Get Everything Done

I'm going to make a short video to show how I use FV with Clear. I'll post a link later in this thread. In the meantime, I thought I'd share how I moved from a paper-based FV list in a pocket soft-cover Moleskine to an effective, fast, clutter-free, and fun digital FV list. 

I have fire-tested my long FV list with TaskPaper and dozens of other list apps, and all either slow me down, visually distract me with clutter and functions, or re-order my list when I close the app. Clear has been pure magic coupled with The Final Version. Let's get started...


• Open Clear.

• Open "Settings", turn on the first three options, turn off the fourth (vibrate will drain your battery and has very little use in this app).

Now you'll see a task count badge on the app icon when you close the app. Hopefully the number goes down! Kind of a temperature gauge for your list, which plays nicely with the Heat Map described below.

• Create a new list. We'll call it "FV List".

• Copy and paste the following in as your first task (or call it "Chain of Tasks", "Ladder", "Tasks", "Do Now", etc.): 

——— BENCHMARKS ———

• Starting from the top of your current FV list, enter each task into Clear until you reach the end of your list, in order. I entered a little over 230 tasks in about 30 minutes.

• To save you time, I can tell you the "Heat Map" theme works best with The Final Version.

So. What have we done?

We now have a reverse FV list. Your oldest tasks are at the bottom, above the text you pasted in earlier, and your hot/most recent tasks are at the top. 

If you're familiar with the app, you see what a colorful visual this gives you of your list. The hottest items are at the top, and the items that have cooled are near the bottom ready to become benchmarks at the end of your list.

The real magic is in how it works with the FV algorithm.

First, two simple, yet profound tips before you begin. To instantly get to the top of your list touch the top middle portion of your phone where the black trim meets the screen and you'll shoot past your 300 tasks to the top. Same as most iOS apps. But here's the subtle secret I discovered: It works at the bottom too. Touch the bottom center portion of your screen where the trim meets the screen and BOOM! You're at the bottom of your list. (The top of your paper-based FV list.) 

I wouldn't use this app with a long list without having discovered this. I sat scrolling, scrolling, scrolling and nearlu returned to paper until I touched the bottom on a whim, and voila! To the seabed of my ocean of tasks.

So. Here's how I use it and you can too:

New task? Pull down, enter a task. Task goes to the top of your list and is shaded red hot. (This would be the end of your paper-based FV list.)

Preselection? Touch the bottom (or scroll) to speed to the end of your list. All the items there have cooled, color wise. The one on the bottom will be your benchmark. (The first task on your paper list.) Swipe right, over that task. It gets crossed out, darkened and shoots to the bottom of your list (below the ——— BENCHMARKS ——— "task" at the bottom). So it looks like this before preselection:


shave a badger
avoid electric fence
bathe rabid cat
throw away parking ticket, again
post to FV forum
——— BENCHMARKS ———


After a swipe:


shave a badger
avoid electric fence
bathe rabid cat
throw away parking ticket, again
——— BENCHMARKS ———
—p-o-s-t-to-F-V-f-o-r-u-m—


Now, continue moving up your list in order and using The Final Version method, when you come upon a task you "want to do before x", swipe right, over the task. No dragging and dropping necessary. It shoots to the bottom and lands above your current benchmark. 

When you're done with your preselection, shoot to the bottom, and this is important, *starting from the topmost benchmark* swipe right, over it. This maintains its place in the chain while reactivating the task. Continue down the ladder, in order, reactivating your benchmarks.

You now have a Final Version ladder ordered from top down. 

Complete a task? Swipe left to delete it.

Unfinished or recurring task? Swipe left to delete it. Touch the top to shoot to the top of your list, pull down and reenter task (or copy and paste it in.)

Item somewhere deep in the list becomes urgent? Swipe right, over the task, and it shoots to the bottom. Then simply drag it to the top of your preselection chain and do it after your current task is complete.

New urgent item? Two options. "Pinch open" between ——— BENCHMARKS ——— and your topmost benchmark and create a task there. Or, shoot up to the top of your list, pull down, enter the urgent task and swipe right to send it to your chain at the bottom, shoot back to the bottom, reactivate the task and drag into position at the top of your chain.


Enjoy! 

And thank you Mark! 

Cheers.

Nice workflow Michael! Well done.

