Ask the Readers: Your Perfect To-Do List or Task Manager

I use a combination of Outlook 2007 exchange and my Nokia N86 calle phone calendar application. I sync the tow regularly. I doubt that it's the best solution for the blind dure to some glitches in accessibility but its what I have at work. Also so far I haven't found anything better that I can easily sync back and forth betwenn all of my devices, at home and at work.

For me, the best solution has been www.vitalist.com. The full version of the site is pretty clunky with a screen reader, but the mobile version is just great. One can send texts or e-mails to it, and there is a whole lot of sorting, filtering, and categorizing functionality that meets my needs extremely well. I keep a calendar with specific appointments separately, but everything else goes into my Vitalist.

I take my phone messages for work in a file that I clear out by the end of the day, no exceptions. My home messages go through Google Voice and end up in my GMail inbox where I can deal with them while I'm dealing with EMails. I use the Outlook calendar for work and keep my contact notes there as well, through the journal. I use the iPhone/GMail calendar for personal life (although honestly I'm not very good at keeping my personal calendar; I assume I'll remember my appointments). I use TrunkNotes with DropBox integration to take notes for meetings and classes, which I can then mail to other participants. I use InstaPaper to keep track of my reading list (nonacademic) and Dropbox to keep track of my academic reading list. Blackboard keeps me straight with academic assignments (I stick to the iPhone to access this since I'm usually in transit when I need it). All of the above I use with Braille output when I need precision, through my notetaker (no product placement here). But I've given up on using that notetaker's built-in planner and notetaking functions: I use it to control my iPhone instead so I can keep my data in the cloud instead of on that overpriced underengineered brick that unfortunately contains my Braille display. But I also use post-it notes with a slate and stylus, applied directly to my phone receiver or keyboard, when I really really need to get my future self's attention.

I use the same as jline back. Mostly my Nokia N86 with the Mobile Speak screen reader. Couldn't do without it...

For many years I used the datebook.brl file in a Braille Lite notetaker to keep track of upcoming events, stuff I needed to do, and pretty much anything of a remotely date-sensitive nature. I have since acquired a Humanware BrailleNote, but I still maintain a file essentially like the old datebook.brl file in the BrailleNote despite the BrailleNote including a fancy planner program. Why do I use a plain vanilla braille file for my calendar? Mostly because it's flexible. I can add free-form information to my heart's content without worrying about the limitations of a database. I can also export the BrailleNote Keybraille version of my datebook so I can back it up in a Braille Lite that I still keep around in case of BrailleNote problems. I'm scared to death of keeping my calendar and tasks in a proprietary database that I won't be able to access if my BrailleNote has problems. My workplace doesn't use Outlook, so there isn't a big incentive to synchronizing to Outlook. If we did use Outlook I might be more tempted to use the BrailleNote planner.

I really love the calendar application on my N86. It has a built-in to do feature. I still use a regular old text editor for Misc. items I need to remember, but have no real or imagined deadlines. That file gets put on all my devices.

I keep my appointment calendar, to do list, and contacts on an old Braille Lite. Though it would be nice if it could sync to Outlook which I have both at home and at work, it isn't essential as the Braille Lite pretty much is always where I am. I use it as my PDA, so I am very rarely somewhere that the Braille Lite isn't.

I use the Day-by-Day Professional product from Blind Software INC. It works real well for me, since I mainly am hanging around the house these days. When I hear the chime from my laptop, I know I have something to attend to.

I primarily use the organizer program on my nokia phone with Talks. I set up repeat reminders for TV shows I don't want to miss, write my self To Do lists and memors, etc. It's accessible and works great. I use the notes program to create shopping lists or directions for items I need.

I use a combination of Jott, Outlook Calendar, and my cell. IF I’m at the office I use my Outlook Calendar and sync the my Outlook to my cell phone calendar. When I’m away from the office then I use Jott. I call my Jott number and state my reminder; which will be converted to text and will be posted either to my Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar, or e-mail or text reminders. This has worked fantastic for me the past couple of years.

I use Voice On The Go located at http://www.voiceonthego.com/ and pay $5.99 per month no contract is necessary, use it for calendar appointments email and texting when I'm away from the computer because it works on any phone dumb or smart or simbian or even IPhone, it is easy to use and is 99.99% accurate similar to Dragon Naturally Speaking or Dictate whatever it is called. I also use it for facebook and twitter as well and when emailing people, it sends a .wav recording of my voice just in case the text didn't turn out right. It is pretty amazing.

My task manager of choice is Remember The Milk which you can find at http://www.rememberthemilk.com. It is an online service which has a variety of different ways to access it. In addition to the web interface, you can enter tasks via email, sms, twitter, msn, an iOS app, etc. I believe it can also sync with Outlook, but I can't speak to how well that works, not being a Windows user. They seem to be very committed to accessibility. For example, on their page for the iPhone app, they mention VoiceOver support as a feature. You can use Remember The Milk for free, however some of the syncing features do require a premium account, which is $25 a year.

I use Outlook 2007 and my iPod Touch. Most of my data entry happens with the notebook running JAWS and Outlook, but I can add stuff on the go with the iPod. I don't need to be online when away from the house, so the Touch works out just fine. I haven't had any problems sync'ing notes, calendar events, or contact information. I used to sync to a cell phone, and had all sorts of trouble with access and data corruption. Now my phone is a phone, and my PDA is a PDA.

i use the calendar app on my iphone. i also have an app where i can record voice memos.the app can play them at a certain time.