

Notably, the Mac version is not required for cloud-based sync, allowing the app to be used exclusively on the iPhone and iPad.Īkin to Microsoft’s Visio for Windows users, OmniGraffle is the sort of app that feels more at home on a touchscreen device such as the iPad than on a traditional desktop computer, and The Omni Group put a lot of effort into ensuring that the user experience translated well onto the iPad, taking full advantage of the sophisticated and natural gestures available on the iPad multitouch interface. Bonjour-based Wi-Fi syncing is also available to users of the Mac version, but requires that both devices be on the same Wi-Fi network.
Omnioutliner for mac review free#
The Omni Group also provides its own, free WebDAV-based Omni Sync Server for users without iDisk or access to their own WebDAV service. Users can synchronize their OmniFocus database with other copies of OmniFocus, including the iPhone and Mac version using iDisk or WebDAV to sync wirelessly anywhere that Internet access is available. Both the Forecast and Review modes are exclusive to the iPad version of the app and are nice additions that increase the usefulness of the iPad for planning purposes even beyond the design of the Mac version in short, reviewing projects and task schedules feels smoother and more natural on the iPad than it does even in the more powerful desktop app. A “Mark Reviewed” button flags the project as “reviewed,” removing it from the list until the next review cycle and presenting the next project for review. Review mode presents each project that is scheduled for review and allows the user to quickly change the status of the project and add, edit or reorder items in the project.

Based on the GTD methodology for task management, this feature provides users with the ability to easily go through the project list on a regular basis, identifying things like stalled tasks and areas where new items need to be added. The Review mode allows users to see a list of projects that have been scheduled for periodic review. Tasks can be created, edited or completed from this view and users can tap in the calendar bar to see events scheduled for that particular block of time. The view also integrates with the iPad calendar, displaying a time bar at the bottom of each forecast screen indicating appointments scheduled for that day.

The Forecast screen provides a week-at-a-glance overview of tasks that are either due or starting in the next seven days. The iPad version also adds two unique features that emphasize the planning aspects of the app: Forecast and Review. OmniFocus for iPad includes all of the task management features found in the iPhone version, including support for viewing location-based tasks on a list of integrated map view, a quick entry dialog, and support for viewing tasks using custom perspectives created on the Mac. Tapping on an item brings up a side-tabbed dialog box that allows all of the item’s properties such as context, project, due dates, notes and attachments photos and audio recordings are supported as attachments and iPad 2 users can take a photo directly from the device’s camera in addition to selecting an item from the photo library. The app provides a nice, intuitive UI with discrete groupings of tasks for each project and controls that allow users to easily expand or collapse folders and projects. Using a similar UI concept to the built-in Mail app, OmniFocus on the iPad displays a standard list view in portrait mode with a pulldown sidebar for navigation turning the device into landscape mode provides the standard split-screen view with the navigation sidebar on the left and the detail view on the right. OmniFocus for iPad ($40) is a separate app from its iPhone counterpart and provides a dramatically different UI and expanded feature set. The iPhone version had been designed primarily for viewing and actioning tasks the iPad version of OmniFocus became a more complete planning and task management solution. The Omni Group began working on a native version of OmniFocus for the iPad as soon as the device debuted, however instead of taking the common shortcut of simply rescaling its iPhone app for the larger screen, the company considered the new features and different use cases of the iPad and redesigned the app appropriately. OmniFocus was one of the very first sophisticated task management apps to arrive for the iPhone that also provided seamless over-the-air synchronization with a desktop app. Debuted early on the App Store in the summer of 2008, OmniFocus for the iPhone ( iLounge rating: B+) was capable of being used as a standalone app but seemed more of a companion to its larger Mac desktop counterpart, synchronizing data via iDisk or a WebDAV server. Of The Omni Group’s four iPad apps, OmniFocus is the only one that began its iOS life as an iPhone and iPod touch app.
