Introduction
In today’s fast-paced digital world, individuals and professionals alike face the constant challenge of managing overwhelming to-do lists, scattered tasks, and information overload. The demand for productivity tools that strike the perfect balance between simplicity and powerful functionality has never been greater. Cultured Code, a boutique software studio headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, has emerged as a pioneer in this space by dedicating itself to crafting elegant, intuitive, and user-focused productivity solutions.
Since its founding in 2007, Cultured Code has remained steadfast in its mission to develop software that is not only highly functional but also a pleasure to interact with focusing on clean design, smooth user experience, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Their flagship application, Things, has garnered widespread acclaim for redefining task management on macOS, iOS, and watchOS. Known for its minimalist interface, powerful organizational capabilities, and thoughtful features, Things has won multiple awards and cultivated a loyal global community of users ranging from everyday consumers to professionals and creatives.
This article explores Cultured Code’s unique design philosophy, the key functionalities that differentiate Things from other task managers, the structure and culture of its international yet lean team, recent product updates including integration with the latest Apple technologies, and future directions the company envisions as it continues to innovate in the productivity software landscape.
What Is Cultured Code?
Cultured Code is not just another software company; it embodies a passion-driven approach to productivity software that prioritizes simplicity, thoughtful design, and user experience above all else. Founded in 2007 by Werner Jainek, Cultured Code has grown into a boutique software studio with a lean, agile, and highly skilled team of around a dozen members distributed across different countries worldwide. This globally dispersed yet closely connected team operates with a shared commitment to craftsmanship and quality, focusing on perfecting their products rather than chasing rapid growth or external funding.
In stark contrast to many technology startups that aggressively pursue venture capital and quick scaling, Cultured Code has deliberately chosen to remain independent and unfunded. This strategic decision grants the company full creative and operational control, enabling it to steer product development solely based on user needs and intrinsic product values rather than investor pressures or market hype. Their focus lies in building tools that foster productivity by helping users gain clarity, reduce overwhelm, and maintain focus in their everyday workflows.
This philosophy of intentional design and independence is deeply embedded in the core of their flagship product, Things a task management application that balances powerful features with an elegant, distraction-free interface. Through this approach, Cultured Code continues to cultivate a loyal global user base and uphold its reputation as a creator of software that truly elevates productivity without sacrificing beauty or ease of use.
Introducing Things: A Task Manager Designed Exclusively for Apple Devices
Things is a meticulously crafted personal task manager built to deliver a seamless and deeply integrated experience within Apple’s ecosystem. Available across Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and now extended to the cutting-edge Apple Vision Pro, Things leverages the strengths of each platform to offer users a powerful yet simple way to organize their tasks and time.
The design philosophy behind Things centers on minimalism and elegance—prioritizing clarity and ease of use without compromising on robust functionality. This approach enables users to manage complex workflows and daily routines intuitively, helping them stay focused and productive without feeling overwhelmed.
Key Features of Things:
- Quick Entry: Things empowers users to capture tasks instantly, no matter what they’re doing. Whether via customizable keyboard shortcuts on Mac, the intuitive Quick Entry window, or voice commands through Siri, users can jot down new tasks without interrupting their workflow.
- Repeating Tasks: To support ongoing habits and regular responsibilities, Things allows users to schedule recurring tasks with flexible intervals daily, weekly, monthly, or fully customized ensuring important routines never slip through the cracks.
- Due Dates and Scheduling: The app provides comprehensive scheduling options, enabling users to assign due dates, set deadlines, or specify start dates for each task. This versatility makes it easier to prioritize immediate goals while planning long-term projects.
- Projects and Areas: Users can organize their tasks into detailed projects with nested sub-tasks, allowing for granular control over complex goals. Projects can then be grouped into broader "Areas" such as Work, Personal, Health, or any other category, creating a clear and logical hierarchy for managing all facets of life.
- Logbook: A thoughtfully designed history feature, the Logbook keeps a record of all completed tasks. This provides users with a satisfying sense of progress and accomplishment, motivating them to continue their productivity journey.
