Dunnit!

I am typically not a fan of To-Do list apps, or really productivity apps at all. I can't even get into the habit of using calendars. It's not that I have no use for them, I just don't like having even more things run my life. I like waking up in the morning to my alarm with the idea that anything at all could happen. I realize that every weekday is about the same, but the fact that something random might just happen makes me want to keep my schedule free.

There are some things though that need to get done every day. I know they need to get done, and I usually do them on my own, but something about having a task stare me in the face makes me want to finish it that much more. I really do see the value of a To-Do list, I just have never found one that really makes me want to keep using it.

Dunnit! may have broken the cycle though, with a To-Do list that offers something that no other list app has ever offered, OpenFeint. OpenFeint, for those of you who aren't aware, is a social gaming platform that keeps track of achievements in apps. For instance, if you kill a certain amount of enemies with head shots in a shooter, you might get a "Head Shot Champ" trophy. The trophies don't actually do anything, but they are typically a fun way to add some extra gameplay into an app. Openfeint in Dunnit! works the same way, giving you trophies like "No slouch" for completing 10 tasks in a day. The addition of achievements in a productivity app really is a stroke of brilliance.

As for the app itself, it is pretty standard fare for a nice looking To-Do list app. Tasks are added with the standard Apple "+" and are completed by just clicking on the box next to the task. One cool feature I found is that if you click on the "+++" next to the "+", you can add multiple tasks to a single list. It seems like a dumb addition, but if you are going to the grocery store for a recipe, you can add each item as its own task under the recipe main task. Once created, each task can be titled, given normal or urgent priority, given a completion date, a repeat option, and note, and a tag. The interface is laid out in an easy to read/easy to navigate fashion, with fonts and movements that look native to the iPhone.

If I were to ask for something in a later version, it would be an interface for viewing the lists on your computer. While I like having the list on my phone, it would be nice to be able to check off some of the work tasks without having to open up my phone. With a web viewer, importing tasks into the app would be a breeze. Currently, you can import tasks as log as they are written in the Dunnit! format, but an Evernote style interface would be greatly appreciated.

If you are looking for a new To-Do list app or are just trying to get your life together like myself, Dunnit! really is the way to go. It may not be the most robust To-Do app out there, but it has every option that I need, as well as OpenFeint which will hopefully keep me entertained long enough to become habit forming.