Assistive Technology

Vision Objects Releases MyScript for Livescribe Macintosh Version

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:47:00 +0000

I have blogged about my experience with the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen since its release and glad to share with you that Vision Objects has released MyScript for Macintosh. MyScript will now give Macintosh Users the ability to convert their handwriting to text for easy editing and formatting. I have used MyScript for Windows with my Livescrobe Pulse Smartpen and found it to work well, even with my handwriting (lets not go there :-).

MyScript for Livescribe is an application that converts your handwritten notes to digital text:

	Send your handwritten notes directly from Livescribe Desktop to MyScript for Livescribe for conversion to text.
	Use your personal dictionary to add names, terms and abbreviations for even more accurate conversion.
	Convert handwriting, shapes, drawings and tables into print.
	Edit the resulting digital text directly in My Script for Livescribe application.
	Edited results can be sent to Microsoft Word or another word processor, to a text file, to your default email application or saved as a picture file.

EtherPad & Skype Perfect Together

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:22:00 +0000

I was in the middle of doing some brainstorming on the topic of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Math, when I had IM'ed Karen Janowski to see how she was doing via Skype; and when I told her what I was doing, she suggested that we put our heads together and come up with some ideas. I decided to give her call via Skype and then Karen shared an EtherPad address with me so that we could both collaborate in real time over the Internet and record our ideas. EtherPad is a Web 2.0 application that lets anyone quickly share a document so that all parties can collaborate in real time. With EtherPad you are just a click away from collaborating with each other in real time. Once I clicked on the link that Karen had provided me, I quickly copied and pasted my initial ideas that I had in a mind map and we were off and running. Using EtherPad, Karen and I quickly added more ideas and when we were through I was able to export my EtherPad session as a Word document to my computer. Karen and I marveled how easy it was to use Skype for the audio component and EtherPad to record our ideas. Give it a try when you are collaborating to find out just how easy and powerful this combination is.

Matchware Releases Service Pack 1 for MindView 3

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:28:00 +0000

FYI

I just found out that Matchware has released Service Pack 1 for Mindview 3 which can be downloaded from their website. I have upgrade my version of MindView 3 BE to the latest version without a hitch. MindView 3 feels faster when changing from the various views. Going from a Mind map to a Gantt Chart is much faster than in previous versions. Give it a try and let me know what you think. You can download the Service Pack 1 by clicking on this link. According to the Matchware website here are some of the features of the Service Pack 1.

This Service Pack contains the following changes:

Service Pack 1:

Panels now include scroll bars when screen resolution is low or when space is limited.
Converting between views has been slightly optimized.
Branch text editor: Several usability issues and other problems have been corrected.
Icons: The Icons gallery now closes upon selection of an icon.
Outline view: The font settings can now be changed as expected.
Spellchecker: The problem whereby correct text was sometimes underlined in red has been resolved.
Word export:
- PDF files are now handled correctly.
- Links to embedded files are now handled correctly.
- Pictures located in text notes on the Mind Map are now shown in the exported Word document.
PowerPoint export: The problem whereby comments were not exported to PowerPoint when using a non-English version of MindView has now been fixed.
SharePoint: Now fully compatible with SharePoint 2003. With SharePoint 2007 it may be necessary to check out the file before being able to save it from within MindView.
Many other usability and internal issues have been corrected.
Resources:
- Adding resources from the Address Book now works as expected.
- Resources assigned to tasks are now preserved when copying to another document.
Dragging a link from the web browser onto a branch now creates a hyperlink.
The Calculation Defaults and Formats dialog now supports localized decimal separators.
Excel export: You can now export to Excel even when Excel is not installed, but you will only be able to save the file in the XML 2003 Spreadsheet format.
HTML export: New export templates have been included.
Microsoft Project import: Files containing unsupported characters can now be imported.
It is now possible to export to the older OpenMind/MindView 2 XML format.

MindMap Navigator Released for MindManager 8

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

One of the features that is often asked for in MindManager 8 is a Map Explorer. For anyone who has used MindManager 8 with large maps you know that it can get rather unwieldy to navigate the map once it gets to large proportions. There was time when Mindjet Labs had put together an exploratory add-in that added a Map Explorer to MindManager 6 but development stopped and it was never upgraded for the current version of MindManager. This week I was excited to see that the Mind2Chart Team had just released a new add-in called MindMap Navigator that adds a full featured Map Explorer Pane to MindManager 8.

