The Hit List 1.0 is out, iOS app awaiting Apple approval

The Hit List showed a lot of promise when we originally covered it back in late 2008-early 2009. The last beta on record came out in March 2009, and we had sporadic notice throughout late 2009 and 2010 that the task management program, and its iOS companion, was still in development. The Hit List was also included in a MacHeist bundle in 2009.

So it's with much surprise and pleasure that early adopters received emails Tuesday announcing that The Hit List is not only out of beta, but version 1.0 is available through Potion Factory and the Mac App Store. This version drops support for PowerPCs and adds a number of new features, including a Safari extension that allows adding tasks from your browser.

In addition to this, The Hit List for iOS was submitted for the App Store and is only waiting Apple's approval for its release. The Hit List for both Mac and iOS can be synced using a syncing service. The service, creator Andy Kim explained, is a custom solution that doesn't rely on the iPhone's push sync. Kim said that the push sync caused battery issues and when the app is activated on the iPhone, syncing takes no more than two-tenths of a second.

"If you have good Wi-Fi or 3G connection, it means that you don't have to wait long for tasks to show up on your phone while you're on the move. It's designed to be scalable to lots and lots of users as well," Kim said.

The Hit List's sync service come at the cost of $19.99 annually, with early adopters getting a free one-year subscription as a thank you for the wait. Cultured Code's Things, whose sync service is currently in beta, will also have a subscription cost. However, that amount is unknown.

Kim apologized to users for taking so long to release The Hit List. "This, its iPhone companion app, and its sync service were the single most difficult undertaking of my life so far bar none," he said.

The Hit List for Mac is US$49.95. It requires OS X 10.5 or higher if purchased through Potion Factory's site or OS X 10.6 if purchased through the Mac App Store. You can try it free for 15 days by downloading directly from Potion Factory.

We will have a full review of both The Hit List 1.0 and its associated iPhone app within the next few days.