OmniFocus for Android [No plans in foreseeable future.] [Archive]

BonafideBM

2008-07-08, 08:45 PM

Can somebody from Omni Group answer this question - will OmniFocus get an app for Android-based cell phones?

(I don't know, but I just assume there is synchronization between the iPhone and Mac versions of OmniFocus. I, too, would like to have my GTD system on-the-go. That was the reason I found myself not using OmniFocus - because it was always back home when I was at the grocery store or running errands across the county. (1) Put it in my hand and I utilize it. (2) The only way to put it in my hand is via my cell phone. And, alas, an iPhone is not an option (but an Android-based phone will be, for Sprint & T-Mobile users). So this is why I ask.)

Lizard

2008-07-08, 10:23 PM

I am not aware of any plans at Omni to make an Android version of OmniFocus. You may want to investigate the OmniFocus website extra or syncing OmniFocus with Toodledo. Both of these are discussed frequently in the OmniFocus extras forum: http://forums.omnigroup.com/forumdisplay.php?f=44

dconjar

2008-07-18, 08:42 AM

I am currently an iPhone user and am enjoying the iPhone and desktop interfaces for OF. I really thought that Apple would be poised to compete with Google Apps with the release of MobileMe, but it wound up being more of the same.

I'm much more reliant on Google than I am on Apple, and I only use Apple's features, like Mail, iCal, and Address Book, because I need my Google calendar, mail, and contacts to sync to my iPhone. To achieve this sync, I have to pay for software like SpanningSync and also do manual syncs with my iPhone, but it still seems like a better value than MobileMe.

My question - is Omnigroup planning to make an Android application? With devices planned to launch later this year, is there any planning or development for an Android application?

dconjar

2008-07-18, 09:09 AM

I actually just posted a thread about this and didn't know the issue was previously discussed.

When new Android-enabled phones start to emerge (HTC Dream?) within the upcoming months, I will definitely consider an iPhone replacement. I still rely on several Google services, and I think that MobileMe is not poised to compete in the web sector. Android offers awesome possibilities. It's like comparing Safari to Firefox. Safari is a major part of the OS, but Firefox 3.0 is faster and functions better than Safari, Camino, Opera, IE, etc. It took a few years of plugin development, but Firefox has the crown now.

I definitely think OF should consider developing an Android app.

@BonafideBM: The 2.0 unlock kit for the iPhone is probably available by now. I know the 2.0 software was jailbroken before the new iPhone software was launched. I believe that it allows you to purchase iPhone applications from the App Store (like OF), but you don't need an AT&T contract. It's something to look into.

ModMyiFone.com (http://www.modmyifone.com)

Toadling

2008-07-18, 10:45 AM

The Google apps are nice, but what really makes the MobileMe suite attractive over Google's offerings is its tight integration with the Mac desktop and iPhone environments. I also prefer the look-and-feel of Apple's design vision. The cost of MobileMe is also negligible (at least for me). The $100 per year price comes out to only about $0.28 per day.

Safari is a major part of the OS, but Firefox 3.0 is faster and functions better than Safari, Camino, Opera, IE, etc.

I will grant you that Firefox has more plugin capabilities and that it's probably easier to extend, but Firefox faster than Safari? Is that claim based on your personal observations or do you have some actual evidence? Most of the tests I've seen show Safari/Webkit on top in performance, and that supports my personal observations as well.

But don't get me wrong, Firefox 3 is a great browser, and I do use it on occasion. But I still prefer Safari (or OmniWeb) as my primary browser.

But what do these choices (Google apps vs. MobileMe and Firefox vs. Safari) have to do with OmniFocus being available on Android? Couldn't the iPhone (and OmniFocus) integrate with Firefox and the Google apps without resorting to Android?

If the Omni Group thinks there's a viable market for an Android version of OmniFocus, and it doesn't significantly detract from their Mac and iPhone development, then I say go for it. It doesn't really concern me.

However, I have serious reservations over the whole Android platform that make me think that an "OmniFocus for Android" is unlikely. Gruber (http://daringfireball.net/2008/06/android_expectations) and herenot (http://herenot.livejournal.com/60043.html) do a good job covering the salient points.

-Dennis

gtdToday

2008-07-18, 05:40 PM

Google does search and Web apps swell.

N one on the planet will touch the quality of the iPhone in the next five years. If Google tries a phone on their own they will crash like Icaurus. Rely on others to build the gear and we know where that ends up.

Why would someone on this forum even ask a question about android here unless they were a troll, trying to prop up an initiative that is already doomed to fail?

slinberg

2008-08-25, 05:32 AM

If Google tries a phone on their own they will crash like Icaurus.

Yikes! Have you alerted Google about this? They might not have heard!

Why would someone on this forum even ask a question about android here unless they were a troll

I don't know... maybe because they're genuinely interested?

It's great that you like your iphone. Expecting the rest of the world to validate your choice by making the same one is not rational behavior, and discussion of alternatives is not trolling.

I would be very interested in a version of OF for Android. I have many reservations about the iphone and Apple's tight control over it.

Andrew

2008-08-25, 11:45 AM

nateswart

2008-09-22, 02:33 PM

I wonder if a more advantageous route would be to develop a web interface for OmniFocus data and make it Google Gears compatible. It seems like this has the potential to offer support for Android devices while at the same time bringing support to other platform combinations as well.

That being said, I don't necessarily see Omni working on something like this in the short term, but it could potentially be something worked on by someone in the community.

dconjar

2008-09-22, 03:22 PM

Has there been any new developments in the Toodledo sync?

The iPhone 2.1 update made some great improvements. I may look at Android once they actually have phones out, but I think the iPhone is #1 now and it will just keep getting better.

I still say that a web interface is something that needs to be developed more and perfected. There are two different web interfaces for Omnifocus, one using Toodledo and the other using your Mac as a web server.

ptone

2008-09-23, 05:30 AM

Has there been any new developments in the Toodledo sync?

I still say that a web interface is something that needs to be developed more and perfected. There are two different web interfaces for Omnifocus, one using Toodledo and the other using your Mac as a web server.

I've mothballed the Toodledo sync (unless someone else wants to carry the torch, but its rare for someone to step up in these situations). Both web routes you mention were geared to the iPhone. I think a full blown web app ala the MobileMe apps, or 280slides would be awsome.

Where I think a web app for OF would be very cool is for PC users. It would be cool to see such a web app built in conjunction with multiuser/delegation support.

-P

pjb

2008-09-23, 08:55 AM

JKT

2008-10-02, 02:38 PM

The reason is fairly simple, I expect - OmniGroup are OS X developers only and the SDK and the OS for the iPhone are based on OS X technologies and design philosophies. Android is not and would therefore require OmniGroup to learn a new design philosophy and language. In other words, it is probably a great deal more work for them to (learn how to) build an Android app than it is for them to use several years of experience with NeXT, OS X, XCode, Interface Builder, etc. to build an iPhone app.

BonafideBM

2008-10-03, 10:37 PM

I forgot I posted this in here. Now that I have an iPhone, I came to this forum disappointed in 'OmniFocus for iPhone.' You have to have some MobileMe or WebDAV to sync? Let me rephrase this. You would think you could hook your iPhone to your Mac, click on a 'Sync' button, and the OmniFocus on the Macintosh would load up the OmniFocus on the iPhone, right? Well, not yet, anyway. The current inability to set up syncing with a simple local connection should have been disclaimed explicitly, not left as a read-between-the-lines,-we-got-WebDAV-and-MobileMe-sync-support-but-didn't-mention-anything-about-a-simple-USB-cable thing.

Back on topic, I still think that those users of OF-on-Mac who do not own iPhones would like to have OF on their cell phone in some way, shape or form. But, you guys have done a good job touching on the development hurdles and resource commitment and such. Echoing nateswart, Google Gears may be a good horse to ride if/when it comes to ride a horse down that trail.

@BonafideBM: The 2.0 unlock kit for the iPhone is probably available by now. I know the 2.0 software was jailbroken before the new iPhone software was launched. I believe that it allows you to purchase iPhone applications from the App Store (like OF), but you don't need an AT&T contract. It's something to look into.[/URL]
Yeah, man. :cool:

Why would someone on this forum even ask a question about android here unless they were a troll, trying to prop up an initiative that is already doomed to fail?
Their Oughtta Be A Law: Read Before Replying (http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost.php?p=39615&postcount=4)

Toadling

2008-10-03, 11:30 PM

Now that I have an iPhone, I came to this forum disappointed in 'OmniFocus for iPhone.' You have to have some MobileMe or WebDAV to sync? Let me rephrase this. You would think you could hook your iPhone to your Mac, click on a 'Sync' button, and the OmniFocus on the Macintosh would load up the OmniFocus on the iPhone, right? Well, not yet, anyway. The current inability to set up syncing with a simple local connection should have been disclaimed explicitly, not left as a read-between-the-lines,-we-got-WebDAV-and-MobileMe-sync-support-but-didn't-mention-anything-about-a-simple-USB-cable thing.

From the iPhone page in iTunes App Store (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284885288&mt=8):

"OmniFocus can synchronize with OmniFocus 1.1 for Mac (currently in public beta) via MobileMe or a WebDAV-enabled web server."

From the OmniFocus of iPhone page (http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnifocus/iphone/) on Omni Group's web site:

"It's easy to sync your OmniFocus data between multiple Mac computers and your iPhone using your iDisk if you're a MobileMe subscriber or a by using a generic WebDAV server."

The OmniFocus FAQ (http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnifocus/support/#iphone-11) on the Omni Group web site answers all of your questions and more. For example:

"Why don't you have sync over the USB cable, or timed alerts, or color-coded badges on the app icon, or rich text, or [other obviously useful but absent feature]?