MindMap Navigator 8 add-in adds a fully functional Map Explorer to MindManager 8 that allows you to view your map in a Tree structure. Once MindMap Navigator is installed you will find a new pane called MindMap Navigator that you can open and close. Once the pane is opened you will be able to view all of your recent mind maps and open them from the MindMap Navigator pane. MindMap Navigator lets you quickly move from one branch in your map to another via the Tree structure. By double clicking on a branch in the MindMap Navigator pane you can jump to the branch in your map. View a video demonstration of MindMap Navigator by clicking on this link. Additionally, you can click on the Show Branch Alone button to isolate your branch in the map. You can also select branches and set a Relationship which you can format in your map. You also have the ability to Expand and Collapse Branches to help you quickly navigator through your mind maps. MindMap Navigator is a welcome addition and a must have for anyone who creates large maps. Having a Tree structure to navigate through your large mind maps makes it an ideal tool and one that you will say "how did I ever do without it." For more information and to download a trial version of MindMap Navigator click here.

Google Voice-Trying it Out

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:10:00 +0000

I have been hearing a lot about Google Voice for the past couple of months and a just today I received an email that I could sign up for a Google Phone Number. I quickly validated my account and set up a Google Voice Gadget that now appears on my blog. I am hoping that some of you might be interested in asking me a question or just drop me a line and say, hello. Google Voice is a free service, should you decide to give me a call within the United States. You can call me and leave me a message by clicking on the Google Voice gadget and entering the following number: (908) 955-3450. For the time being, I have directed all of my phone calls to the web where Google will transcribe my message for me-that I can access and listen to. Google Voice will also allow me to forward calls to my office or mobile phone, which at this time I have decided not to do. So feel free to give me a call and I will let you know how it goes!

Google Announces Google Chrome OS

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:21:00 +0000

FYI-Google announces that they are developing a new light weight operating system for netbooks.

Introducing the Google Chrome OS

7/07/2009 09:37:00 PM
It's been an exciting nine months since we launched the Google Chrome browser. Already, over 30 million people use it regularly. We designed Google Chrome for people who live on the web — searching for information, checking email, catching up on the news, shopping or just staying in touch with friends. However, the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. So today, we're announcing a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System. It's our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be.

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.

We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear — computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet.

We have a lot of work to do, and we're definitely going to need a lot of help from the open source community to accomplish this vision. We're excited for what's to come and we hope you are too. Stay tuned for more updates in the fall and have a great summer.

Gantt Charts vs Timelines-You Decide

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:12:00 +0000

In the early 1900's Henry Gantt introduced us to what is commonly referred to as the Gantt Chart, a way of visually communicating tasks and the timeline for each. In his 1919 book "Organizing for Work" ^[6] Gantt gives two principles for his charts:

one, measure activities by the amount of time needed to complete them;
two, the space on the chart can be used the represent the amount of the activity that should have been done in that time.

A lot has changed since 1919, and with the advent of computer technology we have seen a number of business project management software applications that take Gantt Charts to a whole new dimension. With the power of the personal computer we can now show not only task completion but the inter-dependencies of the tasks as they relate to the project completion. As more and more information gets added to the Gantt Chart and the visual complexity increases it certainly adds a real cognitive load for many, to make sense of the data. Recently, Wallace Tait and I had a conversation about Gantt Charts and their utility-which lead us to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the visual display when presenting information in a Gantt Chart. One of the real advantages of using Gantt Charts is the fact that it can pack a lot of rich information into a small area. But this can be its downfall as well-and it does take a certain knack to be able to decipher the information and the dependencies that are often displayed in a Gantt Chart.

While Gantt Charts have a rich tradition some people may have difficulty understanding the complexities that are displayed on the screen and choose not to use them to communicate project information. In this regard, some users may want to opt to use a Timeline to convey project information which is a more sequential way at looking at a tasks over time. While you certainly lose out on the richness of the Gantt Chart you are quickly able to see the flow of the project and when things need to be done. One mind mapping application that bridges the gap between Gantt Charts and Timelines is MindView 3 BE. In MindView 3 BE, you have the choice of looking at your project in various modes: as a mind map, a Gantt Chart, or as a Timeline. You can check out my previous post on MindView 3 BE to learn about the features and the project management tools. MindView 3 BE even lets you display your project using a cross between a Timeline with Duration bars. So the question I leave you with is: What are your preferences when you are displaying project information? Please complete the survey that I put together about Gantt Charts. I will report the results once they come in.

