ThinkBuzan has launched a new integrated approach to go-anywhere mind mapping that it has christened iMindMap Freedom. Along with an all-new online map storage and sharing service called ThinkBuzan Cloud, the developer has released new mind mapping apps for the iPhone and iPad, with versions coming in the near future the Android platform and Blackberry Playbook tablet. These apps can seamlessly share mind maps via ThinkBuzan Cloud, which also includes a web-based version of iMindMap.

Here’s what’s new, and my impressions from working with these new tools:

ThinkBuzan Cloud online mapping and storage

This all-new online workspace (pictured above) features a slick new design that is very easy to use. I created a simple map using the application’s webified version of iMindMap, and found that it delivers the same organic experience as the desktop version. New branches are dragged out from existing ones, and can be easily repositioned in the workspace using the blue ring at the tip of the branch – very familiar to users of the PC and Mac versions of ThinkBuzan’s flagship mind mapping program.

A simple toolbar across the top of the screen provides access to common commands such as text font, size, color and decoration (bold, italic formats) and text alignment (right/center/left/justified). Drop-down buttons enable you to add box branches and relationship lines to your map, while an insert button enables you to create floating topics, add images and boundaries. Above it, a set of text-based drop-down menus give you access to still more features.

On the right side of the workspace, a vertical panel with “window shade” sub-panels enables you to access the app’s icon library, search an extensive image library and add notes to your map (confusingly located within a sub-panel called “properties” – a minor complaint, however).

On several occasions, I tried to leave my mind map without saving it. Amazingly, both times I got warnings that my map wasn’t saved, and gave me an opportunity to do so – great attention to detail!

iMindMap HD for iPad

Next, I updated the existing iMindMap app on my iPad, hoping that would automatically upgrade it to iMindMap Freedom. Alas, the process wasn’t that easy, but it was easy to follow, thanks to some clear, easy to understand prompts from the app’s developers. Once my copy of iMindMap HD was upgraded, I was asked to login to my ThinkBuzan Cloud account. As soon as I did that, I received a message stating that I would next be taken to the AppStore to download a new version of the app, one specifically designed to work with ThinkBuzan Cloud. That installation process went smoothly, and within minutes, I was up and running.

This new app, which is still called iMindMap HD for now, operates much like the last version, with some noticeable improvements. For starters, when you select a topic, two arcs, one blue and the other red, appear at the end of the selected branch (like c-shaped segments of a circle, facing each other – see the screen shot above). This is the iPad adaptation of the concentric rings in the desktop version of iMindMap, which make it easy to move a branch (blue) or add a sub-topic (red). My gut feeling is that the developers discovered that it’s hard to tap and drag objects on the iPad’s screen with a high degree of precision, so the model of the concentric rings didn’t work well in this tablet environment. Placing these icons next to each other, on the other hand, works very well.

Buttons in a toolbar at the bottom of the workspace enable you to select from four kinds of branches: normal, box branches (which enclose their text in a rectangular box), freehand branches (where the shape of the branch follows your finger as you drag it across the iPad’s screen) and relationships.

Branches also have control points, which means you can reshape them at will. You can also drag controls points along the length of the branch, giving you another level of flexibility in shaping branches. I didn’t see any option to add control points, however – not a big deal.

iMindMap HD gives you a great deal of control over the appearance of your map branches. You can add icons, change branch type and color, adjust the font size, decoration, color and alignment, and create topic boundaries from within a convenient multi-tabbed dialog box. You can also add notes, audio, links and task data to selected map branches via a separate “attachments” button.

In addition, you can add images to your maps – either from iMindMap’s provided collection or from your iPad’s image gallery – nice! Finally, tapping and holding your finger over a branch invokes a context-sensitive menu, where you can cut, copy, delete and collapse it.

At the map level, this app enables you to select a background color and whether or not SmartLayout and shadows are enabled.

I was able to synchronize iMindMap HD with my ThinkBuzan Cloud account, open the map I created in its web client and work with it. When I was done, I closed my map, and looked for the changes online. Nothing. Same old map. So I tapped the synchronize button in iMindMap HD. Viola! An updated mind map. It would be nice if this synchronization process happened automatically, but that’s OK – remember, this is a new, integrated product for ThinkBuzan. Perhaps this will be offered in a future release.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I found iMindMap HD a delight to use. It synchronizes quickly and reliably with ThinkBuzan Cloud. The development team has done a marvelous job of creating an enjoyable, easy-to-use app that translates the organic approach of iMindMap from the desktop to this popular mobile platform.