These are all limitations of the iPhone platform, not design choices. The platform is still very young, and we're already thrilled with what we can do, but if Apple wants to open up these features to us, we will be more than happy to take advantage of them."

Third-party apps don't have access to sync over USB. That's pretty widely-known. I'm sorry if you didn't stumble upon any of this information ahead of time, but with all due respect, you can hardly blame anyone but yourself. And if there was any doubt in your mind, why not ask on this forum before buying or send an email to the Omni Group?

Having said that, local network (Bonjour) syncing with the iPhone is coming in the very near future (maybe even next week?). That'll be just as easy as a USB sync but without the cables. So no need to be disappointed!

-Dennis

BonafideBM

2008-10-10, 08:41 PM

That FAQ link and the OmniFocus news update (http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=9531) sticky do a good job, both explaining why the situation is as it is, as well as hearing somebody echoing what I was trying to say. At any rate, once Apple "allows" the new version of OF for iPhone to go up, its going to rock! I prefer to go out on a more positive tone for the maker of Graffle and Outliner, two most excellent products.

robrecord

2009-09-24, 12:41 PM

I just want to register my interest in either an OF client for Android, a way to sync OF with a service like RTM or ToodleDo, or some kind of mobile-friendly web interface that I can use on a phone.

Having just got my shiny new Android HTC Hero, I am sorely lacking any kind of tasks sync. My only option at the moment is to stop using OmniFocus and put everything on Remember The Milk, which I am obviously loathe to do.

I suppose sync with RTM or ToodleDo would be the most viable - any hint of this being considered by the powers that be?

In anticipation.... :)

CatOne

2009-09-24, 07:22 PM

I think Apple is doing a beautiful job with the iPhone interface, but it is not an open platform and far more people have non-Apple phones. As long as there is no 3G service in my state, I'll be sticking to my stupid candybar phone and my iPod Touch. Has the reasoning changed for a small shop like Omni to stick with a narrow platform sector with the teen-age of the pocket computer? I don't expect to be let in on internal company discussions here, and people reading these posts are pleased with their Apples, but where's the future? If I can buy a smart phone from my local mobile company next year running Android, will I stop using OF?

The market outside the iPhone itself is very fragmented; developing 10 versions of OF, especially with the primitive Java SDKs on many of these phones, would be 50x the work, to perhaps increase the potential market by 25%. It would be a waste of time, if there are still features they could add in the existing app.

I think, for now, if you want to use OF on a mobile device, your option is to get an iPhone or an iPod touch.

robrecord

2009-09-25, 12:06 AM

I understand that a native client for every device may be out of the question. With other services, developers take it into their own hands to create clients that utilise the other company's service or API.

The market for task apps on Android that sync with anything native on the Mac is currently covered by NO-ONE. That would mean if the Omni Group spend a comparatively small amount of time (compared to creating a native app) creating the ability to sync with just one more service (eg Remember the Milk), not only would people on Android be able to use the service, but people using many other devices too would be able to use OmniFocus as the hub of their tasks. OmniFocus would be the first one in!

Another possibility that I can see is that eventually Google Tasks will mature into a service that can sync with iCal tasks. Unfortunately, this leaves much to be desired as iCal tasks have way less information stored in them than OF actually uses.

CatOne

2009-09-25, 06:57 AM

The market for task apps on Android that sync with anything native on the Mac is currently covered by NO-ONE. That would mean if the Omni Group spend a comparatively small amount of time (compared to creating a native app) creating the ability to sync with just one more service (eg Remember the Milk), not only would people on Android be able to use the service, but people using many other devices too would be able to use OmniFocus as the hub of their tasks. OmniFocus would be the first one in!

.

Sure. Well, the Omni Group have been Cocoa/Objective C programmers for years. They probably have hundreds of years experience between them.

No Cocoa or Objective-C on Android. :)

robrecord

2009-09-26, 03:05 AM

No Cocoa or Objective-C on Android. :)

I understand what you are saying.

However, you can code an OmniFocus sync plugin for the Remember The Milk API in Cocoa or Objective C, no? That's what I was getting at. It would really open up OmniFocus to a lot more users.

If this is not viable, I really look forward to a web client at least.

cas_johnson

2009-10-29, 12:49 PM

whpalmer4

2009-10-29, 01:23 PM

defilmj

2009-11-06, 05:28 AM

I'm one of the unfortunate millions who CAN NOT get an iPhone - because I live in an area of the US that does NOT have AT&T (and I won't even go into jailbreaking, iPod Touch, yadda, yadda - sorry - just not quite my thing to geek out THAT far for a device that's supposed to be dead simple to use).

I'm a Mac Geek, but with the Android coming out next week on Verizon (which I'm currently on), and the iPhone maaaybbbeeee not coming to Verizon for several more months after (probably??? hopefully???) - I'm probably going to get a Droid. I'm just plain tired of waiting - it's been years. Literally.

So, here's my vote for OmniFocus on Droid. Cheers. :)

I have multiple mac's and live and die daily by OF on my Mac and Iphone.
but really I have played with the Droid phone, and as WIRED would say:
Wired: Droid, Tired: Iphone". Then again, I did buy an iphone just to
run OF, but AT&T is killing me. As a Network Architect for real-time embedded systems for 20 years, and 10 years in real-time embedded systems development running on AT&T in NY is like running Bell102.
I get 76Kbs up and 30Kbs down. On my Mac I use a Vzn CDMA Rev A broadband card and get about 1.2Mbs down, 670Kbs up. With recent loss of Bingodisk support for WEBDAV, and Swissdisk major crash, I have to say Mobileme hasn't had those issues in a long while, but syncing with MM
via AT&T is frustrating.

Buying an Iphone, and switching to MAC for the best SW design of the GTD method (and I tried them all), I would indeed buy a Droid just for OF on Verizons network.

I was watching a screencast from screencastonline podcast, and they did
3 sessions on THINGS. I don't care for it because of the way they try to
make contexts fit in to their software via a Kludge, but they are developing
for Android. Heck the bulk of the code is C based. Mac OS X is a Cocco
Gui on Darwin Linux, Android is a linux based OS, how tough could this really be? Not trivial, but the bulk of the logic is transferrable, leaving the GUI code and Sync.

I am not jumping ship because Vzn is being stupid about the Droid charging $45 extra if you want to sync with exchange at work, and finding ways to
$10 and $20 dollar you to death. But OF on Android with Mac sync ability would be awesome.:cool:

ackmn678

2009-11-09, 01:44 PM

I wouldn't trade my Mac notebooks and their elegant OS X operating systems for anything. And I'm not about to give up my Droid, even if an iPhone is released for Verizon.

One more vote here for an OmniFocus like app for Android 2.0.

vauha27

2009-11-27, 10:46 PM

One more vote here for an OmniFocus like app for Android 2.0.

Well, just for the record. One vote against iPhone for Android. I'd never buy anything with unavoidable Google inside. Google is already way too powerful and I'd never trust them with my beloved data. There is no such thing as free lunch.

And I would never buy again any other phone but an iPhone as long as Apple will produce iPhones.

I'd prefer that Omnifocus focuses on OS X and the iPhone. Seems to be complicated enough. No need to spread resources.

niels

2009-12-07, 03:02 PM

As others have noted, Android has NOTHING in common with either the iPhone or Mac frameworks & requires the equivalent of a full rewrite. The Android platform has been out for a while now & hasn't set any sales records. Even the much anticipated Droid release on Verizon sold fewer units it's opening weekend than the original iPhone did by a 10-1 ratio, it's doubtful it makes ANY economic sense to do split development resources to a DOA platform.

robrecord

2009-12-08, 02:29 AM

I'm sure that Omni Group are intelligent enough to know if they are spreading their resources too thinly.

robrecord

2009-12-08, 02:32 AM

As I have said before, even just adding sync capability with something like Remember The Milk or Google Tasks when the API is released would be helpful, so that other task managers on this platform can be used. At the moment I have zero sync ability.

niels, have you even used a droid phone? Spoken to anyone who's used one? I can assure you that it is not DOA.

niels

2009-12-11, 09:07 AM

niels, have you even used a droid phone? Spoken to anyone who's used one? I can assure you that it is not DOA.

I've been in the mobile application development space for a long time & have owned multiple mobile devices at the same time. I used to do a lot of J2ME development & can tell you that a fragmented platform makes developing anything more than the most trivial of apps difficult & expensive. We didn't bother with Windows mobile or native Symbian for the same reason.

I've played with the Droid & other Android devices. While it's far better than many of the J2ME (typically Symbian) or Windows Mobile devices out there, it still comes up short to the iPhone OS both as a consumer and a developer. But I stand by my statement... the sales numbers just don't show Android as a viable platform. That doesn't mean it can't change, but if after a few generations and on multiple carriers, they still can't meet 1/10 the first gen sales of the iPhone on a single carrier, how likely is it?

When you also figure the iPhone OS is now not only the iPhone but also the iPod touch, it's a huge market, that is continuing to grow at rates far outpacing Android or even last year's "iPhone Killer", the Palm Pre. If you look closely, the growth rate of the iPhone OS (both phone & iPod) is nearly enough to wipe out all Android sales, thus why I said DOA.

robrecord

2010-01-05, 03:09 AM

I heard from someone that you have to get the internet in order to use the android market.

This isn't a forum for discussing android devices - there are plenty of others that deal with that. However, all your assumptions are correct.

unarmed

2010-01-06, 06:52 AM

The only thing stopping me from switching to the android platform is the lack of an omnifocus application. I was wondering, have you guys have considered developing for android phones?

Greg Jones

2010-01-06, 07:55 AM

A search of the OmniFocus forums for Android turns up these (http://forums.omnigroup.com/search.php?searchid=518407) threads. Although it is an older post, one thread in particular includes an official response from The Omni Group.

eeyan

2010-01-25, 10:51 AM

Asking about support for alternate platforms is quite legitimate (although the forums are not a great place to get an answer as this isn't an official support mechanism).

