My Recommended Smartphone Apps

At least once a week I get an email from a curious reader asking me which smartphone app they should use for 1MTD or MYN tasks, or just for email in general. I’ll answer that in this in this article.

I have a few questions for you first:

Do you use 1MTD or do you use MYN instead? That’s a really important question.

And the next question is this: if you use 1MTD, are you planning to upgrade soon to MYN?

And finally, are you committed to managing tasks in Outlook when at your desk, or is that not a requirement?

Alright, let me explain why I ask these and what choice-answers come out of these.

Use Neither 1MTD or MYN

First, by the way, if you use neither 1MTD or MYN, and just want a good email app, then I say just continue to use the native mail app delivered on iPhone or Android. They are probably your best choice. The Outlook app is also good, but I see no huge advantage to it compared to the native apps.

1MTD Users

Next, if you are a 1MTD user, and do not intend to update to MYN and are not commited to using Outlook tasks, then I say consider using Microsoft’s new To-Do app. It’s simple and identically designed on iPhone and Android (and on Windows, Mac, and the web). And it’s free. See my training on this app at this link.

If you are a 1MTD user and you DO think you will advance on to MYN in the near future, then here is my app advice:

  1. If you are fairly commited to Outlook tasks, and use Exchange or Office 365 business, or Outlook.com, then use the TaskTask app on iPhone, and the Nine app on Android. Both of these are strong apps that work well with Outlook/Exchange tasks. And they both have a good upgrade path to MYN. Read about TaskTask here, and about Nine here.
  2. If you do not care about Outlook tasks, and perhaps don’t even use Outlook/Exchange (or do), then look at the mobile apps that come with Toodledo. They are strong and flexible and also offer an excellent upgrade path to MYN. They can be used with Outlook email or any other email.

MYN Users

Finally, if you are a dedicated MYN user and use Outlook/Exchange or Outlook.com, the choice is simple: use TaskTask on iPhone, and Nine on Android. Both of these are strong apps that work well with Outlook/Exchange tasks. Read about TaskTask here, and about Nine here.

Also on the iPhone, consider using Preside. It formats well for MYN Tasks and has a great email system in which you can convert emails to tasks in it, and set email categories.

Also on the iPhone look at GoodTask 3. It’s a tasks app that syncs well with Outlook through the iPhone Reminders app.

And MYN users, if you are not committed to Outlook tasks, and perhaps don’t even use Outlook/Exchange (or do), then look at the mobile apps that come with Toodledo. They are strong and flexible and can be used with Outlook email or any other email.

Apps for Email

What apps to use for email? Normally I recommend using the native mail apps on your smartphone. Note that all the apps above I listed mainly due to their TASK capability.

That said, Nine is also a mail app and is the best combined choice for Android, especially since you can convert emails to tasks on it, use email categories, and set it up well for 1MTD or MYN tasks.

On the iPhone, Preside is a really good email app and you can convert emails to tasks on it, set categories, and it also sets up well for both 1MTD and MYN tasks.

Hope that helps!

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to My Recommended Smartphone Apps

  1. Len Wasserman says:

    remember the milk has sttart dates and very easy to create smart lists. Have you tried using RTM for the 1mtd/myn? What do you think of the service?

    • Michael Linenberger says:

      Len, we looked at it years ago for MYN and it didn’t have the features we needed for MYN, but maybe it does now? Why don’t you check it out and let us know.
      First, we hope for a system in which you can send or convert emails to. And even better, one that syncs with Outlook Tasks. Next, in the app we need a view that does all of the following in one view: group by priority, sort within priority groups on start date descending (older start dates lower); hide completed tasks; and hide tasks with future start dates.
      If you find it now does all this, maybe you could write up the instructions for setting that view up?
      For 1MTD we tend to favor only those apps that can also be used for MYN so that users have an upgrade path.
      Let us know what you find!
      Thanks, Michael

  2. Jim Samuel says:

    I have recently started using the updated Google Tasks for MYN instead of Outlook. I created a list for each of the opportunities. The mobile Tasks app works very well. It gives me great integration with my Google Calendar too. Since Google did the Tasks update a few months ago, it does work well with MYN.

    • Michael Linenberger says:

      Thanks Jim!. Does it have start dates? And can you reverse sort on Start Date? And hide tasks with future start dates? Let me know, sounds interesting. Michael

  3. Wayne says:

    Wow, I’m surprised you are still recommending Toodledo. With the communication and support from the Toodledo owners becoming more and more scarce will you look for other programs that meet your criteria?

    • Michael Linenberger says:

      We are always looking for apps that work with MYN. See the criteria listed in my comment reply above and let us know if you find another one. That said, *six* different apps were listed in the article above, not just Toodledo. So we *have* in fact looked for and found many other programs that meet our criteria, beyond Toodledo. Sorry that you are having an issue specifically with Toodledo support. However, they have a fantastic app. In fact, their web app is perhaps the very best task app available, anywhere, in terms of power and flexibility. That’s why it’s the only other app (other than Windows Outlook tasks) that has a full set of MYN videos created by us for it. (See our page https://www.michaellinenberger.com/ToodleDo.html). So at present, Toodledo will remain prominently on our list. But again, if you find another app that meets the MYN criteria, let us know, we’ll check it out and include it if it works with MYN. Michael

  4. FM says:

    Hi Michael,

    thanks for your fantastic ideas, inspiration and concrete suggestions. I like to use the todo.txt format as it brings all you need. It could easily be synced to any cloud-storage and is free and plaintext. There are different client-apps to use it. That is great. However Outlook-synchronisation is not possible as easy. For Android I am using Simpletask and it is doing the job pretty well.

    Keep doing and best regards
    FM

    • Michael Linenberger says:

      Thanks FM. Yeah, there is a lot to say for the simplicity of to-do.txt. I have not tried to fit it into MYN (hiding future tasks possible?) but 1MTD should be easy.
      Michael.

  5. TJ says:

    Has anyone tried Todoist with 1MTD or MYN? Just starting my research, I need to find a task list that can be shared for team visibility of each individuals daily tasks.

  6. Zafar yaqoob says:

    1MTD Users, I’m using for past few years it’s an awesome app installed on My smartphone.

  7. Scott Loudenback says:

    Sorry to open this back up on an old post- I’m trying hard to get back into MYN and I really like the look of Preside. I also really like the idea of being able to handle emails and tasks within the same app (as I do with Outlook on PC)….does the Tasks capability that is built into Preside not work with MYN? Thanks!!

  8. Scott H Loudenback says:

    I should have searched first….I see another user mentioned a few years ago that Preside could in fact have it’s Task module set up for MYN. Michael mentioned he was going to do a video on it as part of his series….looking for that now. Thanks! I am REALLY hoping I can get all I need from Preside…I like it’s interface a lot better than native iOS email!

  9. jean-louis says:

    Hi Michael
    I recently discovered 1MTD/MYN and enjoy a lot.
    I use apps with todo.txt format and especially Simpletask which does the job very well (hide tasks with date in the future, many ways to sorts tasks and highly customizable)

Leave a Reply to Michael Linenberger Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.