New Mac version of MindManager 8 quiets the critics

For some time now, Mac users of MindManager have complained that they feel like the red-headed stepchildren of Mindjet. MindManager 7 for the Mac never offered the same level of functionality as the Windows version. What’s more, after MindManager 8 for Windows was introduced in November, 2008, they had to endure over a year of the developer telling them “we’re working on it.” No more.

Earlier this week, Mindjet launched a Mac version of MindManager 8 that users of this visually-oriented operating system can be proud of. This significant upgrade is tightly integrated with the Mac OS, including:

• Two-way synchronization with iCal and Entourage,
• The ability to pull individuals or groups from the Mac OS X Address Book into MindManager as project resources,
• Importing files and exporting maps to Apple iWork Pages,
• Exporting maps to Keynote, Apple’s sophisticated presentation software, and
• Integration with Microsoft Word for the Mac.

MindManager 8 for Mac also plays well with web 2.0 services, enabling you to share your mind maps via Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter – not even the Windows version of MindManager can do that! In addition, with Mindjet Player for the Mac, you can share your maps as dynamic Adobe PDF or Flash files (has anyone tried publishing a map to Flash? How well does this work?). Again, the ability to export maps to the ubiquitous Flash format is unique to the Mac version of MindManager, and may be a welcome alternative to the kludgey Mindjet Player.

MindManager 8 for Mac also supports the standard Apple gestures on MacBook trackpads as well as AppleScript – very impressive! Plus, its integrated web browser means you can view web pages and documents in a window within the MindManager interface, instead of opening them in a new window. This is a feature that I have come to love in the Windows version of MindManager 8, because it provides a more integrated working experience.  I’m sure that Mac users will grow to like it as well.

I’m not a Mac user, so I don’t have firsthand experience with MindManager 8 for Mac. But Chance Brown, a fellow mind mapping blogger, has played with it. Click here to read his glowing review of this program.