We don't currently have any plans for an Android version of OmniFocus. We do not have expertise in the Android platform, nor do we have any great internal need for or interest in it, or even many requests for it, and it has yet to prove itself either technically or in the market, so as you can see it has a fairly high burden before we would consider developing for it.

Anyone interested in getting OmniFocus on Android (or any other platform) should register their interest with us. Since our forums are primarily for the community rather than an official support conduit, this may be a good place to gauge community interest, but it's not a good place to make a request. I suggest that you email our support team ("Send Feedback" from the Help menu if you have OmniFocus, otherwise see the OmniFocus web pages for the support email address) to register your request.

Although Android is definitely not at the same level of market penetration as the iPhone (although strict data usage isn't a true measure of market share, after a 7% jump last November it was still only at about half of the iPhone OS (http://techie-buzz.com/mobile-news/android-os-gains-7percent-market-share.html) I would actually argue that measure is biased towards the iPhone because it is only the US market and the fact that the App store is more fully developed than the Android Market, so of course iPhone users will use more data) it is definitely a growing market, and growing faster than the iPhone's market share. I personally am stuck with the Verizon network (but when my boss foots the phone bill I can't complain) so the iPhone isn't an option for me. I use a Droid Eris and love it, but it is definitely still only for power users. It just takes too much time and playing around with it just to get set up and customized properly that your average user will just get frustrated and turn to their old feature phone or a blackberry, in my opinion.

I have thought about getting an iPod Touch, I don't want to give in just because a few developers (ones that I really care about and whose applications I would love to integrate into my routine, but still not that many) still ignore the Android platform. Android is also so flexible that there is no excuse for not having any application at least sync with an appropriate web service, and every web app I have encountered works well with Android (even Android 1.5) and my Droid Eris. I love what OF has done to my productivity and work routine, but I don't have any way of syncing it to my portable devices (besides my hackintosh netbook, but I like to avoid carrying a backpack when I can) even though there are so many options!

For your average android user, OF could sync with Android if you made it sync with Remember the Milk, Google Tasks, Astrid (an Android to do list that can sync with RTM), or if someone figured out how to sync Google Tasks with iCal tasks. I hope your new job position is evidence that you guys are working on something like this!

recenelloa

2010-02-06, 04:38 PM

I sent an email to them, but I just want to post it here too. An app for Android would be SO SWEET. It stinks so bad that it only works with iphone.

It's money i would quickly pay to Omnigroup if they made an app.

robrecord

2010-02-07, 09:46 AM

Perhaps Remember The Milk might fancy adding support for syncing with OmniFocus documents? Although the lack of 'projects' available in their task architecture might make it hard.

As far as syncing with an android app is concerned, the best contenders I can see are Astrid (although lacks projects) and Shuffle (not quite as polished).

Unless of course, Omni Group release their own app.

HappyDude

2010-03-16, 07:57 PM

The solution for this is to find another means to do your GTD'ing while on the Android phone w/o getting rid of OF on your Mac.

I live daily using OF on my Mac and when I had my iPod Touch w/ the OF app I would make sure to sync before heading out the door every morning, whenever I had wifi and always at night when I got home. It worked out perfectly, primarilly because the OF Mac application is soooo perfect. But the OF iPhone app is just okay.

I'll be getting an android phone is less than 2 weeks and am already searching for ways to keep using OF on my Mac, but have is sync to something online such as Toodle-Do or RTM. Then access it on the Andriod phone I end up choosing.

Did someone mention here on the thread Things is coming out for Android? This may be enough to make me switch just cause of syncing, though I do enjoy OF and have someday/maybes on it that have start dates in 2011.

delenca

2010-03-17, 05:54 AM

+1 on Omnifocus on Android (Droid).

The decision on developing Omnifocus for Android seems like a no-brainer to me. You just have to look at the future - there's huge potential for growth in the Android field and if Omnifocus puts a stake on the ground they'll grab the first costumers. Unlike Things I suspect Omni actually has the resources to simultaneously develop on Mac, Iphone and Android without spreading itself too thin. It's really a business decision - if they think there's a likely return on investment from developing an app for android, then they should do it. Given the fact that an app like Omnifocus would be of daily, critical use to most people, almost everybody would be willing to pay $$ for it (unlike gag/gimmick apps that only succeed by being free).

In the meantime, I am trying out a GTD solution using Evernote. I am finding that it can actually accomplish what a lot of us seek - a synchronized tool that you can run on Mac, Android, IPhone, PC, etc, etc...
Here's one way to implement GTD on Evernote: GTD on evernote (http://forum.evernote.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=11926&p=49758&hilit=always+on+top#p49758).
Even though the app is not built strictly around GTD idea, this implementation is actually working pretty well for me. In the absence of any competition from Omnifocus and Things, Evernote is just going to grab the market.

JKT

2010-03-18, 10:03 AM

Did someone mention here on the thread Things is coming out for Android? This may be enough to make me switch just cause of syncing, though I do enjoy OF and have someday/maybes on it that have start dates in 2011.
If it is as awful as the iPhone version of Things, I wouldn't get your hopes up. I also wouldn't expect it to appear soon, as Cultured Code have been promising recurring tasks in the iPhone app for over a year and a quarter now and they still haven't implemented them. Look elsewhere first as it was a severely disappointing £6 spent.

CatOne

2010-03-18, 07:45 PM

Development for Android isn't really a "non brainer" given the Omni Group has COCOA development expertise and knows COCOA and COCOA TOUCH and Android has nothing of the sort.

Coupled with the fact that they have announced they are going full speed ahead on porting lots of apps to the iPad which is COCOA... I really think the "no brainer" comment is a bit off the mark.

A move away from the iPhone or the iPod Touch is probably a move away from OmniFocus... so it's your choice.

ringods

2010-03-19, 12:16 AM

Development for Android isn't really a "non brainer" given the Omni Group has COCOA development expertise and knows COCOA and COCOA TOUCH and Android has nothing of the sort.

Look at the available (Snow) Leopard features! My only request for OmniFocus is that they open up access to our *own* data: Sync Services (http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/cocoa/Conceptual/SyncServices/SyncServices.html).

Once we have that, someone else can write a client that can interface with an Android/<other device here> to pull the OmniFocus entries to anything we want with 2-way sync...

Ringo

btlzu2

2010-04-30, 12:37 PM

Having been an iPhone user for 3 months and going bleeding INSANE over AT&T's awful network, I would love and pay mucho dinero for an Android version of my beloved OmniFocus.

Love the iPhone, Hate the network.

Android is a great little OS and it's on the best network in the U.S. so that trumps all.
:cool:

dfjdejulio

2010-05-03, 01:04 PM

Your best bet for getting this functionality right now is to turn on the OmniFocus/iCal sync locally, and then sync iCal tasks out to other systems.

In theory, if you sync from OmniFocus out to an iCal calendar that's backed by a CalDAV store, you should be able to access those todo items via other mechanisms. You can test this theory by trying to access the same CalDAV calendar via Mozilla Sunbird. And then you should be able to mark the task as done in any CalDAV client, and that should flow all the way back into OmniFocus the next time you do an iCal sync.

Now, from what I've read, Google's CalDAV service simply doesn't support todo items. At all. That's a shortcoming of their service, and is up to Google to fix. To interoperate with Google's own "tasks/todo" mechanism, you have to code to custom task-only Google APIs instead of open, interoperable standards such as CalDAV (which they do support, but only for events). I suggest submitting a feature request to Google, asking them to take care of this problem. Once they have, syncing from OmniFocus through to whatever Google device/interface you want ought to be pretty simple.

But asking other developers that already have a pathway for syncing with CalDAV work around shortcomings in one vendor's incomplete CalDAV implementation, rather than asking that vendor to fix their broken implementation, is arguably not the most reasonable approach available.

btlzu2

2010-05-03, 01:19 PM

But asking other developers that already have a pathway for syncing with CalDAV work around shortcomings in one vendor's incomplete CalDAV implementation, rather than asking that vendor to fix their broken implementation, is arguably not the most reasonable approach available.

Thanks a lot for the recommendation dfjdejulio. I think my main issue is that it would be lovely to have the OmniFocus client on Android. Not sure if you're replying to someone else on the thread, but to speak for myself, I agree with you that specific request would be unreasonable.

However, having OmniFocus as a client on Android to a burgeoning user base doesn't seem to me to be a bad idea or unreasonable. Even if it didn't sync with anything at this time.

It would be interesting to see if a library could be written which would sync with MobileMe from Apple. That might be useful for this. Hmmm...sounds like a potential fun project for me. :)

Rob

dfjdejulio

2010-05-04, 12:32 PM

However, having OmniFocus as a client on Android to a burgeoning user base doesn't seem to me to be a bad idea or unreasonable.
The problem of course is that people don't quite grasp the degree to which Android and iPhone are fundamentally incompatible programming environments. You can't you the same language across them... and you can't even really use the same application architecture across them.

To some extent, it might be like pointing at an enterprise web application written with J2EE and all sorts of deep frameworks and stuff, and saying "well, it would be nifty to have a version written in FORTRAN that runs on an EBCDIC-based mainframe". You wouldn't be able to "salvage" much beyond requirements and specifications and models, it's more like a re-write from scratch than a port. (Even to the point of not being able to salvage data formats, if your data model was persisted by a tool that's on one platform and not the other. Like, say, Hibernate in the J2EE case, or Core Data in the iPhone case.)

whpalmer4

2010-05-04, 01:21 PM

...and if you're going to go to all that work of porting OmniFocus to a completely different platform, you might as well spend the effort catering to the largest pool of potential customers, which would be those poor saps stuck using Windows! Or build a web app that anyone with a reasonable browser can use.

ringods

2010-05-04, 11:19 PM

Much faster and more in line with the platforms targeted by OmniGroup (Mac, iPhone) is to leverage (Snow) Leopard's Sync Services. Please don't answer that OmniFocus already does this. It only maps *some* of the data to Apple's predefined to-do entries that show up in iCal. What I mean is that OmniGroup should just publish a full-fledged Sync Services schema for every data type that exists: Projects, Contexts, groups, tasks and add all the attributes on there like On-Hold, Sequential, Parallel, Start & Due dates etc...

