Newsletter: Introducing Connections

Dear MindMeister User,

Perhaps the most requested feature in MindMeister are graphical cross-connections between ideas. We promised in the last newsletter that they'd be available before Christmas, so we're happy to be able to introduce the first version of this beloved feature in this release - among a couple of other new things, read more below.

In other news, check out two new integrations partnerships of MindMeister: Box.net and net-files, MindMeister on ModBooks at the MacWorld 2009, as well as our new Facebook fan page.

Happy Holidays,
  The MindMeister Team

What's New in MindMeister

The major new mapping feature of this release are graphical connections between ideas. Many of you asked for them, and after we could not put this feature off any longer we locked one of our JavaScript gurus in a room with just a notebook and the Encyclopedia of Bezier and B-spline Techniques, and only let him out yesterday.

He said there were many technical difficulties to overcome, so please bear with us if not everything works quite as expected yet - we're working on it!

We also added a few other new features in this release, please see details below or check out the list in the obligatory What's New in MindMeister 3 mind map.

Graphical cross-connections You can now add graphical cross-connection between your ideas in your mind maps, which will be displayed as green arrows. This feature is still beta, so please be kind. We'll add more functionality here in future, such as control points and formatting. Mark & nudge inactive users Collaborators who haven't visited a mind map yet since it was shared with them are now marked with a coffee cup icon in the Share dialog. Clicking the icon allows you to send another email to those users, reminding them to contribute ("Nudge" feature). Alphabetize subnodes We've cleaned up the node context menu a bit and added a function to sort the children of a node alphabetically, at the click of a button. Small but hopefully useful function. Select maps to take offline No longer do you have to wait for endlessly for all your maps to synch when you go to offline mode - a new dialog allows you to choose which maps you want to take offline. Very useful if you have a lot of them! Other enhancements Ability to skip share emails, withdraw from shared maps using the "Delete" function, improved invitation system, and of course the odd bugfix. See all changes since MindMeister 3.0 in the What's New mind map.

New partnerships: Box.net, net-files

The launch of our new Embed API has borne first fruits - we've recently completed the integration of MindMeister into two external services. Both now allow their users to create and edit mind maps with MindMeister's award-winning editor, directly from within their own interface. Read more below.

The first integration is into Box.net, in our opinion the most appealing online file management service, and one of the coolest Software-as-a-Service pioneers with currently over 2 million users. Read more

At the same time, the German online file management solution net-files also integrated the MindMeister editor, using the same API. Both services allow editing of MindManager^TM and Freemind files too. Read more

Got a great online service yourself that you'd like to enrich with the ability to create, edit and store mind maps? Apply for an API key now, and embed MindMeister in your platform. To discuss commercial agreements for for-profit integrations, contact us at sales@mindmeister.com.

MindMeister at MacWorld 2009

MindMeister will be exhibiting at MacWorld 2009, which takes place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from January 5-9, 2009. We'll be at the booth of Axiotron, makers of the award-winning Modbook, the one and only pen-to-screen tablet Mac solution.

Our tool runs pretty smoothly on those ModBooks - you can create ideas by double-tapping the touchscreen, and drag-and-drop your ideas iPhone-style. If you're attending the show, make sure you check us out. If you want to meet Till, one of our founders, make sure you drop by between the 6th and the 9th (as he won't be there on the first day).

Of course we'll have some goodies on the booth for MindMeister fans - every visitor receives a Promotion flyer, good for a free 6-months Premium license. While stocks last!

Facebook Fan Page

Finally, MindMeister now has its own fan page on Facebook. Come and join our community and spread the word to your friends, and friends of friends. And if you want to make us expecially happy, write a nice review about MindMeister to share your experience with fellow MindMeisters. Join now