Perhaps the biggest change is that ThinkBuzan is offering its new iPad and iPhone apps for free. When I looked back at a post I wrote in September 2010 announcing the first iteration of iMindMap Mobile HD for the iPad, ThinkBuzan gave it a list price of $32.99. I think they have come to realize that it’s best to enable more people to try mind mapping on their mobile devices, which means some of them may upgrade to ThinkBuzan’s desktop mapping software in the future.

An annual subscription to iMindMap Freedom costs US$13.99, very affordable and well worth the investment, considering the “freedom” you get to work with your maps on multiple computing platforms simultaneously.

Four courses are being offered initially:

• An introduction to mind mapping
• Mind mapping for marketers
• Mind mapping for business planning
• Mind mapping for innovation

Training will be provided on any one of the four mind mapping software programs that the website currently supports: MindManager, iMindMap, XMind and MindGenius, and can be tailored to the needs of specific clients and their needs.

I was curious about what’s behind this move, so I interviewed Biggerplate.com founder Liam Hughes via e-mail:

Chuck: What made you decide to launch this service? What unfulfilled needs did you see that you aim to fill with your training programs?

Liam: We have done various pieces of mind map training over the years, but it never quite felt like the right time to invest in making this a more structured and/or widely available part of the business. After the growth and success of Biggerplate.com in 2011 however, I felt that the offline side of our business was failing to match the standards set by the online side, and I wanted to change this. We felt there was a need (and a space) for more targeted training services that focus on particular processes or job functions using mind maps, and this is what our training products aim to do. We currently have a program focused on marketers, a program focused on business planning, and a program focused on innovation, with others in the pipeline. The idea is to provide a training experience that is entirely focused on practical contextual learning.

Another consideration was the huge disparity in the price of training services that we saw elsewhere, and the belief that we could be very competitive in this area due to the strength of our online business. We set ourselves the objective of designing a range of products that could be delivered worldwide at prices that were competitive, regardless of where the training takes place. With Biggerplate being a global community of mappers, it was extremely important for us to be global in our thinking about these services, which means ensuring people who want training overseas are not financially penalized for the fact that we are based in the UK! It’s taken a little longer than planned, but we are very happy with the outcome!

Chuck: Will you be the person who delivers the training worldwide, or will you hire others to do so outside of the UK?

Liam: All training around the world will be delivered by myself and the Biggerplate team, which we are very excited about! (We don’t get out much…)

It’s important for us to ensure the style, tone, quality, and delivery of the training experience fits with what people associate with Biggerplate and expect from our brand. At this stage, this can only be achieved by keeping everything ‘in-house’, and that’s why we do not hire others to do training on our behalf. We have been fortunate enough to establish a strong name for ourselves in the mind mapping world, and I would not want to damage that by having anyone feeling short-changed by us, or having a training experience that falls below the standards we set.

It’s also important and enjoyable for us to meet mind mappers and our members in person, and this is something we have been more focused on over the last year. Our aim is to combine training assignments abroad (and in the UK) with opportunities to host small public events for our members in the local area, with a view to further strengthening the connection between Biggerplate and our users around the world, as well as the connections within the mind mapping community as a whole, which is a key part of our overall mission.

Chuck: A number of software resellers already offer mind mapping software training. How will the training from Biggerplate.com be different, better or unique?

Liam: Our aim is to be specific and focused on the practical use of mapping and mapping software within a particular context. This means if you are a marketer, for example, we’ll show you the ways in which mapping can be used in specific marketing situations and processes, rather than giving you the A-Z of everything a particular mapping program can do. Software training can sometimes be like being taught to drive by the maker of your car. By the end of it, you may know everything about the body, the engine, the lights on the dash, and the service plans available, but that information does not exactly prepare you for the reality of the open road, or even how to pull out of the parking lot!

Perhaps an advantage we have is that we don’t sell mapping software, and neither do we need to make it look great; it will do that by itself when left in the hands of someone who fully understands the contexts in which it can be put to use most effectively. Our job is to give people that understanding, and the confidence to explore mapping in ways that make sense to their everyday working lives. The mind map library and community at Biggerplate gives us truly unique perspectives on how people around the world are using maps in a variety of organizations and situations. It is this knowledge and understanding that enables us to help others do the same!

