William Paterson University and Bergen County Special Services School District will be hosting the Accessibility Conference 2011: Reaching & Teaching All Learners Through Technology, which will be held on January 13, 2011 in Wayne , NJ. This looks to be one of the premiere assistive technology conferences to be View Larger Map offered this year in New Jersey and I hope you can come out and spend the day with us. Dave Marra, from Apple Computer will be the keynote and share with us all of the excitement Apple has generated with their lineup of exciting products that have touched the lives of students we work with. Throughout the day there will be ongoing presentations and workshops which I'm sure you will find relevant and important in the work that you do. During the day I will be presenting on Innovative Uses for Digital Pen Technology.  So if you want to learn about the Livescribe Smartpen, or PaperShow for Teachers, or Xpaper then stop on by find out how these innovative solutions can be used in the classroom. Find out how these innovative digital pen and paper solutions can change the way you teach and offer you a range of outstanding benefits.

As a long time MindManger User it is really exciting to see how 3rd party companies can expand the functionality of the program with add-ins. I have come to know Nigel Goult from Olympic Limited and over the years he and his company have developed some very innovative and unique add-ins for MindManager. I had a chance to catch up with Nigel last week and he shared with me some of his new development work that he just completed on Opti-Docs for MindManger. Brian: Tell us about your company Olympic Limited? Nigel: Olympic is a supplier of information management tools and a developer of value added solutions/content. We primarily focus on MindManager add-in development but are steadily working our way towards platform independent solutions and have just recently completed our first solution for PRINCE2 project management, OPTi-P2 for Windows. Our knowledge of MindManager spans almost ten years across three companies and we have been involved in add-in development since MindManager X5. Brian; Tell us about Olympic  and the range of your products? Nigel: One of our recent goals was to start to create a brand for Olympic and that has now become what we call our "OPTi-Range" of solutions. Currently the range includes: •    OPTi-P2 for MindManager, a PRINCE2 Project Management Solution •    OPTi-Q for MindManager, a Quality Management System based on ISO9000 •    OPTi-Suite for MindManager, a utility add-in that extends MindManager •    OPTi-P2 for Windows, a platform independent PRINCE2 solution for Windows •    OPTi-Docs for MindManager, our latest MindManager add-in to manage documents linked to MindManager maps. All of our products are developed with simplicity in mind. We believe that day to day activities such as project management, document management etc do not have to be complex and often simple solutions provide the best results. That is always the key objective whenever we look at producing a solution for any given task.  Brian: Please share with us how Opti-DOCS came about? Nigel: OPTi-Docs came about through several discussions I had with a long time colleague who is also a Mindjet MindManager Value Added partner like Olympic. During several conversations the fact that one of the first things that new users of MindManager tend to do is attach documents or files of some type into their maps became very apparent. This quite common task/use had always been obvious to me but I had never looked beyond the basics of the process and suddenly it struck me that currently there is no real way to easily control documents of this nature unless you are using something like Sharepoint etc. We did some thinking about what basic qualities an add-in would require and after a few brainstorms OPTi-Docs was born. Brian: What are the Key Features? We decided that the add-in would require several key features to really deliver benefit and as a minimum decided that a simple check-in/check-out mechanism was definitely required as well as an easily accessible top level overview of document changes so users could quickly see what changes had taken place for each document. The add-in creates a new MindManager Task Pane that displays the details of documents on selected topics and this makes it easy for users to see the current status of the selected document and its history etc. Auto-revision was also key to the add-in as was the ability to easily  include past document revisions in the map for other users who perhaps did not have OPTi-Docs installed. Above all the add-in had to be simple. We wanted it to be very much a background process that simply just worked for the users and we think that the release offers a truly easy to use system that delivers a good level of control for locally linked MindManager documents. Brian: Talk about the Value proposition Nigel: MindManager is a great tool for organizing documents but when you want to apply controls it is cumbersome to have to open a linked document and then save it with a new name and then have to re-link to the new file. This takes time and most people tend to just edit the document and then overwrite the original meaning they lose document history and the ability to audit changes through iterative documents. Using OPTi-Docs automates this process and provides a simple document control system with a minimum of user interaction. OPTi-Docs can also be used with almost ANY file type so it is not just "documents" that can be controlled but any file that is going through an iterative change process. Image files, audio files, zip archives, even software applications and installers can all be controlled with OPTi-Docs. Brian: How do you envision that users of MindManager would use Opti-DOCS? Nigel: The possible user base for OPTi-Docs is very large. It can be used by anyone who links files to their MindManager maps but some very specific examples of user types are: •    Project Managers •    Quality Practitioners •    Solicitors •    Lawyers •    Librarians •    Software Developers •    Graphic Artists •    CAD Librarians •    Human Resource Managers •    Technical Authors The list could go on...and on. We developed the add-in to be compatible with MindManager versions 6, 7, 8 and 9 so users of earlier versions can also take advantage of the benefits that OPTi-Docs can offer. Brian: What are some of the unique features of OPTi-Docs? Nigel: OPTi-Docs does not have what I would call "unique" features. Check-in/Check-out routines and auto version increments etc are not unique, however, we are not aware of another solution that specifically aids MindManager users with this task except of course for the much larger Sharepoint type scenario's. Brian:What do you see as the benefits of users using Opti-DOCs? Nigel: Users benefit by gaining a level of control of documents in their maps. As mentioned earlier, the add-in's simplicity and background automation help users achieve control with very little effort or involvement except where necessary. Quick visibility of document status and change history also helps users understand their documents progress and helps users identify the current status/stage a document is at in its lifecycle. Brian: What are your customers saying? Nigel: OPTi-Docs has been very well received by our customers and has proved to be the second most popular add-in we offer. It has also aided users of of our other add-ins/solutions such as OPTi-P2 and OPT-Q, both solutions that have documentation attached to their main dashboards, by bringing document control to those solutions. In fact OPTi-Docs is now provided FREE to purchasers of OPTi-P2 and OPTi-Q to help users of those solutions get maximum value and benefit from them. Brian: Are there plans for future developments for Opti-DOCS? Nigel: OPTi-Docs is very much a product in what we call "fluid development" which means it is being improved as and when we come up with ideas or are presented with feedback from customers. We are already working on several new features to be included in an update which will be available in Q1 of 2011. These will include roll back of revisions, an additional method of accessing document details and some maintenance options to help users manage the files that the add-in creates. Brian: Nigel thanks so much spending the time talking about OPTi-Docs. and thank you and your company Olympic Limited for providing me with 3 licenses as part of an OPTI-Docs give away.  In order to be in the running for the free licenses I will need you to Tweet this statement. Read about how you can use OPTi-DOCS for MindManager to streamline your document management for the New Year!- http://bit.ly/hjUIAF