MindGenius 2.5: An Overview

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:35:00 +0000

I had the opportunity several weeks ago to speak with Dustin Newport, Director of Business & Marketing for MindGenius about their flagship product MindGenius 2.5. I always find it interesting to learn just how these applications come about and their genesis. Dustin shared with me that MindGenius came about as the result of the work of the parent company Gael Quality Group, which is a large consulting company in the compliance and quality management field. In March 2008, MindGenius Ltd, spun out of the parent company into new quarters with a new vision of where they could take this exciting mindmapping application. For the past month I have been using MindGenius and find it to be a powerful, nimble, and straightforward mindmapping application that runs on Windows platform.

When you first start off using MindGenius you can select from a number of redesigned templates to start your mind map session. One of the features which is unique to MindGenius is the ability to use the Question Assistance when developing your mind map. With the Question Assistance turned on you will see a array of topics with questions to help jump start your creative thinking process. There are a number of different topics and associated questions for each of the topics in MindGenius. Once your select your template you are ready to start your brainstroming or planning session using MindGenius. MindGeniis sticks to the core of mind mapping application letting you quickly get your ideas out on the computer screen. As a user you simply start typing and a new entry box pops up to enter your idea. If you like you can format the entry within the dialog box and press enter to add an idea to your mind map. I found the means to enter and idea fast and fluid. To add a series of subtopics all you need to do is select the topic and start typing. MindGenius comes with a library of map markers that you can add to your mind map that can act as a means to create a new map based on the category of the marker. I found this to be a fast and efficient way to look at tasks in my mind map that are assigned to a particular category. Likewise, you can assign a resource to each topic or subtopic in MindGenius and then with a click of the mouse create a new map with all of the tasks sorted by Resource. When working on larger projects this is an invaluable tool to get the big perspective on who is responsible for each of the tasks in the project. MindGenuis does not have the capabilities at this time to visually display what percent of the task is complete. Another unique feature of MindGenius is the Map Explorer which is displayed on the left hand side in a pane that lets you quickly move about your map within an outline mode. As soon as you select a topic in the Map Explorer the topic comes into focus with all the associated subtopics. Having a Map Explorer makes it very easy to move through large maps and can be used to move through your maps when you want to use it for presentations. By simply using the down arrow keys you can move through your MindGenius map via the Map Explorer so that the focus is always on the specific topic or branch. Pairing up MindGenius with a data projector to present the information is a great way to communicate and share your ideas.

MindGenius is fairly typical of mind mapping applications and allows you to link to web sites, files, PDF's. I personally would prefer to be able to embed certain files in my mind maps or at least give me the option to choose between embedding or linking. MindGenius allows you to set boundaries as well as adding floating and call out text. You can also display relationships between ideas on your mind maps buy using the insert Relationship option. Likewise, it is easy to add a note to a topic or subtopic by typing into the Notes pane. If you choose you can also add a watermark to the background when printing your maps. When it is time to distribute your MindGenius maps you can use the free viewer or distribute it as an executable(.exe) file. You can also decide to export your map as HTML and upload it to your server so that others can view it on te web. Or better ye,t export it to the ubiquitous PDF format so that you can email it to your colleagues who can open it with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

MindGenius offers seamless integration of your mind maps into the Microsoft Office Suite of products. If you are interested in using MindGenius as part of your project management solution you will find outputting your mind map to Microsoft Project a snap. I found it very easy to move my MindGenius map right into Microsoft Project with all of the data completely intact. Once you start the export process to Microsoft Project you have an array of options as to what you would like to move over to Microsoft Project. You can click on this link to view an overview of MindGenius. You also have the option to export your maps to Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Visio.

MindGenius is an easy to use mind mapping application that you should be up and running in no time. MindGenius is a straightforward mind mapping application with some unique features that should make it a valuable tool in your arsenal for brainstorming, project planning, and business consulting. The Map Explorer feature along with the Questioning Assistance Pane add some unique functionality to this well thougth out application. My favorite feature which should be ideal for anyone using this tool for project planning is the ability to create a new map based on the resources or categories attached to a topic or subtopic. Overall you will find MindGenius an easy to use mind mapping application with a small footprint. I would hope that MindGenius will continue to build on their fine product and modernize the interface and refresh the graphics and the overall look of the program.

