The Omni Group

What a whirlwind of a year it's been! When the iPad was announced in January, I posted that we were planning to bring all five of our productivity apps to iPad. We've now shipped three of those five apps:

We're very proud of how well the iPad apps we've shipped so far are being received; they all have ratings which average four stars or better. And we're about to ship updates to each (with OmniFocus 1.1, OmniGraffle 1.3, and OmniGraphSketcher 1.3) which we'll be talking more about soon.

But we still have two more apps to ship!

First, a quick update on OmniPlan: we haven't really started on OmniPlan for iPad yet, because we're still busy building OmniPlan 2 for Mac. That's about to enter private beta; hopefully that process will give us a better sense of how close it is (and thus how soon we can start on the iPad app).

OmniOutliner is definitely closer, and we've made a lot of progress, but we've still got a ways to go.

When I say OmniOutliner has made a lot of progress, what I mean is this: it's currently able to read and view and edit and save OmniOutliner documents. But if there's one thing we've learned from building OmniFocus for iPad, it's that creating a great touch-based interface for text outlines is not an easy problem! It takes a lot of time. (Particularly when we have high standards for the animations: suddenly we have to worry about what the screen looks like through dozens of frames of animation, not just what it looks like before and after a change.) Creating a touchable outline wasn't easy to solve for OmniFocus, but at least there we knew what basic attributes each task would have: so we could decide which pieces of information to hide at what times, how to size and present everything to put your attention on the right pieces of information, etc. With OmniOutliner, on the other hand, every document gets to define its own schema, with different sets of columns, different summaries, etc., and we don't know what it all means and which bits of information are most important—so we have to build an interface which is much more general and flexible. It's fun work, but hard work and we still have a lot of it to do!

Meanwhile, Apple just gave developers a beta copy of iOS 4.2, which will be a free operating system update for the iPad and iPhone operating system when it ships in November. Since we still have a lot to do anyway, we think it makes the most sense to build OmniOutliner for iOS 4.2 (where we can take advantage of a number of its new features) rather than continuing to build OmniOutliner for iOS 3.2 and later scrambling to try to catch up with iOS 4.2's features. Since OmniOutliner for iPad will require iOS 4.2, it won't be out until sometime after that ships. (Though hopefully not long after!)

So, those are our plans at the moment! As I said in my original iPad or Bust! introduction, our plans change over time, so please don't rely on things happening exactly according to today's snapshot of those plans. But hopefully they will at least give you some insight into what we're doing and why, making it possible for you to decide whether we're going in a direction you're interested in.

As always, I'd welcome any feedback you might have: leave a comment here or send me a message on twitter (where you'll find me at @kcase).

Hallo, friends. To commemorate the big OmniFocus 1.8 update, with its bounty of interface improvements, I invite you to look back at the history of the OmniFocus interface.

The first publicly revealed image of the OmniFocus interface was this OmniGraffle mockup, from an event at the San Francisco Apple Store during Macworld 2007. I suppose I could post an actual screenshot, but I’ve always been proud to have something I worked on appear in a blurry photograph on a Mac rumors site, as if it was of some sort of top-secret Apple project.

Almost precisely one year later, OmniFocus 1.0 was released. I’ll be the first to admit that version 1.0 was a… utilitarian design. We maintained that all the first step needed to be was a proper Cocoa implementation of the AppleScript & OmniOutliner system, Kinkless GTD. Of course, we couldn’t help adding luxuries, but for the most part we were excited to get something useful out to people. Then, once it was out there, we wanted to hurry up and fix the flaws. So despite all their usefulness and charm, the early versions of OmniFocus did not have the benefit of comprehensive, contemplative design review.

Let’s look at OmniFocus 1.0 (actually 1.0.3, as that’s the earliest I could unearth) and see how it compares to version 1.8.

First Run

OmniFocus 1.0 had a rather unwelcoming first-run experience: an “unlicensed” message, a big white window that eventually loaded a waterfall of release notes, a disabled inspector of empty controls, and a sliver of the main window peeking through. Wh— why!? Well, after the public sneaky peek process, version 1.0 was, for almost everyone involved, just another build. Not paying enough attention to how it felt to use OmniFocus for the first time was our main oversight.

OmniFocus 1.8, though, starts out with nothing more than a normal window containing some sample projects, ready for you to get started. We're trying to recognize that you downloaded the app because you want to try it; there will be plenty of time for the rest of that stuff later. The trial notice sits politely in the upper corner of the window, ready to talk about licensing when you are. This lovely idea, now common in Mac software, originated in Coda.

General Typography and Layout

Your highfalutin literary quotation for today is Si latet, ars prodest — When the art is concealed, it succeeds. Ovid wrote that, around the year -1. And, uh, he was actually writing about how to impress a lady. But it’s just as true of typography and UI design: When someone has fretted over the tiny details of where and how your information is presented, the presentation becomes transparent and you see through it to the content. When the details are wrong, you get a sense that something is awry, even if you can’t pinpoint what; your stuff is there, but behind smudged glass in a crooked frame.