However, Clear has one drawback for me: it's only available on the iPhone. I need a "list" manager on all 3 devices I do own, to really have a "mind like water" ;)

Up to now TaskPaper is the only one which does fulfil all the requirements. Did you see my suggestion in the http://www.markforster.net/fv-forum/post/1755772?currentPage=2 thread? IMHO this is not so distracting and on top of that supporting the tasks standing out and fast to work with too.

Hence I am very much interested to hear, why in your opinion TaskPaper does not fit the bill.

Stefano:

What three devices do you use?

iPhone, iPad and … MacBook Pro with Mac OS X Lion ;)

Stefano:

Does your iPhone go where you go? Why not use one list on one device that travels with you? Same as a notebook.

Spot on Micheal,

That's exactly what I have achieved with TaskPaper. Now I don't have to "remember" where my list is "living". It just follows me!

- I am working on my laptop at home or while being on business trip, there's the list.

- I am reading / watching something, doodling on or even Skyping with my iPad, there's the list.

- I am in town meeting my wife and just had an unplanned conference call with my iPhone, there's the list.

I really like the interesting design of the Clear application - it will be, with future enhancements, a great simple list manager. I do miss - just to recap - that it is currently only available for the iPhone and that it doesn't support ( complex ) search terms.

So from my standpoint I just wait and see how the development will be.

But still, why did TaskPaper fail you?

@Stephano Try also Omnifocus. I explained how I use it in the other thread http://www.markforster.net/contributor/18536479

I work with it since 3 days and it is nearly perfect. The only trouble is to work backward with flags but it is an habit.

Stefano:

"Now I don't have to "remember" where my list is..."

... Why remember at all? Carry it in your pocket. Pull it out when you need it.


"Laptop at home...on business trip...reading...watching something...doodling...Skyping...in town meeting my wife and just had an unplanned conference call...there's the list."

... Or you could slip out your phone, and with one hand, ignore the conference call, enter a task for later and meet with your wife!


"Clear...will be, with future enhancements, a great simple list manager."

... It already is. Mark's Final Version is designed to be minimalist. Like Clear. The moment Clear's artists add "enhancements" like tags, contexts, a little search icon, flags, a calendar, timers, check boxes, GPS-aware tasks and a music player, I will douse the app in lighter fluid and set it alight.


"...it doesn't support ( complex ) search terms."

... Exactly.

Stefano:

"Try also Omnifocus."


... Used it for six months. Wouldn't dream of using it with such an elegant system as Mark's Final Version. Paper is superior to OmniFocus. Too many features, too many choices, too many things for the eye to see and be distracted by. Your conscious mind may not be distracted, but your sub-conscious will be. And your sub-conscious is part of what spots those stand out "want to do before x" tasks during your preselection scan.

@ Jupiter: I bought Omnifocus Touch a long time ago and still can not be friend with it - hence I will not buy the Mac version. As Michael says, it has, IMHO, too many options, colours, flags … to fiddle around with ;) But thanks for the advise.

@ Michael: I do see where you are coming from, however, it seems that we do have different working styles. As said, depending on the situation and location, I do like to work with the best available device at hand. It's that simple.

One last time Michael, without any hard feelings, ok?: why didn't TaskPaper pass your test? I really would like to know. Thanks!

Stefano:

"...depending on the situation and location, I do like to work with the best available device at hand."


... I can understand that. Large keyboards and screens can be nice.


"...why didn't TaskPaper pass your test"


... To best answer this question I would ask: Why did Clear pass my test *ahead of* TaskPaper?

I would choose TaskPaper over OmniFocus, Things, 2Do, Priorities, Producteev, Task Me Out, Orchestra, Done, Do, Evernote, Notes, Mental Note, DOOO, Do - Task Manager, MindNode, Notes & To-do, To-Do First, Springpad, Pocket Lists, and many other list apps. I used TaskPaper for around two years.

Below is a summary of my top three choices for an FV list on the iPhone, in order. Later I'll detail the pros and and cons of each (for me):


Clear
Preflight
TaskPaper

Interesting selection you have.

I am curious about the pros and cons you will come up with. Had a look at Preflight and it didn't convince me - you are right that Clear is better than Preflight ;)

I've gotta say...I love the exchange between Michael and Stefano. Having fallen in love with TaskPaper I'm partial. I like the system you've developed for Clear, but the idea of having to reenter/copy & paste recurring tasks would drive me insane. That would be more than half of my tasks. Not so simple if you ask me. But trying to drag the task past 100+ tasks in Clear would be a nightmare.

