Okay, okay already. So either you’re looking to justify the purchase of a shiny new iPad, or you’ve already got one and are looking to turn it into more than just a fantastic Netflix player. What better way to do that, than with a perfect time management app?

The problem you’re probably running into is not a dearth of applications to help you with your lists. As you’ve probably seen, there are tons. The challenge is finding one that does all the things you’re looking for – without spending next month’s mortgage testing them all out. Fortunately for you, I’ve already done that. So let’s jump into it.

First, some context. My situation is different than most of the hipster GTD bloggers you’re going to find out there in a few key ways:

• I have a more-than-full-time corporate job
• My corporate employer doesn’t let me install software on my machine
• I have an iPhone
• I have an iPad
• I use Macs at home
• I use PCs at work
• My work PC runs IE7
• I have a corporate Blackberry (which also can’t have applications installed)

Given those nuances, it’s highly likely that my conditions are different than yours. Then again, I’m constantly surprised by how many people have the same problem(s) I do…which means that our list of qualifications for a digital system look like this:

1. Web application: the system must have a web application so that I can access it from my work PC without installing any software
2. Compatibility: the web app must be functional in Internet Explorer 7; as embarrassing as this is, the IT folks aren’t interested in my little time management quest, and alternative browsers are not an option
3. Keyboard shortcuts: I can’t believe there are still applications out there that require you to mouse over a button in order to add items; this is absolutely asinine, wasteful, ignorant, intolerable, etc.
4. iPad app: the iPad is almost always with me (including in meetings), so the app must be native and it must sync with the web application
5. iPhone app: when it’s not practical to pull out the iPad, my iPhone is always a quick alternative, so the app must sync with the web application
6. Active development: Vitalist happens to pack the most punch of all current web offerings, but its developers have abandoned it and there’s no iPhone/iPad app on the horizon

In the interest of saving you time, take my advice: go get the Nozbe app, then head over to Nozbe.com and get an account. The iPad app will run you $14.99, and the iPhone app will set you back another $4.99…but it’s your only real choice. Hold on, though, cuz you’re going to want to sign up for a Nozbe paid subscription ($9.99/mo.), as well. That’s $20 for apps, and $120/year. And it’s necessary.

Nozbe remains the only of the web apps that meets all of my compatibility criteria, and truly applies the GTD methodology. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only one that’s close.

I’m dying to see the comment thread fill up with protesters who are loyal to Toodledo, RTM, Things, OmniFocus and Nirvana – because they’ll all be dead wrong. I’m committed to writing a post outlining the reasons that these others tools don’t work for GTD (even where they meet my compatibility criteria), but that’ll come later.

For now, know that Nozbe is the only service that allows:

• Proper projects (and not some kludgy workaround with tags or “sub-tasks”)
• Contexts – as many as you like
• Email input
• Natural language inputs
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Due dates (and reminders)
• Collaboration
• Labels/tags for projects
• Memos and files for tasks and projects

It occurs to me that we’re scratching the surface here on the real dialogue (i.e. “what’s really important for a digital system, and why do most of them suck?”), but we’ll come back to that. I promise.

For now, if you’re serious about trying to maximize your system’s accessibility in any context – and you’re committed to putting your technology to work – Nozbe is the only real option.

If you’re a GTD buff, chances are good that you are using categories in Outlook to simulate the effect of “tags” or “labels” (as popularized in Gmail) on individual messages. This makes sense, of course, as it limits the amount of thought required when archiving messages. You no longer need to decide which single folder the message belongs in; the message just carries as many categories with it as you’d like.

Eh, sorry. That is, you were using categories…prior to upgrading to Office 2007. In the new Outlook, categories are no longer text fields that you can fill up with a variety of tags. Categories are now cute little chicklets that you can make different colors. Quite pleasant to look at, but totally useless. Here’s a way to take the power back.

Because Outlook allows you to define custom fields in the Outlook database, we’re going to create a new field called “Tags,” and let it assume the duty of our lost categories. Note: you must repeat this process within each folder that you want to display tags; while the tag data will be persistent, you won’t be able to see the tags unless you modify the view for each folder. Also note that you’re going to begin tagging your messages with a new attribute – one that won’t exist in your older messages. Functionally, it’s not an issue – but you’ll be searching “categories” in old messages, and “tags” in new messages. For this reason, I recommend creating a new PST for stuff moving forward.

Right click the headers in your inbox. Select “Field Chooser.” Press “New” at the bottom, and create a new field called “Tags.” You can call it whatever you want, but it’s what I’ve called mine (note: “categories” is unavailable, as it’s already taken).  The type is “Keywords” the format is “Text.” Drag that field to where your Categories field used to be, and hide that useless field. You can now add comma-separated tags to each of the messages that you receive in Outlook (e.g. coffee, starbucks, friends, scams, ideas).

The data in this field is persistent, but Outlook doesn’t display it by default. Again: you’ll have to repeat this process for any folder in which you’d like to use the “Tags” field – but only once.

I recommend that you group your view by “Tags” in archive folders, as it makes for pretty quick location of past stuff.

If you have any suggestions on how to streamline this, I’m all ears. For now, this is the most elegant solution I’ve found.

Update: you need to enable “Allow in-cell editing” in the Custom View / Other Settings dialogue in order to quickly type in your tags. Thanks for pointing out this nuance, Peter.

So you’ve subscribed to the theory of Moleskine dominance and plopped down $10 for a pocket notebook. Well done.

Now that you have your new $10 notebook, and you’re reading about ways to turn it into your GTD launchpad, you have this conversation with yourself:

What should I write in here? I just spent $10 on this notebook – I’m not going to waste the space on things that don’t count.

I have heard this particular concern from countless Moleskine converts. Because the books are so nice (yes, I love the silky paper and the magic secret pocket, too), there’s a natural tendency to try and protect them from the random musings of our brains.

Stop that! Stop it RIGHT NOW!

You heard me, folks. The Moleskine notebook is awesome. It’s beautiful. It’s $10. But above all else: it’s for you to write in – whatever that may yield.

The reason that we spend $10 on nice notebooks is that they entice us to write. Do so, and do so with reckless abandon. After all, you spend  more than $10 on lunch. Fill that puppy up, and get that melon empty.