Streamlined, Simplified Workflows Powered by New Versions of FrameMaker and RoboHelp SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jan. 11, 2011 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Technical Communication Suite 3, the latest version of its complete single-source authoring and multi-device publishing toolkit for the creation and publication of rich, standards-compliant technical information and training material. The new improved version of Adobe’s industry-leading suite enables technical writers, help authors and instructional designers to efficiently author, enrich, manage, and seamlessly publish content to multiple channels and devices. Adobe also introduced new versions of the suite’s core products: Adobe FrameMaker® 10, a powerful template-based authoring and publishing solution for technical content; and Adobe RoboHelp® 9, an HTML and XML help, policy and knowledgebase authoring and publishing solution. Adobe Photoshop® CS5, Adobe Captivate® 5 and Adobe Acrobat® X Pro round out the suite, integrating powerful image editing, eLearning and demo creation, and dynamic PDF functionalities. "Today’s technical communication end user - from an average consumer to a design engineer - expects content experiences that are clear, concise and more engaging," said Naresh Gupta, senior vice president, Print and Publishing at Adobe. "Technical Communication Suite 3 customers can meet this demand by creating documentation that is increasingly interactive, rich and socially enabled - all with one set of tools, within one user interface." New Features Technical Communication Suite 3 • Enhanced single-sourcing: Import FrameMaker content into RoboHelp with support for FrameMaker books. Directly link DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) maps, automatically convert table and list styles, and publish multiple RoboHelp outputs from within the native authoring environment. • Dynamic "single-click" publishing: Create standards-compliant XML and DITA (1.2) content and output to multiple formats, including print, PDF, Adobe AIR™, WebHelp, EPUB, XML and HTML, and deliver it to a wide range of mobile devices, such as eReaders, smartphones and tablets. Lend your content to search engine optimization, via enhanced metadata tagging of published content. • Expanded multimedia capabilities: Take advantage of more than 45 video and audio formats and engage audiences by adding 3D models, training demos and simulations. FrameMaker 10 • Standards support: Take advantage of significantly enhanced XML/DITA authoring capabilities of FrameMaker 10, which is an early adopter of industry standards including DITA 1.2. • Usability enhancements: Work more efficiently with standards-compliant, prebuilt tools and templates designed for easier authoring. Use utilities like Auto Spell Check, Highlight Support, scrolling for lengthy dialogue, and enhanced Find and Replace to get the job done faster. • Content Management System (CMS) connectors: Integrate seamlessly with leading content management systems, including Documentum and MS SharePoint. While competitors often sell these connectors for thousands of dollars, they will be included in FrameMaker 10 at no additional cost. Single-source, review, manage and automatically publish content faster and smarter - all within your favorite technical authoring tool. Adobe Announces Technical Communication Suite 3 RoboHelp 9 • More personalized, optimized end-user experiences: o Enable users to filter help systems based on their role, department, geography, products, operating system, or any other parameter, ensuring the most relevant information is instantly available. o Enrich the quality of documentation by allowing users to add comments, rate helpfulness or generate relevant content independently. o Create rich, interactive materials by adding access to external Web content including Google search, blogs, wikis and forums. • Efficient Workflows: Collaborate with authors, subject matter experts and readers using advanced PDF shared reviews, live linking of shared resources, moderation-enabled workflows through Adobe AIR Help, topic-rating and other multiauthor environment capabilities. Adobe FrameMaker Server 10 and Adobe RoboHelp Server 9, the server versions of the core FrameMaker and RoboHelp products, are two separate releases that complement the new suite and help streamline enterprise workflows. Pricing and Availability Technical Communication Suite 3, FrameMaker 10 and RoboHelp 9 are immediately available in English, French, German and Japanese versions through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store. Estimated street price for Technical Communication Suite 3 is US$1899 (upgrades from US$699). FrameMaker 10 and RoboHelp 9 are also available as standalone products. Estimated street price for FrameMaker 10 and RoboHelp 9 is US$999 each (upgrades from US$399). For details on FrameMaker Server 10 and RoboHelp Server 9 pricing visit http://www.adobe.com/products/framemakerserver.html and http://www.adobe.com/products/robohelpserver.html About Adobe Systems Incorporated Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com. ### © 2010 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