Clear is not made for the large list. It takes up too much real estate. It only shows 8 tasks on an iPhone screen at a time. That's fine when you're working the pre-selected list, but a bit of a workout to scroll through so much space when making the pre-selection. And the character limit per line frustrated me several times. Plus, I like to work from the iPad when I've already got it out for other things.

Stefano's system for TaskPaper might look intimidating at first, but it's so incredibly efficient once you have it in place. Tags are not required (but they are optional). I honestly think your setup for Clear is much more complicated (mark as done > drop to bottom > mark as undone > work the task > mark as undone/reenter at the top).

Stefano:

"Had a look at Preflight and it didn't convince me..."

... Are you wanting to be convinced? I thought you'd decided on TaskPaper.

I am open minded Michael.

Furthermore, there is always someone out there who knows more than I do and I am eager to develop my skills as far as possible. Last but not least: The only Constant in Life is Change ;)

Brad:

"I've gotta say...I love the exchange between Michael and Stefano."

... Tell me more. Describe your love.


"I like the system you've developed for Clear, but the idea of having to reenter/copy & paste recurring tasks would drive me insane."

... Paper must have sent you over the edge then.


"That would be more than half of my tasks....

... I have many recurring tasks as well. Some belong on my list. Many do not. If half your list consists of daily recurring tasks consider using separate checklists of grouped tasks. Add "checklist x" to your list or set a reminder in your calendar and when it goes off add "checklist x" to your current ladder to be done next. Any that can't be grouped together with more than a few items belong on your FV list. I have a darkroom checklist, an evening checklist, etc. I believe in checklists. And they believe in you.


"...trying to drag...past 100+ tasks in Clear would be a nightmare."

... I agree. I wouldn't do that either. Here's how I do it:



<------ Step 2. Touch to the top, pull down and "paste". Faster than paper.
last task
[...200+ tasks in between]
feed sharks raw meat from surfboard
first task
——— Active List ———
checklist z <------ Step 1. Touch here twice, tap "select all" and "cut".
burn parking ticket
drink tea
magic voodoo ritual



"Clear is not made for the large list."

Interesting. My current list is over 200 tasks. Is that large?


"It takes up too much real estate. It only shows 8 tasks on an iPhone screen at a time."

... True. And TaskPaper only shows 12. At 18 point font size. And I can tell you, the 8 tasks in Clear's real estate are easier for me to read and scan. Personally, I quite enjoy the ability to see only what I need to at any given moment. Most of my time is spent looking at my active list and popping to the top to add new tasks.


"That's fine when you're working the pre-selected list, but a bit of a workout to scroll through so much space when making the pre-selection."

... When I do my preselection, scrolling up across 200 tasks, it takes me less than five minutes.


"And the character limit per line frustrated me several times."

... Mark has pointed out in the general forum that he doesn't agree with writing out tasks in long, overly-specific form. You only need enough to trigger your memory. Two to three words will suffice for most tasks. You can add a short note as a task following your main task. During preselection send it with the task to your ladder.


"Plus, I like to work from the iPad..."

... I agree. I can see myself using an iPad version. (With more screen real estate!)


"...your setup for Clear is much more complicated (mark as done > drop to bottom > mark as undone > work the task > mark as undone/reenter at the top)."

... Well when you write it like that, yes, it looks complicated. In real life it couldn't be simpler. Also, you wrote, "...mark as undone/reenter at the top". That is incorrect. You swipe completed tasks to the left and they are deleted from the list. If it's a recurring task you can pop to the top and re-enter the task swiftly, one-handed. Or, before you delete your completed task, you can copy and paste it to the top. Boom. Done. I would describe it in text form as follows:



Step 1. Select your baseline:

task 5
task 4
task 3
task 2
------> task 1
——Active List———
t-a-s-k-1



Step 2. Scroll up your list in order, without stopping at each task — scanning — with the question "What do I want to do before x?" in your mind. When you feel drawn to a task you want to do before x, swipe it to the right:


------>task 5
task 4
------>task 3
task 2
——Active List———
t-a-s-k-5
t-a-s-k-3
t-a-s-k-1



Step 3. Activate your ladder:

task 4
task 2
——Active List———
------>t-a-s-k-5
------>t-a-s-k-3
------>t-a-s-k-1



Your completed ladder:

task 4
task 2
——Active List———
task 5
task 3
task 1

Michael, thanks for your thorough response. You've convinced me that Clear is a workable backup plan!

