If you’re using MindManager 8 and up, there’s an embedded Internet Explorer web browser. So any file type that I.E. can handle will be played internally. For other audio formats, the default application will start. (Just note that you can use pretty much any mind mapping application that allows linking to an audio file.) If you look at the image above, you can see an audio icon to the right of the main mind map node.

Applications of this include audio notes for courses - particularly language learning - and any step-by-step instructional content.

As a reluctant user of microblogging (aka micromessaging services such as Twitter, Plurk and my Facebook status msg/ wall, I’ve kept tight control of how many of these sites I use. So when Pownce had been launched by the minds at Digg, I saw no reason to use yet another microblogging service (YAMS?). Maybe others felt the same way - despite that you could share files with Pownce - because the site will be shut down in three weeks and be integrated into Six Apart’s Typepad hosted-blogging service.

If your budget is a bit limited for now, you can download MindManager for a 30-day trial (MM 8 for PC, MM 7 Pro for Mac). If you’re more the OpenSource or “free software” type, you have the standard choice of the multi-platform FreeMind. More recently XMind has become not only free but OpenSource. I have not played around with it much yet, but even the free version has some map types (fishbone) not found in MindManager. It does have an “organization chart” mode, which is one of my favorites in MindManager. It claims to have spreadsheet nodes, but from what I can tell at a cursory inspection is that it’s just a table, not a spreadsheet. You cannot do spreadsheet-y things such as add up columns or rows. However, you can embed sub-maps within each cell.

XMind Pro offers additional features, including Project Management options such as “Gantt View”. The only drawback that I see is that XMind Pro, despite being a desktop application, uses a monthly subscription model. My feeling is that I’m happy to pay a subscription fee for web apps that I intend to use and can access from pretty much anywhere I have an Internet connection. If I’m buying a desktop app, I’m expecting a flat one-time rate.

So what can you do about it? Well, if you’re like me and have integrated MindJet MindManager mind mapping software into your daily workflow, you can use their Timer feature (5-60 min) to limit yourself on a per project basis. Initiate the timer to the duration you want, press play (don’t forget that part), then start working. A popup will tell you when time is up. You can restart if you need to.

Now, just my two cents worth, but my feeling is that there could especially be a lucrative niche in Facebook apps for the iPhone. Facebook app developers are rumored to be pulling in upwards of $100,000 per month on the popularity of their apps. Building for the mobile platform (and not just for iPhone) seems to be a one way to go, so another possibility is mind mapping. However, I’m still no fan of apps on tiny screens. I’m waiting for holographic projections from cell phones before I’ll be impressed.

At the bottom end of the list, there’s the free FreeMind which runs on PC, Mac and Linux. (Some of the web-based mind mapping apps have free versions as well.) My favorite mind mapping and productivity tool, MindJet’s MindManager 8, isn’t on Chuck’s list because it is amongst one of the highest priced in this category of software, if not the highest. Still, if you’re serious about mind mapping and need a professional package, MindManager is worth every cent.

Personally, while I have spent a great deal of money on my last two Palm devices (1st wasn’t even a phone and cost Cdn$750+), I’m not big on touchscreen devices with tiny screens. I still don’t get how people can be excited with the prospect of straining their eyes. Nevertheless, there’s something sexy about ads for both the Storm and the iPhone, and I always feel myself wanting to run out and blow my budget. Thank goodness I’ve learned some discipline. Call me old-school, but I like my Palm Treo with its stylus and touchscreen. No greasy fingerprints to wipe up.

At US$200 (after rebate and 2 yr Verizon contract), the BlackBerry storm is at least competitive with the iPhone. If you can get around what David Pogue says is an “inconsistent and confusing” implementation of the touchscreen.

Since January 2007, it’s become my favorite work productivity tool ever, and I’ve barely tapped into the new features in MM 8, besides internal web search and the embedded browser. Wait, there’s more. For all you coders out there, they’ve released an API (Application Programmer Interface), which simply means that if you come up with an idea for a new Map Part, you can build it yourself. I intended to do just that, and hopefully will be able to integrate Mind Manager 8 with Yahoo Pipes.

Wait, still more. I believe we might just be able to post articles to a blog platform such as WordPress, from within a MindManager mind map!! (Though I need to create a custom Map Part for this.) If this is possible, I might never need to use my web browsers again.

Oh, did I tell you about MindManager Web and MindManager Connect? The former is a web version of MindManager, which integrates nicely with the desktop version. The latter is a way for remote teams to share their maps online and to collaborate.

Wondering what they’ll do for an encore? I don’t know yet, but it’s pity that they decided to use Microsoft Internet Explorer as their embedded browser. Maybe someday (soon?) they’ll use a real web browser such as Firefox or some Mozilla offshoot. Problem is, since MM versions have always been so tight with MS products, that may not happen. But a productivity geek can dream, can’t he?

If you didn’t already know, you can download a copy of MindManager 8 for a free, fully-functioning 30 day trial for MS Windows. If you’re on a Mac, can get a free 30 day trial for MindManager 7 Pro. If you do any sort of project management, don’t forget to download a trial copy of JVC Gantt as well.

P.S. Here’s something else to consider, once you realize how valuable the embedded web browser and the increased integration with MS Office products is… You can check your Outlook e-mail from within MindManager 8. You can also visit any website that offers IM (Instant Message chat) or VoIM (voice over IM) capability. (Or you can get a MindManager Connect subscription and collaborate in real-time with teammates and colleagues.) With MindManager 8, you have a master control panel for aspects of your online work day.