I’ll pick out a few of the improvements we’ve made since version 1.0 to give your data the presentation it deserves.

The most immediately refreshing change was switching the font from 12-point Helvetica to 13-point Lucida Grande. Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines recommend Lucida Grande as a default font for user content, because its wide apertures and distinct letterforms make for excellent readability on screens. Lots of applications, though (including Apple’s TextEdit and Mail) use Helvetica, presumably because it includes an oblique variant, which people expect when editing rich text. On iPhone, Helvetica seems to work well, possibly because of the higher DPI allowing for higher point sizes, and the tendency of the device to be closer to a reader’s eyes. For plain text on a Mac screen, though, Lucida Grande feels lighter and more spacious.

Giving each row more breathing space also made a big difference. It cost us a bit of information density, so your window needs to be bigger to accommodate the same stuff. But the way items feel more discrete and more individually substantial is worth it. Now each item is given plenty of space, making it a comfortable click target. But the space furnished to each item also acknowledges that it’s a thing that you have deemed meaningful enough to put in our application, not just another row crammed into a list.

We’ve nudged almost everything at least a pixel or two for better alignment. We cleaned up and encrispened all of the item icons, especially the little index cards that represent projects and contexts. What were once tiny boxes buzzing with high-contrast 1+1=3 effects have quieted down. No icons are rescaled from their original sizes into fuzzy mush anymore. (The new item icons are actually from when the nice folks at Bee Docs requested some graphics for their OmniFocus integration, and I was embarrassed to send the ones we had. So I went ahead and made the improvements I’d been meaning to make for a while.)

Filtering: Where Did My Data Go?

At first, one of our main goals was to facilitate personally customizable view settings, especially for hiding everything you don’t need to see right now. You know, so you can focus on your work. That quest for flexibility gave us the View Bar, Perspectives, Planning and Context modes, and a detailed item status system. You can demand Only show me items due today that are for this client and contain the word “web”, sorted by when I created them and grouped by context.

That was great. You could set up all sorts of precise searches, hiding unimportant items willy nilly. But the burden of governing all that power was on you. We neglected to include obvious, helpful built-in view settings with buttons you can mash to get back to a sensible state, and instead invited people to set up and manage their own Perspectives. Early-adopting power users were happy to take advantage of the view options, while casual or beginning users didn’t know where to begin or how to get back to seeing all of their stuff.

For version 1.5, part of clarifying what is going on with your view was simply increasing the visual substance of the View Bar, and labeling its many pop-up menus. For a while, we colored any setting that was different from the default. But it became unclear what “default” means, and whether we ought to be bothering people who preferred to keep slightly different settings from our recommended ones.

More importantly, we added several built-in perspectives to the default toolbar, for getting back to reliable view settings no matter where you are: Inbox, Projects, Contexts, Due, Flagged, and Review. These relieved the need for almost everyone to create the same basic perspectives. We knew that most people would want something like these views, so why not provide them in the first place? And if you want something slightly different, the rebuilt Perspectives interface makes it straightforward to adjust them or create your own.

Onward

Of course, all of these improvements, and the cornucopia of improvements I haven’t mentioned, have been tempered by needing to avoid changing the architecture or character of the app too drastically. So the really exciting new work is going into OmniFocus 2, the design of which is turning out to be a vanguard for the future of Omni Mac apps. I can't tell you anything about it yet, of course, but the designs we've come up with make me want to graduate from version 1 as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the tremendously positive response to OmniFocus for iPad has made us revisit our assumptions about Mac software. The marriage of our existing OmniFocus 2 plans and the philosophy of OmniFocus for iPad gives this app a pretty dang bright future.

If you’ve been using OmniFocus all along, and especially if you’ve let us know what you think of it, thank you for your lasting support. If you’ve started using OmniFocus lately, thank you for checking us out. If you aren’t using OmniFocus, well… thanks for reading this super long blog post anyway!

Today we're releasing OmniFocus 1.8, a free update for anyone using OmniFocus for Mac. OmniFocus 1.8 includes numerous updates to improve the user interface, workflow, and reliability.

The 1.8 update will now clean up automatically when switching views, moving items to their proper locations, just like OmniFocus for iPhone and OmniFocus for iPad. Filtering is improved with the more flexible View Bar. All items, including groups, projects, and Inbox items, can appear in Context-mode lists, making them easier to find. Also, groups and projects can now become next actions, so there is no need to switch to Planning mode to finish up a project.

Perspectives can now be easily shared as files, by simply dragging them out of OmniFocus. As introduced in OmniFocus for iPhone, a new bookmarklet can send web pages to the Inbox from a web browser.

Synchronization is faster and even more stable. Additionally, due item alerts can be synchronized alongside the OmniFocus database as a calendar.

For more information, including complete release notes, please visit the OmniFocus download page. If you're already using OmniFocus, you can Check for Updates from the OmniFocus menu to automatically download and install this latest update.

We hope you enjoy OmniFocus 1.8!

