reminders feature list
Reminders in Mountain Lion

Back almost a year ago, I blogged about my task list/todo list needs. Now that OSX 10.8 Mountain Lion is out with a separate Reminders app that syncs to the Reminders app on iOS devices, I’ve had a chance to see how I can best integrate the new changes into keeping my list of tasks in order.

Due Time

reminder ML due field
A Reminder that started out in Lion with the due field

The biggest change for me is the Due field. Under Mountain Lion, the Due field is not an option when creating a new Reminder. Only those reminders that were created under Lion retain the Due field. Under Mountain Lion, there is only an option for a ‘remind me’ field when creating a new reminder, which has a date and a time [where the time is mandatory]. I was used to just having a task be due on a date and not a specific time before Mountain Lion.

reminder no due option field
New Reminders under Mountain Lion do not have the due field

As it turns out, I’ve learned how to incorporate the time option in my newly created reminders, not caring about having only a due date. Combined with the Notification feature, I’m actually staying on top of my reminders better. I have yet to use the ‘At a location’ option, which at this time, I don’t see an immediate need for in my reminders management.

iOS Reminders

Reminder iOS from ML
A Reminder created on iPhone

The iOS Reminders app has never had a due option when creating a new reminder directly on the device. Only those reminders created under Lion retained the due field. So when I first started getting into Reminders more, I had always thought it was missing that field and that perhaps a newer version of iOS would add the due field. Now with Mountain Lion, I now understand that Apple was simply trying to phase out the due field and incorporate the ‘remind me’ field with both a date and a time.

reminder ios from lion
An iOS reminder created under Lion via sync to iOS device

So now that I’ve gotten over the single due field and incorporated the remind me date and time, I’ve been able to more freely focus on checking my lists. I have several of them, mostly broken out into categories like Blogging, Personal, Daily and Publishing. The Mountain Lion and iPad Reminders apps are similar in size and functionality and I prefer both of those platforms to the iPhone Reminders app, which due to it’s screen size, is a bit different to use. But it’s still highly functional for checking my lists and keeping me organized.

iOS reminders details
the details of an iOS Reminder synced from Lion to the iOS device

I still see myself evolving to something like Omni Focus in the future, but for now, Reminders has evolved enough for this distracted individual, changes and all.