Best line: << ...paper must have sent you over the edge then. >>

Hilarious! But honestly, I wouldn't know. Even the thought of having to do that by hand drove me to pick up the iPhone and find the best app.

Clear had too many features that frustrated me. I learned several things from your technique about Clear that I wasn't aware of, but it still doesn't beat the robust abilities of TaskPaper.

I use one excruciatingly long list of projects with subtasks. Many of my FV tasks are of the sort "Do the next step on Project A." All of those tasks are recurring.

In TaskPaper I can jump from project to project through the built in shortcut feature (I'm always working from the same document). So even though the list is 200+, I can jump to any project with a few taps. Also, I can move tasks from Project A into the main FV list with a few taps.

I know that would be possible in Clear but it would involve more of that nasty cutting and pasting ;)

Tip: Press the space bar once in a new task box to create a blank task. Then use it (or a series of them) as a divider. I use it to separate my active tasks from my main list:

last task
task
task
task
first task

——— Active Tasks ———
task
task
task

Two tips and a magic trick:

1. Task focus: To focus on your current task, tap the task once and the list will dim showing only what you're working on now. Eliminates accidental scrolls of the list, as well.

2. Quickly add a task above another: Tap any task in your list and "pull down" with your finger below the task. The existing task will flip out of the way and a new task box will replace it. Enter your new task and it will appear above the other. Spectacular. Now...

Magic trick: Combine the two tips above. While you're working your current highlighted task, if anything urgent should arise, simply pull down on the screen and instantly capture it. It will be positioned above your current task at the top of your ladder. Abracadabra.

@Michael B.

FANTASTIC, sir!

I fell in love with Clear the day it came out. When I tried to implement FV I found myself frustrated because there was no clear way to "star" tasks. Sadly, I migrated to Wunderlist (which I still believe is "wunderful" for FV) and, while I love that I my list syncs across all platforms, I missed the beautiful minimalism and "heat map" of Clear. Your solution is genius. Already implemented. Thank you!

I do hope to see Clear push an iPad (and maybe even Mac) app soon with syncing. My concern is not so much with having my list on every platform I find myself at, but with back ups. Currently, if something happens to your phone, you lose everything. That would suck.

I also like the idea of using other "lists" in Clear as projects. I can have another list, for example, called "website" and a task in the FV list called "work on website." This has the benefit of having less clutter (items) in my FV list. It's a bit like a GTD MPL with extras.

Again, thank you!

>>zack

Okay, I must be dense. I started using Clear a few days ago for FV and it seems just the ticket. But I started reading the first post on this thread and thought, "Oh, yeah, I should totally urn off the vibrate thing." So it says to "go to settings." Um, how do I do that now that I'm already using Clear? All I have now is my two lists: "Home" and "Work." I don't see a home page or any way to get to these settings. I must be missing something. Thanks for any help.

Okay, I must be dense. I started using Clear a few days ago for FV and it seems just the ticket. But I started reading the first post on this thread and thought, "Oh, yeah, I should totally urn off the vibrate thing." So it says to "go to settings." Um, how do I do that now that I'm already using Clear? All I have now is my two lists: "Home" and "Work." I don't see a home page or any way to get to these settings. I must be missing something. Thanks for any help.

Okay, I must be dense. I started using Clear a few days ago for FV and it seems just the ticket. But I started reading the first post on this thread and thought, "Oh, yeah, I should totally urn off the vibrate thing." So it says to "go to settings." Um, how do I do that now that I'm already using Clear? All I have now is my two lists: "Home" and "Work." I don't see a home page or any way to get to these settings. I must be missing something. Thanks for any help.

@Jim

When you are at your lists page...swipe down.

Ah! Thank you, sir! I wasn't swiping down far enough.

I, for one, am loving Clear, and the tips on this thread make it even better. Thanks all.

Jim:

"it says to "go to settings."...how do I do that..."

... I like to pinch my index finger and thumb together on the screen, with my thumb towards the bottom of the screen and finger towards the top. I draw them together on a mostly vertical plane while in a list to go to my lists page, and from my lists page to the menu. Two pinches.

Tip: When viewing your lists page, scroll to the bottom and keep going. It will roll over into your most recently viewed list.

Tip: On your lists page, create empty lists with titles and use as section headings. Then, create untitled lists by tapping the spacebar once instead of naming the list, and use these to provide separation between sections. Screenshots of my lists page below:

http://db.tt/vGmo3EDx
http://db.tt/AqA1mJ7J

Zack:

"FANTASTIC, sir!"