For the visual learners in the crowd, I thought I'd let you know there's now a comprehensive OmniFocus video training course available from Lynda.com. The training course offers more than 3 hours of info, but it's broken up into manageable 5-10 minute videos for your viewing pleasure. (I don't know about you, but the idea of sitting down to three and a half hours of anything is enough to send me packing. This is why I avoid all movies described as "epic" or "a sweeping cinematic masterpiece", because you totally know that's just shorthand for "better not drink anything before trying to watch this, unless your bladder is the size of an Airstream").

You'll need a Lynda.com subscription to watch the entire course, but there are a number of videos available for free so you can check out their approach and decide if it seems up your alley.

From the course description:

Join Chris Mattia in OmniFocus Essential Training as he shares how to capture and organize projects and action items into a system for managing tasks and getting work done. This course covers working with projects and contexts, dynamically building to-do lists, creating custom views with Perspectives, and synchronizing the OmniFocus database across multiple computers. Exercise files are included with the course.

Topics include:

The philosophy behind OmniFocus
Creating an actions list
Organizing projects with folders and action groups
Scheduling parallel and sequential actions
Adding photos and audio to actions
Integrating with iCal and Mail
Backing up and exporting data
Using the OmniFocus iPhone app

Also, don't forget—there's an online training course for OmniGraffle, too. There! I just planned out your whole weekend for you. It's gonna be awesome.

As you may know, we now have three different editions of OmniFocus: OmniFocus for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Our hope is that these options give you the right set of task management tools, so you can use whichever is right for your circumstance, wherever you are. You know, so you don't have to try and hammer a nail with a screwdriver. Because screwdrivers are for screws, and . . . uh, nails need . . . those nail-poundy whatsits, and—

Okay, that metaphor got away from me a little bit. OmniFocus: It's a Nail-Poundy Whatsit When You Need a Nail-Poundy Whatsit doesn't really roll off the tongue.

Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to talk with some OmniFocus users who are running the software on more than one device. I was curious to see how folks balance their task management when they're in different modes, how each version supports the work they do, and see if those who have all three versions really do use all three. Some of you may be wondering which versions you need, and I hope some of these stories will help give you a little more insight into what might work best for you.

One of the questions I asked was whether people used the app differently on one device as opposed to the other. (IE, is the way you interact with OmniFocus for iPhone the same as how you use it on a Mac?)  I also asked if they had a clear favorite, or if each version serves separate but equal needs.

I apologize in advance for the length of this post (seriously, you might want to get some coffee and maybe take a bathroom break first), but I received so many great responses I wanted to share as many with you as possible. Without further ado, let's hear from the OmniFocus users:

I keep the Mac version open at all times and use it to collect most my tasks, because I'm frequently by the computer. Whenever something needs action, I fire up the quick entry window, write it down and forget about it. Then while working I go through tasks by context. If I need to work on wireframes, or am just in a meeting, I now carry the iPad with me and collect/process through the new app for the iPad - there's no real reason to carry the laptop anymore.  If I'm not at work or if I'm outside for any reason, I use Omnifocus on the iPhone. When mobile, I use it to collect ideas, process my shopping list, and review projects. 

I would have to say that the Mac version is the one I use the most, and the one I can't imagine myself without. The iPad version is still too new for me to consider an essential part of my workflow (to blame is the lack of multitasking on the iPad, that makes it hard to switch between other apps and Omnifocus to collect actions).  — Fred, Developer and User Experience Designer 

I use the iMac primarily when I need to do heavy duty input.  (Also, I use the iMac if I am studying to input items that come to mind or that come up while studying.) I use the iPad version for the Review process, for quick reference when using iMac for other reasons, for quick input/review when I am in waiting situations, for reference/input to notes when in committee situations, when focusing on tasks in particular contexts.  I really do not use the iPod Touch version very much. The biggest use I have for it is if I am going into a store where a shopping list is needed. 

The iPad version is my favorite.  The Mac version is more efficient for input, the iPad version for reference/review. — Doug, Minister

I use the desktop versions for inbox processing, labeling, clipping, etc. Creation of action items happens here. I use the iPhone app to focus and get things done away from the computer.  The iPhone app is really a companion to the desktop, it is not a go-to because I spend numerous hours in front of the computer at work and have easy access to my iMac at home. 

The iPhone is great for course correction and minor tweaks, and truly makes the system "air tight" when you come up with that next action over happy hour. — Jarrod, Accounting Manager

I typically schedule a 15 minute "brain dump" where I sit in front of my Mac Mini and use the OmniFocus for Mac.  Then I usually sync with iPhone. However, after purchasing the iPad version, I have neglected the Mac version and just sit in my sofa while adding all of my tasks to my inbox. I also love the new "Forecast" feature on the iPad. I don't take my iPad outside of the home (I have the wi-fi version), so I usually sync with my iPhone. Even though I really love the iPad version of OmniFocus, I feel that the iPhone version is my most used device. It goes with me everywhere I go and gets more mileage than the other two devices.  So, the way I see it, both OmniFocus for Mac and iPad are used primarily as input devices for brain dump and some organizing and the iPhone version is the one the gets to go out and actually get things done and has the satisfaction of getting that "check" to accomplish all tasks. 