Click on this link to view an overview of MindGenius 2.5

Captivate 4: Export Videos to PDF Format

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Over the past year I have spent a great deal of time working with Adobe Captivate to create numerous video tutorials for the classes and the workshops that I hold. I have found Adobe Captivate easy to use and many features that have arrived in the latest version, Adobe Captivate 4 have really cut down on my production time. I have written about the use of text to speech in the production of my video tutorials which has worked well for me. But when all is said and done, one of the really important features when I am done with the video tutorial is how am I going to distribute it? Prior to Adobe Captivate 4 I would generally upload it to my FTP account and provide my students or workshops participants with a link to the streaming media. While this has worked out fine it was great to learn that in Adobe Captivate 4 you could publish your finished video as a PDF file- making it even easier to distribute.

When you are ready to publish go to the Publish icon and make sure to select Export PDF in the dialog box. You will notice that you can also export the HTML and your SWF file as well in one fell swoop. The process is very straight forward and when you are done you will have your SWF video and PDF published to the designated folder. If you would like you could also store your finished PDF file on Acrobat.com so that others could download it to their computer. Since the PDF has encapsulated the video you will want to download the PDF file and open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 to view. Having the capability to publish the video tutorials to a PDF is a great feature and one that you should explore. Being able to distribute my tutorials in the PDF format is a real advantage since everyone has access to the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

You can download a video tutorial that I recently made about Blogger by clicking here.

Off to National Educational Computer Conference 2009

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Yes- it is that time again- off to the National Educational Computer Conference 2009 in Washington, D.C. I will spend the next couple of days talking to exhibitors and educators and participating in one of the most exciting educational technology conferences. I admit going into the Exhibitors Hall is like be a kid in a candy store. Upon entering the Exhibitors Hall you are overwhelmed with the sounds and visuals as each vendor tries to attract you into their venue. I will have some time to meander in the Exhibitors Hall-but I do have a pretty full schedule of interviews set up with some of the top industry leaders that I am really looking forward to.

I just got finished packing my bags and I am sure you want to know what technology I will be taking with me to NECC 2009. While I am gone I will have my trusty Blackberry Curve to stay in touch on the Verizon Network. I will also have my Acer One, my lightweight and dependable netbook with me which you can throw into any bag and not really know its there. To round out my technology attache- I will have my Apple iPod, a Flip Digital Video Camera, and my Olympus digital camera with me. I will also be taking my Livescribe Pulse Smartpen to take notes and for my scheduled interviews. It should be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to seeing all of the latest and greatest new products that are announced and being demonstrated on the floor. With the Stimulus Funding coming down the pike, I'm sure that the vendors will be in a real positive mood and will go the extra mile to make our stay in Washington, D.C. a memorable one.

So to keep in touch while I'm at NECC 2009 you can follow me on Twitt er. I will use the hash tag NECC as part of my tweets which you will be able to search. I hope to do some regular postings while I'm at NECC 2009 to keep you abreast of all the happenings. And by the way if you will be attending NECC 2009 shoot me an email maybe we can connect.

Interview with Phil Novack of Mindjet

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:15:00 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to interview Phil Novak, Manager of Global Communications at Mindjet and ask him some question about the recent release of Mindjet MindManager 8 CPA Edition.

Brian S. Friedlander: I noticed that Mindjet just released MindManager 8 CPA edition- I was wondering if you could tell me more about this edition and how it differs from the standard version of MindManager 8?

Phil Novack: The MindManager CPA Edition is a purpose-built tool that enables CPA's to synthesize information and communicate it all in a way that business understands. The MindManager software is not changed; however, the CPA Edition includes with MindManager twenty-four custom-built templates that were developed by CPA's for

CPAs.

Brian S. Friedlander: Can you share with us how this edition came to be? And how will CPA’s will benefit from using MindManager 8 CPA edition?

Phil Novack: The edition came to be as a result of Mindjet’s relationship with Tom Hood from the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA). CPA's are trusted advisors for clients and peers, and today the business and accounting worlds are changing at unprecedented rates. MindManager CPA Edition is focused on providing CPA's the following benefits:

Improve organization

Organize and find information you need quickly and efficiently in a map. By adding and updating information, documents, and hyperlinks in the map, you can count on having the most current information at your fingertips.

Track processes

Manage the evolving accounting landscape and cope with increasing complexity and ongoing standard changes. Track and understand your unique processes within a living document and allows you to understand all the moving parts.

