High Priority
High Priority is not compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) due to changes in the way calendar data is stored. For Leopard compatibility, High Priority would need to be re-written using the brand new Calendar Framework. As of yet, no plans have been made to release an update and High Priority remains compatible only with Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger).
High Priority ( 
Download | 
Order ) is an inexpensive Mac OS X 10.4 or higher menu extra whose sole purpose is to help you manage your To Dos in a simple, intuitive, and pleasant manner. Leveraging the power and simplicity of iCal, Apple's calendar software bundled with Mac OS X, High Priority allows you to create, edit, and remove your To Do items directly from the menu bar, without having to have iCal open.
Features of High Priority
Don't let High Priority's simple interface and elegant looks conceal its power. Designed as a menu extra, High Priority is configured directly from the System Preferences and has the options you need to customize its functionality to match your workflow.
View your To Dos
High Priority provides you with full control in regards to displaying your To Dos. Sort your menu by calendar, due date, priority, status, or title. Use informational icons to convey priority or status, or simply turn them off if you like. Other options include using tooltips to display further information, coloring To Do items by their corresponding iCal calendar color, and hiding completed To Dos.
Create, edit, and remove your To Dos
iCal is a wonderful application but a pain to launch when it comes to adding and editing To Dos. With High Priority, selecting any To Do item will bring up a window allowing you to view and edit its information while selecting a To Do with user-specified modifiers will allow you to toggle its status or remove it. Moreover, conveniently create new To Do items as you think of them by adding them directly from High Priority 1 .
Customizable
High Priority was designed to integrate into your workflow and not require you to adapt to it. More importantly, High Priority was designed to follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines. As a result, High Priority appears simply but can be greatly customized . As a menu extra, you can rearrange its position in the menu bar depending on your preference. Position the menu icon close to Spotlight or far away. Choose graphite images or blue ones. Use labels to separate To Dos or rely on informational icons. In the end, it's up to you.
Licenses for all
High Priority is inexpensive shareware. You're free to use High Priority unlicensed as long as you want, as well as to distribute it to others. There are no delays, nag screens, or reminders. However, there is one limitation in the unlicensed version: the inability to create new To Do items. Additionally, personal licenses start at $6!
Screen Shots
A Word of Warning
Although High Priority immediately writes changes to your calendar files immediately after you add, modify, or delete a To Do, if iCal is running at the time, the change will not display within the application until it has been quit and relaunched. This appears to occur because iCal only reloads it's calendar data on launch and at spread out intervals when active. A downside to this approach (which is faster and more efficient than using Sync Services) is that if a change is made to the calendar in iCal before iCal itself has noticed the changes from High Priority, it is possible for your modifications to be lost. The optimal user of High Priority will use High Priority to manage their To Dos when iCal is closed and primarily use iCal when running.
What's New in Version 1.11?
High Priority 1.11 is a maintenance update and is free of charge to all registered users. The following items have been added or changed in High Priority:
- New: Compiled as a Universal Binary
- New: Ability to hide subscribed calendars
- New: Hidden preference to choose between due dates on right or left
- Bug Fix: Due Dates now appear in localized format
- Bug Fix: Now properly parses non-standard completed dates that include time zone
- Bug Fix: Now properly parses due dates that include time
- Bug Fix: Now properly parses in URLs that don't contain a specified type
- Bug Fix: Now properly parses Priority 0 To Do items that would previously be shown at the top of the menu
To update High Priority from a previous install, double click on the High Priority preference pane. You will be asked if you'd like to replace High Priority. Press OK. You will need to either logout/login or restart for the new version to take effect.
Download
Go ahead, simplify your life - download High Priority today and start managing your To Dos with ease. Mac OS X 10.4 and the included iCal is all that is required. Currently, High Priority is available only in English 
although localized versions are planned for the near future.
Testimonials
High Priority is exactly what I've been looking for. No more. No less. It even incorporates flexibility I didn't know I wanted, but I appreciate now. It's unobtrusive, elegantly designed, and I love that I don't need iCal running to check (or check off) items on my to-do lists. The new features added in 1.1 include the keyboard shortcut to invoke the menu that I was hoping for, so I'm completely happy with this lean little utility now. And at only $6 for a personal license, High Priority is worth this meager amount just to support developers like this. If you use iCal, try HP -- you'll be using it and loving it within 30 seconds of downloading.
-Douglas Bowman, Stopdesign
Il existe de ces logiciels avec lesquels on tombe littéralement en amour. Pas parce qu’ils sont complexes, pas parce qu’ils sont des usines à gaz. Non, tout simplement parce qu’ils remplissent leur mission, et rien d’autre. Un peu comme High Priority. Plus simple que ça, tu meurs. Mais qu’il est pratique.
-Michel Dumais, Branchez-Vous.com
Order
Ordering a license for High Priority is not only easy, but also inexpensive (and secure)! After downloading, installing, and verifying that High Priority works, select the license that best suits your needs, checkout, and then enter your serial number within High Priority's preference pane.
A personal license allows you to use High Priority on any two computers you own and provides you with priority technical support and free updates.
A family license allows you to use High Priority on any machines owned in your household and provides you with priority technical support and free updates.
A business license allows you to use High Priority on any machine in your business and provides you with priority technical support and free updates.
Technical Support
Problems? The first place to get answers is the online documentation that features descriptions of all of High Priority's functions, as well as some of the hidden features. If you're still having problems, please visit the support page for some frequently asked questions and useful links.
Acknowledgments
A big thanks to Chris Boot for his Cocoa help and moral support. Also a huge round of applause to the beta testing team: Chris Boot, Andrew Ho, Eric Hsu, Ed Mullin, Jacob Stetser, and Mark Wubben. Lastly, a round of applause should be given to the open-source team behind Menu Cracker, which provides an enabler for 3rd parties to install their own menu extras.