My New Favorite Productivity Application

After spending several months flirting with all manner of web applications, notebooks and the like, I think I’ve finally settled on my GTD implementation of choce. Backpack, a product by the venerable 37 Signals (makers of Basecamp), is simply fantastic.

When considering my previous idea about the two types of web-based GTD systems, Backpack is as close to a perfect marriage of the two that I’ve come across. I bet you’re probably wondering why I say this…

In my opinion, there are four reasons why Backpack makes a very solid GTD implementation:

1. It’s Simple – This is a big one. It does just what I need, but not too much more. Each Backpack page comes with the ability to create lists and notes (which are the backbone of GTD, if you ask me), as well as upload files and images. The lists behave just like you’d expect them to: all in a checkable todo-list-style format, easily reordered and edited via slick ajax interface. You can do a whole hell of a lot without ever having to refresh the page you’re working on.
2. Calendar and Reminders are Separate – One of the biggest problems with most of the current web 2.0 online calendar applications is that it’s not possible to create a reminder without it being attached to an event on your calendar. This definitely creates a “blurred edge” between the calendar and tickler functionality described in the book. Calendar for hard landscape, reminders for, well, reminding me to do things like make sure a program ran successfully overnight or to check the status of a package sent via UPS. In other words, things that I need to be reminded of but don’t justify a space on the calendar (as they’re not date- or time-specific.
3. Reminders Sent When I Want Them – This was a problem I had with my beloved Stikkit; the inability to be reminded of something at any other time beside 15-30 minutes before it started. I was able to put together a workaround, but it never felt comfortable. Backpack also comes with several built-in reminder times (like, “Tomorrow Morning” or “In one Month”), which I do use on occasion. But for me, it’s all about being able to schedule my reminders down to the exact minute I want them delivered to my email and cell phone.
4. Free and Easy Voice Notes with CellTell.tv – This is a feature I use all the time. Create an account at celltell.tv, give them your cell phone number and the email address of the Backpack page you want the note to appear on. Call the number, listen to a 1-second greeting and leave your message. In a couple of minutes, you’ve got a handsome little mp3 on the assigned Backpack page, which you can play directly or download. For me, it’s the ultimate capture device while driving.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t other applications out there that do most or all of these things – there certainly might be. The primary reason I love Backpack so much is that it works how you think it will work. The 37 Signals folks have a killer product here (one that, from what I understand, they’re rewriting from scratch), and I highly recommend you check it out.

Technorati Tags: backpack, 37 signals, web2.0, gtd, productivity, celltell, stikkit

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