SMS from Email ....

I have been looking for this for awhile and noticed today on makeuseof.com a great piece on sending free sms messsages to a mobile phone ... the article gives you the links and instructions for sending the sms messages, so I tried this today ... works great and without a hitch ... there is even a list for smaller carriers and international carriers in this article ... I use gmail, so I tried sending an sms to some phones and it worked just like a regular sms ... the neat thing though is the reply came back to the gmail account from which you could continure the conversation by replying back ... this could be handy internationally while travelling and it is great for quick exchanges without the normal thumb typing associated with most mobile phones ... handy too to keep up with the younger group who prefer texting to phoning and prove it by sending more text messages than voice calls ....

Phone Your Mind Map ...

As another extension to MindMeister was highlighted today in the mindmapping software blog ... it describes how to use Jott to send ideas and maps to Mindmeister ... I forgot to mention that other things you are able to due is to add things in a flash by utilizing both email and browser extensions that will send quick branches to your maps ... I have used these methods and they are effective as you think and browse in their ability to keep you in the "flow" and capturing the thought ...

MindMeister Thanksgiving Promotion ...

Note: Promotion ran out in December ... watch for other offers as they come ...
One of my favorite web apps, MindMeister gave me a limited number of 3 month free subscriptions to their Pro service ... on top of the regular features, the Pro subscription allows you to import and export to MindManager (also a top app), add file attachments, and create AND edit while offline .. the last item is one of significance as those of you with netbooks or laptops will still have the utility of a desktop app (non cloud computing) without connection to the net.

Subscriptions range from free, $4 per month for the pro, $6/mo for business where you can brand the site and an academic for $15 per yr. If this will work for you, this can be an invaluable resource for quick mind maps as you need them ... leave a comment with contact info and I'll email you the code for your 3 months free ...

Profound article ...

It is not often that I read and article slowly as to digest everything and then go back and reread it again .. today I stayed glued to the monitor and waded through this article on Ray Ozzie who is now the CSA of Microsoft ... it was a wonderful trip down memory lane and set the stage for what I feel will be a profound shift in the company and portending what direction the 900 lb gorilla is headed ... take some quiet time and sort through this information as it may give you a glimpse into the future ....

Browsing in a Map ....

I saw some really good screenshots illustrating the browsing capability of the new version of MindManager 8. This really shows how easily it is to work within the map window, no more creating another window and having to switch ... this will allow seamless workflow and make for more and better integration of your ideas ... I find this feature extremely important as for years I would switch and switch and switch again ... now you can even search and browse and create new links all in the same window ... isn't this the way computing was supposed to be ???



The top shot is of a browser into a net session. The second shot is an open pdf file .. you can do the same with a word doc and actually work on it right in the window ... this represents a giant leap for productivity ... try it out for free at the mindjet website ...

Active Pdf Export ....

Here is a particulary useful new twist added to the MindManager 8 list of useful features ... you can now export a map in a pdf file that allows for viewing and links to the net ... this is a shot of a quick map I created last night from yesterday's RSS feeds that I follow ... these illustrate and link to the web items of interest to an iphone user, the first map is the overall pdf that was created and you can see the topics.

The second shot is after clicking on the small plus on the pdf for MindManager 8, it expands the topic and shows an insert of new feature screen shot and then underneath it active links that you can simply click on and it will take your browser to the web location specified in the hyperlink. Imagine the possibilities, you could create a mini brochure to your website with targeted marketing efforts and also a view of current research, background info, and ordering link. This could be done like an active handout targeting a specific interest or product. That way the customer would be directed specifically to his interest rather than having to sort through an entire website.

One could also create and active document that you could continually add to as you get feedback or more links ... like a grand knowledgebase that could be built interactively ... with this new export feature, an entirely new process has been opened ... great stuff ...

Interesting New Web App ...

