When I kept paper to-do lists, I used to draw two lines to divide the page into four sections, and group tasks based on if I needed to do them today, next, or later. (Later got two sections to hold all the stuff I didn’t want to forget but couldn’t do right away.) Paper is great for this, because rewriting the lists every day made me think harder about how many things I was mentally committing to do—and purge or delegate as many as I could.

Appointments go on the calendar, and tasks go on the to-do list, right? But when are you going to get these tasks finished, then? You could schedule them on your calendar, but if you don’t actually do them, the calendar keeps marching on, and your task could be forgotten. SmartDay links your iCal calendar with the tasks on your Reminders list, so open space in your day is filled up with tasks you have to do. But if you don’t do them, they don’t just vanish—SmartDay keeps moving those tasks into free moments until you check them off.

For those who were looking for a better iPhone email experience coming into the new year, it's certainly been a good few months so far. Mailbox and Mail Pilot helped us regain control over our inboxes with varying degrees of success, Tempo helped organize our messages by date and appointment, and even the Gmail app was updated with a faster, cleaner interface. But Triage might be the most radical of the recent newcomers. With a focus on your unread messages, it aims to help clear out overwhelmed inboxes with a simple, refined approach that will change the way you tackle your incoming mail.

Shoehorning an expansive online space combat sim experience onto the iPad isn't without its challenges, but the tablet version of Vendetta Online delivers a faithful and surprisingly functional port of the long-running massively multiplayer online game. For players used to the more casual thrills offered on the App Store, Vendetta Online's exhaustive depth and complexity poses a steep learning curve to master upfront, though carving out your niche in the galaxy is undeniably absorbing once you open up the throttle.