If that is offered, other parties can take over from there to build any integration needed. I already started a discussion (http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=15607) some time ago.

Ringo

ajcryan

2010-07-14, 03:58 PM

Another vote for Android. The pricing model for Android could destroy the iPhone market. I changed yesterday from iphone to Android, and I think a lot of other people will too in these times of fiscal uncertainty. I would love to see Omnifocus on Android as I love the app, but I don't want to be tied in to the Mac pricing model.

policarpo

2010-07-14, 05:20 PM

Can I vote NO on this. :) I'd rather OmniGroup keep making the best OSX, iOS apps out there than take on yet another platform. If they do anything, I would suspect that they would port OF to Windows on the desktop before moving to Android.

endoftheQ

2010-07-15, 02:36 AM

I'm also voting Android. However, I'm guessing that Omni is unlikely to develop for a platform other than Apple any time soon, but if it becomes possible to either sync using another company's App or access OmniFocus via the web, I will happily throw out both my iPhone and my iPad, owing to my disgust at the maggoty-one's behaviour...:mad:

michaelsbradleyjr

2010-07-16, 06:13 AM

I really enjoy the iPhone, generally (I've had a 3gs for a year), but I'm switching over to Android for the time being -- I just picked up a Droid X yesterday.

OmniFocus will be the last app on my list for which there isn't an Android port AND that's being the case really matters to me on a day-to-day basis.

1Password is available for Android now, albeit it's a little rough around the edges -- but it works!! That was one of the few things preventing me from making the switch earlier.

Omni Group, please port OmniFocus to the Android platform. Perhaps you could do a rough beta port, similar to what Agile Software did with 1Password.

Thanks for a great product.

Jody Severson

2010-07-16, 06:19 AM

I too am an all-Mac guy but live where AT&T doesn't serve. Just bought a Droid X. While a Droid version of OF would be sweet, I'd be tickled to be able to access and interact with OF via a website login and would cheerfully pay a modest fee for same. :)

azey47

2010-07-18, 01:42 PM

I too would readily purchase a version for Android. I would be willing to pay up to $40 for a phone client, and would be happy to fork over the $25/year that RTM charges.

I recently switched to a Droid Incredible (primarily for Verizon service and Google Voice Integration) and the only thing I miss is the ability to interact with OmniFocus on the phone.

Here's to hoping it will happen eventually.

- OmniFocus for Desktop and former iPhone user

wilsonng

2010-07-18, 02:58 PM

Well, that's why there is a market for iPod touch. The iPod touch is for folks who don't want the iPhone but still want access to the iTunes app store. It's a great device if you already have a sizable investment in iPhone apps and don't want to throw it all away. While it currently doesn't have a camera, it functions almost exactly like an iPhone. Other missing features would be the GPS and compass. Rumors have a new iPod touch with camera capabilities sometime this fall.

I've seen people carrying around the cellphone of their choice as well as an iPod touch. I do this myself and don't mind.

I can already hear the griping about having to carry two devices. But the iPod touch is small enough to fit in your pocket. It's not like you will be carrying a huge 5 pound dictionary or Bible in your pocket.

Omni already has a full plate on their laps. Updating the OmniFocus iPhone app, working on the iPad app, updating to desktop version 1.8, as well as working on their other programs will keep them busy.

They're already spread thin. Asking them to pile on an Android version will be the last straw on the camel's back.

whpalmer4

2010-07-18, 05:32 PM

What he said :) I rarely carry a cell phone, and when I do, it's usually a battered old Sony-Ericsson not good for much beyond making calls (and even that part is marginal). The iPod has been a faithful companion for ubiquitous capture and execution with OmniFocus (and entertaining the kid in the car).

I'm going to suggest that if it doesn't absolutely have to fit in your pocket, an iPad with OmniFocus for iPad is the way to go. It is a substantial step forward from the iPhone app. I don't think it is my place to say anything more (prior to the marketing materials hitting the street) than that I think a lot of people will be quite pleased with what it provides.

jtice

2010-07-21, 04:17 AM

Another long-time loyal Mac guy and OminFocus user who is NOT EVER going to do iPhone or iPad. Android and cloud computing is simply the sweetest concept to be realized. The beautiful way it flows data together from the cloud, gps, and google's resources outclasses everything else. MobileMe and DAV don't compare... their 15 minutes are over. While producing an Android app is not a simple port, OG should realize that few of us are going to choose our mobile platform based on compatibility with one desktop app. I will give it some time and see what happens, but the fact is I want GTD on droid and Mac to sync, and if OG doesn't do it somebody will. I love OG's apps, own most of them, and really hope I won't be forced to choose. For a lot of us the choice is already made.

wilsonng

2010-07-21, 02:41 PM

I just have to say this:

If you've never owned an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, you'll never know what it's like to drink the Kool Aid.... I mean just try it for one week and you'll definitely see the endless posibilities. I got lucky. I was happy with my little ol' iPod classic and resisted an iPod touch. I knew there were many cool apps for the iPhone/iPod touch/iPad users but I thought "eh.... I don't really care. I lived without it before. I can live without it now."

But when my sister gave me her old iPod touch after she upgraded to an iPhone, my viewpoint slowly changed.

OK, got an interesting app here and there. Before I realized it, I was slowly getting hooked on the app universe. OmniFocus for the iPhone/iPod touch definitely changed my GTD habits for executing/capturing. I still have my cellphone for its usual purpose. But adding an iPod touch made a world of difference.

The same thing happened with the iPad. Most people shrug and say they don't need an iPad. That is true. It's not necessary. But you will find reasons to use your iPad over time.

whpalmer4 is correct. The iPad is also an amazing companion. I keep an iPad in my messenger bag to keep my daughters busy and when I need to use it for those times when taking out the MacBook Pro is just too much of a hassle.

Maybe if you find a family relative, co-worker, or good friend who has a spare iPod touch, they'll let you try it for a week. Or try it out with a refurbished iPod touch. There are so many available on eBay and various online retailers. I've seen many iPhone/iPod touch users who upgrade to the current generation and they sometimes have an extra last generation iPod lying in a drawer.

I know I resisted an iPod touch for the longest time. But once I got one, I can't think of ever leaving the house without it. It complements my regular cellphone so that I wouldn't have to switch carriers/data plans.... I'll always have OmniFocus with me wherever I go. And OmniFocus iPad is totally gonna rock whenever it comes out.

drum365

2010-07-22, 07:46 AM

FWIW, I came across this discussion while looking for a GTD app I can run on my Mac and my Android phone. One of the basic principles of GTD is keeping all your "stuff" in one trusted system, and I've run into difficulty in the past with systems that don't talk to each other. I've heard great things about OmniFocus, but if my phone can't sync with it, I guess I'll have to keep looking.

One sale lost due to lack of Android support.

behindalens

2010-07-22, 01:43 PM

Another vote for an Android app.

jtice

2010-07-22, 02:06 PM

If you've never owned an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, you'll never know what it's like to drink the Kool Aid...

Wilsonng, thanks for your insights. My daughter has had an iPod Touch for a long time now, and I know a couple people who carry one in addition to their flip phones. I've played with iPhones and Touch and I realize they're great devices and have many great apps. I really wanted an iPhone for a long time and were it not for them being hardwired to AT&T I would have. If they had chosen verizon to partner with it would have been the best device, first of it's kind, available on the best network. But instead they left me out in the cold until someone else solved that problem.

Apple has OS X and I love it. Apple is dedicated hardware/software package oriented. Windows kicked their butt by opening up and grabbing market share first. Jobs had the insight to see the potential for the iTunes store and changed the whole industry by implementing it well, being first, gaining market dominance quickly. Instead of realizing that personal computing was rife for the same kind of change they held onto status quo and hoped the world wouldn't change without them. It did. Google is doing almost the same thing that Apple did with iTunes. MobileMe was a feeble attempt to provide a way to remotely sync hardware devices. Google eliminates the need to sync hardware- you just access data and you don't even need wi-fi to do so.

The power of linking GPS, google maps, google location search and the comprehensive database on a mobile device is a slam-dunk. It's tightly integrated and slick as can be on Android. And will get even better in time.

OmniFocus is the only thing I've run into that has been seemingly resistant to get on board, and it's for the same reason... status quo and hardware oriented, hardware specific. Refusing to see the significance of a fundamental shift that's taking place right before their eyes.

If the programming languages are that incompatible, surely they could build a web site that would either facilitate syncing or eliminate the need. I think the first person to take GTD to a web implementation with a smooth interface is going to be a very wealthy person.

wilsonng

2010-07-22, 02:27 PM

Yes, I agree. The cloud looks like it is the way to go. But until then, we have to make do with what we have.... I can't wait for OmniFocus cloud. So I just use my iPod touch/iPad with my OmniFocus and live with it until such a time when OmniFocus cloud comes around.

Heck, I remembered the old days of the PDA... I would carry around an old Psion Series 3a organizer that had "apps". There was a little store that sold apps too.

Unfortunately, it was way before it's time...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_3

We all saw the Palm Pilots and HP Pocket PCs roar to life a decade ago. Now it's all about the iPhone and the Android.

