Establishing a reminder and task management system tailored to your needs is essential, and leveraging a service that aligns with your team’s workflow can enhance collaboration and productivity. However, convincing your family or friends to adopt the same task management app may prove to be a challenge. Regardless of whether the other party uses the app, the iOS app Karo, which translates to “do it” in Hindi, addresses the issue at hand.
This marks yet another endeavour in task management for Mustafa Yusuf. The developer, based in India, also creates another to-do application called Tasks, which is designed for more intricate task management needs. Yusuf told Eltrys that he created Karo because of the limitations of other apps, which did not provide him with the flexibility to assign tasks to individuals in his address book.
“No application provided me with the ability to effortlessly delegate and monitor tasks assigned to individuals in my contacts.” Consider my accountant, sibling, plumber, or electrician. I aim to assign tasks that they can access through their existing apps, like WhatsApp or Messages, and I want to receive notifications when they complete them. “If they don’t, rather than me constantly reminding them, I would prefer the app to send automatic reminders,” he stated.
Yusuf mentioned that before developing the app, he relied on manually reminding them via WhatsApp or other messaging platforms to ensure task completion. Additionally, the absence of a tracking system led to instances where he overlooked tasks.
Karo and its functionalities
Karo provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to input tasks effortlessly, resembling a conversation in a messaging application. The app allows you to incorporate tasks using natural language, as it effectively identifies terms like “tomorrow” and “10 am.” It subsequently generates a task with a deadline when you specify a particular time and date. Additionally, you have the option to mention a specific individual to delegate a task effectively. Additionally, there are options available for incorporating date, time, and contact information into a task.
Users have the option to attach an image, video, PDF document, or voice note to a task. Given that we’re in 2024, there’s also an AI aspect to consider. Karo AI enables users to decompose larger tasks into more manageable components. AI can assist users in planning a trip and creating a list of to-dos.
If an individual has the Karo app installed, they will receive a notification when they receive a task. The application initially communicates with users through a WhatsApp chat, and if that attempt is unsuccessful, it follows up with a reminder via text message. For scheduled tasks, the individual receives a reminder on the task’s due date, as well as additional notifications two and four days after the due date. The application issues reminders for non-scheduled tasks at intervals of two, four, and six days following the task’s creation.
The main screen organises tasks by contact. Tapping on a person’s name will launch a conversation interface, allowing you to view previous tasks and add additional ones seamlessly. The application incorporates an activity tab that offers real-time updates on all your ongoing tasks.
Although teams and small organisations may utilise specialised solutions for task management, many businesses in India lack an effective system to manage their operations. They choose to manage tasks directly within WhatsApp groups. Yusuf believes that Karo’s integration with the platform, along with its capability to form groups within the app, will attract WhatsApp users.
He noted that several companies are currently utilising the app for their operations. For example, a dry fruit distributor in Mumbai uses Karo to delegate packaging and delivery responsibilities to their team. The team utilises WhatsApp to efficiently track and complete tasks. Yusuf noted that this could prove beneficial for study groups or book clubs.
Karo offers a free version; however, accessing features such as groups, themes, and attachments requires a paid subscription. The app comes with introductory launch offers across all plans, priced at $4.99 monthly, $39.99 annually, and $99.99 for a lifetime unlock.
Yusuf is preparing to launch an Android version for users in the near future. He believes that the key appeal lies in the capability to send reminders to your contacts, regardless of whether they are using the app.
