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Remember the Milk and Appigo can't get along; users get screwed
[Update] As Michael points out in the comments, I neglected to mention that Appigo has worked out a deal with Toodledo to offer a free for 6 months Toodledo PRO account to all affected customers.
Remember the Milk, if you're not familiar with it, is a very popular web-based task management application that we've frequently covered here at Download Squad. In fact, I've been a big supporter of Remember the Milk in the past, but I have to say that my position has changed.
The user interface in Remember the Milk is awkward at best, and you really need to use a browser or Greasemonkey plug-in to reformat the page to be more usable, particularly if you have more than a couple lists and smart lists. I like A Bit Better RTM for Chrome, and it's also available for Firefox.
Unfortunately, the UI problems are not only on the web version; the mobile version for iPhone has text that is comically large, making it great for people with poor eyesight, but only if their tasks have no more than a couple of words in them. The text doesn't wrap, and instead is just cut off. There is also an official Remember the Milk iPhone app, but it too suffers from the same huge text syndrome.
Until very recently there was a much better choice for iPhone users in the form of Appigo's Todo iPhone application that supported synchronization with Remember the Milk. Unfortunately, as of last week the two companies are locked in a disagreement over Appigo's use of RTM's API for a new iPad version of Todo. RTM's position is that the iPad is a new platform, and therefore Appigo needs to purchase another commercial API license. Appigo's position is that the codebase is identical between the iPhone and iPad versions since they both run iPhone OS (they say they didn't need to change a thing in the sync code), and feel they are justified in using the API license for iPhone OS that they already have.
As a user, I don't really care who is right here, except that this dispute has caused RTM to unilaterally and without warning turn off Appigo Todo's access to the API, including for existing iPhone users. Worse, it doesn't look like it's going to come back any time soon.
Since RTM's iPhone user interfaces are pretty terrible, this leaves me in the position of needing to look for an alternative task management system. Luckily, there's no shortage of great options to choose from.
To both Remember the Milk and Appigo: you've both taken my money, and left me without a usable task management system because you can't get along. Shame on both of you. I certainly won't be recommending either of your products in the future.
Comments
18
Subscribe to commentsumbrellas1000May 18th 2010 4:25PM
I'm glad to know that someone else thinks that RTM has a terrible user interface! :-)
mrswMay 18th 2010 5:40PM
I fortunately use toodledo for sync with Todo for the iphone.
MichaelMay 18th 2010 4:55PM
You forgot to mentioned that Appigo has offered a free Toodledo PRO account to all of their affected customers. I emailed them to get mine and I was syncing with my new account within hours.
Appigo does care about their customers!!!
MichaelMay 18th 2010 4:56PM
You forgot to mentioned that Appigo has offered a free Toodledo PRO account to all of their affected customers. I emailed them to get mine and I was syncing with my new account within hours.
Appigo does care about their customers!!!
David SegondsMay 18th 2010 5:09PM
At one point, I was both paying for a Toodledo and a RTM account. Now, I am only using Toodledo along with Appigo.
schollerMay 18th 2010 5:34PM
I like the RTM interface, at least with keyboard shortcuts.
TheJudgeMay 18th 2010 6:01PM
RTM's move will down in history as the perfect example of what every company should do when their business partners are peaking at their game: Drop them!
That was so stupid!!!! Todo is now at #2 on the iPhone and on the iPad. Do they even realize how much money they could have made off Todo? just by being a sync partner?????
RTM, you should have remembered your customers and taken a less stupid decision.
MarteyMay 18th 2010 6:40PM
Maybe it has to do with the fact that Remember the Milk has its own iPhone app?
http://www.rememberthemilk.com/services/iphone/app/
AmyMay 18th 2010 6:54PM
Appigo should be praised for how they are handling the situation (http://bit.ly/cL6M1S).
It is RTM who spilled the milk by neglecting its PRO customers (I was one) and leaving us without a decent iPhone and iPad app.
burnblueMay 18th 2010 7:17PM
Come on, one of them has to be right. Basically I think cutting off the API so existing iPhone users are out, is a dick move. Can't shame Appigo for that part
DanMay 18th 2010 8:52PM
I'm also glad to hear others disliked RTM's web interface. I tried to like it, but I just couldn't do it. I'm on http://checkvist.com now and love it. It's keyboard shortcut heaven.
ossMay 19th 2010 3:47AM
Without any doubt there is a best alternative to RTM: it is pingme. Ops! It was, since pingme closed on April 23. pingme, I miss you!
Jash SayaniMay 19th 2010 10:37AM
I love RTM !!
You can use Remember the Task on your computer: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/marketplace/index.cfm?publisherid=10055&event=marketplace.offering&offeringid=10052
DrewMay 19th 2010 11:12AM
According to RTM, Appigo has been abusing the API all along, but the timing on this (and lack of warning to their paid members) is absolutely horrible. Maybe Appigo was in the wrong, but RTM is the one that cut off their users without warning.
Last night I used the Appigo/Toodledo offer. I imported my tasks from RTM (they have instructions) but it lost a lot of my folder for some reason. Tis may have been a good thing as I needed to clean up a lot of things anyway. I now have the iPhone and iPad syncing and it works like a champ.
AmyMay 19th 2010 12:59PM
Have you been able to find out how they abused the API? I have asked RTM that but they have never replied. Perhaps they will listen to you.
ChrisMay 19th 2010 5:41PM
I have been a long time RTM Pro subscriber but due to this move will be not be renewing. Not only can I get all I want with Toodledo's free addition, but RTM proved that they don't value their paying customers. Too me the "cool app" vs "uncool app" is not even a real argument. The RTM iphone app is FREE!!! You need to pay for a RTM PRO account to use it so either way, RTM's app or Todo, I would still need to pay RTM. As TheJudge said above, RTM is missing a huge opportunity to get new subscribers from a very popular app and even worse, is alienating the current customers is does have. C'ya later RTM.
JonathanMay 20th 2010 10:52AM
Why shouldn't RTM require Appigo to pay for a second commercial API license? Appigo is making users pay for a second app.
Appigo could've made a universal app for iPhone and iPad, that would've at least given them a stronger case for it being the same platform. But they didn't, they built a new app on a new platform and don't expect to give up any of those new profits to on of the web services they rely on, and their users rely on.
JonMay 20th 2010 11:10AM
RTM licenses are FREE... I used to work for a company that uses RTM's API... all you do is ask them to give you one and if they approve it, then you get one... so they better question is: Why did RTM not want to give Appigo a FREE API license key? No one really knows :(