Communicate more effectively

See the forest without losing site of the trees. Detailed maps of your processes provide context that drives team

and stakeholder alignment. Communicate with engaging visual illustrations that speak to business in the language it understands.

What are some of the templates that are included in this version?

· Audit Plan

· Audit Checklist

· Internal Audit Checklist

· Due Diligence

· Organization Chart

· XBRL Implementation

· Board Meeting

· And more…

Brian S. Friedlander: Can we expect to see other editions of MindManager 8 that are geared to a specific profession or industry?

Phil Novack: Mindjet sees great potential in providing solutions for our customers that focus on the specific business value for their role or industry. While we can’t comment specifically on any future products, we recognize the tremendous value solutions like these provide for our customers and are always working to serve them better.

For more information about MindManager CPA Edition Click here.

SimTech Releases MindMapper Viewer 2009

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:31:00 +0000

SimTech recently released MindMapper 2009 Viewer which makes it easier for you to share your MindMapper files with those that don't have a version of the program on their computer. You can download the MindMapper 2009 Viewer by clicking this link. Once you have downloaded the MindMapper 2009 Viewer simply unzip it and double click it to open the application. You will see from the screenshot that you can view your mind maps as well as your Gantt charts with the view. You can also view the Outline and Notes with the MindMapper 2009 Viewer and Print the maps for your use. This is a handy utility for those clients that you may be working with that don't have a full working version of MindMapper 2009. Give it a try a let me know what you think.

Mindjet Unveils Image Library Add-In for MindManager to Help Users Better Illustrate Their Information

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:59:00 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - June 24, 2009) - Mindjet®, the leading provider of personal productivity and collaboration solutions that visually connect ideas, information and people, today announced an image library add-in for MindManager 8 and MindManager 7. Customers now have access to more than 300 bold, rich images that will add depth, visual appeal, and meaning to their MindManager maps.

The new images help users' information come to life. For quick and easy access, they are stored within the pre-existing MindManager Library tab, reducing the need to conduct image searches outside the MindManager application. With more visual assets at their fingertips, users can save time and maintain focus by keeping their workflow process moving inside MindManager.

The image library add-in provides seamless integration with MindManager -- users can download the library from Mindjet.com and have access to hundreds of new visual assets within minutes.

"Visually presenting ideas and information through MindManager is a powerful method of communication and collaboration," said Neil Mendelson, vice president of products for Mindjet. "The new image library add-in augments these capabilities and helps our users create that 'wow' factor by adding visual depth and enhanced aesthetic appeal to their task lists, project plans, brainstorming concepts, meeting agendas and more."

Unlike documents, presentations and e-mail that constrain you to working one page at a time, MindManager's visual approach on an expandable canvas, or "map," efficiently organizes complex ideas and processes to increase clarity and turn ideas into action. Personal or business information and processes can be viewed at a glance, with the ability to drill into details by clicking into sub-topics and branches.

The MindManager image library add-in for MindManager 8 and MindManager 7 is available immediately for the English, German and French Windows desktop versions of the product. Japanese will be available at a later date. It's available for purchase and electronic download at the Mindjet online store or through a Mindjet corporate sales or channel representative for $29.

Deleting Unused Items in Captivate 4

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:57:00 +0000

I was planning on doing a short video on how to delete Unused Items in Captivate 4 and then I saw RJ Jacquez's tweet about the Tip. Deleting unused items is just one way to make your projects size smaller and have them run more efficiently. When you open a Captivate 4 project with unused items Captivate 4 will prompt you. So it is a good idea to remove unused items within your projects. I thought it would be easier to show you how to do it, using Captivate 4. So here without any further explanations is my Captivate video.

Acrobat Labs Unvieils Tables Beta

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:57:00 +0000

On the heels of last week's release of Acorbat.com Presentation-today Adobe Labs released a beta of Tables. a spreadsheet application that will sure to be become part of their offerings at Acrobat.com. I just had a chance to fire it up and found it easy to use. Tables is a collaborative spreadsheet application that lives in the cloud that allows you to quickly share data with others. The interface is easy and intuitive and it has a unique Summary feature which makes it easy to apply formulas to the values in the columns. As far as a I can tell there is no graphing capabilities at this point in time. So give Tables a try and let me know what you think. Acrobat.com has also released a Premium version of their Web 2.0 service with added value.

Webspiration has been Updated!

