Get things done

Sometimes it feels like we spend more time creating to do lists and organizing what we’re going to do than actually doing it. So do we really need another to do list maker to male us more productive? Swipes – which first made waves on iOS before being released on Android – aims to take the effort out of to-do lists.

Focused task management

Swipes has much in common with other to-do productivity apps such as Wunderlist and Any.do. With one tap, you can add a task to your list, assign it a reminder time, add steps you need to complete before you achieve the task, chose to make it reoccur, and add tags or notes.

By adding tags (which are fully customizable), you can create workspaces, allowing you to focus on tasks related to a certain area. With integration with a web app, you can also continue to be productive when you’re on your computer.

One really useful productivity addition is its integration with Evernote, meaning that you can attach Evernote notes to a task, with the full content of the note showing up in app. You can also share these tasks via email and social networking services.

Swipe right, swipe left

Swipes’ user interface is a particular highlight. It is attractive while still retaining an element of simplicity, as well as being intuitive. Separating tasks into different menus for today, later, and completed means you can again focus on what you hope to achieve that day, while also having easy access (in one swipe) to the other information. The same goes for creating workspaces.

And (as the name of the app suggests), swiping places a major part in the app’s design. Not only do you swipe left and right to navigate between the different menus, but this also applies to your reaction to tasks. It’s a left swipe to schedule for another time, or a right swipe to mark as done.

As a long time user of to-lists and productivity apps, I can say that Swipes does take some getting used to as the features are not always obvious. For example, I initially struggled to find out how to add a specific reminder time for each task. Swipes also lacks integration with your calendar a widget, location-based reminders, and a pop up reminder of your task.

Usability is a highlight

Swipes is a great to-do list app due to its user-friendly interface and its user of swiping to react to your tasks. Other than Evernote integration and its web app, it doesn’t have any features that make it stand out compared to its competitors, but it is a solid choice due to its excellent usability.