MindMapping
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MindMeister comes to the iPad
Looking for even more productivity on your iPad? MindMeister has released an iPad version of their collaborative mind mapping application, allowing iPad users to mind map locally and sync with the web version to share ideas with others. We've mentioned MindMeister before, and they were part of our suggestions for mind mapping on the iPhone, but ever since the dawn of the iPad, I've been waiting for it to come to the big screen! MindMeister on the iPad may not be the most complete mind mapping application available for the iPad, at least as far as bells and whistles. It does its job well, though, and the synchronization with the web version is a huge selling point, at least for me. The web version is my favorite online mind mapping tool, with its real-time collaboration features and very useful integration with external web services. Being able to update and edit my online maps from my iPad is very exciting, indeed. If you're a mind mapper, or someone who's looking for a new way to share ideas and collaborate with friends and co-workers, definitely check this app out ($7.99US on the App Store). There's a version for the iPhone ($6.99US), and a companion iPhone app for sending quick notes to your maps instantly, called Geistesblitz (free), too. The app functions fine on its own, but really shines when combined with the web version. The Basic plan for the web app is free with 3 maps at a time, and you can get unlimited maps for $59US a year. Check out the pricing plans at the MindMeister website.
Notable iPad apps
The iPad is great for a lot of tasks, but one area of potential appeals to me more than any other: brainstorming and note taking. I'm not alone, judging from the outcropping of specialized apps for doing just this. I haven't had the time (or money) to hunt down and experiment with every note-taking app in the App Store jungle, but I wanted to highlight a few that have stuck out in my search for the quintessential app for idea capture and retrieval. I'm skipping over some of the apps that I consider to be obvious (albeit excellent) choices (e.g. Evernote), mostly because they've already been covered on TUAW, often repeatedly. This is not to belittle them, just to keep things fresh. Mind Mapping The first few on my list are mind mapping applications. Mind maps are the easiest and most intuitive way for me to take notes and brainstorm ideas, so that's what I look for first. It's hard to beat a pencil and paper, or even a screen with a full keyboard and keyboard navigation, but some touch-based apps do it just about right. One of the best I've found is iThoughtsHD (US$7.99). It makes it relatively easy to jot notes in a mind map format, with options for node color, icons and organization. It can expand and contract nodes, branches can inherit their parent's options, and you can manually or automatically organize and space out your map. You can add new child and sibling nodes by tapping and dragging, or use handy buttons at the top of the screen. It can import and export maps via WiFi transfer, Box.net and email attachment. When it comes to formats, it handles just about everything I can personally think of, including Novamind, MindManager (6 and 8), iMindMap, XMind, Freemind, and others, as well as multiple image formats. Read on for more mind mapping and note taking apps for you and your iPad.
MindMeister for iPhone, mind map in the cloud!
I've mentioned some options for iPhone-based mind mapping before, but I'm pretty excited to let everyone know about the release of MindMeister for iPhone (iTunes Link). MindMeister is a web-based mind mapping application with excellent import and export features for most major formats. They've been focused on collaboration from the beginning, allowing realtime editing of mind maps by multiple participants, and including Skype integration. The iPhone version allows you to download your maps from your account (or start from scratch) and sync changes back to your maps, share maps, and export as MindManager, Freemind, Word, PDF or image files. MindMeister for iPhone (and iPod touch) is an evolution of the MindMaker application, which was acquired by MindMeister. While the online version of MindMeister allows for a range of icons, images and metadata on each node, the iPhone version currently lacks a lot of this functionality. However, it provides a fast, simple way to edit the text of nodes, adding to existing maps or creating new ones on-the-go. The navigation is an intuitive pan-and-zoom, tap-to-edit interface which is pretty standard among iPhone mind-mapping apps. It also incorporates the GeistesBlitz feature of MindMeister, which allows you to instantly add ideas to a default map, or create a basic map from scratch, through email or a variety of other methods (there's a REST API available if you feel like adding your own points of access). As an aside, I'd like to point out that the online version has some cool tricks. For example, you can import a tab-indented outline from a text file and turn it into a map automatically (just go to "Import Mindmap" and select a text file). Also, if you're editing a map, select a node and then click the image or note button ... not the dropdown menu, just click the button. It will do a quick search of Google Images or Wikipedia, respectively, and insert the results. Don't like the image it found for your text? Click again. Try it, it's fun. While I'm not completely sold on iPhone mind-mapping (paper is pretty fast), the syncing, sharing, rapid-entry features of MindMeister make it my top pick. It's not just about device portability, it's about data portability; with MindMeister, my maps can end up in just about any format I want them to, and I can share them directly and get feedback instantly. MindMeister for iPhone is currently $6.99 in the App Store. If you're a MindMaker user, it's a free upgrade. The MindMeister.com online service has plans ranging from free to $6/month, with a $15/year academic option.