... Hooray! I knew there were others. Thank you.


"...migrated to Wunderlist...missed the beautiful minimalism and "heat map" of Clear.

... As did I! Wunderlist rearranged my list sequence once and that was the end. Same with Preflight. And I enjoyed using Preflight. I felt like a pilot marking off my list.


"I do hope to see Clear push an iPad (and maybe even Mac) app soon with syncing."

... Saw them both on their website's maybe list.


"My concern is...with back ups...if something happens to your phone, you lose everything."

... I have more confidence syncing my data locally with iTunes or through iCloud than I do with an app's third-party syncing process. When I used TaskPaper and WriteRoom for iOS (which is brilliant!), I eventually resorted to manually syncing to Dropbox after doing edits, as I've lost both words and documents due to a trigger-happy auto-sync. When it occurs to me, I sync locally and my data is backed up.


Received good news today from Clear's designers. I suggested the ability to reset a task list by swiping a list to the right. Just like resetting a task. Currently, you swipe a list to the right and the entire list is checked off at once after confirmation. I'd like to see checked items return to their previous sequence in the list for daily or recurring checklists. From the reply: "I'll suggest to the team that swiping to the right again at list level should do exactly what it does for individual items and 'bring the list back' so to speak."

Very cool on that last bit. I didn't realize syncing locally or via iCloud (which I prefer too) would store app data.

"My concern is...with back ups...if something happens to your phone, you lose everything."

I would hate that, but I also don't think it would be the end of the world. I used to keep my list on a hipster PDA and ran it through the wash once. I just sat down and started the list again. I may have missed one or two things but I doubt it. You'd be surprised what you can remember since you're reviewing your list all the time and if I did miss one or two things, I'm sure either someone reminded me or it wasn't that important.

Thanks for all the tips. FV and Clear are making everything just awesome for me.

Michael B.-
I trust that reentering items that are not completed in one chain is as frictionless as you say, and I'm eager to try it out. However, I wonder how you address "little and often" in documenting your progress on these particular tasks. Are your project plan materials on another platform? Is the nature of your activities such that you identify new tasks each time you revisit a project-scale item in your FV?

One thing that makes Evernote attractive, after dismissing it plenty of times in the past for this type of work, is that anything I write in a note that's cycling through my FV system is essentially documentation of it being acted on, whether I uncover subtasks, contacts, planning etc., and this information travels directly with the FV item (along with date stamps, record of it being updated, etc.). Granted its far more clunky than your solution for many other reasons, but does it concern you in regards to integration to have niche tools for separate facets of your system? Another thing that I like about EN is that working the Final Version algorithm or one's checklists does not result in a destructive process when they are passed to "Done." I find this useful for checklists, future templates, and for evaluating flow in my regular projects.

And how about using native tasks in icloud or google? Now that the Final Version has made amends with so many open-list formats, and task lists on apple and google are decoupled from calendars, wouldn't these straight-out-of-the-box tools pose more potential then they previously did? And the sync would be native in the mac case, or platform independent in the case of google. Like you, I'm not enamored with these apps, but if they meet the criteria, wouldn't they be the most supported, up-to-date, compatible options?

James:

"I wonder how you address "little and often" in documenting your progress on these particular tasks."

... Two methods:


Method 1.
Keep separate Clear lists, one per project, and simply copy and paste any urgent tasks to your relevant FV list, Personal or Professional. Project tasks in the FV list get parentheses to remind you it's a project task and then you swipe left to delete it from your FV list when complete. Open that tasks project list and swipe the task right as completed to document the progress on your project.

At the bottom of that project list is your nicely stacked and dimmed completed tasks. When the project is complete you can re-illuminate them by swiping them right again.

You can delete the project list when complete by swiping left on the project from the main lists area, or take a few screenshots of your completed project by pressing the home and lock buttons simultaneously on your iPhone; scrolling to take the next shot. If you send those screenshots to Evernote, it will scan the photos, run Optical Character Recognition on the text, and is then searchable in Evernote.

Or, archive the project by dragging the project to the bottom of your main lists area and swiping right on the list to dim it and mark all tasks in it as complete. They can be reactivated at anytime in the future for review.