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Just wanted to let you know that I received an email today from Inspiration, Inc., that a host of new features have been added to Webspiration. I wanted you to be the first on the block to hear about this. Some of the new updates to Webspiration include:

Insert your own graphics to your Webspiration diagrams or outlines
A new Starter screen which gives you easier access to your documents
New button on the Starter screen to access templates and Examples
Improved Chat features

Visit http://www.mywebspiration.com/blog/updates-launched to learn more. One of the most asked for features the ability to add you own graphics to your mind map has been added. I for one have sked for this feature for awhile now and am glad to know that it was included in this update. I have tied this feature this morning and am glad to tell you it worked great. I found it very intuitive and easy to use. You will see in my mind map that each of my symbols now has a customized picture. This is a huge feature and one that I know that you will enjoy. Another key feature of Webspiration is the ability to embed or publish your mind maps to the web. To view the mind map that I created with Webspiration click here. Webspiration makes it very easy to share your mind maps over the web and the new Chat features will make it even easier to communicate while collaborating. I would be interested in how you are using Webspiration in the work that you do? So please feel free to comment! To sign up for a free Webspration account click on the link.

Article about the Power of Mindmapping

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:16:00 +0000

There was quite a buzz this week about the article posted on the Forbes.com website about the Power of MindMapping. The author Dan Woods talks about the difference between a linear and nonlinear approach to presenting information and the impact it makes in sharing information.

From my perspective, there is an energy that is shared when presenting information in a mind map that is not often felt when producing it in a text based outline. For me, mind maps help to clarify and give you a clear snapshot of the task or project at hand. With this clarity, I am able to better plan and initiate my projects-but more importantly it is a great way to visually communicate and share ideas with others in refreshing manner. Many of my clients often comment that they really enjoy my presentation of the information that is conveyed and that it is more digestible, then seeing it in a report or in an outline form. But just in case, I always have my outline as a backup for those clients who may not be inclined to seeing the information in a mind map. If you haven't tried mindmapping I urge to experience it and see what it is about. I have a number of resources on my blog to help you gt started and if you need some help, please free to email me.

MindMapper 2009 USB Edition Shipping

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:43:00 +0000

When I went to pick up my mail this week I was surprised and delighted to to see a package from Simtech Systems, Inc. in my mailbox. When I opened the Priority Mailbox, inside was a beautiful purple jewelry box with the word MindMapper emblazoned on it. I opened the box an inside was a shinning gold USB MindMapper 2009 USB Edition of their mind mapping application. The 4GB MindMapper 2009 USB Edition is a portable version of their standalone application MindMapper 2009 Professional that can run on any PC by plugging into the USB Port and requires no activation to run. MindMapper 2009 USB Edition ships on a swivel USB drive which makes it really small and can easily fit on your key ring. Once you plug MindMapper 2009 USB Edition into your USB port MindMapper 2009 Professional automatically brings up a dialog box allowing you to jump right into the program. MindMapper 2009 USB Edition is an ideal tool for those individuals that need another license to run the program for home use or for those business people who travel and may not bring their computer with them but may access to a computer in an internet cafe or at another office location. It is an ideal way to store and save your mind maps that can then be used in a business presentation by simply plugging in MindMapper 2009 USB Edition and opening the map up from the drive. The MindMapper 2009 USB Edition allows the user to store and save your mind maps on the USB drive giving you access to your stored information.

For those of you who have not taken a look at MindMapper 2009 in awhile now is the time to do so. MindMapper 2009 Professional is a significant upgrade from MindMapper 2008 and now includes the familiar Fluid Ribbon Interface along with a number of powerful new features that can easily turn this mind mapping application into a presentation and project management tool. In the project management arena MindMapper 2009 Professional includes: task scheduling, Gantt charts, Resource Allocation, and integration with Microsoft Project. It is easy to assign Resources to tasks as well as dependencies and view them in a Gantt Chart. By default MindMapper 2009 sets up Finish to Start dependencies which can not be changed. You will find it easy to change the percentage of the task completed which can be easily visualized in the Gantt Chart. In the Gantt Chart View you can also have MindMapper 2009 USB Edition to track Actual versus Projected Costs. MindMapper 2009 offers a Scenario Mode which lets you use MindMapper 2009 in a Presentation Mode by isolating each of your branches. Once in the Presentation mode you can view your mind map in a presentation manner, in Full screen mode and moving through the slides by clicking or setting up a time delay before advancing to the next slide.

