicks!! Far too many.
6) Filter on tag
7) Task text better readable
8) Add material design
9) Add alarm notifications
Have a look at the Todoist app, they really did a very good job, in my opinion.
Could we get some little teasers on the new design?
Thanks in advance.
The app is looking good. What I would like:
1) Define my own starting view
2) Ability to add project to an inbox task
3) Have a project list
4) Evernote link in the task
5) Changing a date on a task takes 9 clicks!! Far too many.
6) Filter on tag
7) Task text better readable
8) Add material design
9) Add alarm notifications
Have a look at the Todoist app, they really did a very good job, in my opinion.
Could we get some little teasers on the new design?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks Brecht and Pascal for sharing your needs. We are working on some of them already, and definitely will add most of them in the next releases.
Thanks Brecht and Pascal for sharing your needs. We are working on some of them already, and definitely will add most of them in the next releases.
There are 2 FS apps in Google Play: Facile Things 2 (last update 8 oct.) and OLD Facile Things 2 (last update 15 sent.)
Link from the post points to OLD Facile Things 2. Is this the right version?
Anyway i have synchronisation problem with both of them. Emty calendar, emty Inbox.. etc.
There are 2 FS apps in Google Play: Facile Things 2 (last update 8 oct.) and OLD Facile Things 2 (last update 15 sent.)
Link from the post points to OLD Facile Things 2. Is this the right version?
Anyway i have synchronisation problem with both of them. Emty calendar, emty Inbox.. etc.
Hi Stas, the right and latest version is FacileThings 2.
Please, open a ticket within the web app to exactly explain what kind of sync issue are you experiencing. We'll try to fix it asap.
Hi Stas, the right and latest version is FacileThings 2.
Please, open a ticket within the web app to exactly explain what kind of sync issue are you experiencing. We'll try to fix it asap.