Chuck: What kind of training materials will participants receive as part of your on-site training? (such as a manual or worksheets)

Liam: We call it “The Playbook.” It’s a workbook or manual that is specific to whichever training program a person is taking with us. It is used for various exercises during the workshops, and also contains a huge amount of practical “when you want to do this, click here” type information, as well as numerous map examples and templates to provide food for thought. It has a distinct Biggerplate “tone” to it, and also contains suggestions, ideas, exercises and activities that can be carried out after the training is completed to try and reinforce learning once participants are back to the reality of daily working life. It also contains information about other sources of quality mind mapping information, such as this blog, and some of the other great sites that mapping experts around the world are running for the benefit of others.

Chuck: What is your experience in a corporate environment? How does this give you a unique perspective on the needs of business people?

Liam: In the early years of Biggerplate (2007-2009), my working life was divided between developing the Biggerplate website and working within my dad’s small consultancy firm, delivering training and consultancy services to businesses all over the world. The business is largely focused on change management, strategic planning and executive training programs. It was what you might call a baptism of fire for someone who was straight out of university and looking to build a mind map library!

The experience was invaluable in helping me understand the value of making information and problems more visible and visual. I gradually integrated mind mapping into more and more of the work we were doing, usually with great effect. From small to large businesses, a key problem that many people have is that information, learning and problems are largely buried on hard drives or in “the cloud.” Working with people to overcome these issues served to reinforce my belief that mind mapping is a powerful tool to overcome these issues, provided people could see the relevance of it to their particular department, job role or challenge.

This is something I think the mind mapping world has perhaps been slow to deal with, and in many cases we sing the virtues of mapping, almost as if the map is the end goal in itself. It is not necessarily the answer to everything, and in many cases is simply another tool to be used as part of a set in order to complete a particular process. However, my work in this area served to reaffirm that people are far more able to make sense of complexity when it is made more visually accessible, and maps are a great way to do this!

As Biggerplate has grown into a fully-fledged business, I have been fortunate enough to meet and work with a number of interesting individuals and businesses of all shapes and sizes around the world, who have helped me to further develop an understanding of where mind mapping can fit into daily life to improve performance, understanding and results. The training services we have designed keeps these ideas at their core, and when combined with the learning and experience we have from our library and community, we think the final products are unique in terms of their focus on context-specific learning and practical mind map training.

Chuck: Any thought of delivering this type of training via GoToMeeting, WebEx or other web conferencing applications?

Liam: It’s certainly on our radar, because this is obviously the way that much of the world is going. On a personal level, I prefer to be in a room with people and engaging with them in person. You can feel and respond to the energy and interests of the group in a way that just not possible online, ensuring people get what they want out of a training session. However, the realities are that you can’t be everywhere at once, and some people simply won’t be able to access our training services, no matter how affordable we try to make them, because of budgetary restrictions or other factors. We therefore need to come up with an answer, and perhaps online training webinars are the way forward.

We may go part of the way to solving this issue when we rebuild the tutorials section of our website later in the year. On the old version of Biggerplate, which as retired in March 2011, this was a highly visited but poorly constructed area of the site, and we decided not to rebuild it until we knew we could do it properly. The new tutorials area will pull together the best video tutorials on the web from software developers and mind mapping experts, to provide a learning hub that will hopefully help numerous people to get to grips with mind mapping without necessarily having to engage with paid training services. While we will be sad not to see them in person, if they can become a mind mapping expert by spending time in the new tutorials section, then we’ll consider that a win, too!

The release of iMindMap 5.4 is the latest in an aggressive series of updates to ThinkBuzan’s mind mapping program. The developer promised earlier in the year that it would be accelerating its product development timetable, and they weren’t kidding. iMindMap 5.2 was released in July and version 5.3 in September – and now version 5.4 has been launched only 2 months later. Here’s what’s most notable about iMindMap 5.4:

New start page: When iMindMap 5.4 first opens, a new start page gives you quick access to your recent maps, any recently synced maps and iMindMap Cloud. If you don’t want to view this page each time you start the program, all you have to do is uncheck a box. I think it’s very useful, especially if you create a lot of maps with iMindMap.