Anyway, if you use GMail you probably already know about this. If you don’t, I will say that it’s a robust email client that lets you manage multiple email accounts - even if they’re not GMail accounts. Because of its features (and ample online storage space), I find that my email productivity has gone up.

I’m actually fortunate that that I have all of the items discussed here. In fact, the only thing I didn’t have was a journal. And a good pen, though people tend to steal all my pens, so I stopped buying them. I’ve lost thousands of dollars worth of high-quality pens over the years.

Journals & Pens

A friend recently gifted me with a gorgeous leather journal from Kiki James London in the UK. The one I got was a black Savanna croc journal, pictured here.

Now even though I work online all day and all week, I’m a long-time fan of stationery and related items such as notebooks, journals, and pens (and Kiki James has some gorgeous pens that make me salivate). I’m a big fan of writing my thoughts out on paper before committing words to the digital medium, and a good journal with quality paper makes a big difference.

I know I’m going to enjoy this journal, and I’m going to have to get my fiancee one now, too - probably one of the large refillabe Tuscan wrap journals (above). Now to find someone who wants to give me a nice pen, and upgrades to most of the software listed below.

Software

Because of the freelance work that I do online, there are four pieces of software that are an absolute must for my toolkit. The apps mentioned below are for Windows PCs, but a few do work on Macs.

Mind mapping. Mind maps are an every day and every minute tool for me - a digital command center for all my work. My own weapon of choice is MindJet’s MindManager Pro. I only have a copy of version 7, but version 8 - released just in time for the holidays - is out and has some incredible new features. If you don’t know what mind mapping is, just browse some of the earlier articles on this site, and my articles over at Geekpreneur. Start with a copy of the free FreeMind, then download a free trial of MindManager 8 (good for 30 days on Windows) or MindManager 7 (21 days for Mac).

Screen snapshot capture. In my writing, producing a screen snapshot of an application or a web page is pretty standard. So I hardly go more than a few days without using screen capture software. My favorite is TechSmith’s SnagIt. I have version 8, which I love, but they’ve recently released version 9. SnagIt does have a trial version, and there are a variety of freebie screen capture apps, both desktop based and plugins for the Firefox web browser.  You can see examples of SnagIt-extracted screen captures on this site, wherever I’ve posted a mind map image.

Screen video recording. From time to time, I do a fair bit of screencasting. That is, I produce videos that capture my use of a computer application in video form, then record voice over it. The hands down best tool I’ve come across for screencast production is TechSmith’s Camtasia Studio.

There is the free Camstudio, but if you’re serious about screencasting, move beyond to Camtasia Studio. Get the free trial of the brand new version 6, which has HD video output for the web. (I gotta say I’m really peeved. I bought Camtasia 4 in 2007 and only about month later, they came out with version 5 with no warning and quite an expensive upgrade. Now they’ve got version 6. So an upgrade to #6 is on my wishlist, but I’m probably not upgrading until version 7.) You can see examples of some of my Camtasia screencasts at Tubetorial.

Diagramming. I’m a strong believer in demonstrating what you are writing about in the form of diagrams - i.e., utilizing Visual Thinking. While it’s not always easy coming up with something that makes sense, I usually sketch out ideas in a journal first, then try to render it in my favorite diagramming tool, SmartDraw.

As a long-time former user of MS Visio (since before Microsoft bought the product), I do miss the automatic line connection updating when diagram elements are moved around. However, my understanding is that Visio has to be purchased as part of a package. Still, SmartDraw seems far more robust for business and technical diagrams, and I’ve come up with some pretty unique ones with it that I don’t believe Visio would have let me do.

There is a trial version of SmartDraw, or you could use the web browser-based Gliffy, which has a free edition. However, like MindManager, SnagIt and Camtasia Studio, I gladly put down cash money on a copy of SmartDraw 2007 (they’re at SmartDraw 2009 now). It’s also expensive, but worth every cent to me and the web-based freelancing that I do.

Gear + Gadgets

I never understand why someone who works from home needs an iPod or other media player. Speakers seem like the better way to go. And if you have a car, you have your car speakers. If you’re on the go in some other mode of transportation, that’s a different story.

But i’m still a gadget freak (and probably a hypocrite), and I actually do have several iPods and similar devices - all gifts. What I really love, though, is my digital recorder. I’ve got a professional Zoom H4 Handy Recorder from Samson Tech that I use for my podcasting and screencasting voice recording.

Also in my gear box is an M-Audio Fast Track USB interface for mic + guitar input, so that I can record to audio to my computer if I don’t want to use the Zoom H4.

Of course, I also have a few new and old digital cameras, and a Canon DV camcorder. To transfer DV tape to my computer, I use a Pinnacle Systems MovieBox Plus USB external capture device, which comes with a free copy of their Pinnacle Studio video editing software and a sheet of greenscreen cloth. (Though the software is very basic. I prefer Sony Vegas Pro 8 for video editing, and when I can afford Adobe Premiere or an Apple Mac and Final Cut Pro, I’ll get that.)

Other than that, the only other gadgets I’d want is a really good digital camera and a GSM-based cell phone for when I will finally work and travel with my soon-to-be wife - possibly an Apple iPhone, if GSM is an option. (I love Apple products, but I’m not the type to rush out and buy their over-priced 1st and 2nd generation editions.)