One of the really nice features of iOS 4.2 is the ability to print from the iPad to certain select printers. At this time there are several HP printers that support wireless printing using Apple's AirPrint technology. I had the opportunity today to set up the HP 6500A printer which supports the AirPrint capabilities for one of my clients who needs this capability at school, so that she can print out the written work she does in Pages from her iPad. HP provides very clear directions on how to set up the printer and configuring the wireless component was very easy and straightforward using the built-in touch screen. However, when I attempted to print from my iPad, for some reason it did not see the printer and I received feedback on my iPad that "No printers were found." I scratched my head and tried reconfiguring the wireless connection when I realized that there was a Menu item called Web services. When I selected this feature the HP 6500A asked me if  I wanted to check for updates and I pressed "Yes."  Once the printer had downloaded the updates I was now able to see the printer from within Pages and I was off and running. So if you get stuck remember to check for Updates on your HP Printer.

Yes- some folks have affectionately coined me the "PaperShow Guy" and I will be in all my glory next week when I arrive in San Francisco for MacWorld 2011. If you get to MacWorld 2011 Conference please stop by the Canson Booth 1001 and say hello and try out PaperShow for Teachers. PaperShow for Teachers won Best of Show at MacWorld 2010, and we are excited to show you the latest developments with the product which educators are really excited about. So stop by Booth 1001 and say hello and try out PaperShow for Teachers. PaperShow for Teachers has a rich set of features that your students will find very engaging. We will be offering special MacWorld 2011 pricing for PaperShow for Teachers as well was for PaperShow Enterprise Edition - so come over and take advantage of the special promotions. Hope to see you there!

