HN Explorer

21 comments

[ 4.8 ms ] story [ 53.7 ms ] thread
goughjustin
I would guess the money is based on speculation that a larger company (dropbox, google, facebook) would purchase your company and add your feature to their existing product.
mugenx86
Customers, skills, and market position (as the go-to todo app) are all contributing factors. I think they intend to expand the scope of the services they deliver -- collect data and hopefully, sell out to a larger company.
skreech
Integrating services like Taskrabbit, home delivery etc, at least if some kickback scheme is available. Location-based ads based on "things to buy".
joshuamerrill
As was explained to me by a friend who founded a recently-acquired to-do list company, the opportunity is to monetize intent. That is, if my to-do is "take clothes to dry cleaning," the app might be able to suggest a better/closer dry cleaner. You can also imagine many similar opportunities around travel.
sriramk
Orchestra raised a bunch of money for their todo app. And then they pivoted into Mailbox.
asselinpaul
One of the best about me page I've ever seen: http://www.any.do/about
vidyesh
Wistia too has a good page http://wistia.com/about/yearbook

Hint : Are you sure each profile has just one extra pose?

Edit : I find this page weird but its still a different About Us page http://bkwld.com/profile

markdown
The Wistia one is great, but that last one... WTF? Auto playing music went out of fashion in 1999.

It's completely disrespectful to their users.

jdotjdot
Disrespectful because of the playing of music or because it's out of fashion?

(not serious)

[dead] jdotjdot
Disrespectful because of the playing of music or because it's out of fashion?

(not serious)

cma
None of the comments make sense because the title was changed.. wtf mods

To answer the original question: because Yahoo! recently paid millions for the Astrid TODO list and is shutting it down, and VCs figure Google might want bragging rights over Yahoo! by buying a better one for even more money and shutting it down.

neya
Just in case anyone else was wondering, the (incompetent) mods here have changed the title from:

    Can somebody explain where is the money in a to-do app?
to

    Intelligent To Do List App Any.do Raises $3.5 Million
If the comments don't make sense, then it probably was meant for the original title.
gojomo
That was a competent title change. The title isn't for adding snarky/leading/argumentative spin to a story.
bornhuetter
This app looks interesting, but the permissions are outrageous. Why does it need to read my call log and smses, directly make phone calls etc?
neya
Hint - You might be the product xD
bornhuetter
Yeah, I'm not going to be installing this. I've been paying for RTM Pro (Android) for a couple of years, but it's expensive and doesn't quite fit my workflow so I've been looking at alternatives. Not interested in what looks like invasive vaporware.
krschultz
I have paid for RTM pro for years. It is money well spent every year. I have met the developer of the Any.do app, and he's a good guy. Vaporware it is not. But for an app I interact with multiple times every single day I have no problem paying money to avoid advertisements.
pavs
Have you tried Wunderlist?
metl_lord
The Any.Do app allows you to add 'call back person' to your task list when you miss a call. You can call that person from the app.
mcintyre1994
They use missed calls to make reminders, and they seem to allow you to link a number to a task to ring it. Not necessarily outrageous if what their website suggests it does is true.
jimmytucson
Haven't seen that many Jews on one page since the book of Leviticus.