Daylite Touch

Summary
Daylite Touch, from Marketcircle, is an incredible tool for people who need serious task management on the iPhone. The app ties in with Daylite and requires Daylite Server to enable syncing over a LAN or a true server environment.

Overview
Daylite Touch is the iPhone counterpart to Marketcircle's Daylite desktop app. Daylite is many things; to some it is a CRM tool and to others it is a project manager. From Marketcircle's site,

Daylite is a business productivity manager designed to help you manage your business and your team. With features such as project collaboration, shared calendars, task delegation, and sales tracking, Daylite helps you move your business forward.

Features & Benefits

Daylite Touch is a very straightforward business tool. There are no surprises, it compliments the desktop version, is very easy to setup, and integrates easily into an everyday routine. For those who want to connect to a server, setup is pretty easy if you’re not afraid to change some router settings and poke around in the Network Preference panel. Detailed instructions are available on Marketcircle’s website and there’s even a video if you prefer to watch how it is done.

If you’re already familiar with Daylite you’re going to settle in quickly to the Touch app. The power feature of Daylite and its iPhone counterpart is the ability to link events, to dos, contacts, companies, emails, and the list goes on with any other piece of information you want to connect. This enables you to keep all of a project’s or contact’s relevant data in a ninja-like grip. I especially enjoy being able to keep emails synced with a contact so I can refer to important information quickly and easily.

Another amazing feature is the Tasks page. If you’ve used Things by Cultured Code for personal productivity, you’re going to get swept off of your feet by Tasks when it comes to managing your business's tasks. It's like Things on steroids because of the way it links information. It’s really quite overpowering when you consider all of the organizational productivity that can be completed with this one application.

In the Settings section of the home screen are a couple of cool options too. You can turn on a shake to sync function that’s not really necessary, but fun. You can control how your contacts are listed and shown as in Address Book. You can also determine how overdue tasks are handled by having them show up in the Today section.

Drawbacks
My complaints about Daylite Touch are minimal. It’s not possible to link and an email from within the app like you can with the desktop version. A workaround for this is to create a note in Daylite Touch linking it with the contact to whom it will be sent, then when you are back at the desktop application, sending that note in an email using Apple’s Mail and the Daylite Mail Integration plugin.

If you choose to sync your Daylite desktop app with iCal and Address Book (maybe even with MobileMe), you’re going to be in for a ride. Anytime you bring a third-party database in bed with Address Book and iCal you’re going to see some sparks somewhere—guaranteed. I don’t sync just for this reason. This does serve a specific function too as it helps me separate business from pleasure and gives me a better working environment on my Mac.

The next drawback isn’t my complaint, but is common. To use Daylite Touch and Daylite Server you must purchase a $50 annual license. Some have made a complaint about it, but I look at it this way… for $50 a year you can get the same service that MobileMe provides for $100. This $50 helps you make money… not send pictures to Grandma from your iPhone.

Summary
Daylite Touch is not designed for personal use. You’ll miss out on too many great features. As a business tool, it is indispensable. With recently starting my own business it has been a great way to keep my business life and priorities organized. Right now it’s just me using it, but I enjoy the syncing and it’s tie-in with Apple Mail through the DMI plugin. I sum it up as all the power (and then some) of Entourage minus the suckiness.