In the last week, I have several different opportunities to use Xpaper which really helped me out in a pinch. In the first instance, I was completing a credit check application to a computer distributor so that I could resell Okidata printers as part of digital pen and paper solution. The company dutifully sent me a link to their Credit Application which I completed online. When the form was completed, I was able to save it as a PDF- now my challenge was that the Credit Application had to be signed by me in several places. With Xpaper that was an easy task! I simply printed the Credit Application Form using the Xpaper driver to my OkiData printer and signed the Credit Application Form with my Logitech Digital pen. When I docked my pen I had a crystal clear PDF with my signature ready to email back to the computer company. Using the built-in workflow my signed PDF was automatically uploaded and stored to GoggleDocs. How is that for automation? There are a host of different work-flow routing (SharePoint) and connectors (ftp, email) that make storing your documents easy to accomplish. All of this took seconds to accomplish with Xpaper. Back in the day I would have had to scan the entire document and it would have never looked as good as the output from Xpaper. Find out how your business or company can use Xpaper to automate your paper work flow and make the paper work for you! To arrange a free demo click here to register and I will be in touch with you.

I'm back from spending a couple days in San Francisco at MacWorld 2011. MacWorld 2011 was very well attended and it was great having the opportunity to speak to so many educators at the Canson Booth, as we demoed PaperShow for Teachers. It was very energizing to watch so many people get really get excited about the product and the solution that we were offering. Many teachers liked the fact that they could walk around with the notebook and were not chained to the front of the classroom. We had other educators who really liked the idea that it could be used to annotate Keynote or PowerPoint presentations. Others were excited that they could use PaperShow for Teachers when they are doing webinars and online learning. While I was MacWorld 2011 Conference I was interviewed by Mike Schramm from the The Unofficial Apple Weblog which was streamed via UStream. I had a chance to demo PaperShow for Teachers and share with the audience a thing are two about the program. You can watch the interview below.

One of the really nice features of Adobe Acrobat X is the integration of Adobe SendNow service. Adobe SendNow is a subscription based service that can right within Adobe Acrobat X send your PDF files as a link for your recipients to pick up and download. Adobe SendNow subscription services starts at $9.99 a month and there is a free trial period for you to try it out. If you tend to create large PDF files this is the perfect service for you. Now you can be rest assured that your recipients will receive your documents without the worry of  maxing out their email inbox. Just today I received a call from a school that I will be providing some services to, and they needed my W-9 and New Jersey Business Registration Form to set up my account in the business office. Having scanned and stored these documents in a PDF file I was now ready to use the Adobe SendNow feature. Right from within Adobe Acrobat X, I clicked on the Share tab- entered the email address of the recipient and within seconds my PDF file was sent. Besides the convenience of emailing the documents from within Adobe Acrobat X- the service keeps a history and emailed me that the file was uploaded successfully as well as that it was successfully downloaded. Having access to Adobe SendNow is a welcome addition to my office toolkit and one feature that I know I will continually use with Acrobat X.

For a long time now I have been using Adobe Acrobat as an access tool for students that need to access their worksheets on the computer. Using a scanner teachers can scan worksheets into the computer and using either the Forms Tool or Typewriter Tool students can type their answers right on the screen. One of the really handy tools in Adobe Acrobat X is the Typewriter tool but with the advent of the new version Adobe has moved the tool and so in this video you will see how you can find it and add it to the Toolbar for quick access.

Over the past couple of weeks I have had a chance to review a number of software applications that have recently been released. All of the applications have represented a major commitment from the developers to release these upgraded products to give the user a better experience when using their product. If there is a trend that I see in the world of software, it is that rather than the developers adding a host of new features they really have spent the time on refinements in the user interface and the ease of use. Many of the companies are spending their efforts to really understand their user base and to  include only features that make sense for their product. Feature creep is always a problem with mature software applications and it was great to see that Matchware, Inc. choose to go down a path to refine and only add functionality that made sense to their flagship product, MindView 4, which was recently released. Businesses that have invested in MindView 3 will feel right at home when upgrading to MindView 4. MindView 4 now sports the new Office 2010 interface which is both aesthetically pleasing and well organized. Moving about the program with the new Office 2010 interface is very intuitive and the functions are clearly organized to make it easier to use. MindView 4 has incorporated some new styles for your maps which are easy to apply and are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It is much easier in MindView 4 to edit and format text and change the color of the branches. Likewise Matchware has made it very easy now to place your images on branches by simply dragging them to the location of your choice. You can now place your images on the top, right and left of the text within the branch. I am also enjoying the ability to attach an audio note to a branch which is a quick and easy way to capture my ideas. Matchware has also added the ability to export to a PDF file with different styles which makes it easy for me to share my maps for those individuals that don't own a copy of MindView 4. Exporting your mind maps to a PDF is fast and straightforward and the results are outstanding. The addition of the Presentation Mode is outstanding and one I know I will use more often when I use MindView 4 during the presentations and workshops that I often give. It is the little changes and the attention to detail that I feel really highlights this update and brings huge value to upgrading to MindView 4. Look for additional posts as I delve into this upgrade with a focus on collaboration and project management.. To give MindView 4 a try download a Trial Version by clicking on this link.

