- Tasker by Crafty Apps EU free 7-day trial download here.
- Tasker on Google Play store download link, price $4.
- Tasker home page, wiki, guides, support and FAQs.
Overview
Tasker is a must-have app for power users and for those willing to learn how to take the ultimate control over their Android devices. Some power users wish Tasker was installed with every Android device by default, and the ultimate advantage of this superpower tool is it gives you an alternative to rooting your device. If you want more control over your Android, you either install Tasker, or root.
As the name suggests it, Tasker performs actions, or tasks, based on contexts, or user-defined rules that rely on actions and gestures, such as application launch, a particular time of the day, a predefined date or location and event. It allows you to create profiles, as well as on screen widgets and offers more than 200 tasks you can set. Moreover, if you don’t feel like 200 is enough, Tasker supports plug-ins.
Examples
Basically, Tasker allows you to create unlimited “if this then that” case scenarios for your smartphone or tablet, and its capability is only limited by your own imagination and willingness to learn and master the logic.
For example, you can set your device to read out loud incoming text messages, as well as phone numbers when you are driving and your smartphone is connected to the infotainment system in your car. You can have your smartphone, open Google Maps when your device uses Bluetooth to connect to your car’s system. You can have your smartphone launch a music app automatically once you connect your headphones. You can create your own “find my smartphone” application with Tasker and have your device beep or ring whenever the device receives an email from your address with a particular “Where is my smartphone?” subject. If you want your device not to bother you with phone calls and text messages while you sleep, you can have it dim the screen and silence the ringer at the predefined time of the day. You can have your smartphone deliver an email with your GPS location to your friends when you agree to meet in a new place. Tasker can do anything that translates into the language of programming, but the greatest advantage of this app is you don’t have to be a programmer to master at least the basics.
Installation
You can choose to try out this app by downloading the trial apk file from the developers website, which is a very welcome mve because you need to see whether you can master the app. Alternatively, you can opt for the retail download from the Google Play store, which will cost you $4. Installation is quite straightforward as long as you are fine with the app permissions.
Interface
A casual user might find the overwhelming number of features and the user interface in the advanced mode somewhat intimidating, but the main screen’s tabs are quite self-descriptive. By default, user interface displays 3 tabs – profiles, tasks and scenes, while the freshly installed app defaults to the beginner mode, where the main 3 functions are limited to search, add and help.
If you feel powerful enough you can disable the beginner mode in the Preferences page, and immediately you will see that default buttons are replaced by the project tab, the add button and Vars, that stands for variables. Even though the interface is somewhat dated, if compared to other modern-looking apps, but it is definitely self descriptive and highly detailed, offering a lot of sections, menus and help files, but it will make you dig and explore.
Pros
Powerful:
The ability to create virtually unlimited number of rules for your Android device for the ultimate automated performance.
This app allows you to create basically mini applications that will perform actions that you would like to be automated. The overwhelming functionality lets you create all sorts of profiles and rules, programming your device and make it even more flexible than the stock Android.
The ability to copy – paste tasks, profiles, actions, as well as multiple IF – THEN conditionals, which saves a great deal of time.
Knowledgebase and support:
This application is extremely popular and has a large database of usage examples and a vibrant online community on forums, where you can find answers to almost any question you may have.
Ease of use:
The default beginners mode is the right thing for the beginners who only start learning and mastering the logic.
Cons
Tasker is an extremely powerful tool for the technically savvy users, and it takes a lot of time and effort to master while sometimes it can be unreliable, especially if you create too many rules and debugging becomes virtually impossible if profiles or tasks conflict. So, you are better off beginning with some simple tasks and once you get the feel of how much more flexible and controllable your device can be, I’m sure you will get addicted to it, and will want to discover ever new possibilities of automating your device, making it truly smart.
Alternatives
IFTTT for Android is a newly released Android version of the app that is very popular on iTunes. I will be reviewing the Android app later this week to see how it performs against Tasker, but one obvious advantage of IFTTT is it’s free.
Actions Pro and PhoneWeaver may be a little easier for beginners to use, although may be not quite as detailed and omni-directional as Tasker. Both these apps have a free version, too.
Conclusion
The wealth of options in Tasker is truly unprecedented, even for Google Play store, and it is definitely worth the time you spend on learning, mastering and exploring. Even if you’re still not sure whether you can take advantage of it, you can download the trial version and take the week to sort it out and see if it works for you.
It is incredibly functional, but I would suggest the beginners proceed with caution. Other than that the app is extremely useful and once you grasp the idea you will find yourself toying with it to your heart’s content.