- Markdown Support: Task notes support Markdown formatting, enabling rich-text styling such as bold, italics, lists, and links. This helps users maintain clarity and structure in their task details without cluttering the interface.
- Things Cloud: The proprietary cloud syncing service ensures that tasks, projects, and data stay perfectly in sync across all Apple devices. With secure and instant synchronization, users experience a continuous and uninterrupted workflow regardless of device.
- Calendar Integration: Things integrates seamlessly with Apple’s native Calendar app, allowing users to view events alongside their to-dos in one unified interface. This holistic view aids in effective time management and scheduling.
- Widgets & Automation: Leveraging iOS widgets, Things provides quick access to task lists directly from the home screen for at-a-glance productivity. Additionally, it supports integration with Apple’s Shortcuts app and other automation tools, enabling users to create customized workflows tailored to their unique needs.
Pricing and Recognition
Things is offered through a premium, one-time purchase model, with the app available separately for each Apple platform. Users can buy Things for $49.99 per device, including individual versions for Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Apple Watch. While this pricing structure differs from the increasingly common subscription models seen in productivity apps, it reflects Cultured Code’s philosophy of delivering long-lasting value through a polished, reliable product without recurring fees.
Despite the upfront cost, Things has cultivated a dedicated and enthusiastic user base worldwide. This loyalty is driven by the app’s elegant design, powerful features, and consistent, thoughtful updates that continually enhance user experience. Customers appreciate the transparency and simplicity of the pricing model, knowing they are investing in a product that prioritizes quality and longevity.
Cultured Code’s dedication to excellence has not gone unnoticed within the tech community. Things has received multiple Apple Design Awards, prestigious accolades that recognize outstanding innovation, technical achievement, and impeccable user interface design across Apple platforms. These awards highlight Things’ fluid animations, intuitive interactions, and seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem, underscoring the app’s reputation as one of the most beautifully crafted and user-friendly task managers available today.
A Global Team with a Local Touch
Despite its modest size, Cultured Code thrives on the rich diversity and wide-ranging expertise of its international team. With talented professionals based in countries including Germany, Poland, France, Czechia, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the United States, the company benefits from a broad spectrum of cultural perspectives and skill sets. This global collaboration fosters an environment of creativity and innovation, enabling Cultured Code to design productivity software that appeals universally while still respecting the unique expectations and nuances of Apple’s diverse user community around the world.
The team embraces a fully remote working culture, leveraging digital tools and asynchronous communication to bridge time zones efficiently. This flexibility not only enhances productivity but also supports a healthy work-life balance for team members values that mirror the core principles embedded in their software’s design philosophy. By living the balance and focus their apps aim to deliver, Cultured Code’s team creates products grounded in genuine understanding of users’ real-world needs and challenges.
Recent Developments and Future Outlook
Cultured Code remains deeply committed to keeping Things at the forefront of Apple’s evolving technology ecosystem by regularly releasing updates that ensure full compatibility with the latest hardware and software innovations. The most recent versions of Things are fully optimized for Apple’s newest operating systems, including macOS 14 Sonoma, iPadOS 17, iOS 17, watchOS 10, and the groundbreaking visionOS designed for the Apple Vision Pro headset. These timely updates unlock new possibilities for users, such as enhanced and more interactive notifications, redesigned widgets for quick task access, and innovative augmented reality interactions that redefine how tasks can be managed in immersive environments like Vision Pro.
Embracing Apple Intelligence
Looking toward the future, Cultured Code is actively investing in deeper integration with Apple’s cutting-edge Intelligence frameworks. By harnessing advances in machine learning and AI, Things aims to evolve into an even smarter productivity companion. Potential features on the horizon include intelligent task suggestions based on user behavior, predictive scheduling that adapts dynamically to changing priorities, and contextual reminders that anticipate user needs all designed to boost productivity while maintaining a strong commitment to user privacy and control. Cultured Code’s approach ensures that AI-driven enhancements support and empower users rather than overwhelm or distract them.
