Exactly one year after Apple released the iPhone SDK and exactly one year after we began development, we submitted Daylite Touch to the AppStore yesterday.
Daylite Touch is major milestone for us as a company. Not only is it our first mobile app, it is also a milestone for small businesses. You’ll get functionality that even large scale enterprise systems don’t have, such as scheduling meetings with colleagues right from the phone (you can also view their calendars). You’ll get power features such as open projects with linked tasks, appointments and notes (from all users). You’ll get really useful “on the go” features such as the home screen with everything you have to do today and tomorrow. And more…
All of this is to bring our vision of helping small businesses grow bigger and better. These rough economic times hold great opportunity for savvy small businesses. We stand behind those entrepreneurs — the driving force of the future economy.
At the Macworld Best of Show award ceremony, the Macworld crew noted something pretty important (for us anyways) – Daylite Touch is probably the deepest app on the iPhone. They also noted how we went to extensive pains to get the UI right. We didn’t just throw features in there, but we thought really hard about not only what should be there but how it should be there. And then there is the back-end server that makes all of this happen (which is not just the over the air sync).
It’s been a long road and the finish line is just around the corner.
I suspect that it will take us about 4 weeks to get the approval and have the app available for you (I’m factoring in one rejection and re-submision). In the meantime, we are very close to finalizing Daylite 3.9 and the new Daylite Server – both of which are required for Daylite Touch. We just have a few kinks to iron out. We’ve been using it in production since November and many of our Master Partners have been using it in production since early February.
We’ll have more information for you soon.
Follow me or marketcircle on twitter if you are into that.
Until next time…
AJ
olivier says:
What about Billings Touch? Any news?
Jan says:
WELL DONE!!!
Michael says:
AJ – what about pricing for Touch? Any updates here on what it will be via the App Store? And any cost for 3.9 and the Touch Server? Thanks.
AJ says:
@Jan – Thanks!
@Oliver – You’ll hear more soon. We ran into some challenges with Daylite Touch, so we redirected some engineers to make our self imposed Q1 deadline. Billings work will resume shortly.
@Michael – We will announce pricing when the app is available (when you can actually try it).
avrum says:
Hi AJ. After installing and uninstalling Daylite 4 x’s (I kid you not), I’m finally loving your program. It’s taken me many months of fiddling with OTHER programs i.e. evernote, task paper, google tasks/docs, basecamp and more, to appreciate why I keep returning to Daylite – a 1-Stop shop solution. Alas, your software ain’t cheap, and as a solo entrepreneur, I’m still weighing cost/benefits of the program. I’ve got 11 days left on my trial. Is there any chance 3.9 will hit before my trial expires? I’d like to give 3.9 a thorough test drive before throwing down the cash.
Thanks.
AJ says:
@avrum – For what it does, Daylite is very cheap (as you are slowly proving to yourself). But you’ll only see that when you use Daylite to do or focus on activities that return you many multiples of the Daylite price. For example, if you just need an Address Book for yourself, I’ll be the first to tell you, don’t buy Daylite. In contrast, if you need to share your address book with colleagues and you need to have detailed history and you need offline capabilities, then there is probably no better value out there.
If you plan to grow, then the systems/processes you setup in Daylite can scale to the new employees or partners you add very easily. That in itself is huge value. Daylite has tons of value propositions – sometimes we just don’t articulate that well.
You can get a trial extension from the store if you want to minimize the risk.
avrum says:
Thanks AJ.
David Utts says:
Hey AJ – I posted this on an earlier blog and got no response – also placed this in the Forum and no response so excuse me for adding this under an entry that is not completely related. And Yea on sending Touch to the Apple Store – I would imagine less than 4 weeks given your award!
As for your earlier article on GTD – it has some nice stuff but I have to say you need – a few more things to add:
Next Action – you have a check box for “someday maybe” and Inbox… a simple addition to the “Task Pane” would be a “next action” box. Or adding a “Next Action” under status (I don’t think I can add to that list) or adding a “Next Action” type. I have worked around it now by adding a “next action” location so I can sort what I consider as next actions.