............FV LISTS............
Personal
Professional


............PROJECTS............
Current Project 1
Current Project 2


............ARCHIVE............
Completed Project 3


Method 2.
Charles Givens' "Super Self" Blueprint method using the following lists and replacing his 4th list, the "Daily Activities List", with your Personal and Professional FV lists:

DREAMS LIST
...Just a list of your dreams, not achievable in a year, and typically unrealistic, like "Buy island".

GOALS LIST
...Realistic, influenced by Dreams list, achievable within a year, no steps. Just:

1. Goal this.
2. Goal that.
3. Goal here.
4. Goal there.

GOAL ACTION STEPS LIST
...All your numbered goals from the goals list, with the steps below each. To add further action steps to a goal simply "pinch open" with your thumb and index finger between the two tasks you wish to place the new task at. The numbers are not relevant to the sequence of your doing any action steps, you sequence your steps by dragging and dropping or adding steps between other steps, or simply choosing whatever feels urgent to do next and add to your appropriate FV list. But when you add a new step to a goal, always add the next unused number to the beginning of the task following the goal number and period. To be clear, see Goal 1 below for what happens when I went to add a new step between two earlier steps:

1. GOAL THIS.
1.1 Step high.
1.2 Step low.
1.5 Step out.
1.3 Step up.
1.4 Step down.

2. GOAL THAT.
2.1 Step high.
2.2 Step low.
2.3 Step up.
2.4 Step down.

3. GOAL HERE.
3.1 Step high.
3.2 Step low.
3.3 Step up.
3.4 Step down.

4. GOAL THERE.
4.1 Step high.
4.2 Step low.
4.3 Step up.
4.4 Step down.

PROFESSIONAL FV LIST
...Add goal action steps from the Goal Action Steps list.

PERSONAL FV LIST
...Add goal action steps from the Goal Action Steps list.

When a step is complete you'll know it was a goal step because of the number at the beginning. Simply open your Goal Action Steps list and delete the matching step. When your goal is complete you'll have a goal number, it is now time to open the Goals List and delete the matching goal by swiping left on it, or mark it as complete by swiping right and sending it to the bottom.


"One thing that makes Evernote attractive, after dismissing it plenty of times in the past for this type of work, is that anything I write in a note that's cycling through my FV system is essentially documentation of it being acted on, whether I uncover subtasks, contacts, planning etc., and this information travels directly with the FV item (along with date stamps, record of it being updated, etc.)."

... Shhh. I've been using Avrum's Evernote Final Version method for a week! I miss the speed and visual clarity of Clear, for sure, and the smooth silky feel, but I like the ease of re-adding "little and often" tasks, daily tasks, and repeating tasks with checklists in Evernote. Using the iPhone Evernote app it takes 7 *mind-numbingly* long taps to send a repeating task back to the main list from your chain in Evernote. And it takes 11 short taps in Clear to do the same. I like that the notes field in Evernote encourages me to naturally document a task and I can send email, websites to check out, things to download, and work in the same app I take my notes in. I have to say though, I wouldn't dare use Evernote's app on the iPhone for adding new tasks except out of necessity. It's slow as molasses and clunky. Instead, I send tasks to Evernote with the iPhone app "FastEver". I tested all the "Send to EverNote" apps and it's the best.

All that said, it's a test. Maybe Clear's developers will find a way to send a task to the top of a list without cutting and pasting, add the ability to restore a recurring checklist to it's previous state, recognize links (and if they're too long, still allow them to be added an clickable), add a hidden notes field for each task (accessed in some magical nifty way), and add the ability to import and export lists as text files and it would be a "clear" winner. However, Clear does win when it comes to speed, clarity, pleasure and ease of use, low overhead, good looks, and simplicity if you lead a simple life.


"Granted its far more clunky than your solution for many other reasons, but does it concern you in regards to integration to have niche tools for separate facets of your system?"

... No. When using Clear I use the following tools:

iPhone Calendar
For time specific events, distant-future reminders, and any recurring tasks that 1. Must happen on a certain day, and 2. I don't want cluttering my FV list until then.

Later Note
You should see tasks on your FV list at least a couple times a day, and you'll certainly be reminded of them. But for time, or time of day specific, short-term reminders, I use Later Note. I tested a lot of iPhone reminder apps (including Apple's, which I find absurd to navigate and look at, and tedious to enter time specific reminders or repeating reminders into quickly unless you're using the Siri voice assistant.) "Later Note" was my pick. It has never failed to remind me, it's super quick to enter a task into, you can choose not only x minutes or hours from now, but "this evening" (which you set previously), or "tomorrow morning", or morning 6 days from now or a specific time on a specific day long into the future. Then you get a list of your reminders and the days, hours or minutes counting down next to each reminder.