Hopefully we'll be able to see OmniFocus cloud one of these days. The dream is there. But for now, I gotta get stuff done. So I carry my iPod touch for OmniFocus and my little cellphone for everything else.

policarpo

2010-07-26, 09:59 AM

imlad

2010-07-26, 11:45 AM

I am confused. You can already sync OF to the cloud using MobileMe, WebDAV solutions. OF is with you everywhere you go on the iOS platform. You can even sync OF to Basecamp with Spootnik...you have a plethora of options. What do you mean that you can't wait for the OmniFocus cloud?

I think what wilsonng means is having OF accessible as Saas - software as a service (a la salesforce.com). In other words, being able to access and use it with nothing more than a web browser. You are talking about syncing - but that requires a specific device (a Mac or an iPhone) through which to use OF. If I could go to a web site and have the full functionality of OF available to me, I could use OF from any computer that supports a browser (so a Windows or Linux machine, which would extend greatly OF's reach).

whpalmer4

2010-07-26, 11:55 AM

I haven't tried it, but Spootnik recently announced the ability to use their stuff as a web front-end to OmniFocus.

wilsonng

2010-07-26, 01:29 PM

Yes, I was referrring to a web-only version of OmiFocus. Maybe a concept similar to gMail or Google apps. You can use gMail or Google apps with any web browser.

I believe Microsoft wanted to release a version of Office on the web to combat Google apps now.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/07/13/microsoft-office-to-go-online-for-free/

Adobe has Photoshop Express here:

http://www.internetnews.com/software/article.php/3737156/Picture-This-Adobes-Photoshop-Online.htm

The world is slowly turning into a cloud-based environment and moving away from the desktop metaphor. Using a web based environment, it is a compile once, use anywhere concept.

whpalmer4

2010-07-26, 01:37 PM

I do recall an Omni Group job posting for a web tester in the last year or so. One interpretation is that they have something like this in the works. Don't know if a hire was made, though.

Toadling

2010-07-26, 02:39 PM

The world is slowly turning into a cloud-based environment and moving away from the desktop metaphor. Using a web based environment, it is a compile once, use anywhere concept.

The emergence of web apps that can actually compete with desktop apps is certainly exciting. There are a lot of advantages for the developer (rapid development, single-point deployment and updates, etc) and the consumer (ubiquitous access, local data storage not required, etc). And the gap between web apps and desktops apps continues to narrow everyday.

But maybe I'm just old school, because I will always choose a good desktop app designed specifically for my platform over even the very best web app, especially if it's an app I'm going to use constantly like OmniFocus.

In my opinion, well-designed desktop apps feel better, have better performance, offer more features, integrate better with the OS and other apps, and are overall more fun to use. As good as Google Docs is, I still reach for iWork unless collaboration is a key requirement. Gmail is swell, and Apple's MobileMe Mail client really quite beautiful, but I still use Mac OS X's desktop Mail client 99% of the time. Google Reader is handy to have in a pinch, but it frankly pales in comparison to NetNewsWire (which has flaws of its own, but is still a better option IMO).

My opinions may change over time (look how far web apps have come in just the past 5 years), but I don't feel like we're there yet. At this point, I'm much more interested in desktop apps that function as a front-end to the cloud rather than actual native web apps. I want desktop apps that communicate and share their data online, whether that be for syncing devices, backup, social aspects, or whatever. To me, this seems like the best of both worlds.

Funny thing is, I've spent a good part of my professional life as a web developer (as I'm sure many others on this forum have). But I'm not ready to give up my lovely Cocoa apps. Surely I'm not the only one who feels this way? :-)

-Dennis

PS - The term "desktop app" is probably not a good choice here. What I really mean is "native platform app" (e.g. OmniFocus for Mac and OmniFocus for iPhone).

jtice

2010-07-27, 04:41 AM

I want desktop apps that communicate and share their data online, whether that be for syncing devices, backup, social aspects, or whatever. To me, this seems like the best of both worlds.

I agree- cloud apps are not polished in terms of usability, interface, etc. There is no doubt that OmniFocus for Mac is a sweeeet piece of work. I really do not like the prospect of having to leave it behind due to platform incompatibility. But this is part of the fundamental shift––platforms are moving to the wings as data and connectedness take center stage. The GTD system, our data, is what's really important and OF is just a tool that manipulates it. And in this case the data is just a list that can be viewed in a few different ways.

It seems to me that a good solution for OmniFocus would be to provide a hybrid cloud environment by syncing the list items to a server. They could work with a third party to develop an Android app that can access data, and they wouldn't even have to brand it as an Omni app. It would not need to provide the same functionality of the desktop app, just a way to view the data and do some minimal editing.

It doesn't seem like a major obstacle to overcome relative to being shut out of one of the currently dominant mobile platforms. It would also allow OG the flexibility to respond to any new mobile platform that comes along while continuing to maintain the OS X app as the shining star of GTD tools. In other words, all we need is a simple way to access our to-do list on this little screen and the issues is sufficiently mitigated––that should be a given rather than a major obstacle. Not having it is a deficit. Heck, they could probably even use google Tasks as the intermediary and they would really be in the flow.

policarpo

2010-07-27, 08:16 AM

As opposed to making OF a web based tool (which I do not want since I want to manage my own data and not have it live in the cloud on someone else's server) why not just offer a robust exporter so that OF data can migrate to RTM, ToodleDo. This can already be done to some extent with Spootnik and Basecamp.

I like having a dedicated app which runs on the desktop and is always available to me. I like managing things offline and uploading things when I am connected.

Don't change the paradigm as much as enhance the robustness of your interchange tools.

Imagine if all these GTD apps supported OPML. You could then shuttle your data anywhere.

Fix the current problem and don't create new ones I always say. :)

jtice

2010-07-28, 03:12 AM

As opposed to making OF a web based tool (which I do not want... (snip)

I don't think anyone posting in this thread is advocating the demise of the OminFocus desktop app. We're all just frustrated that its usefulness is limited to the desktop environment at a time when there are so many excellent options for ubiquitous data access.

I have found quite a few not so bad, not so great web apps that offer something along these lines and have an Android app. The OmniFocus dilemma could be resolved without even creating a web interface––just being able to export the database to a server and access it with an Android app would work.

curt.clifton

2010-07-28, 03:38 AM

We're all just frustrated that its usefulness is limited to the desktop environment

That's just patently false. Yes, its usefulness is limited to Apple devices, but I am happily, ubiquitously access my OF data with my iPhone and iPad.

(I suspect that you meant exactly that, but don't want other people stumbling on this thread to be misled.)

planetDan

2010-07-28, 11:01 AM

I experimented with the OmniGraffle platform on an iPad and it was a strange experience. I couldn't imaging using it on my Droid.

whpalmer4

2010-07-28, 11:59 AM

I experimented with the OmniGraffle platform on an iPad and it was a strange experience. I couldn't imaging using it on my Droid.
I've never seen a Droid in the flesh — could you elaborate on your statement about how you couldn't imagine using it on the Droid?

mnanda

2010-09-14, 03:17 PM

ANDOIRD PLEASE! I've heard so any ATT nightmare stories about bad service (was just dropped off an iPhone call today) that I finally went Android for my smartphone and I love it. Now if only OF could get on board with an Android app, I'd be so super happy.

Any word?

gopi

2010-09-14, 04:09 PM

Google Tasks as an intermediary would simply not work IMHO. The structure of data used in OF doesn't map to that at all. Contexts, review intervals, next review dates - if you synced that all, you'd have a task full of metadata that would mean nothing to any app not written to use it.

The current OF file format would not be that hard to parse. There are some open source Omni frameworks that would likely help with parts of the data - though I haven't fully investigated them.

endoftheQ

2010-09-15, 12:39 AM

whpalmer4

2010-09-15, 01:37 AM

Pocket Informant looks set to be the first non-Omni client for OF on the desktop although whether that ability will be included in their yet-to-be released Android version remains to be seen.

I've always thought it weird that Omni doesn't appear to have any interest in developing OF for other platforms, as even Apple occasionally bites that bullet (QuickTime, iTunes, etc.).

Apple gets substantial extra sales from reaching over the fence, at little marginal cost, relatively speaking, and while they may still sell more iPods to Windows users, doing so isn't changing the character of the company, except for the broad shift toward iOS devices.

Omni, on the other hand, would have a lot of work to do to replace the Cocoa API and all the UI frameworks and so on that Apple supplies. And to what end? They have more than enough projects for the existing customer base and current areas of expertise to keep them busy for years to come. Handing it off to an Indian port shop, as I'm told is often done with hit games, doesn't seem to mesh with their style, and I've never noticed a "let's grow as fast as possible" vibe from them, have you? More like grow at a moderate pace where we can keep our good thing going just the way we like it. Having spent my career at a company that rapidly went from 20+ employees to 40,000+ I really appreciate that sentiment. Maybe not so many Ferraris in the Omni parking lot, but more fun in the office.

endoftheQ

2010-09-15, 02:14 AM

Apple gets substantial extra sales from reaching over the fence...

Aw c'mon, whpalmer4, you reckon QuickTime for Windoze was a big money maker huh? :rolleyes:

OK, maybe the OmniFolk are far too busy partying at Ken's Malibu beach house, but I reckon the company could do with spinning some more gold pronto, as they're always admitting they are under-resourced. If OF for PC was a hit, then maybe OmniOutliner 4 and OmniWeb 6 might actually happen. ;) Ditto OF for Android.

As there are more PC than Mac users with iDevices it just seems rather logical to cater for them, rather than selling them an App with no export facility.

Just a thought!

whpalmer4

2010-09-15, 07:58 AM

Aw c'mon, whpalmer4, you reckon QuickTime for Windoze was a big money maker huh? :rolleyes:

All by itself? Nah. I think it was a necessary part of the iPod/iTunes package, without which they wouldn't have made so much money.

