![]() ![]() Although Microsoft To Do can fulfill almost all of the same goals, it takes just enough longer to make me want to use it less. Google Tasks does precisely enough to make it a quick, easy, flexible solution for keeping track of what you've got to get done in a given day. More: We spent nearly 5 hours a day on our mobile devices in 2021 I think we all know how dangerous that can be. ![]() Conversely, if it's a hassle that takes more than 10 seconds or so to complete, we're far more likely to just let it go and try to remember on our own. If adding a task is consistently a breeze, we'll do it any time there's any chance of it being useful. Our recommended models for every use case and platform. This ensures that we, as very human and often very lazy individuals, actually continue using these apps with a frequency that will have a real, beneficial impact on our daily lives. Setting up a new task should be as easy as it possibly can be. But, those few extra seconds add up, especially if you create numerous tasks per day. I won't be hyperbolic here and act like Microsoft To Do has a massive learning curve, nor will I claim most actions in it take more than a few extra seconds to complete when compared to the same action in Google Tasks. More: Work from home? Things I wish someone had told me before I started This is why it's of paramount importance that the app we choose to organize our busy schedules is, itself, not a drain on our time. We seek out organization to make our lives easier, reduce the amount of time it takes to complete unpleasant tasks and errands, and to increase the amount of free time we have by enhancing our day-to-day efficiency. But it deserves its own section due to the basic purpose of to-do list apps. I've nibbled around the edges of this category above. The initial menu you're presented with when attempting to set a date and time in Microsoft To Do (left) and Google Tasks (right). While Microsoft To Do provided the same functionality for me, I was constantly bumping up against features I had no use for and working through interface elements that just slowed me down. While Google's lack of complexity might mean its options fall short for some advanced users, Microsoft's attempt to exceed expectations backfires as often as not.ĭuring my time testing both apps, I continually felt like Tasks gave me the freedom to create a surprisingly comprehensive set of reminders and lists across my personal and work calendars. Meanwhile, Microsoft attempts to go above and beyond what the average user might need. At every turn, Google Tasks provides a minimalistic framework to give users just enough functionality to manage their tasks. This initial comparison informs just about every aspect of the user experience for both apps. Microsoft chose to immediately present new users with a long series of automatically curated lists, while Google Tasks says hello to newbies with an almost completely blank slate. However, Microsoft's slightly wider variety of widget size options, and the fact that you can add a new task from any one of them, regardless of their size, gives it the edge here.Īs I mentioned in the intro, Google Tasks and Microsoft To Do take very different approaches to introducing their functionality to new users. Microsoft, meanwhile, includes four widgets: a 2x2 version that lists tasks from the "My Day" screen a 2x2 version similar to Google's smaller offering, but with support for one-tap access to new task creation a 4x2 version that lets you see longer titles, mark individual tasks as completed, and add new tasks and a screen-filling version that does essentially all of the same things as the previous widget, but takes up far more screen real estate.īoth companies' widgets include options that let you choose which of your task lists a widget displays, meaning you can have multiple widgets for multiple lists. Google has two variations: a small 2x2 version that provides a truncated view of your top tasks, with one-tap access to opening the app and a larger 4x2 list that provides quick access to individual tasks, as well as an included button for adding new tasks. Michael Gariffo Widgetsīoth apps support a selection of widgets that are largely identical across their Android and iOS deployments. Three of Microsoft's four available To Do widgets (left) and both of Google's available Tasks widgets (right).
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