Evernote
For notes and reference material. Goals in Evernote and Clear can be linked through numbers.

Clear
FV lists, recurring checklists, and workflows.


"Another thing that I like about EN is that working the Final Version algorithm or one's checklists does not result in a destructive process when they are passed to "Done." I find this useful for checklists, future templates, and for evaluating flow in my regular projects."

... Agreed.


And how about using native tasks in icloud or google?

... Google apps are typically lacking in good taste, style, and elegance and those are important to me. So Google's out. What native tasks in iCloud would be compatible with The Final Version? Apple's reminder app/task list isn't.


"I'm not enamored with these apps, but if they meet the criteria, wouldn't they be the most supported, up-to-date, compatible options?"

... The most up-to-date apps are typically independently developed popular apps and the companies behind them are small, agile, and responsive enough to make requested or necessary changes to support their users quickly. As far as compatibility, you only need the app to work on the devices you'll use everyday.

"I like the ease of re-adding "little and often" tasks, daily tasks, and repeating tasks with checklists in Evernote."

To be clear, I meant the Evernote Desktop app.

Using the iPhone Evernote app is *mind-numbingly* slow (SUPER agitating) but you don't have to think much about what your doing or where you're tapping when you tap the 7 times it takes to send a task back to the end of the list. When you tap 11 times in Clear to send a task back to the end of the list (the top in Clear), though it's quicker and silkier, you do need to think about where you're tapping and what you're doing. I wish Evernote would let you swipe a note to set a tag and choose a notebook. I think they need an obsessive artist driving the design decisions. Or a really busy person using FV with Evernote for the iPhone.

Clear 1.1 just went live.

They added shake to undo, removed the character limit, left a blank space at the bottom of every list to make adding to the bottom much easier, and added some more "secret" themes.

Was hoping for a little more, but the three functional tweaks are nice.

http://www.realmacsoftware.com/blog/

Zack:

Thanks for the good news! Downloaded the update after your notice. Don't let this update be underestimated. There are some powerful new uses I can see already. My mind is bubbling with new ideas! Even before the update, and after my earlier lengthy post today, I had decided to return to Clear or paper. This makes that decision even more of a relief!

Well, I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas because I'm not seeing much potential beyond what's been done unless there are some features I'm not aware of.

I'm very excited to announce my NEW method for using Mark's Final Version with Clear!
This will dramatically simplify the following:


• Re-entering of repeating tasks
• Re-entering of unfinished and "little and often" tasks
• Re-entering of scrapped preselections

No more cut and paste!

• Keeping the list the same as a paper version of FV (Newest, reentered, and urgent tasks at the end/bottom of the list. Oldest at the top. Working your preselected list in reverse order starting at the end. Useful if you need to switch to or from paper. You don't need to unlearn your habits.)
• "Restoring" a daily checklist or workflow to its previous state (I have a simple solution I use everyday.)
• Tracking and archiving projects, goals, outcomes, results and their milestones, steps, or actions with completion dates

It does all of these with aplomb.

Note: Entering notes, location, descriptors and long tasks is now possible due to unlimited characters in the latest version of Clear. Hooray!


COMING SOON.

I have started a new post for the new method ahead of the 50 reply limit.

http://www.markforster.net/fv-forum/post/1805583

Can anyone using the Clear app tell me this: Will it give you the horizontal keyboard when you rotate your iphone? This is really important, if I'm going to, after all, do all of my inputting on this mini-keyboard versus a regular pc keyboard.. I'll actually be using it on my ipod touch.

(i have a Windows phone I just bought, but my ipod touch is so much smaller and can more easily go everywhere with me in my pocket.)

It will not.

shucks, oh well..
Thanks for the quick reply, and thanks Michael B. for the write-up on this.

Do you have a difficult time typing in portrait mode? I can understand for long-form writing, but as short as most tasks can be written, it shouldn't be a huge deal for you.

Yeah, unfortunately, I have big fingers.

Actually, one thing that might make this workable is the fact that in the iOS 5, you now get the auto-text complete.
This might make it doable, if I can just create a system where I use mostly words, when adding tasks, that I've entered into the iOS settings to minimize the typing as much as possible.

Just saw this.
Okay, Michael, I'll check it out.

Thanks.