The last ones are handy because I often just need to tweak the color of a line, and ⌘4 lets me access those settings without having to tap the Branch tab in the Inspector. My most used shortcuts, though, are triple-Space and triple-Return (also supported with the software keyboard) to quickly add a new sibiling and sub-node, respectively, and ⌘1…4 to open a specific tab of the Inspector. MindNode still doesn’t come with the powerful template options of iThoughts, but the app has always been about simplicity and good default choices over tons of settings and cruft set your expectations accordingly. You can create cross connections between nodes (tap node > Connect > tap another node) and you can style those connections from a new Inspector that lets you choose color, line type, and thickness the Inspector has been redesigned for nodes as well, and I find it easy to use and navigate with tabs and a button to apply all changes to subnodes manually. The mind map editor has received a new default theme called “Delight” (which I like), but, overall, the MindNode experience has stayed the same. When a conflicted copy was detected, MindNode brought up a conflict resolution tool that wouldn’t let me edit a document unless I chose a master copy again – which is the right way to handle conflicts (see: Byword). In my tests with MindNode 3.0 on an iPhone and iPad and MindNode Pro 1.10.4 for OS X, iCloud sync was substantially improved from the old version: changes were synced after a few seconds across devices, and I had to force the app to create a sync conflict. Search within a list view has been added to MindNode, but it doesn’t look at the contents (text) of your maps – just the filename, which isn’t particularly useful to me. If I had to nitpick, I’d say that it’d be nice to be able to drag & drop items to create folders and to have slightly faster transitions. The document browser has been rewritten: folders sync with iCloud, and they open/close with a transition that’s similar to Apple’s one for folders on the iOS 7 Home screen. I don’t have particular exporting or inter-app communication needs for my mind maps (I just keep one next to my iPad or MacBook while I’m writing), but I’ve used the PDF and PNG options to send a document to coworkers.įor version 3.0, the entire app has been redesigned with iOS 7’s focus on content in mind: in the main Mind Maps screen, thumbnail previews are larger and you can tap on an arrow button next to a map’s name to show buttons to rename a map, move it, duplicate it, or delete it. MindNode, which I covered on MacStories in the past, is one of the few apps that I use with iCloud sync because, aside from a couple of occasions, it’s always been fast and smooth for me in the past. I don’t use MindNode every day – I would say probably once a week when I’m planning a big article or feature for the site – but when I do, I like its elegant layout and underlying simplicity. MindNode for iOS gets the 3.0 treatment today with a major update that redesigns the app, makes it iOS 7-only, adds new features, and cleans up some old ones while staying free for existing customers. And in the modern age, unless I need specific advanced features of iThoughts, I usually open MindNode – IdeasOnCanvas’ app for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. When my brain has to jump from point to point several times and a text outline isn’t enough, I like the visual approach of mind maps. Back then I had no iPhone or iPad and the school’s computers were some cheap Pentium 4s that the school administration couldn’t upgrade due to lack of regional funds, so I spent hours drawing little boxes and coloring them with highlighters. Since I was in middle school and especially in high school, I got used to remember topics by creating mind maps (“concept maps”, as our teachers called them) with pen and paper for classes like History, Ancient Greek, English Literature, or Philosophy. For pieces that are focused on a single subject (like an app review, a tutorial, or an opinion piece), the simple outline system works well because Evernote can keep everything in one place and show inline previews.įor longer articles that require deeper research and span a variety of topics, however, I like mind maps. When I’m writing for MacStories, I tend to prepare articles as outlines in Evernote, where I’ll also throw in some images and hyperlinks.
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