I would say that my favorite right now is the iPad version.  Omnigroup has done a great job with the app.  It may just be that I'm in a "honeymoon" stage, so I would have to see how I feel a month from now to see if I still enjoy it as much as I do now.  The iPhone version is great for its portability.  It goes everywhere I go and I always have my tasks with me (though I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing -- especially on vacation). — Mauricio, Church Teacher 

I used the iPhone app more when I was out and about, but since I was using it on an iPod Touch and wasn't always near wifi, it wasn't that effective. And I found it slow and hard to navigate on the small screen. I don't think I really use the Mac and iPad versions all that differently.  If I used something other than wifi for connecting, I guess I might be more likely to use the iPad (or iPod) while I was in the car, but as it is, I use OF generally at home or if I'm at the office for pretty much the same tasks. Though I think I've traditionally done more task entry on the Mac version, that's starting to shift. 

The new iPad app is fantastic.  It's now become what I think of as the home device for my task list.  I still use both laptops, but I strongly prefer the iPad version.  One thing, though, that is easier on the laptop version is setting specific dates. So, clear preference for the iPad and they all serve pretty much the same need with a few minor differences. — Robin, Faculty Member

 

OmniFocus Mac: I use OmniFocus for the Mac primarily for two reasons.  The first is to be essentially an OmniFocus server that has OmniFocus open all the time and captures emails I send myself, so they can be converted into tasks.  This is done on my Mac Mini sitting at home.  The other is when I need to do a really thorough review, like my quarterly review, where I know I may need to do some mind sweeps or serious reference file cleaning, which I'd do on my MBP.  

OmniFocus iPad: This has become my almost de facto review and entry method.  I've been trying to do as much work digitally as possible during the day by using my iPad as a replacement for the typical day planner/folio I've carrying around for years.  I'll have my iPad with me during the day and use it to capture tasks from a meeting or conference call.  

OmniFocus iPhone: This is my mobile task list manager when running errands, out on the job site, or capturing quick ad-hoc tasks in places I may not have my iPad with me.

I use OmniFocus for iPad for a majority of my time inside OmniFocus, but each version has its importance to me depending on when/where I'm interacting with my lists.  My overall workflow for handling/processing my lists really requires all three versions for me. — Jason from MyGeekDaddy 

How I use OF depends a bit on where I am. When in the office, I use OF in conjunction with Evernote. I keep extensive notes in Evernote, but anytime an action item comes up, I use clippings or quick entry to add a new item to my inbox. Then, I go through my Inbox periodically throughout the day to move items to projects and add context. I also try to retain 0 items in my email inbox, and I use the mail clippings feature to keep track of those emails that require action by me.

When I'm home or out of the office, the iPhone becomes my main device. I will refer to context lists depending on where I am, but mostly I am consuming/completing items from my iPhone rather then entering new items. If I do happen to have my home machine up and running, I will use it to review existing projects or add new items as they come up. Obviously, I depend heavily on synchronizing all of this data among my three devices.

I can't say I have a clear favorite because the two versions serve different needs. I would never want to be without the other. — Dave

I use OmniFocus on my iPhone mainly for quick reviews or quick entries if something hits me. Since I always have my iPhone with me I can always do a quick glance at what’s going on or remind myself self of where I’m going (direction in life). The use iPad version more now than the MacBook one because of easy portability but I still use the Macbook version when I take some time to sit down and do a full review of everything going on. The beautiful part of it all is all my devices sync perfectly through MobileMe. 

Probably the iPad (is my favorite) because it still has that new toy feel to it. — Dewey, UI/UX/Interaction/Graphic Designer 

I use each product in a slightly different way:

1. OmniFocus for Mac. When I need to do a lot of list work, I rely on the desktop version of OmniFocus. With a 24" monitor, I can quickly see and work through multiple lists. This is my favorite version and I use it everyday to get organized.

2. OmniFocus for iPad. With the smaller screen, I use it primarily for reviewing/tweaking individual projects. I also am really enjoying the new Review and Forecast modes. This version gives me most of the power of the desktop version, but with more convenience and portability.

3. OmniFocus for iPhone. I use it for "on the go" data collection and reference. It's my back-up brain. I no longer carry a Moleskine for data capture since I always have my phone with me.

Each version is slightly different which allows me to think about my work in different ways and "see" my work in different ways. I can easily find stray actions or dead contexts by using different versions. The trio of products helps me keep my lists up to date and my mind distraction free: everything I need to remember is in OmniFocus. Which version(s) of OmniFocus you need depends on your work style and the gear you carry with you. All three versions help me manage a busy work life, and even more importantly, they allow me to not work all of the time. OmniFocus quietly remembers all of the details while I'm outside enjoying our very brief Minnesota spring and summer. — Dave C.