Mail DMI Needs Redesign – I found using it takes more time and attention than it is worth. What would be more powerful is to link e-mails from Apple Mail using a program like “Mail Tags” – that way when I find the e-mail I can actually respond to it. With DMI – I can see the e-mail but I am unable to use the DMI content to reply to – follow up on etc. There are nice features to DMI but it would be better to link actual e-mails.
Finally, the main reason for GTD is to “GET THINGS DONE – against what is most important to me in my business and life. Would be nice to have a module for setting visions for each domain in my business and life (e.g. Business Development, Client Service, Financial, etc.) – each of these would likely have more than one project but you could link the projects to your overall goals – in any event that might be too much of a rework.
Just a thought.
Regards – David
avrum says:
@ David Utts – I’ll be producing a number of webinard demonstrating how I use Daylite to manage my projects/tasks a la GTD/Covey and Autofocus. Here’s one brilliant, yet simple, Daylite features for managing “next actions”:
If you open a task in it’s own window, choose “done” from the drop down menu, you’re presented with an option (see “Next” at bottom of pop-up window) to do a “follow up task”. Brilliant way to keep the flow going, and followup tasks associated with projects.
David Utts says:
Thanks AJ – I can see how you can use Daylite to keep the flow going and appreciate that insight. Yet, some flexibility in “forcing” the next activity in the project would be appreciated. At this stage I do have a work around by placing a tasks location as “Next Action” and creating a smart list to see what actions are next. Yet, it would be nice to be able to force any activity under a project to be the next task. Currently the first to do you enter automatically becomes the “next action” – this is not always the case. Again, having access to some way of creating filters for the next activity and having more control would be great!
avrum says:
@ David Utts – Avrum IS NOT AJ
CJ says:
AJ, just curious if a Filemaker Pro Connector update is tied to DL 3.9? It’s been languishing with some critical bugs for a year, and I thought maybe you were waiting to update it until you migrate away from OpenBase.
AJ says:
@avrum – Thanks
@David Utts – One thing we know for sure is that there is always room for improvement.
@CJ – The Filemaker Connector will be updated to work with 3.9, but we haven’t had time to deal with some of those known issues.
CJ says:
Thanks, AJ. I’m just glad to know it isn’t end-of-lifed.
Michael Czeiszperger says:
Congrats on your huge investment towards bringing daylite to the most significant new development platform of 2009: the iPhone. The demo looks great, and I can’t wait to start using it every day.
For what its worth I’m investing a bunch of time and money linking our website into daylite using the Filemaker connector, so am hoping that’s still going to work and you’ll be able to do a next generation.
Scott Sterling says:
“@avrum – For what it does, Daylite is very cheap (as you are slowly proving to yourself).” I fully agree with that.
Avrum – just my thoughts: it takes more than a month to appreciate the capabilities of Daylite. Don’t hesitate to buy it. Or, ask for another trial period. My guess is somewhere around the 60 to 90 period you’ll quit testing the other apps, at least I did. When you fully commit to getting all your workflow into Daylite, then you’ll be very pleased and even a bit surprised.
avrum says:
@Scott -
I’m already there
And even becoming a bit of fanboy (AJ will be pleased with what I have in the works). Just waiting for 3.9 to ensure things don’t go all haywire with the upgrade.
Jeanne Berkowitz says:
Congrats and good luck for speedy approval – I have been searching for a good CRM/project management platform and Daylite has everything I want but the iPhone app…so it sounds like I am soon to get everything I want!
Jeanne Berkowitz says:
Oops, wait, I just re-read the blog post and I have a question…it says that both Daylite 3.9 and a new program, Daylite Server, will be required to use Daylite Touch. Does that mean DT is designed specifically for bigger companies, and is this going to put DT out of the reach of a solo practitioner with just one license (i.e., me)?