Improvements to SmartLayout: In iMindMap 5.4, SmartLayout has been improved with customizable settings and an instant “clean up” feature. You can determine how the program spaces and shapes your branches. If you click on the new clean-up button, iMindMap will automatically optimize the layout of your map’s branches, equalizing the spacing between them. At the same time, a new auto-shorten function automatically shortens your branches to the length of the text on them, giving you more space and keeping your maps looking neat. This is a big step forward, because new users of iMindMap may find it challenging at times to create neat-looking mind maps. If you mess up the shape and layout of your topics, iMindMap will now help you to improve the look of your map.

Focus in and out: When you focus in on a branch, the program will display only it and its child topics. It’s as if you created a new mind map, with the currently-selected item as your central topics. You can then “focus” on building out that section of your map. When you’re done, focus out returns you to a view of your full mind map. As you may know if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, I love it when programs give you this capability, because it enables you to remove any extraneous distractions from your screen and to turn your full attention to developing one area of your mind map at a time.

ThinkBuzan Cloud launched: This new service gives you online storage of your mind maps. You can save maps from iMindMap on your computer to your online account, and can also access them via iMindMap Online. What’s the relationship between iMindMap Online and ThinkBuzan Cloud? I didn’t have a clue, so I asked Ashleigh Ryman, acting head of marketing at ThinkBuzan, to explain the difference to me. She provided such a clear, concise explanation that we’re going to let her tell us:

“iMindMap Online allows users to log in, create Mind Maps and collaborate with other users. It is an online editor. ThinkBuzan Cloud is where maps from iMindMap Online, and maps synced from iMindMap desktop, are stored. The syncing and storage of iMindMap Online is done through ThinkBuzan Cloud. The difference now is that users can sync between the desktop version on different computers,” she explained.

In the near future, TinkBuzan Cloud will also sync with iMindMap’s iPad and mobile apps. So no matter where you’re using iMindMap, regardless of the platform, you will be able to access your up-to-date maps.

Pinned branches: Branch pins enable you to lock the position of any branch, literally “pinning” it to the surface of the workspace. In other words, as you build your mind map, any pinned branches will remain unaffected by the program’s SmartLayout engine.

Branch ordering: Allows you to alter the sequence in which your topics appear in your maps. In the Windows version of iMindMap, this is accomplished by opening up an outline side panel (see screen shot above). In the Mac version, it is handled via an inspector panel. Branches can be dragged or dropped to new positions in the outline hierarchy, or via a right-click move up/move down command. You can also show or hide ordering icons – numbers that represent the order in which the main branches were created. The same icons are repeated throughout all levels of your mind map, and makes it easy to see the order in which you added content to your maps. Two other buttons appear in this panel, which enable you to synchronize the changes you’ve made in the outline or in your mind map. For a better understanding of how branch ordering works, you may want to watch this video tutorial:

After giving this approach of branch ordering some deep thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that this enhanced outline view really isn’t needed. Why should I care what order I entered my major topics into my map as long as I can move them exactly where I want them? Even a large, complex map can be collapsed so that only first-level topics are visible. You can then drag and drop the branch you want to move to its new location. Simple. Done.

Displaying the mind map and outline side by side with ordering icons and two options for synchonizing changes between the two view will probably confuse the hell out of a lot of people, particularly the new users. I had a hard time understanding why I should use it, even after watching the video tutorial for it. I’m not trying to poop on this functionality – I just don’t understand why it’s needed.

Styles: A new set of 24 map styles enables you to quickly change the look of your mind maps created in iMindMap 5.4. It adjusts branch colors to different sets of attractive, complementary colors, along with corresponding text styles and branch shapes. Compared to other mind mapping programs, the majority of these styles are very attractive. This is a real time-saver for new users, who just want to get their thoughts down on screen, and don’t want to waste a lot of time reformatting branches. This feature, along with the SmartLayout clean-up, makes creating professional-looking mind maps a snap.

Child maps: As of iMindMap 5.3, released in September, you can now create a child map from the selected topic. This creates a new mind map, and adds a link to it from the topic you have selected. Nice! I’m a big fan of this kind of functionality. But normally you realize that you need to create a child map after one branch of your map becomes large and unwieldy. It’s not something you can usually plan ahead for. Would the child map command work on an existing branch? I tried it, and to my surprise, it did – very useful!

Streamlined product offering: As of the launch of iMindMap 5.4, ThinkBuzan has simplified its product line to 3 versions:

• Ultimate – The premium version of the product, focused upon the needs of business people
• Basic – A free version of iMindMap that is useful for basic mapping.
• iMindMap Home & Student – This replaces MindMap Elements. In the process, it takes on much of the functionality previously found in iMindMap Pro, but at a lower price – which should make it more attractive to families and educators.

