Above and Beyond 4.0 - Feb/Mar '98

Above & Beyond 4.0

Crank up Above & Beyond 4.0 and the program requests your name, then opens the help file. The standard on-screen interface consists of to-do items for that day, a representation of the items for the next month, and a calendar for the present month. Novice users will find it easy to get up and running with Above & Beyond.

The model for Above & Beyond 4.0 is task-based. Appointments are entered into the program with specific start times, while to-do (or fluid) items are entered without specific times listed. Any item entered can be highlighted for emphasis. Alarms can also be set for items to alert you of upcoming important dates or tasks. One feature most attorneys will like is the ability to assign tasks in 1/10-hour increments.

Each item entered into Above & Beyond 4.0 is assigned a priority. These priorities can be set from 1 to infinity, but any value larger than the current value for the given day is automatically assigned to the next highest value. Notes can also be entered for any item. Further, you have the ability to search for any specific item or note.

One strange feature of Above & Beyond is, unlike the other PIMs reviewed, the program provides no ready-to-use phone book. Contact information must be entered into the Notebook. Information on creating and logging this information is included in the manual supplied with the product, but not in the Help file. This is a significant drawback to this program, particularly for those users looking for an easy way to capture, retrieve and log information on individuals.

Another complaint with the application is that Above & Beyond does not provide pop-up hints regarding the buttons on the toolbar. Although some of the buttons are easily understood, most of them are not. For example, the back and forward buttons on the left side of the toolbar move location from one day to the next.

Editor's Note: Although not ready in time to meet the deadline for review in this article, 1Soft has released the lastest version of their product, Above & Beyond 98.

1Soft Corp.
541-822-6000

By Michael Jimmerson

From the Shopper's Guide to Personal Information Managers - Feb/Mar '98

Pros: Above & Beyond 4.0 features flexible calendaring and to-do list features.

Cons: Above & Beyond has no workable phonebook.

Verdict: Above & Beyond is a basic PIM and probably best suited for attorneys with limited needs. Power users will find it lacking essential features.