CarbonFin Outliner

The apps I like the least for the iPad are those that are writing intensive. I've already got perfectly good tools for that: fantastic software on my desktop and laptop computers. The iPad seems ill suited for sustained writing. However, I've discovered a couple of apps that are great for shorter writing aimed at brainstorming or providing a structure. One of them is named Carbon Fin Outliner. The other is Index Card and I'll write about it at a later time. A quick look at the CarbonFin Outliner screen is provided below.



CarbonFin Outliner is, well, an outlining program. The structure is simple, but the tools are very effective. You can have multiple indented rows to your outline. Outline bullet points can have notes associated with them. It's easy to navigate the outline structure. You can collapse, and expand, outline rows. It's easy to rearrange, or reorder, rows.

Besides the basics of outlining, done well, CarbonFin Outliner offers some important additional tools. First, your outlines can be synced to a web-based server that CarbonFine provides (for free). All you have to do is tap an icon in the Outliner for iPad app and all your outlines are synced (and backed up) to the web. You can collaboratively share your outline with others—they would be given a link to your web-stored outline. They can make changes and when you press sync again on your iPad you'll be automatically updated on the iPad with your collaborator's changes.

Outlines can be exported as OPML files. This is a very generic format for outlines that many programs on both Macs and Windows can read. CarbonFin recommends using OmniOutliner for the Mac (a great program) and Bonsai for Windows. Thus I can create the beginning of an outline on my iPad and then later refine and expand it on my Mac easily enough. By the way, as long as your computer outlining program will export as OPML (and it should) then you can go the other direction also: create an outline on your computer, export/import, and then expand/refine the outline on your iPad or share for collaboration via CarbonFin's Outliner Online free service.

For some the most important feature is that CarbonFin Outliner's OPML exports are readable by the wonderful Scrivener writing software. These OPML files get imported into Scrivener as new folders and files. Notes for items get imported as the text for a particular file or folder. Thus CarbonFin is a great way to start a writing project in Scrivener as well.

In addition, CarbonFin allows you to easily add numbers (and sub-numbering) to your outlines, show a completion task-box for items (great for to-do lists and other things), and many other helpful options.

In the ten days I've had Outliner it has become one of the two most used content-creation apps on my iPad (the other is OmniFocus which I use all the time). The price is about $5. For more information, check out the details at:

carbonfin outliner website