Conclusion

iMindMap 5.4 has made some great strides since the last time I looked at it. I applaud ThinkBuzan’s commitment to rapid improvement of it, and found most of the new and improved features add value to the program. Branch ordering is the lone exception – I’m still not sure why I should use it, and what the benefits are of doing so. But since I’m so deeply immersed in visual mapping software, it’s hard to look at this with a beginner’s mind. There may be some reason that new users find it an easier way to reorganize their map topics.

iMindMap 5.4 is a free upgrade to existing users of iMindMap 5. If you’d like to see what all the excitement is about, you can download a trial of iMindMap Basic for free, and can play around with the full iMindMap Ultimate feature set for 7 days before it reverts to Basic configuration. TO download this program, please click here.

BiggerPlate.com, the leading mind map gallery for MindManager mind maps, recently expanded its library to include maps created in iMindMap. Founder Liam Hughes decided to make this move after attending a ThinkBuzan event earlier this year in Dubai, where he was really turned on by the energy and enthusiasm of the people he met from this organization, and their passion for growing the use of mind mapping worldwide. He was also quite impressed with iMindMap 5, which is a major upgrade that has transformed it into a serious business tool (read my review of it here).

BiggerPlate.com’s newly expanded scope follows a relaunch of the site several months ago, which brings a slick new interface and some new capabilities to this excellent site, including:

• Bulk uploads (upload up to 10 maps at a time)
• Support for hypertext links in mind maps
• Improved control over how others view and use your maps
• Mini-profiles for BiggerPlate users and map authors
• An integrated MindManager map viewer
• No limit on the size of mind maps uploaded to BiggerPlate.com

What’s significant about this expansion

Why is this expansion of BiggerPlate.com significant? Because Liam has established it as the go-to website for business-oriented mind maps. There are other mind map galleries on the web, but they are either owned by mind mapping software developers or haven’t innovated and expanded in recent years (think Mappio.com). BiggerPlate.com is an independent publisher, and more importantly, one who is committed to providing a great experience for users of mind mapping software.

To give you an idea of the types of business maps you can download from BiggerPlate.com, here is a partial list of the top 10 downloaded mind maps from the site:

• A personal organizer template
• Managing projects (based on the project management body of knowledge – PMBOK)
• SWOT analysis (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats)
• A business plan template
• Several mind maps that help you to implement David Allen’s popular Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology

That’s just scratching the surface. There are over 1,000 mind maps in this gallery, nearly organized by topic. There is much to explore here!

Why use BiggerPlate.com?

Why use a website like BiggerPlate.com? If you’re a user of MindManager or iMindMap, it’s a nearly ideal place to download mind map templates that you can use as starting points for your projects, saving you hours of time. As Liam points out in his blog, that a file downloaded from BiggerPlate.com is “not a static and unchangeable image of a mind map, but is a dynamic, entirely adaptable mind map file that they can do what they like with.”

In addition, the mind maps in this excellent library can inspire you, especially if you’re fairly new to the world of mind mapping, and trying to figure out how you can apply it to your work and life. I’m still finding new applications for mind mapping software, based on the maps I’m seeing on BiggerPlate.com.

If you haven’t visited this website yet, I highly recommend that you do so. And keep an eye on Liam. I have a feeling that, with his new web platform, he may have further expansion plans in mind – to support mind maps created in other mind mapping programs.

In early March, I gave you my first impressions of iMindMap 5, based upon an early beta version of the new program. Even at that point, I was impressed with how much the developer has done to give its flagship mind mapping program some serious street cred for business applications. The final release of iMindMap 5 contains a few more new surprises:

Presentation view: As I described it in March, presentation view is a well-designed tool that displays a thumbnail of the current slide, topic notes and a timer in your view, while simultaneously displaying an interactive version of your mind map to your audience. This view has been tweaked to display both your current slide and the next one – which gives you a much better idea of what’s coming next, so you can verbally transition from one topic to the next.

Interactive presentation export for PowerPoint and Impress: The shipping version of iMindMap 5 now enables you to export your mind maps in interactive form to either PowerPoint or OpenOffice Impress. I tried this with the mind map I created that is pictured above. What it does is exports your mind map as a single slide, but with each topic as part of a “build” – in other words, with each mouse click, another branch is added to the current slide. iMindMap utilizes a horizontal “wipe” effect to make it look like each branch is growing. You also still have the option to export your mind map as a series of slides containing bullet points. It’s nice to see this kind of flexibility.

