Today 1.2 Released!

I'm not one to let a month go by without a release, so I'm happy to present you all with Today 1.2. Today 1.2 adds a few features I think everyone will find beneficial.

• Today will now automatically shift the date forward at midnight. This only happens if you haven't adjusted the date away from the present day.
• You can now edit events and tasks by double-clicking on the item. It will automatically launch in iCal.
• The date browser is enhanced so you can navigate ahead more than just a day at a time. Click on the currently selected date to expose the new date picker.

Beyond the new features, there are several other tweaks and bug fixes that we outline in the release notes.

I can't tell you how excited I am about the stuff we've added in Today 1.2. I gave the folks at TUAW a video demo and interview about the new features in Today 1.2. I can't stand to watch the video because I have a phobia of hearing my own voice, but hopefully you will find it beneficial.

I hope you enjoy the release.

Use Today With OmniFocus

Today uses the same task storage engine as iCal, Apple Mail and any other application that takes advantage of a new framework in Mac OS X Leopard called CalendarStore. This makes it easy to integrate Today's task functionality with your favorite GTD applications such as OmniFocus or Things.

I'll show you how I'm using OmniFocus along with Today to have an outside view of my OmniFocus tasks.

1. Open iCal and create a few calendars that will hold your tasks. This is optional, but I have a lot of contexts and they didn't all perfectly fit in my "Work" and "Personal" calendars. For instance, I setup an "Outside World" calendar that has any of my frequently visited places that I've set as contexts.

2. Open OmniFocus's Preferences window and go to the Sync pane. On the left you'll see your iCal calendars. On the right will be your unsynchronized contexts.

1. Drag any context that you want to be synced to iCal to the calendar you want it to synchronize to. In my case, I'm only syncing my most important, non-work related tasks over. Usually this is things like errands, bills and phone calls I need to make.

2. Go to the File menu in OmniFocus and select "Synchronize With iCal." The tasks will automatically be filtered into your Today window's task pane. It will also pass any task that was already in iCal to your OmniFocus inbox so you can keep them organized as well.

A similar workflow is possible in other applications, so if you have a favorite application you're syncing with Today, let me know in the comments!

WWDC Wrapup

Now that WWDC has wrapped up, we're back at Second Gear HQ recovering from a long week of sessions on the iPhone, Leopard and the upcoming Snow Leopard. WWDC is a great way to get up to speed on new technologies, get help from Apple engineers on those lingering bugs and issue you run into and to just meet with fellow developers. I'm sure it is no surprise that there aren't too many Cocoa developers in southern Indiana!

The focus now shifts back to working on getting Today 1.2 released. 1.2 is the biggest update since Today shipped back in April and will offer a lot of great features that people have been clamoring for. I don't want to announce too much just yet, but it is coming very soon.

Oh and we're working on an iPhone application. More details soon.

photo courtesy of chakote

Healthy WWDC

A lot of people have posted their tips on how to get the most out of WWDC over the week. The Knapsack offer great advice on how to get the most out of the conference itself. Joe Goh, on the other hand, offers some advice on how to survive the amenities and social aspects of WWDC. The Mac Developer Roundtable also recently did an episode which offered other tips for new WWDC attendees.

Having been to two WWDCs in the past, I thought I would offer a different set of advice: how to be healthy at WWDC. Conferences like WWDC are great ways to brush up your development skills, meet with friends and colleagues and just take a break from sitting in front of the computer. Conferences like WWDC are also physically draining. Here's my tips on how to lessen that drain.

1. Water. Not Juice: Between sessions, and at lunch, there are several stations available that will offer Odwall juices, soda and bottled water. Go for the water. The sodium in the the juices and soda won't quench your thirst, only make you still feel thirsty. Water will keep you hydrated and your mind fresh.
2. Avoid the heavy lunch food: Like Joe Goh said, avoid Moscone's food. I realize it is included in your conference fee, but it's awful tasting and many times unhealthy. Stuffing yourself with Lasagna and garlic bread in between morning and afternoon sessions is going to make you feel fatigued. Instead, get out of the building for an hour, head to Metreon or a restaurant nearby for foods with food which have a lot of proteins, complex carbohydrates and vitamins in them.
3. Fruit > Cookies: Picking up on #2, the in-between session snacks usually include cookies, bagels, and fruit. Go for the fruit. It's probably the same sugar wise, but you are going to fill up on the fruit faster than the cookies because of the water and fiber contents. Less food in your belly equals less of a food coma.
4. Sleep: While the evening activities associated with WWDC are a great time, you should really try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. If you're tired, your not going to be able to easily retain information in the sessions and labs.
5. Exercise: Every morning I start my day with a trip to the hotel gym, or if weather permits, a quick run through the streets of San Francisco. Exercise is a great way to wake your body and mind up. The endorphin production that can occur from a great workout has been shown to be beneficial to your brain function and response.

If you have any other tips you'd like to share, feel free to do so in the comments.