I got wind of this one from one of my favorite read "feeds" WebWorker Daily, it gave a good explanation of a new beta service called SpringPad, app is still in beta but as I was watching the tutorial and thinking about this, this could easily serve as a down and dirty way to track and maintain multiple projects ... I envision a lightweight task tracker type of use, but it actually lends itself to some other very interesting ways of open ending the process rather than being constricted with applications that are designed for project management ...

Springpad will sync with gcalendar, so I can use either the alerts from the app (email and phone) or simply go to the google setup that I already have being fed to my blackberry. It takes the folder as being a seperate page and then files would contain items with notes, flags, and reminders ... so many ways to configure this blank pallet of application ... I think because of the way you could actually configure different ways of looking at projects or tasks this too add to "thinkability" on the web ... it is open registration on the beta, so just drop by and register and play ... being connected in the cloud just got fuzzier ...

MindManager 8 ... thinkability tool

This is part II of the new MindManager 8 commentary ... as in the first browser in the map, the extension allows you to work and EDIT office files (word, excel and powerpoint) in the mindmanager window ... by allowing your access and edit of files this opens up a whole new utility to the map ...

I use the map as a repository of information for projects and research .. ie, you have a project that you have files and web links associated with and you are putting together a combined white paper or project summary ... by working in the map metaphor you have at once ALL your information at your fingertips and the ability to continually update and work on your paper or summary ... by keeping all links current and with the ability to upload new ones as simply as hitting the enter button, your task has been made more efficient and visual ... both keys to continuity when you are thinking through your project ...

The other really big help is the ability to drag and drop your thoughts or files into any sort of order or hierarchy that will enhance the "thinkability" or the project ... you can drag and drop, delete and add, chop and dice until it all makes sense to your mind ... "thinkability" ....

Windows 7 feature now ...

I have been watching the development of Windows 7 and it really appears to be a great fix to on ongoing problem ... it essentially is the Vista engine in new clothes. It works better with less bloat and there appears to have been lots of cleanup of things that really were not necessary and in some cases may have interfered with simple operation of the OS ... that being said, one of the new features referred to as windows "shake" has been making the rounds from the beta views and appears to give you a really intuitive way to control putting windows up on a workspace ... enter some beta software from Germany called AeroSnap BETA ... click on the link and there is an embedded you tube quickie showing the software in action ...

I have run into the sizing problem too many times to mention as I was attempting to multitask and this appears to be a way to control things, especially on a wide screen where the additional real estate is useable, but sometimes hard to configure ... it seems it is now only a click and drag away ... as the company says this is a beta version, so use carefully ....

MindManager 8 ... truly redefining a workspace

MindManager 8 finally went live yesterday for the world to see ...

I had been on the beta test and watched as my favorite mapping tool has been taken to a new level by the fine people at Mindjet ... just a refresher for those who have not followed a lot of my posts, MindManager is my most used app other than a browser and the MS Office suite ... I have used it for many presentations and to create repositories of ideas and facts and importantly to get a handle on projects and items that needed to be taken care of.

That being said, let me tell you what I personally found to be a game changer with the new iteration of this software ... first, take a look at the screenshot of a map and notice in the bottom right corner .... one of the biggest roadblocks to efficiency previously had been the need to go in and out of the application when I had web links or files ... with this new embedded browsing ability, you can do things right in the application and thus your work flow is unimpeded by the functioning of the map ... this alone is huge as the time switching back and forth remained problematic until now ....

Notice too how the dependencies on the task windows are now an integral part of the map and no longer something as an afterthought ... this along with a smart functioning to allow you to visually see the overdue items by color all allow far better utilization for quick and dirty project management. There are so many changes and items that may prove valueable to others that I have links to the campaign home page, a download link to a trial version of MM8.

I would be remiss in passing if I did not mention the new web collaborative space, I had worked with the earlier Connect product ... the new MindManager Web is the next generation of collaborative space that is based on the map and will allow multiple parties to engage on the workspace .... there is a great amount of buzz surrounding this release and it really does appear that we have raised the bar again with the Mindjet MindManager 8 product .....