Wizards: For new users of iMindMap, version 5 includes 4 interactive “wizards” that help you to build basic mind maps. These are focused on a generic mind map, performance coaching, goal setting and organizing your day. It does this via a pop-up dialog box where you fill in some blank fields and iMindMap generates your mind map based on the data you entered.

Freehand branches: New since the beta version of iMindMap 5 is freehand branches. If you want to give your mind map a really unique look, this is certainly one way to do that!

Expanded export options: iMindMap 5 now offers 11 options for exporting your mind maps, including:

• Exporting your audio notes separately
• PDF and document
• Image
• Interactive presentation
• OPML (a hierarchical outline format)
• Pack and go
• Presentation
• Project
• Spreadsheet
• SVG exporter
• Web

Of these, I was pleasantly surprised to see the SVG (scalable web graphics) option. This enables you to export your mind map to a graphics format that can be easily resized (made larger) without any deterioration of the image’s quality.It’s good to see that ThinkBuzan realizes that many business users need to be able to take the ideas they have created and organized in their mind maps and move them to other formats for further development.

Import options: iMindMap 5 can import files from MindManager, Freemind and NovaMind.

For all of the details about what’s new and improved in iMindMap 5, I recommend that you visit the comparison chart on this web page. I think you’ll be very impressed by the progress they have made with this application!

3D view for mind maps and presentations: iMindMap 5 adds the ability to view your mind maps with a 3D perspective – not true 3D, where a mind map would have topics extending in all directions, but rather the ability to rotate your 2D mind map in 3D space, with some depth effects on topics and lines (see the image above right). This new view is also available in the program’s presentation mode, which promises to add greater visual impact to your iMindMap-based presentations.

iMindMap Online: Online collaboration environments, where you can easily share your maps with others or simply keep a backup of all of your mind maps in the “cloud,” have become increasingly popular. When iMindMap 5 is released, ThinkBuzan will also launch iMindMap Online, which apparently will contain a web-based version of its mind mapping software. The developer’s marketing materials say that you will be able to “use it as a standalone product or as a partner to your desktop version.” It looks like iMIndMap 5 will also support real-time collaboration on mind maps within this web environment. No word on pricing at this time.

Multimaps: iMindMaps will enable you to create multiple mind maps – each with their own central topic – on a single page. You will be able to link them together as well. At this early stage, when I haven’t been able to see the program in action or play with it, I’m not sure if this will be as useful as the ability to link between a main mind map and linked sub-maps, but we’ll see.

New SmartLayout capability: iMindMap 5 replaces separate mind map and speed mind map modes with a single SmartLayout mode, which enables you to let the program draw new topic lines for you, or to insert them by hand. In addition, SmartLayout will automatically arrange topics for you, preventing overlaps between them. Past versions of iMindMap enabled you to select layout styles that were organic looking or more corporate and linear. SmartLayout promises to simplify this and give you a greater level of control over the appearance of your mind maps. It sounds like the developer has been trying to make iMindMap even easier to use, especially for first-time users. But without a copy of version 5 in hand yet, I can’t say whether or not they succeeded.

New ribbon toolbar: The toolbar of iMindMap 5 has been updated to look like the Microsoft Office 2010 ribbon interface in Windows. The Mac version of the program will also support the latest Mac user interface.

Smartcells: iMindMap 5 will enable you to incorporate spreadsheets, flowcharts and sketches within your mind maps, expanding the types of information that you can include within them.

Filters: It’s nice to see that iMindMap 5 will add a filter tool, enabling users to show or hide map content based on a number of criteria, including unfinished tasks, links to files and  branches containing certain words. In my opinion, if you’re going to be working with large, complex maps, filtering is a must.

Project management: While iMindMap 4 offered some basic project management tools, version 5 builds upon that with a new Gantt view. You will also be able to view task information from within map view using a new side panel.

For more details on the other new features of iMindMap 5, please visit the new product page on the ThinkBuzan website.