XMind goes open source
XMind -- a powerful, Java-based mind mapping and charting application -- has been open-sourced (it's free!) with version 3.0. While it's not my absolute top pick for mind mapping, it ranks up there. I did have a license for the paid version, and I can tell you that it packs plenty of punch. It has all of the extra features I like: boundaries, relationships, summaries, notes, markers, outline view, floating topics and more, as well as intuitive keyboard navigation for rapid-fire brainstorming. One of my favorite features was the drilldown; pressing F6 focuses in on the current topic, displaying only it and its descendants. Shift-F6 takes you back up. It's similar to MindManager's "Focus" feature, but faster (and more limited in scope). And for those who want (or need) to, just set all of the shapes to underline, turn on multiple branch colors and tapered lines and presto, you've got an honest-to-goodness Tony Buzan-style mind map ... or as close as you'll get without buying Buzan's software (which, despite it being relatively expensive and lacking in system integration, I am regularly tempted to do) or breaking out the colored pencils. You can also create Org and Fishbone Charts with XMind. It imports FreeMind and MindManager maps as well as Marker Packages, and can export to HTML, image, Marker Package or Text. The HTML export is ... okay. FreeMind actually creates more useful HTML pages, but it works. Overall, it's great stuff, and it's exciting to see it open sourced. So, how did software that once cost $299 end up being free? It appears to be a change in the business plan, with a subscription model for "XMind Pro" replacing retail sales. I'm a little sketchy on the details, but the Pro version seems to include online collaboration for XMind users, Gantt charts and a Presentation mode (among other features), with a range of subscription prices: $6USD for 1 user/1 month, $400USD for 10 users/1 year, and everything in the middle. It's not necessary to have a subscription, however, to use XMind. Just download a copy (or even the source code) and let the brainstorming begin. Oh, and tell your PC friends, too; like many Java apps, XMind also comes in Windows and Linux flavors.
Mind mapping on the iPhone
I'm a fairly rabid fan of mind mapping. I use it daily for everything from mundane tasks like writing packing lists to more energetic pursuits such as frenetic brainstorming sessions. Accordingly, I've taken an interest in the development of two iPhone applications specifically geared toward the mind mapping enthusiast, especially the ones who are prone to ideas which just can't wait until they get back to their desk. MindMaker (iTunes link) is a $4.99USD application which provides a basic interface for iPhone mind mapping. The first screen is a list of maps which can be added and deleted in the typical iPhone fashion, and clicking a document title opens a map for editing. Within a map, double tapping on a "node" will select it, double tapping again will edit its text, and child nodes are added by tapping the plus sign (+) in the bottom toolbar. Pinching zooms the map in and out, and swiping in the white space allows rapid navigation. Like I said, it's basic. It gets the job done, though ... if you're fast enough on the iPhone keyboard to make it more effective than working on paper.
Back to School: collecting and organizing information
TUAW's going Back to School! We'll be bringing you tips and reviews for students, parents and teachers right up until the bell rings in September. Read on for high school & college-level help. I covered a few good research tools for students in my last post. Before I dive into some of the excellent writing tools and packages available, we're going to take a look at some methods and applications for putting thoughts, notes and references together in a format that makes the actual writing part much easier. Whether you're taking notes as you research, collecting documents or actually mapping out the first draft, these tools can be vital for organizing research, overcoming writer's block and making sure that things flow smoothly once writing begins.
Mindjet maps best San Francisco to-dos
OK, I'll confess: I really wish I could go to Macworld Expo next week. Since I'm in the unfortunate 40% of TUAW bloggers who aren't making the western swing, the most important question for me is "How can I live vicariously through my colleagues, and help them make the best choices about where to eat, things to see and places to go?"The folks at Mindjet (makers of mind mapping application MindManager Mac 6) feel my pain. The Mindjet blog, celebrating the company's first appearance at the Expo, is featuring a mindmap San Francisco-style covered with suggested dining, tourist activities and local intelligence. You can send in your suggestions as well and possibly win a copy of the MindManager application.Here's my dining suggestion: if the weather holds up, take the F streetcar down to the Ferry Terminal Market for lunch. Back in August (at WWDC) it was the best place to take in the view and some excellent sushi; might be too chilly in January to sit outside, but you never know.[via Macworld]
