Marco Arment, known for his indie applications like Overcast and Instapaper, as well as his former role as Tumblr’s chief technology officer, has launched a new app called Unforgetful. This application serves as an alternative to Apple’s Reminders, specifically designed for those who struggle with procrastination.
Available on both iOS and Mac, Unforgetful integrates with your existing Reminders database but targets users who feel that Apple’s offering does not suit their needs.
In his announcement made on Friday, Arment elaborated, “Although Siri has its shortcomings, it excels at creating tasks within Apple’s Reminders… Personally, I find the Reminders app unappealing in terms of aesthetics, functionality, and organization. In fact, I don’t even like its icon. I simply never open it.”
Arment highlighted specific shortcomings of Reminders, such as its snooze feature, which often led him to accidentally dismiss a reminder, resulting in lost tasks. He also pointed out that forgetting to set a time for reminders could lead to missed notifications, leaving tasks uncompleted.
Unforgetful aims to resolve these issues, ensuring that users never lose track of their tasks. Some may find its functionalities excessive, but those who frequently snooze reminders or require consistent nudges may find it beneficial in managing their responsibilities.
The app features persistent notifications that will repeat until the task is marked as complete, reducing the chances of losing reminders, especially for users who tend to dismiss tasks prematurely.
Additionally, the snoozing function has been redesigned to lengthen intervals as tasks are snoozed, without overwhelming the user with multiple simultaneous notifications that may lead to paralysis in productivity.
The app keeps its functionalities straightforward, devoid of tags, various views, or complex organization tools. For users needing more complex features, Apple’s Reminders might still be the preferred option.
In essence, Unforgetful serves as a reliable tool to manage reminders, accommodating both manual entry and voice commands through Siri, regardless of deadlines. Since the app utilizes the current Apple Reminders database, users can seamlessly transition by silencing Apple’s notifications and opting for those from Unforgetful instead.
While there are several well-crafted third-party reminder applications available, Unforgetful’s integration with Apple Reminders stands out. Users won’t need to specify using Unforgetful when adding tasks via Siri, and if the app doesn’t meet their expectations, there’s no need to transfer reminders back to Apple as they already exist in that database.
The app also includes an in-app microphone for voice reminders and a variety of widgets for easy access on the Lock Screen and Control Center.
Unforgetful is priced at $19.99 per year and is compatible with both Mac and iOS devices.
