Price/Platform: Free w/IAP (iOS)
Review Version: 1.3
Developer Website: http://www.getsloth.com
Features: Sloth is a task manger with an interesting approach. While most task mangers focus on what you have to do and when they have to be done, Sloth focus on how to manage your time efficiently.
The idea behind the app is that you have a list of all the tasks you wish to complete and that you allocate to each task a certain of amount of time. You then start a countdown clock and the app will alert you when your out of time. You can then choose to have the app start counting down for the next task in your list or wait for you to initiate it.
Now to the app’s design! The apps interface is based solely off of one screen, and utilizes different gestures. At the top of the screen is the countdown clock, which shows you the remaining time and the bottom half is your list. Creating a task is as easy as pressing the plus sign on the center bottom of the screen, giving it a title and giving it a time duration (you can choose between a slider or time increments to add the time duration.) Once you have all your task added, you can start the countdown clock by pressing the play button. You can also add 5 extra minutes to your current task by using the +5 button and the forward button lets you pause the current event and skip to the next task. You can move your task around by either long pressing them and dragging them, or if you want to send them to the top, swipe to the right.
When a task is done, an alarm will sound. You can choose between 2 alarm types, a nagging alarm, which will sound every minute till a task is marked as done, or the continuous alarm. To mark a task as done just swipe to the left. To delete a task, swipe to the left again.
Summary: Sloth is a task manager that helps you focus on how you utilize your time, one task at a time.
Pro:
- Swipe down on the screen to see the total duration of your task and estimated completion time
- Can adjust the duration of a task while it is in progress
Con:
- Advanced Alarm features will not sound if the app is closed (you will just get a basic notification alert)
- Currently no native iPad app
- App constantly notifies you when you close the app that the alarms will not sound unless your in the app
How I use it: I use Sloth as an aid for managing my time. When I have a set amount of time, I like to block it out and assign each block to a task. I then enter each block into Sloth and start the countdown clock! Sloth is really helpful for me as it keeps me on track! Particularly it helps prevent me from lingering on a single task for too long. I find that it’s really easy to get caught up trying to focus and my sense of time will sometimes just vanish. The app is also relatively new, so it is still evolving and I have found that it has become a valuable asset to me.
In-App Purchases: The app offers a $2.99 IAP, called Sloth Pro, that unlocks 3 main features. It allows you to create preset list, which can be repeated and used over again, adds 7 additional themes and a visual alarm feature.
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