iPhone App Review: TimeLines
Update
My original review of the Timelines time logging app is below, but after a few more weeks of use, I’ve decided to write an update to this review.
As you’ll see in the original review below, I was very excited about Timelines, especially because I found the interface gorgeous and the graphical breakdown of time codes enough to satisfy my data visualization fetish. My disappointment was that the interface was not entirely intuitive. However, out of fairness, I have to admit that I used the app without really making much of an effort to more than browse the instructions and video primer. But now, after a few more weeks of use, I’m finding that I actually enjoy the Timelines app. It’s still quirky and “sticky” in funny ways, but other than that I get out of it what I want in a time logging tool.
Original Review
The TimeLines time logging app for the iPhone and iPod Touch looks fantastic and seems great in theory, but in actuality, it’s the first iPhone app I’ve paid for that I’ve been disappointed in and felt like I wasted my money. So far, I’ve found it difficult to use, lacking in instructions, difficult to correct.
That said, I love the visuals and the charting potential, but the unusual way of entering times and durations for project tasks/ activities is very awkward at first and “sticky” in a bad way. And if you need to change one task’s duration, it could have a domino effect on subsequent tasks in the timeline.
To improve this app and make it worth the US$4.99, a number of things have to be improved:
Foremost is the funny way the current vertical bar of color sits underneath the point you stop at. Take a look at the screensnap above. The final vertical bar for (task ‘Code 3′) ends 15 minutes below the point that the ‘break’ bar sits at. Visually, the break bar suggests that a task ends there, so why is it sitting 15 min above the task code bars bottom? But wait, it gets odder. If you leave the app and come back, there’ll be a ‘break’ bar at the bottom of the final task, but the break bar of 15 min earlier will still be there (see snap below). Instructions to this regard would help.
Another big issue I have is that if you define, say, 10 different task/time codes but a given day does not use them all, all the codes still show up on the left. That might mean you have to scroll down needlessly to see durations for various time codes. What happens if you have, say, 20 different time codes? To be a more efficient app, only the codes in use for the given day should be visible. Of course, the current screen makes it easier to enter durations for a given task code, but harder to view overall. So to facilitate the improved viewing of durations, Cronologic will have to change the way task codes are selected.
I really hope they improve this app. It looks like it has a lot of potential. (A free, basic version would have been nice, with maybe only 2 or 3 time codes allowed.) But for now, I’ll log my work tasks as I’ve been doing: in a Google spreadsheet.
Comments
3 Responses to “iPhone App Review: TimeLines”
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In all fairness, after publishing this post, I found Cronologic’s video of their iPhone app in action, and it does clear up some of the problems I mentioned.
Thanks very much for taking the time to try TimeLines and write a review. We’re sorry to hear that you found TimeLines tough to use, and it’s especially disheartening to hear that you felt TimeLines was a waste of your money.
We’ve strived to make a very simple and easy way to track time, but it is quite different from other approaches.
Ggreat point about instructions. We’ve been working on a good way to do that since 1.0 was released. A better video is a must, and we certainly want the first-time users up and running quickly without confusion. We appreciate all your thoughts to help us get that right.
As an intro, what do you think of this?
http://www.cronologic.ca/haiku_primer.htm
It’s our quick introduction in the form of 5 Haiku’s, intended as a quick primer that works anywhere (iPhone or website). It would be easy add to the App, if it works.
Thanks again for your time!
Jaron Lambert
Cronologic Inc
Hi Jaron, thank you for commenting. I apologize if I came off too harsh. I’ve updated my review, above, and just want to point out again that I always loved (and still do) the interface visuals — hence my initial disappointment. I’ve revised my feelings on Timelines, as noted above, based on using it for a few more weeks, and knowing how to get around the quirkiness of the way a code jumps ahead 15 minutes.