MindMapper 2009 USB Edition is a powerful mind mapping application with a built in Gantt Chart and Presentation Mode. It is easy to use and having access to MindMapper 2009 USB Edition makes it easy to work with the application- wherever you are as long as you have access to a Windows based computer and a USB port. So give it a try and let me know what you think.

It Doesn't Get Any Easier than with Inspiration 8

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:46:00 +0000

I have used many mind and concept mapping applications in the last couple of years and it is always refreshing to revisit Inspiration, where I first learned about the power of visual thinking. I'm not sure what version of Inspiration I initially worked with but it was probably version 2 or 3. When I first saw a demonstration of Inspiration it was an epiphany for me. The light bulb turned on and I never looked back. You see for me, when I am thinking about organizing my ideas, or working on a new project one of the first tools that I look for is Inspiration 8.

Inspiration 8 is easy to use and all the tools you need are there in front of you. Over the years more features have been added but the program has always been true to its mission allowing the user to think visually about the topic at hand. You see for me, the true test of a software application is that it fades into the background and doesn't interfere with the work at hand. In this respect Inspiration 8 with its powerful RapidFire feature makes brainstorming and getting your ideas out on the page easy and elegant. For the the visual thinkers the Library of pictures adds to the appeal of the program but the same can be said for the linear thinkers who have access to a powerful outlining tool with the click of a button.

Today I had the opportunity to work with a student with a learning disability and I asked him if he had been using Inspiration as I had recommended to his teachers. The student said that he had been using it and when I put Inspiration 8 in front of him he quickly created a map of his favorite activities. Within minutes he had mapped out his favorite activities and if we had more time he would have been able to add note cards and transfer the information to Microsoft Word. I had a chance to speak to this student's Language Arts teacher and she reinforced how important it was for this student to use graphic organizers in the writing process. She shared that for this student, being able to visually see his ideas and the connections was an important and essential part of the writing process for him.

As we all work with students to develop their skills, it is important to give them life long tools that they can use even after they finish their formal education. I for one am a big proponent of teaching all students how to use visual thinking and mind mapping skills-which are essential in helping students to think, create and present information in a graphical way. As the amount of information expands exponentially the ability to use tools like Inspiration 8 to help students organize and visualize information will become more important and certainly one of my priorities as a 21st Century skill set.

Adobe Labs Unveils Acrobat.com Presentations

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:26:00 +0000

Not resting on its laurels Adobe Labs just released into beta their Presentation tool. Much like Google Present, Acrobat.com Presentations is a free presentation tool with a very slick Flash based look to it. More importantly- with Adobe Presentations you can share your presentations with others via an email. Acrobat.com Presentations tool is ideal for group collaboration. Adobe Presentations has the look and feel of a desktop application that can produce some very visually pleasing slide presentations. There are a number of templates to choose from and you can even change and modify the Master slide to customize your presentation deck. I found Adobe Presentation very easy to use and more powerful that Google Present. I do wish that Adobe Presentation provided embedding code and some way to quickly put your Adobe Presentation up on your website or blog. Other than that, I think you will find Adobe Presentations to be a very well conceived presentation tool for sharing and creating online assets. I would imagine that at some point- Adobe will add this to their suite of online tools at Acrobat.com. Email me if you would like me to share my Acrobat.com Presentation with you.

Google Docs Now Supports Microsoft Office 2007 Formats

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:20:00 +0000

One of the features that I have wanted for a long time is the ability to Upload my Microsoft Word 2007 and Excel 2007 files directly to Google Docs. Today I learned that this feature is now available and I wanted to share that with you.

How to Customize the Quick Access Toolbar in MindManager 8

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Sat, 30 May 2009 18:45:00 +0000

I was inspired to put this video tutorial together after reading Michael Deutch's post last week on How to Access Your Most Frequently Used Features in MindManager 8. I know that I use the Quick Access Toolbar all the time and like to have some of my favorite features easily accessible. In the video tutorial I will take you step by step through the process so that you can see how it is done. It is a very handy feature and one I know you will use. Please let me know which features you have added to your Quick Access Toolbar in MindManager 8. Click here to view the video tutorial. Enjoy!

