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ONE OF THE BEST TO-DO APP
Imagine if your calendar, to-do list, new year's resolutions and a Tamagotchi got together to party in your smartphone - that's a little like what you'll find if you download iPoli : ToDo, Habit and Goals by the eponymous developer. This app purports the efforts to be based on hard science and while we are cynical about the claim, this is a great app if you want to address a lot of life's issues in one place.
At its core iPoli is a to-do and calendar app. And like most apps in this category iPoli strives to keep users motivated. Only it uses a novel approach for the same - gamification. But we'll get back to that in a moment.
Like other good time management apps you can export your Google or Outlook calendar.
But the key to using iPoli lies in adding challenges and
quests for yourself and creating your own rewards along with the ones the app
offers for completion.
If
you are a little confused take heart, so was I, but if you play with the app
for a while you’ll find actually creating events is as simple as tapping on a
red circle with a plus sign in it. Once you do you are prompted to add a task
or goal by giving it a name and filing it by colour and category: Learning,
Wellness, Personal, Work, Fun, or Chore. The app instantly creates a calendar
entry for you.
You
are also supposed to add goals or repeating challenges – for example a goal
could be losing weight, filed under wellness, and a habit could be reading for
20 minutes every day under fun. The app further prompts you to enter your
reasons for wanting to make a new habit and what you hope the new behaviours
will achieve.
What
makes iPoli unique is the way it uses game-like elements to keep you motivated.
Aside from the rewards you give yourself for staying on task, you also get to
choose a virtual pet, and that pet’s wellbeing depends on you successfully
adhering to your new objectives.
If
you do so your pet will be happy and thrive. Failure to complete tasks, however,
can not only cause your critter to suffer, but if you ignore the app for some
24-48 hours your pet dies and you need to use in-app currency which you can
earn or buy in-app to revive it.
iPoli
has some unique features to recommend it. It is as easy to set up as it is hard
to explain and creating at least three things you want to change or improve in
your life and having both virtual and real rewards urging you on is a really
clever take.
I
also really like the way the app uses a widget and reminders to keep you on
task and aware of not only your personal progress but how your pet is faring
too.
But
while the individual elements of the app all work well, I personally found that
iPoli is trying to be too many things at once and as a result fails to be great
at any one thing.
While
setting goals is easy, understanding the apps nomenclature – for example the
difference between a regular task, as compared to a Challenge, Repeating
Challenge or Quest is opaque.
Also
while each element of the app is easy to set up, adding so many different kinds
of tasks from daily chores to appointments, aspirational missions to
habit-breaking ones takes a lot of thought and a fair amount of time.
But
my biggest concern is the gaming elements. It’s doubtful that children are
going to seek out an app like this so it’s fair to assume the virtual pet is
supposed to appeal to adults of all ages and frankly for at least this one
adult it feels silly.
Pros
- Easy to import Google or Outlook calendar
- Simple task creation
- Great widget and lots of reminders
- Works offline
Cons
- Too much work to set up goals and tasks with sub-lists and rational for each choice
- The gaming elements feel childish
- Confusing terminology
But
if you don’t have hours to invest in set-up and aren’t the type to check into
your smartphone hourly the can seem like a juvenile time-sucker rather than a
sophisticated time-saver.
We
would suggest that our users give the app a try themselves and decide whether
the extra functionality works within their lifestyle or not.
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