OK, maybe the OmniFolk are far too busy partying at Ken's Malibu beach house, but I reckon the company could do with spinning some more gold pronto, as they're always admitting they are under-resourced. If OF for PC was a hit, then maybe OmniOutliner 4 and OmniWeb 6 might actually happen. ;) Ditto OF for Android.

As there are more PC than Mac users with iDevices it just seems rather logical to cater for them, rather than selling them an App with no export facility.

Only makes sense to cater to them by building PC apps when you want to be in the business of building and selling PC apps. Or Android apps.

Not every fine cabinetmaker secretly dreams of mass-producing bookcases for IKEA, you know :)

endoftheQ

2010-09-15, 09:36 AM

All by itself? Nah. I think it was a necessary part of the iPod/iTunes package, without which they wouldn't have made so much money.

Bah! You certainly won't win next year's Wizard of OF award if you start pontificating such rubbish! :p

OK, here's the history lesson. In 1992 Apple paid an indy port house to get QuickTime over to Windoze, that's almost a decade before the first ever non-video iPod. It wasn't until 2005 (13 years later) that any form of video capability was added to iTunes.

Only makes sense to cater to them by building PC apps when you want to be in the business of building and selling PC apps. Or Android apps.

Apple itself began the process of enabling PC software to run on Macs as far back as the early nineties. Sure, for all I know Ken breaks out in hives at the mere sight of a PC. I wasn't saying that Omni should make a version of OmniFocus for Android or PC, just that it was logical, especially since DA's 'endorsement' of OF, which I'm guessing 80%+ of his fundi-GTD'ers won't ever have the joy of experiencing unless OmniFocus becomes available on other platforms.

Of course, you might merely be trying to port over to this thread the discussion about whether OF is actually a GTD program or merely a shopping list App on the iPhone...! :eek:

gopi

2010-09-21, 12:11 AM

Thanks for the spam. Do you have anything to say that is relevant?

Brian

2010-09-22, 09:38 AM

Please don't respond to spam; that just bumps the thread and gets it in front of more eyeballs. If you use the "report a post" function, we'll clean it up.

Sciamachy

2010-10-10, 04:51 PM

Now that Android phones are gradually taking over market share from iOS, are not vapourware any more & have a number of GTD apps available for them, will Omni reconsider porting the best GTD app to Android? I have Macs at home & an Android phone, because the hardware is way better than iPhone & the software is upgraded a lot faster, and I currently use GotToDo, synced with Google & ToodleDo online, but I'd like to be able to use my Omnifocus on my Macs with this existing ecosystem. If Omnifocus won't sync with Google or GotToDo or there's not an OmniFocus Android edition, that kind of rules OmniFocus out from being used even on my Mac: I'm more likely to use the ToodleDo web app in its place - but I like Omnifocus better.

ohnoes

2010-11-28, 06:32 PM

I feel the same way.

I've decided to move from Iphone to Android -- and now sadly that means I have to give up omnifocus and find some new system that will work with my Android.

And I'm a devout of fan too

*Cry*

whpalmer4

2010-11-28, 06:50 PM

Sell your iPhone, buy an iPod Touch and tether it to your phone.

wickenden

2010-12-21, 01:06 PM

robrecord

2010-12-26, 04:56 AM

Right now I'm getting it into my google calendar by synching with Spanning-Synch.

While obviously still not ideal, that's a great workaround wickenden - cheers mate.

mjs31

2011-01-24, 07:36 AM

I'm a happy mac user who has an android phone (my second). I had a touch a long time ago. I bought an iPad only for Omnifocus. I would love to have a solution so that I could have my omnifocus action items in some web interface I could see on my android phone.
Since this thread began in 2008 I think a significant change has happened for android. If you can't give me a full on client, then synch to the web. Right now I'm getting it into my google calendar by synching with Spanning-Synch.

No doubt Android has advanced, but what we are starting to see is the trend towards closing things up a bit. I bet you will see more and more restrictions on their apps or how you can load apps as time goes on. I know a bit off topic, but I have been with Android for some time and am a moderator on a Android forum. We are starting to see changes taking place that makes it look like the folks at Google kind of see why Apple did what they did (to a point) with their app control.
This being said... I am doing something I never thought I would do. Come Feb 3, I will pre-order my iPhone and give up my Incredible. Things are just more polished on the iPhone and Android appears to be spreading themselves out to much to really tweak things. Apps like Omnifocus, and many others, are my main reason for the switch. Although I like when apps are cross platform, there can also be a big disadvantage when it comes to maintenance and overall improvements since it takes away from the focus on the main OS.

Ken Case

2011-01-24, 01:29 PM

(I know I've said this elsewhere, but I just realized that I'd never replied here in this thread!)

We have no plans for any Android apps at this time. Our plate is very full with our focus on creating great productivity apps for Mac and iOS. It’s never been our goal to reach the widest possible audience; we’ve tried to focus on the technology that we feel is the most compelling. Right now we’re very excited about the Mac and iOS platforms.

nofriday

2011-02-14, 11:43 AM

Hi Ken,

I appreciate the fact that your mission is grounded in Apple-based products and that you need to "leverage your strengths".

My only concern is that, with OmniFocus, you've stumbled upon a product/market where you are, by far IMO, the best application and experience for GTD and productivity in general. I hope you're at least considering whether it would make sense to alter your mission in light of this fact.

While no Windows or Android application has caught up to OmniFocus yet, I believe that one day, someone will, and if they create a cross-platform experience that at least rivals OmniFocus, it could mean that OmniFocus loses its marketshare and lead.

I realize I am being very speculative here, and maybe you're entirely content leaving your mission as being "creating awesomeness for Mac users", but I'd say for OmniFocus, you've created awesomeness that extends beyond the "Mac niche". But clearly Android is here to stay, and their open platform means it will be easier for others to innovate than on the iPhone.

I love Apple products, but, my love is not blind. Some of Apple's "curated platform" BS around the iPhone and iPhone Apps store are starting to really annoy me since I feel they are stifling innovation. The two things tethering me to an iPhone are: a) OmniFocus and b) I feel iPhone is still the best designed phone general. But I've started to seriously consider an Android, OmniFocus or not, and I think others who are Apple and/or OmniFocus fans have already made the switch.

Mainly I wanted to hammer home that OmniFocus is awesome and that you at least periodically evaluate whether supporting non-Apple platforms would fit in with what your company does.

Thanks for listening.
-joe

il_freddy

2011-02-15, 07:02 AM

Just my 2cent worth comment: I have MacBook pro and and Ipod touch and I have bought Omnifocus for both. After some thinking I decided to buy a smartphone and for several reasons I bought an android phone knowing that there is at present no support for Omnifocus. I wish the Omni group will in the future reconsider this policy otherwise I can see that I will switch to the first reasonable cross-platform alternative to Omnifocus I will be able to find.
The leap forward of android has been gigantic: look at the share of the different smartphone OS sold in 2009 and 2010
(source: Smartphone article on wikipedia):
Iphone (15% in 2009 16% in 2010) Android (4% in 2009 23% in 2010).

il_freddy

2011-02-15, 07:03 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone

link to the article cited in the previous post. Sorry, but I was not allowed before being my first post ;)

mrademacher

2011-02-16, 02:37 PM

One more Macbook Pro user that will not switch to iPhone. Aside from me personally wanting OF for android... how could it possibly make sense to ignore android from a business standpoint?

deaddowney

2011-02-17, 06:01 AM

+1 for an Android version.

Not much to add to what already has been said, but Omni is ignoring half the market for what would probably be a small amount of work.

Upon reading Ken's response, I can only conclude that Omni is not interested in Android no matter how much braying we do on the forums. This is a shame because I view mobile access to data as a support for the desktop product. If I can't access my data from anywhere, the desktop product is of much less value to me.

If Omni's unwilling to devote the resources, perhaps Omni could consider publishing an API for a third party to create an Android client?

whpalmer4

2011-02-17, 08:28 AM

Not much to add to what already has been said, but Omni is ignoring half the market for what would probably be a small amount of work.

Let's see, we've got a new hardware platform (and one without a strong guiding hand, unlike Apple), a different language, none of the extensive Apple frameworks that provide much of the look and feel and underlying services, none of the Omni frameworks built up over years of development, no pool of experienced support staff for Android products, and no established base in the Android market. You're right, it shouldn't be much work at all :-)

Just because there are a lot of people with devices that run some flavor of Android does not mean it would necessarily be particularly profitable for Omni to pursue that market. There aren't enough hours in the day for them to do all the things they want with the products they have now, how would diluting their focus in such fashion help? There may be money on the table, but the resources required to collect it might be more profitably employed elsewhere. There are many more Windows users out there than Android users, after all! A web-based client would serve more potential users, too.

If Omni's unwilling to devote the resources, perhaps Omni could consider publishing an API for a third party to create an Android client?
More likely that they would choose to implement a web client themselves, I think. No need to coordinate development with a partner, more flexibility, get to keep all of the revenue. They make no real secret about how things work as it is, and I believe it likely that anyone who could build a worthwhile Android client could use the information that has been presented on the forum along with that which is right in front of you after you unzip your database to hook it up. It might not be easy, but there's all that money out there waiting, right?

deaddowney

2011-02-17, 06:51 PM

Let's see, we've got a new hardware platform (and one without a strong guiding hand, unlike Apple), a different language, none of the extensive Apple frameworks that provide much of the look and feel and underlying services, none of the Omni frameworks built up over years of development, no pool of experienced support staff for Android products, and no established base in the Android market. You're right, it shouldn't be much work at all :-)

Snark received loud and clear, but c'mon, what we're talking about is mostly checkboxes and text entry. It's not rocket science, or Angry Birds even. I think even a barebones interface with the ability to sync would satisfy most users. I would also venture to say it's a lot easier to find Java developers that could do an Android app than finding Objective C developers, or that it would not be that hard as you suggest.