I mainly use the desktop version of OF on my home iMac and my MacBook Pro.  The databases sync via my mobileme account, and i have had zero problems with that.  This is key, when my laptop was in the shop, it was simple to set up OF on a borrowed machine and sync it.  I was up and running in minutes.

While I do have the iPhone version, I rarely use it.  On my 3G it just didn't open and sync fast enough, though the quick entry feature was nice for capturing thoughts on the go.  Now that i have the iPhone4, I need to revisit if OF for iPhone is useful for me.  I don't have an iPad, yet.

Desktop is my clear favorite, by far. — David, Apple Certified Technical Coordinator

On the Mac: I generally still do my inbox processing here. In part, this is because I've mentally associated a specific place and time for inbox processing and that's something I already find difficult to do elsewhere (so the portability of the iPad isn't as much of a win). It's also because drag-and-drop still wins for speed when I'm working through an inbox.  Further, if I'm digging through other notes or tools for items that need to be processed, having multiple windows open in a "traditional" desktop environment lets me get that stuff into OmniFocus more efficiently than it does on the iPad. 

On the iPhone: The phone has some advantages and disadvantages that make it's place in my use very specific. The three aspects of the device that matter the most are physical size (both a pro and a con), it's almost always with me (big pro) and painful multitasking (con). Even with the iOS4 model, it's simply too heavyweight to switch around between apps, which means that any heavy-duty cross-referencing activity or inbox processing is right out. Additionally, anything other than a short text entry is kind of unpleasant just by virtue of the small physical dimensions. All that said, the fact that, in a pinch, I can basically do *anything* I could do with the bigger versions of the app is a Huge Deal. That's really the key to making OmniFocus work for me. Anything I might need to do, I can, and with a device that's almost always with me. 

On the iPad: This is  very new, of course, and I expect my use will evolve, but it has largely replaced the Mac version for the bulk of my use. In particular, the Forecast and Review modes are enormous wins and are straight up my preferred ways to see what's coming up and to do my weekly review across all three platforms. Much of the rest of the reason why the iPad is so fundamental to my workflow is because of the extra portability the iPad affords me with minimal compromise on how much I can see at one time. Yes, I find certain tasks easier to do in isolation on the Mac version, but the fact that the iPad is *so* much lighter and easier to carry with me than my Macbook trumps that most of the time. The "in a pinch, I could do anything here" effect still holds on the iPad, but it feels less like a compromise than on the iPhone. I could imagine a future in which I work almost strictly from the iPad version, with the iPhone as companion. I don't think it's there yet, but it's certainly plausible.

As to a favorite, I don't think I have a clear one. I think I could go without the iPhone and Mac versions for the longest, but I think that without the ubiquity of the phone and the power-user aspects of the Mac that my integration of the tool into my life would start to fracture long term. I'm pretty danged pleased with the iPad version though. Especially Forecast and Review, which really seem elegant and useful to me. — Josh

 

Of course, the OS X version is the most functional and is my primary client. When syncing was added, I was able to easily switch between my work and home computer (before that I kept the database on a flash drive). I purchased the iPhone version the day it was released so that I could have all my precious tasks with me while I was in a meeting or out and about. The iPhone version was good for reviewing and updating things, but the onscreen keyboard kept creation or significant modification of tasks to the desktop. Running 2x mode of the iPhone app on the iPad helped, but the native iPad version narrows that gap significantly.

As it stands, there still are some things the desktop version does that cannot be found elsewhere. The two primary are the notes field which supports rich text on the desktop (as compared to plain text on iPhone/iPad) and the totally useful Clip-O-Tron 3000 which I have begun using quite extensively to process mail and some related clippings. The interaction between mail clippings and Mail.app (having the relevant section in the notes with a link to the original message for additional context or to reply).

The best way to answer (which my favorite is) is to ask if there were only a single product, which one would I take? That would have to be the OS X version. The iPad is close second but the 1.0 version isn't quite there yet. Don't get me wrong, I use it daily both at home and at the office. The addition of reviews means I could live with the iPad version only, but it would be a compromise. With your desire for improvement I'm sure that every update will have me re-evaluate that decision. — Michael, IT Technology Manager 

The iPhone is my primary capturing device. When I'm on the road, in a meeting, on the train, I use OmniFocus for iPhone for capturing ideas and tasks to my inbox. When I'm travelling by car, I specially appreciate the audio note feature. Since iOS 4, I started using reminders on that device as well. 

On the Mac, I do the capturing in my home office, the organization of projects and actions. The integration with mail and the system in general is a great help. Doing a review on the iPhone is not very comfortable and I nearly never did that. So - before the iPad version was available - I did my weekly reviews on the Mac. At work, I had my MacBook on my side and did the capturing there. As I usually don't have a mac at my clients sites, the main reason for carrying my MacBook around was OmniFocus (and DEVONThink) and the more comfortable way of data entry and organization compared to the iPhone.

