Best FREE "todo" apps for iPhone and iPad

I have been trying to decide this past week which "Todo" app I like the best.  I have been using the native app "Reminders" on my iPad and iPhone up to now using Siri on my iPad.  Since I have the iPhone 4 I do not have Siri in that model so no voice input there.  I like that that app syncs with my iPhone and iPad no matter with which device I add the reminder.  However, I wanted to add reminders using my computer and get them on my mobile device.



I did not realize this at first, but you can go to https://www.icloud.com/ and add reminders or tasks over the web.  You will then be reminded of those tasks on all your apple your devices.  Very nice.  However, there is no reminder on the computer though since it is a web page and not an application installed on the computer.

This app itself may be good for many people so when I was looking for a different app it had to be better than the native apple "reminder" app or why bother right?

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I did find two FREE apps that give Apple a run for its' money. Orchestra and Wunderlist.  I have tried them both and I have decided to use Orchestra myself, but I will describe them both so you can choose which is right for you since they both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

So why are these ones better that the native "reminder" app from apple?  Both of them sync with "the cloud" so you receive the updates on all your devices, and you can also initiate a task from your computer either with an app or via the web same as "Reminders".  However,  both of these app allow you to assign a task to someone else as well and be able to follow up with them.  How cool is that!

Imagine you want your partner to pick up a few groceries on the way back from work.  Add the task and it is sent to your partner as a task with a reminder.  If your partner "accepts" the task then it is added to their task list with the appropriate alarm reminder.  So at 4:50pm the alarm is sent as a reminder to pick up those specific groceries just before finishing work.  Further, once the task is done the person checks it off, you are notified that the task is indeed done.

Imagine how powerful this could be in a work setting as well since you can also "nudge" the person as a further reminder that you are counting on them to finish the task on time.

So here are the highlights of these two apps.

Orchestra

You can add a task from your desktop at http://www.orchestra.com/.  However, this means you do not get the notifications on your desktop computer.

You can "Speak your task" similar to Siri. However, the text-to-speech goes through their server so if you are not connected to internet that function does not work also it uses some data to perform that action as well obviously.  Siri only works with internet as well just to keep this into context.

You can email yourself a task by forwarding an email or creating one to task@orchestra.com.  Cool feature if someone sends you a task be email you just forward it to your orchestra account.  easy.

No native ipad app. 

Very Quick synchronization.

Reminders by notifications pop up in the notifications center.  Ensures you get the reminder same as an alarm.  You still need to have internet access to receive the notification it seems.  You will also get an email reminder if the task goes undone or unchecked by one of the mobile apps or via the web.

Wunderlist

Wunderlist

You can add a task from a downloadable application so you DO get your notifications on the desktop as well.  Also, since this app is downloadable you can enter task while offline. however, you can enter task offline on your iPhone or iPad anyways.  there is also a web based page through your browser as well same a Orchestra.

You can "speak your task" which leverages native voice input "Siri" assuming you have it.  No Siri no voice input. me@wunderlist.com currently not working. native ipad app. 

You can ermail yourself a task by forwarding an email or creating one to me@wunderlist.com.  However, this function does not seem to be working for now while I was testing it.

Has a nice looking native iPad app.

The synchronization seems a bit slower than Orchestra, but I was trying to set alarms within 1 minute from the start of the task.  It is probably fine in any case under a normal task setting situations.

The reminders are by email and I feel can get drowned out by the flood of other emails.

One nice advantage to Wunderlist is that there is an Android app also available.  Since the nicest feature of these two apps is the ability to assign a task to a partner who may not necessarily use an apple device.  Orchestra says they have an Android app in the works so I hope out comes out soon for this purpose.

Special Mention: Easilydo app

I want to make a special mention to the recent app "easilydo".  This app does not share tasks but it creates tasks for you using other sources like Facebook and your Calender.  For example, by connecting Facebook when someone changes their status to "in a relationship" the app will create a "todo" for you to congratulate that person. So you can show support, give congrats and view birthdays.  Additionally, if you get an email about a bill it will remind you to pay it (although I am not sure how reliable that is).

Anyways I think this app is worth trying to see if it helps organize yourself further, but not as your only todo app.