Just because there are a lot of people with devices that run some flavor of Android does not mean it would necessarily be particularly profitable for Omni to pursue that market. There aren't enough hours in the day for them to do all the things they want with the products they have now, how would diluting their focus in such fashion help? There may be money on the table, but the resources required to collect it might be more profitably employed elsewhere. There are many more Windows users out there than Android users, after all! A web-based client would serve more potential users, too.

The bigger issue is not making money off the Android market, but not losing customers like me who are happy with the desktop product but are frustrated that the data is not available wherever we go. The fact that it's OUR data and we should be able to access it however we want. I've invested in a desktop program (OmniFocus for Mac) that I'm happy with, but as we get more mobile and my data is not available to me, I'm not so happy with my desktop investment and suddenly I'm looking for alternatives. Ev*rn*te and other products are providing your data whereever you go, Mac/Windows/IOS/Android. So far I've ignored their product because it doesn't fit my workflow, but I believe that ubiquitous data access is more compelling than the exclusivity of knowing that your text boxes are rendered in 3d hardware using the latest greatest Cocoa APIs.

I think a web client is the minimum required to provide this access.

Brian

2011-02-22, 12:48 PM

A data point (http://www.fool.com/investing/fiercemarkets/2011/02/21/apples-app-store-yields-83-of-app-revenues-in-2010.aspx) which may be relevant to this discussion. According to the study, iOS represents 82.7% of mobile app sales revenue. Android represents 4.7%.

CatOne

2011-02-22, 05:58 PM

a data point (http://www.fool.com/investing/fiercemarkets/2011/02/21/apples-app-store-yields-83-of-app-revenues-in-2010.aspx) which may be relevant to this discussion. According to the study, ios represents 82.7% of mobile app sales revenue. Android represents 4.7%.

oh come on. Just give it away on android but make money via in-app add sales.

;-)

wilsonng

2011-02-22, 09:15 PM

One more Macbook Pro user that will not switch to iPhone. Aside from me personally wanting OF for android... how could it possibly make sense to ignore android from a business standpoint?

I know there are many folks that don't love the iPhone and love their current smartphone or looking to buy a different iPhone shouldn't have to worry about waiting for OmniFocus for Android.

One way to get around that is to just buy the cheapest iPod touch or an iPad. This will give you the capability of using OmniFocus anywhere.

Now I can imagine that my suggestion will cause a S**T storm and cause angst and grief from many folks about having to carry yet another gadget on them.

But an iPod touch is so small. It can fit in your shirt pocket or pants pocket easily without you even noticing.

I carry a separate digital camera even though my cellphone has a decent camera on it. I also carry my iPod touch because I'm not interested in an iPhone either.

The iPod touch was created for folks who don't want to buy a cellphone/data plan with an iPhone.

I also carry my iPad in a messenger bag. It's just so slim that it doesn't even bother me.

Besides, you can also take advantage of the app store and get free apps as well as many very affordable apps to go along with OmniFocus. Your iPod touch or iPad will become an awesome multi-functional device.

My iPod touch and iPad are probably the best investment I ever made.

il_freddy

2011-03-04, 04:29 AM

I carry a separate digital camera even though my cellphone has a decent camera on it. I also carry my iPod touch because I'm not interested in an iPhone either.

The iPod touch was created for folks who don't want to buy a cellphone/data plan with an iPhone.

I also carry my iPad in a messenger bag. It's just so slim that it doesn't even bother me.

Besides, you can also take advantage of the app store and get free apps as well as many very affordable apps to go along with OmniFocus. Your iPod touch or iPad will become an awesome multi-functional device.

My iPod touch and iPad are probably the best investment I ever made.

I do have an ipod touch and that was my solution so far but I wanted to minimize the number of devices I have to carry with me (notebook, ipad, ipod touch telephone, what else?....) The camera comparison is bogus. I carry a camera because it takes good pictures. Not just any pictures. So Notebook + smartphone is a good combination, in my opinion, besides it reduces the number of cables and chargers I need to carry: laptop charger + one microUSB which works both for the smartphone and for the backup HD ;).

I doubt that making an equivalent for android of the ipod version of omnifocus is so hard. Even a more primitive version would be welcome for that matters: an inbox and an errands context would already be great (anywhere else I can --almost-- safely assume I have my mac available) so I can drop smth on the inbox in case it comes to my mind and I can check the errand list when I am off to something.

whpalmer4

2011-03-04, 06:55 AM

I doubt that making an equivalent for android of the ipod version of omnifocus is so hard.

That's an interesting claim. Let's assume it is true. Why, if it is relatively easy to replicate the whole app as it stands now for Android, was it so much work to build for iOS? Why also, if it is relatively easy to build the whole app for a new environment, does it take the good folks at Omni so much longer to deliver new features of a rather smaller scale in its native environment compared to building the whole app again in another? If the reason why it would be easy to build an Android version is that programming for Android is significantly easier, shouldn't there be a lot more ports of iPad and iPhone apps to Android? How do you reconcile those apparent conflicts?

JKT

2011-03-04, 07:00 AM

I doubt that making an equivalent for android of the ipod version of omnifocus is so hard. Even a more primitive version would be welcome for that matters: an inbox and an errands context would already be great (anywhere else I can --almost-- safely assume I have my mac available) so I can drop smth on the inbox in case it comes to my mind and I can check the errand list when I am off to something.
Fwiw, the email method that already exists in OmniFocus can be used to put something into your inbox (and to assign contexts etc. if you want to delve into the syntax) in the absence of OmniFocus on your device. This is how I started out with OmniFocus when I only had a dumbphone.

wilsonng

2011-03-05, 04:29 AM

The camera comparison is bogus. I carry a camera because it takes good pictures. Not just any pictures

A camera will make life easier to shoot pictures. But it doesn't make someone a better photographer.

Note the number of contests for people who are using iPhones to shoot photos.

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=iphone+photo+contest&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I also would like to shoot with my camera but I also shoot from my iPod touch just because it's more convenient. I'll also use it to shoot when I want to send it to Facebook (which doesn't require 10 megapixels).

A good photographer will take whatever camera is at hand and work within the limits of the camera. More megapixels and more features doesn't necessarily make better photos. It just makes it easier to shoot good pictures or crappy pictures.

Once, I asked a photographer what camera I should buy. He just told me something that stuck with me:

"The best camera that you can shoot with is the one that you have in your hand when that Kodak moment happens..."

Work within the limits of your equipment and you can achieve amazing results.

So I'll have to politely decline the "camera comparison is bogus" opinion.

jend

2011-03-06, 05:39 PM

One reason I switched to the mac is because of the wonderful software developers that developed only for the mac. I'll support whatever omnigroup decides, but I do love the fact that their mac only right now, and would love to see it stay that way.

Once, I asked a photographer what camera I should buy. He just told me something that stuck with me:

"The best camera that you can shoot with is the one that you have in your hand when that Kodak moment happens..."

Oh come on now. That answer (the best camera is the one you're carrying) is a cliche spouted off everywhere. That's like giving someone credit for saying 'the early bird gets the worm'.

But what makes it worse is it doesn't answer your questions at all. The answer has nothing to do with what camera you can buy, where, at that point, you could buy ANY camera.

Strange story.

wilsonng

2011-03-07, 05:38 AM

What I didn't explain was the context....

I already had a pretty good camera but I was wondering whether I should upgrade. My friend looked at me and he knows me pretty well. He realizes that I won't be utilizing a lot of the fancy-dancy features like tethering and other advanced stuff. I said I was comfortable with my camera but always wondering whether I should upgrade to a new one.

He basically queried me about my photographing needs to determine my needs. He came to the conclusion that I don't really need a brand spanking new one.

It's the same idea that flashes into many folks heads when they hear about the new iPad or the new Mac. "Gosh, this year's model has feature X, Y, Z that my current Mac/iDevice which is only one year old don't have. But as much as I really want to upgrade to this year's Mac/iDevice, my current one is still perfectly usable."

And he reminded me that it was better to have any camera rather than no camera at all when you see something that you want to shoot.

So I felt that my question was answered very well - cliche or no cliche.....

dasil003

2011-03-27, 05:29 PM

We have no plans for any Android apps at this time. Our plate is very full with our focus on creating great productivity apps for Mac and iOS. It’s never been our goal to reach the widest possible audience; we’ve tried to focus on the technology that we feel is the most compelling. Right now we’re very excited about the Mac and iOS platforms.

I totally get that Ken. I am a software developer and technical lead at a startup, so I understand very very well how much additional platforms can sap from the quality and quantity of your creative output. I won't come here and make light of how much work Android support would be; lord knows we have enough armchair developers shouting from the rooftops what they can accomplish in "a weekend". I agree with keeping the focus (no pun intended) on OS X and iOS.

However that said, I own an Android phone. Even though I live on my MBP, and I pay some overhead in not having the nice Apple integration (gcal vs ical, mail vs gmail, etc), I get much more value out of the Android. One reason is because the cost is much lower (no AT&T lockin), and I can use my unlocked phone internationally with ease. I have wifi tethering anywhere I go with no ridiculous charges. The experience of Android has caught up to iPhone significantly; it's not quite as polished, but on the other hand, it has its own niceties (back button, google maps features, etc). Besides that, I don't like the restrictions Apple places on the AppStore; I feel they're being too greedy, so it's partially a political statement to support Android just to help keep Apple honest in some small way.

So the situation for me is that I love my Mac and I get incredible use out of OmniFocus. However a big part of GTD is how quickly you can get stuff out of your head into your inbox. Being able to enter stuff from my Nexus One would be great because I always have it on hand. As a developer I'll probably figure out some way to jury-rig this regardless. Secondarily, being able to view a context would also be useful for errands.