The release of the iPad version did a great thing for me: I now carry around my iPad. Doing a review on the iPad is very comfortable, even way better than doing that on the Mac. And I can do it wherever I want, i.e. on my balcony watching the sun dawn over the swiss alps or in the train, when I'm on my way home from a meeting in Zurich. Organizing is still not as intuitive as on the Mac, but it's possible.

As a conclusion: I could live without OmniFocus, I could even live without GTD. But I don't want to live without them. I am using OmniFocus on a regular base on my iMac, my MacBook, my iPhone and my iPad. If someone's not in a Mac Environment and wants to to GTD in an effective and efficient way, I do recommend buying an iPhone and an iPad and start using OmniFocus on both devices. With the iPad, there's no longer a strong need of the Mac version. You can do everything on the iPad as well. But if someone already got a Mac, I'd go for iPhone and Mac. I can go on like that for a while, because every combination is better than not having OmniFocus. The only thing, I'd not recommend, is having OmniFocus only on the iPhone. It's pretty hard to do the important organizational stuff on the small screen.

Currently, my clear favorite is OmniFocus for iPad. If I could only have one of the OmniFocus products, I'd definitely choose the iPad. It's more portable than the MacBook and OmniFocus for iPad is more comfortable to use than OmniFocus for iPhone. So it's the best of both worlds. In my opinion, if you have all devices (iPhone, iPad and Mac), you should buy OmniFocus for all of them. It gives you some more convenience and saves time. At a pricepoint of less than $150, it pays for itself. For me and most of my clients, it's equal to less than an hour of our work time. — Boris

I find the Mac and iPad versions the quickest when it comes to getting the information inside, especially with a bluetooth keyboard on my iPad. I'm a little more used to the Mac version but I love the look of the UI in the iPad version.  I really love the Forecast feature of the iPad version and I really hope I can test that feature in the beta Mac version soon.  I always have my iPhone with me so I never forget what groceries I need to buy or the dimensions of something I need at the hardware store. 

I don't have a favourite.  I need my iPhone version because it's more portable.  The Mac and iPad versions fill similar niches but, at the moment if I had to choose, I'd take the iPad version over the Mac because of the better looks and the Forecast feature. — Darcy

 

I now use OF on iPad the most. It's nice to be able to break away from the computer and sit somewhere more comfortable to review and organize. I have mail forwarding set up on my desktop, so I am constantly sending email from my office PC to land in my inbox. It shows up on my iPhone and iPad very quickly. The iPhone version is useful for it's mobility, but I really just use it now as a last resort if I don't have my iPad with me.

They serve different needs, and I'm glad to use all three, but I'd say the iPad version is my favorite. — Ben Smith

iPhone: The iPhone is essentially a glorified inbox collector for me these days. The most important GTD step is to actually write everything you think of down immediately so you don't waste your energy remembering it until you get home. I always have my phone with me, so OmniFocus iPhone is perfect for that. I'll also check on due/flagged items from my phone to help plan my day a bit.

Mac: This is where I organize all my tasks. If I need to process a bunch of inbox items, it's faster for me to just sit down and do it on the Mac. Most of my tasks have to be done at the mac anyway (writing code, sending emails, paying bills online, etc) so it's very nice to have the app around.

iPad: I'm not exactly sure where iPad fits in yet. The OmniFocus app there is so new I don't have anything set in stone yet. I've been using it for weekly review (which is great!) and to check in on all my tasks in bed at night. I'll do some inbox processing there too just to get peace of mind before I go to sleep. Again, it's so new I don't have a routine yet. I'd imagine if I go back to a full-time job where I couldn't use a Mac, I'd bring the iPad in just for OmniFocus.

I've been using the Mac version since beta so it's definitely my favorite just due to my comfort level with it. However, if I was new to the OmniFocus world, I'm guessing the iPad might take the cake here. I do love the iPhone version, and am impressed it launched alongside the app store. However, it'd be interesting to see the UI get a bit of a redesign to match some of the great improvements in OmniGraffle/OmniFocus for iPad. I think a new user would be fine with Mac + iPhone, or iPad + iPhone. You need the iPhone for collection out in the world, but need iPad or Mac for the heavier duty work. — Will, Developer 

Each version is very different from its siblings, and I use all of them differently. The iPhone app lets me bring my list with me, so I use it when I'm out running errands or visiting a client. It's also the place that I capture most of my ideas for things I need to do, which I'll leave in the Inbox until I get back to the office or home. I use the Mac version for what I call heavy lifting. Either reorganizing a project because facts on the ground have changed, or entering a lot of information, either with copying and pasting, typing notes, linking documents, or linking emails.

I use OmniFocus on the iPad probably the most. Every morning I wake up and scrub through my list at the kitchen table while drinking coffee to plan what I need to get done for the day by marking those items flagged. The new Forecast feature and the improved Review feature make this really easy, not to mention I find the touch interface more viscerally pleasurable to use. Then throughout the day, I get work done on my computer, and check things off on my iPad which sits on my desk in its stand. I really like being able to have my work and my to-do list on two separate screens. I always found command-tabbing between the two to be a pain.