CS Odessa Announces ConceptDraw MindWave Integrates With SAP® StreamWork™ Through Integration, ConceptDraw MindWave 3.0 Allows Teams to Visualize The Process of Collaborative Decision Making SAN JOSE, Calif., February 16, 2011 - CS Odessa today announced that its popular ConceptDraw MindWave, a cloud-based mind-mapping application, is available within the SAP® StreamWork™ application. ConceptDraw MindWave version 3.0 is the newest release of CS Odessa’s proven web-based mind-mapping tool, which has been adopted by individuals and organizations around the world. ConceptDraw MindWave can use both cloud- and desktop-based information to generate mind maps. Through integration with SAP StreamWork, ConceptDraw MindWave brings easy-to-use map visualization features to customers. Ease of use combined with ConceptDraw MindWave desktop integration provides organizations with the ability to produce presentations and documentation that augment any planning or decision-making process. "Mind mapping was one of the most requested features by users of SAP StreamWork," said Holly Simmons, senior director, OnDemand Marketing, SAP. "With OpenSocial, CS Odessa was able to integrate MindWave easily with SAP StreamWork, delivering value to customers rapidly." SAP StreamWork is a cloud-based collaborative decision-making solution that brings together people, information and structure to help teams solve problems, brainstorm, collect feedback, build consensus and/or drive decisions.  By using ConceptDraw MindWave and ConceptDraw Office (a powerful suite of products including ConceptDraw MINDMAP, ConceptDraw PROJECT, and ConceptDraw PRO), with SAP StreamWork, teams can visualize the process of collaborative decision making, and quickly transition from planning to implementation.  "ConceptDraw MindWave was developed to address our customers’ requirements for collaborative meeting support and finished documentation," explains Olin Reams, general manager of CS Odessa. "Now by adding support for SAP StreamWork as a collaboration platform, we have addressed many organization’s requirements for an enterprise solution that allows users to visualize collaborative decision making, manage information and prepare supporting presentations. ConceptDraw MindWave integrated with SAP StreamWork provides key value and is a great time saver for a manager’s decision making." ConceptDraw MindWave leverages ConceptDraw INGYRE2 integration technology, allowing for effortless content generation. ConceptDraw MindWave can be found in CS Odessa’s collaboration area of ConceptDraw Solution Park and tightly integrates with ConceptDraw MINDMAP and ConceptDraw Office, addressing many of the documentation requirements in modern organizations. About CS Odessa Founded in 1993, Computer Systems Odessa supplies cross-platform productivity tools and graphics technologies to professional and corporate users around the world. With headquarters in Odessa, Ukraine, and an office in San Jose, Calif., USA, CS Odessa sells products internationally through resellers in over 25 countries. The ConceptDraw line of products has won numerous awards and is used by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. For more information, visit www.conceptdraw.com. # # # ConceptDraw is a registered trademark, and ConceptDraw Office, ConceptDraw Solution Park, ConceptDraw PRO, ConceptDraw MINDMAP, ConceptDraw PROJECT, and ConceptDraw Solution Browser are trademarks of CS Odessa. SAP, SAP StreamWork and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries.  All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. SAP Forward-looking Statement Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. PR Contact Rebecca Hurst Kinetic.PR, LLC for CS Odessa rebecca@kineticprllc.com Office: (650) 679-9282 Mobile: (650) 274-7533

Today I went out to Staples during their Presidents' Sale and purchased a HP PhotoSmart D110 printer for $59.98- not bad considering that when I went to buy replacement ink cartridges for a much older HP PhotoSmart printer that I had, the new printer cost less! In any case, I decided to buy the new HP printer to  accomplish a couple of goals; one to be able to print from my laptop wirelessly, two, be able to print from my iPad, and three to be able to print from the web. When I purchased the HP PhotoSmart D110 printer, I accomplished all of my goals in one fell swoop. Not bad for a rather inexpensive printer! Within minutes I had configured the printer to find my router and I was up and running on my laptop computer. I then took out my iPad and opened Pages and printed out my first document which looked great from my new printer. The last piece of the puzzle was printing from the web. I went up to the HP web site to register my printer and approved a list of users with their emails who can print to my printer.  You see each HP ePrinter has a unique email address that you are given, which lets you print to, over the web. You can print just about any type of document by sending it to your unique email address which kicks in the process. There is even a web site where you can monitor your printer and assign new users who can print to your printer. Having the new HP PhotoSmart D110 printer is liberating knowing that I can print from just about anywhere. If  you are in the market for a new printer I would certainly recommend the new line of HP printers that support ePrinting. With ePrinting you can use your Mac, PC, iPad and print over the web from any device-now that's a printing solution!