User-Centric Development
At the heart of Cultured Code’s ongoing innovation is a strong commitment to its passionate community of users. The company actively engages with its user base through forums, beta testing programs, and direct feedback channels. This continuous dialogue ensures that every update reflects practical improvements that enhance usability and preserve the elegant simplicity that Things is known for. Rather than overwhelming users with excessive new features, Cultured Code’s roadmap focuses on refining and polishing existing functionalities, reinforcing Things’ reputation for reliability, ease of use, and thoughtful design.
Conclusion
Cultured Code stands as a remarkable example of how a small, dedicated team can make a significant impact by focusing relentlessly on quality, thoughtful design, and exceptional user experience rather than chasing rapid expansion or external funding. Through its flagship product, Things, the company has raised the bar for task management within the Apple ecosystem, delivering a solution that balances power with elegance to help users organize and simplify their busy lives.
As Cultured Code continues to innovate in harmony with Apple’s evolving platforms and embraces intelligent automation technologies, it is well-positioned to remain a leader in productivity software innovation. Whether you are a casual user looking to bring order to daily tasks or a professional juggling complex projects, Things offers a seamless, beautifully crafted experience designed to empower you to achieve your goals with clarity, focus, and efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Cultured Code and Things
- Cultured Code is a boutique software studio founded in 2007 by Werner Jainek and based in Stuttgart, Germany. It focuses on creating elegant, user-centric productivity software, emphasizing quality, simplicity, and seamless integration with Apple devices. The company operates with a small, international team dedicated to crafting high-quality tools rather than chasing rapid growth or external funding.
- Things is Cultured Code’s flagship task management app designed exclusively for Apple devices. It offers a minimalist yet powerful interface for managing tasks, projects, and routines across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Things helps users stay organized with intuitive features and deep integration within Apple’s ecosystem.
- Things is available on macOS, iOS (iPhone and iPad), watchOS for Apple Watch, and the new visionOS platform for Apple Vision Pro. This broad device support allows users to stay productive across all their Apple hardware seamlessly.
- Quick Entry to capture tasks instantly
- Scheduling with due dates, deadlines, and recurring tasks
- Organizing tasks into Projects and broader Areas
- Logbook for viewing completed tasks
- Markdown support in task notes
- Things Cloud for secure, real-time syncing across devices
- Calendar integration with Apple’s native Calendar app
- Widgets and automation via iOS Shortcuts
- Things uses a premium one-time purchase model priced at $49.99 per device. Separate purchases are required for Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Apple Watch versions. This contrasts with many subscription-based productivity apps and reflects Cultured Code’s philosophy of long-term value without recurring fees.
- Yes, Things has won multiple Apple Design Awards, which recognize outstanding design, innovation, and user experience on Apple platforms. These accolades highlight its fluid animations, intuitive interface, and seamless integration.
- Cultured Code operates with a small team of about 12 members distributed globally across countries such as Germany, Poland, France, Czechia, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the United States. The team works remotely, embracing a flexible and collaborative work culture.
- By remaining independent and unfunded, Cultured Code retains full control over product decisions. They prioritize user needs and feedback collected via forums, beta programs, and direct communication, focusing on refining existing features and maintaining simplicity rather than adding unnecessary complexity.
- Cultured Code regularly updates Things to support the newest Apple operating systems like macOS 14 Sonoma, iPadOS 17, iOS 17, watchOS 10, and visionOS for Apple Vision Pro. These updates unlock new system capabilities such as enhanced notifications, redesigned widgets, and augmented reality task interactions.
- Yes, Cultured Code is investing in integrating Apple’s Intelligence frameworks to introduce smarter task suggestions, predictive scheduling, and contextual reminders. These AI-driven features aim to boost productivity while respecting user privacy and control.
- Things emphasizes thoughtful design, minimalism, and seamless user experience. The development approach is user-centric, focusing on practical, polished improvements informed by community feedback to ensure reliability and ease of use.
- Things is ideal for a broad range of users from casual individuals seeking to organize daily tasks to professionals managing complex projects. Its elegant and powerful design supports diverse productivity needs within the Apple ecosystem.
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