OmniFocus on the iPad is easily my favorite. As I mentioned above, the touch interface is just a joy to use, and I find it far easier to plan my day and my projects when I'm away from my desk.

I do think each version serves a separate need. If pressed, I could get by without OmniFocus on iPhone because I could use the Notes app as an Inbox. I could probably also get by without OmniFocus on the Mac because I mostly use that version for heavy data entry, which is possible, but less convenient on the iPad. That said, I do think that if OmniFocus works for you and you can afford it, it's worth having a version for each platform you own. The different wireless sync options makes it so easy.

For someone who wanted to check out OmniFocus, I'd recommend the iPad version. OmniFocus is powerful on all three platforms, but I think the iPad version retains the easy navigability of its Mac sibling without being as intimidating as the Mac version can seem to new users. — John W., Lawyer

I think I use OmniFocus about the same way on my Mac, iPhone, or iPad. I toss ideas and quick tasks into the inbox so I don't have to break my concentration, then I organize it all later when I have some downtime. I love the keyboard shortcuts on my Mac, of course, because it's such a low-friction way of getting an idea out of my head and into an app where I won't forget it. But I use the iPhone and iPad versions the same way. They make it super convenient jot down ideas while on-the-go without having to lug my comparatively clunky MacBook Pro everywhere.

I think they all fill great niches. The Mac version lets me work very quickly without ever taking my hands off the keyboard, but the iPhone version is always with me wherever I go. The iPad version is a gorgeous evolution of the interface and workflow though, and it makes me wish I could work 24/7 just on my iPad, so if anything, I almost prefer it to the Mac version. — David Chartier, Associate Editor at Macworld.com

WHEW. I told you this was long. Thanks for all the wonderful responses, folks, and I hope those of you reading along found this valuable. I think it's clear there's no "best practice" recommendation for which of the apps will be most useful for you; it totally depends on your work style and where you are when you need access to your OmniFocus data. I know for me it's all about context, and I'm glad I have the choice to use a tool that suits my needs whether I'm at my desk, on the go, or sitting in a meeting. We hope, ultimately, that's what you feel like you have with OmniFocus: the right toolbox.

Questions/comments? Hit us up in the comments. We always love hearing from you.

Oh, you guys. I am so glad I don't have to start this post with anything other than this news:

OmniFocus for iPad is now available on the App Store.

It took longer than we anticipated to get here, and we're sorry for the frustration. Reminder note to selves: it's definitely hard to predict exactly how long it will take to design and build something no one has designed and built before. 

Our development and UI team deserve a huge amount of praise for the long hours they put into getting this release together. Thanks to the documentation folks and the video team for chasing a moving target in order to provide some how-to info on day one. Shout-out to Ken Case, who tried his best to keep you all in the loop on our progress, even when it became increasingly difficult to do so.

I hope you enjoy this app as much as we do. With the new task Forecasts, Map, built-in reviewing, and an entirely redesigned interface, I think there's a lot to love. But don't take my word for it: visit the OmniFocus for iPad website to learn about the features. Watch the overview video to see it in action.  And, of course, grab your own copy at the App Store. 

Thanks for hanging in there, folks. We're eagerly awaiting your feedback. 

[Last update: 7/29]

Hello, everyone!  Remember back in iPad or Bust when I said that our natural inclination is to be open about what we're doing, but that there were several problems with talking about future plans?

Well, I'm running smack into one of those problems right now:  we were hoping that we'd be ready to submit OmniFocus for iPad to Apple on June 30, and we shared that date last week. It's wonderful that everyone is so excited about that date, but I need to remind everyone that June 30 was never intended as a promise—it was simply our best estimate at that moment.

The team has been working around the clock on this for quite a while, and we made a very big push over the weekend. We're in that part of the development cycle where it's hard to predict exactly how soon we'll be done. The app feels very close—but tomorrow is closer.

Just in case you're still wondering "So when will OmniFocus for iPad be ready?"—I'm afraid I don't have anything else to suggest beyond what I just said:  we're working around the clock, and at this stage it's hard to predict exactly how soon it will be done. We're still testing the app and we don't know what issues we'll uncover or how long those issues will take to fix.  So, again: it feels close, but tomorrow is closer.

Sorry, I know this will be disappointing news for many of you—it's certainly disappointing for us. But we think the time put into the final product will be worth it: thank you for your patience. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at kc@omnigroup.com.

7/12 UPDATE: Sorry, I know the wait has been hard for everyone. (It's been hard for me, too!) This weekend I invited several people to help us beta test OmniFocus, and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I have to keep reminding myself that Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien, "the perfect is the enemy of the good," and that "not shipping" might be a worse flaw than a missing feature that we'd really like to implement. (After all, there's always 1.1!) To that end… I've been sorting through a few hundred bits of feedback to decide which issues and suggestions are important to address for 1.0 and which ones can wait. I'm about half-way through the list, and will post another update soon.