To promote the upcoming launch of version 5, ThinkBuzan is running a special promotion: If you purchase iMindMap 4 now, you’ll get a free upgrade to version 5 when it’s released, plus a free 3-month subscription to iMindMap Online. Click here to take advantage of this great deal.

http://www.thinkbuzan.com/uk/promo/imm5

But what you may not know is that, under the hood, iMindMap has some very powerful and unique capabilities. Here are 8 of them:

1. Organic and speed modes: iMindMap offers the best of both worlds – a unique organic look and feel that gets you closer to the experience of creating hand-drawn mind maps than any other mind mapping program. At the same time, it offers a “speed mode,” which enables you to record your ideas quickly. In this mode, iMindMap draws and arranges your map topics for you, so you can focus on typing.

2. Presentation view: iMindMap’s well-designed presentation mode smoothly animates your maps so that they grow branch by branch, organically – ideal for capturing the attention of your audience. The program also offers a helpful “presenter” view: You as the presenter can see your notes and a simple menu bar for controlling your presentation, while your audience only sees your mind map.

3. Floating topics: These are ideal for doing a “brain dump” of your ideas; the Alt-T keyboard command can be used to quickly add them to your mind maps. Then, when you’re ready to structure your thoughts, simply drag and drop these floating topics to existing branches of your mind map.

4. Focus in and out: When you focus in on a selected branch, the program hides the rest of your map and treats the selected branch as a new central idea, with the child branches now turning into main branches. This enables you to focus your attention on completing that section of your mind map, without any unnecessary distractions. This is one of my favorite capabilities of mind mapping software (I have ADD tendencies), and I’m pleased to report that iMindMap is one of the programs that offers it.

5. Exceptional import and export capabilities: Most mind mapping programs enable you to import and export with a handful of other programs. But only iMindMap enables you to work with Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, Adobe Illustrator and with outline-based programs via the OPML (outline processor markup language) standard.

6. Freehand branches: If you’re utilizing iMindMap on a tablet PC or whiteboard, you can add branches with complex, hand-drawn shapes to your mind maps. This gives you creative freedom that most other programs don’t offer.

7. Audio notes: iMindMap’s audio note capability allows you to  record your voice and then attach it to a map branch. Instead of having to type the details of your ideas into topic notes, you can record an audio clip and continue adding content to your mind map. Audio notes are also useful in group brainstorming sessions. In addition, they can be exported as .wav files so that you can use them outside of the program, share them with others or even send them to be transcribed.

8. Screen capture tool: With this capability, you can take a “snapshot” of a section of your mind map and share it with colleagues or friends, without having to go through the exporting process. You can instantly capture part or all of your map and paste it as an image into other applications, such as Microsoft Word. That makes it ideal for embellishing your reports and business plans.

To learn more about iMindMap and what it can do for you, please click here.

• A presentation mode, which you can use to share your ideas branch by branch on any screen. Forward and back arrows enable you to move back and forth through your mind map, while a vertical column of topic names displayed on the left side of the screen enables you to jump to other vies of your map. Any notes attached to topics appear on the iPad’s screen, so you can refer to them during your presentation. This looks very slick!
• A variety of export formats, including image, PDF and iMindMap files. You can further edit maps created on iMindMap Mobile HD on the program’s desktop version.
• Speed mind map mode, which enables you to capture your thoughts quickly and easily; the app automatically arranges the new branches for you.

This app looks very promising, but at US$32.99, it’s definitely a premium-priced tool! Still, if you’re a user of the desktop version of iMindMap and own an iPad, then purchasing this powerful mobile mapping tool is a small investment, indeed.

Speaking of iMindMap Mobile, ThinkBuzan also announced that it is working on a paid version of this popular app, which will be called iMindMap Mobile Pro and will feature enhanced export options (image, PDF and iMindMap files). The free app will also move to version 1.1, featuring an expanded library of central images and branch icons.

As I’ve said in this blog, I believe the iPad will be the perfect platform for creating mind maps on the go. And ThinkBuzan’s app is likely to be one of the most intuitive on this exciting new computing platform.

Buzan has helped millions to unlock their creativity, enhance their memory skills and expand their thought processes. He invented Mind Maps in the 1970s and they are now used by over 250 million people worldwide.

Workshops will be held in New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco; registration for them is now open.For more details, please see the U.S. Tour page on the ThinkBuzan website.

I’m planning to attend the workshop in Minneapolis, to meet the man who inspired the creation of this blog, as well as Chris Griffiths, the developer who came up with the idea for iMindMap who is now CEO of ThinkBuzan. It will be awesome to meet Tony in person, and to hear about the latest developments from his organization. From what I hear from his people, he’s looking forward to meeting me, too!