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Life can get busy. Sometimes the only way to keep track of what you have to get done is to scribble brief to-do notes here and there. But since we’re always on our smartphones, it only makes sense to compile your lists within the one place you’ll definitely see them. This week we have an app that will make organizing tasks much easier.
Google launched its new Google Tasks app for iOS and Android earlier this week. While there’s not much to it, the app is definitely useful for those who want easy access to an overview of their to-do lists within an app that has a clean, fresh design. It also syncs across all your devices and is integrated into Gmail and Google Calendar.
Creating a task is extremely simple — once you download the app, tap “Add a new task” and you’ll be prompted to fill in the small window with what you’d like to accomplish. While you can choose to simply add a line about the task, it also allows you to expand on details by tapping on the small blue plus sign underneath. This is where you’re able to fill in additional information like the due date for the task or sub tasks.
For those who like to be super organized, Google Tasks also has an option to create separate lists that you can switch between. Once you complete a task you can tap on the circle located next to each one and it will automatically check it off the list. You can refer back to them under the “Completed” tab at the bottom, where they permanently live. You can also sort the different tasks by date or the specific order you added them. You’re able to edit different tasks as well, by tapping on each one specifically and changing what you’d like.
What I like about Google Tasks is how refreshing the interface and design are. Even if you have a ton of different tasks, the app still keeps everything organized in a way that doesn’t look or feel too overwhelming. You have your main task, the small description listed underneath, the date, and then all your subtasks listed below, which you can quickly check off once it’s done. By tapping on the menu icon in the lower left-hand corner, you can also access the other task lists you made or move tasks from one list to another.
You can also access your tasks on both the desktop version of Gmail and Google Calendar (if you set a date on any of them). If you’re still on the older version of Gmail, you can pull up your tasks, but it won’t look as visually appealing — it will sit in the lower right hand corner of the screen within a small, outdated window. With the redesigned version of Gmail, your tasks are located on the right-hand side of your screen and have the same format and look as the app.
For those who use Google’s apps across the board, it’s helpful to have such a seamless integration — that way, you don’t have to constantly open the app on your smartphone if you’re at your computer. To make it easier, you can also drag specific emails into the Tasks app to automatically create a task to add to your to list.
While I really enjoyed the experience and ease adding new tasks and having them sync to my desktop, I do wish there were more customizability options. For instance, you can’t set different labels to color code or set a time under the due date. You’re unable to set recurring tasks if you have to complete the same task on a weekly basis. I also thought it was inconvenient situation when I accidentally checked off a task as completed and then unchecked it, and none of the subtasks were were put back along with it. Once I added the subtasks back in, everything was out of order and I had to delete it and start over again.
For those looking for an app that allows you to jot down quick notes — without having to grow accustomed to a confusing interface — Google Tasks is the one to download. Hopefully, Google will continue to update it with new features that allow for us to go more in-depth with our tasks and to-do lists.
