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Things 3.6 upgrades task manager with Type Travel, full iPad keyboard support

Cultured Code is releasing version 3.6 of its Things task manager, and the new update focuses on iPad users with full support for external keyboards. The goal of Things 3.6 is to make it possible to use the app on an iPad with an external keyboard without having to frequently touch the screen…

Things makes this possible with a combination of keyboard actions: item selection via arrow keys, and keyboard shortcuts for commands.

Before you can use a shortcut, you need a persistent selection in the list that you can target. So that’s exactly what we’ve built for Things 3.6.

To see what we mean, just open the app and tap the down arrow; you’ll see the first to-do selected. Now you can move the selection around with the arrow keys, or hold down shift and use the arrows to select more to-dos. Yes, it works just like the Mac!

As for the keyboard shortcuts users will want to use, Cultured Code highlights these:

  • Insert a to-do below your selection: Command + N
  • Open a to-do with Return and Tab around inside of it
  • Close the to-do again: Command Return
  • Move items up or down the list: Command UpDown
  • Duplicate, copy, or paste items: Command + D / C / V
  • Set a date: Command + S
  • Mark it complete: Command + K

Things 3.6 also shows commonly used keyboard shortcuts when holding down the Command key just as you would expect, and holding down Command + Shift + ? opens this detailed webpage with every keyboard shortcut explained. The number of actions mapped to keyboard shortcuts is really impressive.

Keyboard navigation and control also relies on a Mac feature Cultured Code calls Type Travel, and that’s now available on iPad:

It allows you to navigate Things with your keyboard. You don’t need a shortcut to use it – just start typing where in the app you want to go, and instantly you’re transported there. It’s magic.

In addition to comprehensive keyboard support, Things 3.6 adds three more features:

  • You can now drag & drop to-dos into Things’ sidebar to move them to other lists.
  • Tags and deadlines can now be applied to multiple to-dos at once: just select a group and tap ••• . Works on iPhone, too!
  • The iPad app now supports undo and redo.

Things 3.6 for iPad is a free update for existing customers, and available for $19.99 on the App Store for new customers.

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Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.