MindNode Pro 1.0.3

28.11.2008

Unlike some mind-mapping apps, MindNode Pro gives you the flexibility to click and drag your nodes wherever you want them onscreen. You're the boss; your layout isn't at the mercy of the application. To get around your map, use the arrow keys or mouse to hop from node to node. The application also offers autosave capabilities at time intervals that you define. Sharing mind maps with a friend via iChat Theater is straightforward, and MindNode Pro supports Spotlight to boot.

If you've tried MindNode, MindNode Pro's freeware brother, you'll find that the Pro version adds a couple of very useful features that are well worth the additional cost; for instance, in the Pro version you can fold nodes, collapsing portions of your mind map that you don't want to look at. The Pro version also greatly improves print output and enables you to add hotlinks to your mind maps--an essential feature for research or planning.

The relationships between mind map nodes are represented by lines of different colors and thicknesses, with lines getting thinner as they progress further down the hierarchy from the root node.

MindNode Pro is pretty minimalist; that's by design, but if you've ever used a mind-mapping app before, odds are there will be at least one key feature you will really miss. Thankfully, there's much-needed search functionality. This means no more endless scrolling across massive mind maps to find the one node that you really need. Still missing, however, is the ability to add images to your mind maps. Developer Markus Muller acknowledges that this is one of the most frequently requested features, and though he intends to support it in a future update, no timeline for its inclusion is available.

MindNode Pro does include several export options, including the ability to export your mind map in formats such as PDF, HTML, RTF, and FreeMind--the last being a popular, Java-based open-source mind-mapping application. So, if you decide down the road that you need additional features, you will always have the option to migrate your work to another application.