[JG in SB]

Hi,

I am a new BlackBerry user and I am in love with the device with the exception of one thing: the extremely limited tasks application.

Let's face it, the BlackBerry tasks applicatioon is terrible. And it will not even sync correctly with my tasks in Outlook.

I used to use Palm and Windows Mobile devices and there were many choices for 3rd party task managers that worked beautifully and did not require you to double-enter your taks. They got their data either straight from Outlook, or from the native tasks application, but then provided far better features than the native application.

I was stunned to see that there are almost no application like this for the BlackBerry.

One application I found is something called "Next Action". It is expensive, and there is no way to download a trial version, or even user documentation for it to figure out if it is going to do what I want it to do before I pay roughly $50.00 for it.

Is there anyone out there that uses this application and can provide some feedback about it?

Specifically, does it:

• Accurately sync with Exchange/Outlook as claimed

• Allow you to set low/regular/high prioirties and sync these to Outlook

• Allow input of notes for tasks and sync these with Outlook

• Sync over any reminders you have set on your Outlook tasks

Any information, positive or negative about this software would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!

[mgerbasio]

Search the forums as I'm sure there have been some comments on it. I haven't looked at that program. My favorite is todoMatrix by Welcome to REXwireless: World-Class Software Applications for the RIM BlackBerry. This program has also been discussed on this forum and the comments are positive. You can get a 30 day trial.

To answer your questions with respect to todoMatrix, currently there isn't any data exchange with MS Outlook.

You can also check at Handango - Windows Mobile, Palm OS, BlackBerry and Symbian Smartphone Software Downloads to see what they have available.

Regards-Michael G.

[JG in SB]

Originally Posted by mgerbasio

Search the forums as I'm sure there have been some comments on it. I haven't looked at that program. My favorite is todoMatrix by Welcome to REXwireless: World-Class Software Applications for the RIM BlackBerry. This program has also been discussed on this forum and the comments are positive. You can get a 30 day trial.

To answer your questions with respect to todoMatrix, currently there isn't any data exchange with MS Outlook.

You can also check at Handango - Windows Mobile, Palm OS, BlackBerry and Symbian Smartphone Software Downloads to see what they have available.

Regards-Michael G.

Thanks Michael,

todoMatrix is a no-starter for me because it causes me to have to enter tasks and manage them in a totally separate environment from Outlook, which is where I handle everything else. I have heard that todoMatrix, as far as tasks go, is more powerful than what Outlook provides, but I link my tasks to other Outlook items etc., and I don't want to have to go into another application to deal with task items.

I have searched Handango as well as some other handheld software sites and, as I stated above, I am stunned that there are very few choices for an application like this on the BlackBerry platform.

I did the search for Next Action in these forums, but didn't find answers to the questions I am asking. That's the reason for this post. I appreciate your recommendation however.

Take care,

[mgerbasio]

Jarrett,
Yes, I felt the same way and it was diffcult to make the jump. No outlook integration and $60, forget it. I got hooked on ideaMartix and only then was I sold on todoMatrix.

Take a look at PocketDay PDLists Cross River Systems I took a quick look at the web site and didn't see outlook integration mentioned but it is worth asking. They also make PocketDay that definately has task management better than the basic BB application but I'm not sure it does everything you want.

Regards-Michael G.

[drgoodtymes]

Next action is an alright program. ToDo Matrix is defenitly more powerful. The only nice thing about Next Action is just a faster way to enter things. It really doens't add any functionaly just makes things more convient.

[funkym]

Originally Posted by JG in SB

• Accurately sync with Exchange/Outlook as claimed

• Allow you to set low/regular/high prioirties and sync these to Outlook

• Allow input of notes for tasks and sync these with Outlook

• Sync over any reminders you have set on your Outlook tasks

Hi JG,

you're right, the BB task app is a pain in the **** though the missing demo version of NextAction! is. However, I made a blue shot and am lucky that I did it. It works for me as I am straight forward implementing GTD. So here is the answer as far as I can tell from my experience:

• Accurately sync with Exchange/Outlook as claimed

Yes, it works fine but you might need some time to know how to add tasks in you outlook. E.g. you need to assign a project/context to a task. If there is no such assignment the tasks will not be shown in NA as it is based on the conext-relation (GTD-specific). However, those tasks are on the device and can be accessed through the BB application.

• Allow you to set low/regular/high prioirties and sync these to Outlook

As this is not part of the GTD principle, this is not possible with NA. :(

• Allow input of notes for tasks and sync these with Outlook

Yes, but you cannot add line breaks in the notes field in the current version.

• Sync over any reminders you have set on your Outlook tasks

As far as I have seen, yes.

Moreover, I have heard from some people that there is an evaluation possible if you ask them. Moreover, the 30-day unconditional money back guarantee seems to work fine. I have a friend who tried NA but thought it is not what he wanted (he's more a todomatrix fan and does not need outlook synchronization). So he asked for a refund and received it quite fast. Nice support! They also asked for the reasons my friend didn't want NA anymore. So it seems they do really care about what people think. I am also pretty sure there will come a more enhanced version in the near future. I just have that feeling because they regularily ask NA-users for comments and improvement suggestions. I know that because I sometimes receive a mailing ...

Ah, there is a nice feature overview of the current version NextAction! 1.6.1:
BlackBerryInsight » NextAction! 1.6.1

[Corman]

JG,
The RexWireless guys are working on an Outlook integration for ToDoMatrix. When that happens you can be assured that it is the best product out there for your blackberry. These guys are very responsive to customer needs. A common theme to this thread is that, now you will be disappointed with any software out there and that ToDoMatrix is the preferred after market program. Good luck!

[JG in SB]

Originally Posted by Corman

JG,
The RexWireless guys are working on an Outlook integration for ToDoMatrix. When that happens you can be assured that it is the best product out there for your blackberry. These guys are very responsive to customer needs. A common theme to this thread is that, now you will be disappointed with any software out there and that ToDoMatrix is the preferred after market program. Good luck!

That, my friend, would be awesome. Because not only would it remedy the current problems, but it sounds like it would add additional functionality to Outlook! I eagerly await this.

In the meantime, I have started to use NextAction! It isn't perfect, but at least my non-overdue tasks don't show up as being due yesterday anymore, and it does have a very nice, simple, and easy to use interface that I like. It just seems expensive for what you actually get.

If REX wireless can integrate their system with Outlook, and have it be stable and functional, that sounds like it would be the clear choice.

[forevergreen]

I would like a task list that appears in BB calendar. I know that a task can currently appear, but only if it has a date and time. I would love to have non scheduleded tasks appear in calendar, above all the other entries, and float forward to the current day. It would be perfection if it also had the "grab" feature that todomatrix has, which is great when you quickly want to put things (which don't have a scheduled time) in the order you want to do them.

[funkym]

Well, this might be not possible as it requires to change RIM's calendar application :(