1. Import the bookmarks of PDFs. If you drag and drop a PDF file into a mind map, all bookmarks of the PDF are imported. That’s extremely useful for collegiate research, where all of the sources you use in a paper need to be cited. It’s cool that this application automates that process.

2. You can add reference keys to reference sources manually.

3. Reference keys can also be added automatically. If you link a PDF in your reference database (e.g. BibTeX file) and you link the same PDF in your mind map, SciPlore MindMapping extracts the BibTeX key from the reference database and adds it to the node.

SciPlore is based on FreeMind (0.9 RC4 Max) and developed in Java. It runs under Windows and also run under Linux and Mac OS. SciPlore is 100% free and published under the GNU/GPL licence.

Both versions are enabled for online sharing and collaboration via XMind Share, a new website which allows XMind users to share their mind maps and other visual thinking content in a Web 2.0 style online community.

The major new feature in XMIND Pro 3 is the addition of a Gantt view, which will make it more attractive to project managers. This new map view is completely interactive with your map’s task information; if you drag a task bar in Gantt view to change its duration, this will also be reflected in the topic’s task data. XMIND 3 Pro is available for a US$49 per year subscription, a great value in these troubled economic times.

XMIND Ltd. says that the open-source version of XMIND isn’t stripped down, but provides extensive functionality. Users of this no-cost version can share their maps via the new XMIND Share community, but only publicly. Only XMIND Pro 3 users can designate their maps as private, and control who has access to them. Both versions make it easy to upload maps to this site; the program prompts you to login when you first open it. Then, it’s simply a matter of clicking on the “upload” command in the file menu. One click – that’s nice!

Watch for a detailed review of XMIND Pro 3 in the coming weeks.