AJ says:
@Jeanne – Don’t worry. There is no cost for Daylite Server. You’ll be fine.
Ekkehard says:
How is CalDAV going to be integrated with DayliteTouch?
AJ says:
@Ekkehard – Daylite Touch is made to work with Daylite, not with CalDAV.
Chris says:
AJ – will the majority of single (non-group) Daylite users be able to set up Daylite Server and Daylite Touch without a lot of fuss or do we need to enlist the help of a Partner?
AJ says:
@Chris – It should be pretty simple (assuming you have a properly setup WiFi network).
Chris says:
@AJ – Would that include creating a computer-to-computer network via my MBP’s built-in Airport/Aircard? My company does not use Wifi for security reasons. I’m hoping that will work. I do have Wifi at home, but not at work. Thanks!
Jeanne Berkowitz says:
@AJ – Phew!
Chris says:
well getting a little impatience to get 3.9 and DL Touch
Apple said max. 7 days for revision on the last keynote. Are they really meeting those goals?
AJ says:
@Chris – you have to remember that most apps are not as deep as Daylite, so it might take a bit longer for us.
Chris says:
@AJ – Would DL Touch work using a computer-to-computer network via my MBP’s built-in Airport/Aircard? My company does not use Wifi for security reasons. I’m hoping that will work. I do have Wifi at home, but not at work. Thanks!
This is different Chris
jp says:
agree with Chris above, if apples goal is 7 days, you’re at 14 now? maybe apple is holding it for you since there’s been no mention of the 3.9 release that is needed?
can we at least get a price?
Otono says:
I am looking forward to this release. I love daylite, but feel landlocked without the ability to check my projects and tasks on the go.
Can’t wait!
motech says:
i cant wait for daylite touch!
i check for it everyday . .
any news?
: )
Alan says:
Great updates for desktop version(Inbox, etc…)
Soon as d touch is out I’m moving my gtd/project planning to Daylight.
I had been waiting on Pocket Informant but now I see that Daylight with the Touch version will give me all the contact/calendar/gtd planning I need in one slick program.
Please give an update if possible.
Thanks!
AJ says:
Daylite Touch is awaiting Daylite 3.9 (since 3.9 is required), We are in RC2 mode right now, so we are very close.
Doug Tomlinson says:
Oooh…the iTunes store autofills “daylite touch” now. I have to wonder if this is an indicator or something special or simply the result of an increasing number of searches to the store
** Shameless shout out to: AJ, Aprile, Sean, Matthew, and the rest of the team! **
Scott says:
Just installed DL 3.9 RC2 – I’m itching to start up the Touch Server!!
Michael Lubitz says:
We need touch asap. Go Marketcircle Go!
Rosci says:
OK – I’m thoroughly confused. I am on a Mac OS 10.5.7 I need a reliable contact mgmt system. I need to sync it on a Desktop and a Laptop, and I need to have it show up on my phone. I don’t like AT&T – so i didn’t get an iPhone.I have had great luck with sprint in my area. So, I just bought a Centro. I am considering buying Daylite – but I need to know …
1) Does Daylite sync with Centro successfully? How? Do I need to buy the “missing sync” program just to make that happen? Some other program? Have all the bugs mentioned in the user forums been dealt with?
2) I am one person. Do I have to pay $895 to have Daylite on a laptop and my desktop, and sync with my phone?!?!? That seems excessive. For that price, I could hire a high school kid to come in and sync it once a week for months.
3) How is Daylite better than File Maker Pro?
Thanks – I need to make an informed decision. No time to be trying one thing after another.
AJ says:
@Rosci – It’s best to contact customer service and they will be able to help you through your questions.
In summary, all you need is a Single user license of Daylite Productivity Suite.
You’ll then use Preferences -> Synchronization to setup sync with Sync Services – you’ll still need something like Missing Sync for Palm. In terms of FileMaker, Daylite is ready to use out of the box. With FileMaker, you’ll need to customize it, or hire someone to customize it to work for you.