My pitch for a minimal Android app is that I believe there are a significant number of hardcore mac users like myself, who choose not to have an iPhone for one reason or another. We get 99% functionality out of the main OmniFocus desktop application, but we only get 50% GTD braindump coverage because we don't have our Macs with us all the time. Therefore the ROI for the basic data entry feature is quite high. Give it some thought...

ssavanna

2011-03-29, 09:26 PM

I understand that there isnt a functional android app, but is there a way to just copy all of your action and project lists onto your android phone using one of the applications compatible with OmniFocus?

Being able to input data into omnifocus would be nice from my android phone, but all I really need is to see my actions when out.

whpalmer4

2011-03-30, 08:41 AM

If you just need to be able to see your actions, and the list isn't too overwhelming, you could have OmniFocus print a copy to PDF to save in your Dropbox folder, and view it on your gadget with the Dropbox app.

LatinHeat

2011-08-13, 06:30 PM

I love OmniFocus but I am extremely disappointed in how the company is currently refusing to expand and remain exclusively to Apple's closed system. I understand that developing apps into other platforms must be expensive, however isn't that the reason we paid premium price for this software product in the first place?

It seems that the exclusivity to Apple products might not pay off at the end with upcoming IOS 5. The new feature in the "Reminders App" seems to mimic Omni's location awareness drastically, and might actually be better on certain aspects.

I just hope Omni reconsiders their mission statement and do expand to other emerging platforms.

CatOne

2011-08-13, 07:38 PM

whpalmer4

2011-08-15, 03:00 PM

I understand that developing apps into other platforms must be expensive, however isn't that the reason we paid premium price for this software product in the first place?

Nope! We paid premium price for the software for the excellent support and ongoing development of the software for the platform on which we bought it. If I'm only using Apple gear, why would I want to finance development of Android, Windows, Linux, etc. versions? I want them to stick to what they do best! If supporting the current customers means building a web-based version, that presumably covers a wider variety of platforms for less cost. It's already a chore for them to keep the three different versions of OmniFocus coordinated.

You wouldn't buy an Android app hoping that the developer would get the message to support the Mac, would you?

One might even make the argument that the closed nature of the Apple ecosystem is a fundamental factor behind it being the most compelling technology. Omni isn't interested in building closed systems, don't misunderstand me, but the walled garden makes for a more pleasant place for them to do their work.

GeoffAirey

2011-08-16, 12:07 AM

Nope! We paid premium price for the software for the excellent support and ongoing development of the software for the platform on which we bought it

This and the excellent products are exactly why Omni can charge a 'premium' price and to be honest, I do not see the price as premium, I see it as a fair price.

I've seen it too many times where good products have inadequate support and support is really important with such a key product in people's lives when things go wrong.

Imagine expanding Omnifocus from the 3 current versions to another 6 platforms (Windows Desktop 64 and 32 bit, Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile 6.5, Android phone, Android Tablet) all of which are current and your support overhead becomes massive, not to mention the development headaches.

The only newish company I've seen do this well is Evernote.

Brenno

2011-08-28, 10:35 AM

justapersona

2011-09-12, 01:11 PM

My concern is simply that Droid is becoming a dominant player in handsets, and both creating and absorbing a large pool of savvy mobile app users (like, who manage tasks there).

My recent move to an HTC Droid has now forced me to evaluate all the OmniFocus competitors AND SELECT ONE. (Oye Vey!)

With EverNote setting the new standard, it's hard to see how OmniFocus can continue much longer without clean apps for both.

CatOne

2011-09-12, 06:13 PM

il_freddy

2011-10-03, 12:00 AM

I loved Omnifocus, but since I bought myself an android phone and got rid of my iPod touch I needed something that worked on both mac and android. I went for Toodledo/DTG-GTD: syncs on android, it is web based, it is interfaced with gmail. It means I can use it everywere, on any platform, even on machines that are not mine. I will be willing to reconsider as soon as Omnifocus can do the following:

-sync with calendars
-sync with google/gmail
-have an android application

Best,
il_freddy

mrademacher

2011-10-05, 12:50 PM

www.nirvanahq.com

Doesn't matter anymore, I and totally would have bought omnifocus, i see a lot of really dumb arguments defending their stance on not making an android app... in the end it is only up to them, considering how frustrating it is having such a good software product not available for your phone, it's kinda funny to me that they thought ignoring android was a good idea, especially in light of how good nirvanahq.com is.

CatOne

2011-10-05, 02:58 PM

robertgarrigos

2011-10-09, 09:00 AM

I'ld love to see a way to use omni Focus with my new android honeycomb tablet. I'll give a try to other online task managers, unfortunately, as I need to sync my mac with my tablet.

adept

2011-11-14, 03:34 AM

I love my new HTC Shift 4G ... enjoying the open platform vis-a-vis Apple's content control on iPhone/iPad and their exclusive iron grip on distribution.

So I've switched to Remember the Milk. I use tags for context, lists for projects, I very very much enjoy being able to email my tasks in from the email client of my choice, the Smart Add feature makes task entry perhaps 4x faster than in OF, and while it is web-based you can pull a backup of your own data in .ics format. There are also some basic collaboration features (very basic).

The obvious things that are not in RTM are:
- start date
- sequential tasks
... but I never used those features anyway (and do not use Apple Mail nor Safari so there were other features I didn't use)

Don't know if this is a feature of OF on iPad/iPhone, but I also love the ability in RTM to set a location on a task and have my Android remind me when I'm within xxx feet (or miles for those of you who drive around) that I have a task set for a nearby location.

It took a day to transfer my stuff (basically a matter of retyping everything, but, again, Smart Add makes task entry really quick ... in one string you can type the task, the due date, recurrance, tags, what list it goes into, priority and a URL if applicable). I am *very* happy and recommend it to anyone who, like me, enjoys using OmniFocus but needs a task manager that syncs to Android.

Meanwhile, good luck to the OF dev team, and as a former techie I do understand their focus on Apple-only technology.

kazar

hmurchison

2011-11-15, 09:12 AM

I for one and happy that Omni has remained steadfast to their roots which is in NeXT/OS X

I grow tired of reading about "Open" versus "Closed" as if I'm supposed to care how my software is distributed. In fact Googles primary profits come from advertising which means I'm being datamined for profit. Why would I want to support that system simply because they send out source code?

Sounds a lot like the proverbial joke of the guy holding a bunch of dog crap in his hand and says "Hey ....do you see the big pile of dog crap I almost stepped in!"

Omni is a company that I can recommend knowing that their focus is on delivering best of breed Mac and iPhone software. They've done well for each other without having to chase every other platform out there.

They are a rare breed of companies that excel within the Mac ecosystem. I've seen no companies that have jumped into other platforms only to see the quality of ALL their apps drop.

It's like Michael Jordan trying to play baseball...doesn't work.

adept

2011-11-15, 05:22 PM

just to be clear, I agree with you! I find myself jealous of colleagues for whom the whole Apple suite of applications works well. And I think, as I said in my earlier post, that OmniGroup's tight concentration on creating excellent Mac apps is the right way for them to go.

For professional as well as personal as well as ergonomic reasons I did not want an iphone. As for Google data-mining, right now I am letting them, but I could also sync my data directly from Address Book and iCal to the 'droid's People and Calendar app (and lots more, with Missing Sync) ... I do not have to go through Google contacts and calendar.

And I do care about the control Apple exercises over the content allowed in the store, particularly when it comes to content censorship! But that's my personal problem. Each to her own!

My only reason for posting above your post was to make a recommendation to those who, like me, own Androids and therefore are looking for OF replacements. There are many posts on this forum asking for Omni to make an Android version, I am not but instead am proposing an alternative for people who have Androids.

kazar

wilsonng

2011-11-17, 12:20 PM

OmniFocus is an appropriate solution for many folks - particularly folks who are embedded in the Apple ecosystem.

I am personally comfortable in having Apple exercise control over the the content allowed in the Apple store. It gives me a better sense of comfort that neither I or my children who use the iPad/iPod touch constantly will not be downloading some trojan or malware that screws me over. Every now and then a malware will slip by Apple protocols but at least there are barriers that have been erected to prevent such re-occurrences from happening in the future.

I can't be guaranteed that I will be suckered into downloading an Angry Birds look-alike and get infected.

Even the Amazon app store will be doing this form of curation for their Amazon Kindle.

There are many other alternatives to OmniFocus for the Android. Based on previous Omni Group statements, I believe that the OmniFolks are willing to concede the Android market to others. The OmniFolks are quite busy working on Mac apps and iOS apps.

Perhaps ToodleDo will be a perfectly viable alternative? I see that there is a Blackberry, iOS, and Android app. You can also use the web site version as well.

www.nirvanahq.com is also a web-only GTD app that might be suitable for you.

Despite various requests for an Android version, there does not appear to be an Android version of OmniFocus coming in the near future. The OmniFolks are nose deep into OF 2.0. Adding a major project such as OF for Android may very well be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

wheat

2011-11-18, 12:43 PM

I think what people who don't do mobile development don't understand is you can't simply flick a switch to generate an Android build of an app developed for iOS. They are completely different platforms, which completely different IDEs that are based around completely different programming languages.

Here's the other thing they don't get: even though more people have Android phones, Android customers are less willing to pay for applications than iOS customers are. You can dig around on this a bit and find lots of developers who have tried both platforms sticking with iOS because the platform rewards developers for their efforts. I'm not saying no one makes money building Android apps, but it's easier to make a dollar on Apple's App Store.

So, assuming you've made your fame on an iOS app, and want to create an Android version, you have the option of training your staff in an entirely new platform, or hiring new developers, or hiring the job out to contractors. And, when it's all done, it's still a roll of the dice to see if Android customers will buy you app. And, while you're doing all that, your iOS app needs to keep evolving, too, unless you want to lose that customer base.

This is what I think every time I read "Dude, where's the Android version!!!! I hate the Applez!!! I want free and open, dude!!!!!" comments.