7/16 UPDATE: We've reached a big milestone: we've declared feature and UI freeze. The documentation is written, we have an intro video and welcome document, and so on. But we're not quite done yet: we're still tuning performance and memory usage, fixing glitchy animations, and eliminating crashes. Our test pilots are busy finding problems so you won't have to.

7/20 UPDATE: Code freeze! Release candidate tagged and built, it just needs to be put through a (hopefully final) round of testing.

7/21 UPDATE: Submitted to the App Store!  (I know they're very busy, but according to Apple's latest stats they review 85% of new apps within 7 days.)

7/28 UPDATE: The clock is definitely ticking, but there are still about 12 hours for OmniFocus to remain part of the 85%.  If you'd like to be notified by email the moment OmniFocus is available on the App Store, subscribe to our low-traffic OmniNews mailing list.

7/29 UPDATE: Expecting App Store approval at any moment. If we receive it between now and 6am tomorrow (Pacific Time), that's when we plan to release.

Hello, esteemed Omni blog readers! We have two bits of news for you today, both OmniFocus-focused. 

BIT O' NEWS THE FIRST

OmniFocus 1.7 for iPhone is now available! The big changes are related to iOS 4: the app is now multi-tasking aware, so it's compatible with the fast app switching in iOS 4; database optimizations can now be completed in the background on iOS 4, and OmniFocus 1.7 now uses local notifications to display due alerts when running on iOS 4 (giving you the option to receive alerts for due tasks, even when you're not syncing with a server). 

Also, all the artwork has been refreshed in preparation for that fancy new high-resolution Retina display on iPhone 4. Plus, the app now periodically releases the magical and revolutionary scent of mango. (One of these statements is not true.)

If you're like me and haven't updated your phone yet because you like to wait until everyone else has already done it and you can confirm there are no reports of people saying things like "ARGH MY RINGTONE GOT REPLACED WITH A VUVUZELA", you should grab this latest version of OmniFocus anyway, because it also includes some handy fixes and overall improvements. 

OmniFocus 1.7 for iPhone can be found at your friendly neighborhood App Store.

BIT O' NEWS THE SECOND

Some of you have expressed interest in an update on the projected release date for OmniFocus for iPad. Interest has been communicated in a variety of ways: gentle email queries, polite forum discussions, and of course there was that brick that got tossed through our lobby window wrapped in a note reading YOU SAID JUNE YOU DILL-WEEDS WHAT GIVES.

Here's our current plan: we are hoping to submit OmniFocus for iPad to Apple next week, on June 30. I emphasize hoping because it's not a certainty and this date was extracted with great reluctance. Many Bothans died to bring you this information.

We wish you could get your hands on it right now, but as tempting as it is to rush it out the door for all the folks who are waiting for it, there's still work that needs to be done. I've been using the development builds and it's really exciting to see how things are coming together. It's very close to being ready, at this point it's all about fixing the rough edges and working on the UI.

When I say that, I don't want you to get a mental picture of engineers arguing over the pixel placement of one button. I mean, I'm sure that happens—ha ha ha, ENGINEERS—but I'm talking about a giant effort to influence how you feel when you use OmniFocus. This app needs to be more than a place to store your to-dos, you know? It needs to be a pleasure to interact with. It needs to be a place you want to go on a regular basis. It needs to be satisfying. 

I believe there are some features in OmniFocus for iPad that have the potential to change the way some of us feel about task management. Specifically, for people like me who are lazy about committing to a task manager and repeatedly fall off the wagon, I think this could be the perfect combination of app and device that keeps us engaged.

But we have to do it right. If I don't enjoy opening the app and interacting with it, I won't stick with it. Simple as that.

So, all that's to say: we're close. We're really, really close. This part is mission-critical, though, and we hope you're okay with waiting just a bit longer. We're pretty sure it's going to be worth it. 

A Fable: It did come to pass, that upon a Tuesday, (the 27th of April, to be precise), Monica, one of the Elite members of our Support Ninja dojo, responded to an OmniFocus feature request. She did so, of course, with her usual (by which I mean exceptional) skill, grace, and professionalism.

In this way, the email was not unique. But, dear reader: do not be fooled. While the email was not unique in this particular way, the email was indeed unique. For it was the first email we would receive from this customer, but it was not the last. 

Within a few hours of the sending of Monica's response, we received another email from the same address. This one, however, was different. The title included the words "Tracking Number".

The ninjas were puzzled, for they had placed no order.

The ninjas, however, are students of Sun Tzu, who teaches: 

Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with suspicious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared.

So the ninjas observed.

This afternoon, a package arrived. "What could it contain?" they asked.

It was flat.

It was light.

It made no sound.

With care, the Ninjas opened the package. With surprise, they saw that it contained a Medium Astro Rocket from the fine folks at CardboardSafari.com.

We have erected a shrine to the Astro Rocket. It is awesome. We have the best customers ever. We're grateful for both. 

Page 4 of 11 pages ‹ First  < 2 3 4 5 6 >  Last ›