Catch the Google Wave

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:59:00 +0000

I had some time today and watched the introduction of Google Wave at the Google IO Developer Conference that was on YouTube. It was an eye opening presentation of what is around the corner. If Web 2.0 has taught us anything- it is all about collaboration and with the introduction of Google Wave we are sure to be thrust into a new paradigm of collaborative computing. No more passing emails back and forth to engage in communication- but more of a real time dialog. The demonstration really makes you think how this is going to shift how we communicate and work with each other. Since Google will be providing this as Open Source we should see some real innovations in extension and gadgets that can be built on top of the application. One can only imagine what will be possible with Google Wave when your team has access to this type of innovative collaborative work space. Check out the presentation below and enjoy. I invite you to comment after you have previewed the video.

Using the Task Management Features in MindManager 8

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Sat, 23 May 2009 21:14:00 +0000

For small to medium businesses who are using MindManager 8 for project planning and keeping tabs on projects, one feature which you will want to explore is the Task Management features built into MindManager 8. As a consultant and small business owner I often am doing small projects that may not require a dedicated project management tool- but I still will need a way to keep on top of my projects and tasks. For this reason, one of new features which I am using more and more in MindManager 8 is the ability to use the Roll Up feature when using the Task Information pane. If you are like me and using MindManager 8 to help you plan and keep on task, then you will find the the new Roll Up feature to be indispensable. All of the task information features can be found in the Task Info pane within MindManager 8.

To get started use MindManager 8 to brainstorm the tasks for the project. Once you have organized the tasks and sequenced them in the order that you will perform the task, select the Central topic and Open the Task Info Pane. In my example, I selected the central topic, Revise Assistive Technology DVD and from the Task Info Pane selected "Roll up task info to here." You also want to make sure that you have checked off Show past-due as: and Show as-risk as:- which I will explain later.

Next go through your tasks and set the number of days each task will take in your mind map. For the first task, you can use the Calendar to set the Start date for the project. It is best to leave the end date blank and let MindManager 8 calculate the end dates based on your task dependencies. By default MindManager 8 will set each task to 1 day duration which is easily changed in the Task Info Pane. For the final step you will use the Relationship feature to link your tasks in the order that you would like to complete them. By default MindManager 8 will set the dependency to Finishto Start and you will see a little FS icon on the relationship line to denote this. If you would like to fine tune the dependency relationship this too can be done in the Task Info Pane. Once you have set the dependencies for your tasks you will see that under your Central topic the Start date and calculated finish date with the cumulative number of work days to complete the task under the topic.

Once you start using your mind map to track your project's progress you will begin to see the real value of the Roll Up feature in MindManager 8. As you input the task completion percentages into your mind map, MindManager 8 will roll up the information to the central topic allowing you to get a quick overview of your overall progress and visually see which tasks are past due or at risk of not completing on time. MindManager 8 will display icons on those task which may be past due or at risk of not be completed which can give you a quick overview of where you need to concentrate your efforts. You can watch the video tutorial here to see how to use the Roll Up feature. I welcome your comment and how you are using this powerful feature in MindManager 8.

Using Variables in Adobe Captivate 4

brian@assistivetek.com (Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D) — Tue, 19 May 2009 02:23:00 +0000

One of the really exciting new features in Adobe Captivate 4 is variables. Using variables allows the developer to personalize the experience when the user is interacting with your video. Adobe Captivate 4 allows you to use both User Variables as well as built in System Variables in your projects. While working with ConceptDraw for MindMap Projects, I created a short video which shows you just how easy it is to go from the ConceptDraw Mindmap to ConceptDraw Project. Using User Variables I captured the user's full name in a User Variable called v_Name which then gets stored, and is then used throughout the simulation video to personalize the experience. You will see once you enter your name that the guiding captions now include your name at the beginning of each prompt. This is a really nice touch to your simulation videos and one I know I will be using more and more. In a future video I will show you just how easy it is to create the User variable and then use it within your video. Click here to view the simulation video.

In addition to personalizing the video simulation, I also demonstrate how I can use a widget which is a new feature found in Adobe Captivate 4. Using the Certificate widget, in conjunction with the Quizzing feature found in Adobe Captivate 4, I was able to create two questions which were then followed up with a certificate which included the users name, the name of the course, their score, and grade on the quiz. The Certificate widget uses variables that a passed along to the certificate from within Adobe Captivate 4 which make this a rather easy task to accomplish. So when you run the simulation, enter your full name and then watch as it is populated throughout the session. When you get to the end of the quiz notice how the certificate includes all the information which can then be printed out for the user. Adobe Captivate 4 has numerous widgets and system variables that can be used in your projects. I hope this gives you some idea of the power of these two features and I welcome your feedback.