~~update 8/23/08~~

The rating for this review has been removed, as much of it was based upon incorrect information. Please refer to the most recent review published here on 8/23/08.

~~end update~~

Software: TimeTo

Developer: David Berman Communications

Review Summary: Powerful product with a powerful price tag.

At some point in the not-to-distant past I mentioned how much I was starting to like this application. And my opinion stands that it is a powerful and, for me, really helpful tool for keeping on-task and focused on objectives. Why the 1.5 rating then, you ask? It all comes down to the price.

Originally, I thought TimeTo was freeware. And in a way it is. There is, in one application, TimeTo Light, and TimeTo Pro. The Light version is the free version. The Pro version is $80… for the first year. After that, it is either $35 or $50 (depending on how long a term you buy) for each year you want to use the Pro version. During the trial period you can switch back and forth at any time, but once that runs out you are stuck with Light. According to their order page, all the proceeds go to charity or improving features, but either way the scaling, per-year licensing is a bit much for this user to take, and I refuse to get into term-based contracts for personal use productivity software.

I want to be fair, however, and make sure I emphasize that TimeTo Pro is extremely robust, and well worth the initial $80 cost. It is well put-together and very user friendly, and the built in tutorials were exactly how I like them… informational enough to teach me the basics while teasing me of other, deeper, more complex abilities nested beneath the surface.

TimeTo Light, on the other hand, is only slightly better than a spiral notebook and a pen. Quite simply, too much was removed from the Pro version, and it isn’t worth keeping Light around.

For those willing to shell out the cash on a yearly basis, it does seem like development is not only ongoing, but customizable as well. For an additional fee, the developers are willing to consider making specific, client-based changes to the software. With a background in software development, I can tell you that this is no small boast, and is, I imagine, geared toward corporate clients with a focus on networking multiple calendars.

The Bottom Line: TimeTo is high quality, high performance software targeted at high-end buisness and corporate users. While it’s day-to-day management tools are in place and, in a word, outstanding, its pricing scheme is simply not suited for a busy, individual user trying to make the most of limited free time. This is, in effect, subscription based productivity software with no promises being made by the developer that actually justify that subscription.