For educators who are using the Kindle's in the classroom you will be glad to learn that Amazon has just upgraded the System Software to Version 3.1. With this upgrade you will get the most asked for feature, true page numbering that matches the printed version. This is a god send and one that I know academicians will enjoy as well when they need to create a citation. There is a lot more in this upgrade but having true page numbering that matches the printed text is really great. To get started with the the Upgrade click on this link which will take you to the Amazon page. Please note that if you prefer you can also upgrade your Kindle over the air via a wireless network. Some of the features included in this update are: Public Notes -- This feature lets Kindle users choose to make their book notes and highlights available for others to see. Any Kindle user -- including authors, their fans, book reviewers, professors and passionate readers everywhere -- can opt-in to share their thoughts on book passages and ideas with friends, family members, colleagues, and the greater Kindle community of people who love to read. This is a new way for readers to share their excitement and knowledge about books and get more from the books they read. To review and turn on Public Notes in your own books, view the Public Notes of people you follow, track your reading activities, see Popular Highlights and your annotations, and view your full library of books, go to https://kindle.amazon.com. Learn more. Real Page Numbers -- Our customers have told us they want real page numbers that match the page numbers in print books so they can easily reference and cite passages, and read alongside others in a book club or class. We've already added real page numbers to tens of thousands of Kindle books, including the top 100 bestselling books in the Kindle Store that have matching print editions and thousands more of the most popular books. Page numbers will also be available on our free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle apps in the coming months. As with all of Kindle's features, we want you to lose yourself in the author's words, so page numbers are only displayed when you press the Menu button. Learn more. Before You Go ... -- When you reach the end of the book, you can immediately rate the book, share a message about the book with your social network, get personalized recommendations for what to read next, and see more books by the same author. Learn more. New Newspaper and Magazine Layout -- We're introducing a new and improved layout for newspapers and magazines. This new layout gives you a quick snapshot of the news and helps you decide what you want to read first. Learn more.

Matchware Inc., has added a number of new features to MindView 4, but one of my favorites is the ability to quickly record and idea and attach it to my mind map. You know there are times when you are brainstorming that the ideas are just flowing and what better way to capture it by simply doing a quick audio recording. To record audio in MindView 4 you simply click on the idea in your map and then click on the Insert tab and Click on the Sound icon. This brings up the Recording palette and you are then ready to record your ideas. Simple and elegant. Watch the video below to see just how easy it is to add an audio recording to your MindView 4 mind maps. To try out MindView 4 click here for a full working Trial Version.

I have been using MindView 4 Business Edition since it was released but haven't had the chance to use the Presentation Mode until yesterday. While planning my workshop and presentation for a Tech Day at a local school, I decided to plan out what I would cover in MindView 4 so that I could test out the new Presentation Mode. When planning my workshops, I tend to like to use mind maps to brainstorm and decide upon what I will cover. I tend to use Left/Right maps when planning my sessions since I think it is easier for my participants who are not as familiar with mind mapping to digest the content. I provided each participant with a printed mind map with the content so that they could take notes and then used the Presentation Mode in MindView 4 during the workshop. Using the Presentation Mode in MindView 4 could not have been any easier- I simply clicked on the Presentation Mode and within seconds the presentation palette showed up that let me advance from topic to topic. MindView 4 opened each topic and subtopic as it advanced and then would close the topic as it advanced to the next one. I found it very easy to use while I was presenting and I believe it helped the participants to focus in on what I would be covering during the session. I put together a short screencast to show you how easy it was to use the Presentation Mode in MindView 4. Please feel free to download a Free Trial Version of MindView 4 and try the Presentation Mode for yourself. PS: You will also be glad to know that you can advance through the topics by using a wireless presenter remote.

FYI! It is great to know that the MindMappers Ning is Under New Management. Please sign up if you are not a member and jump into some lively discussions about visual information management. Thanks go out to Nigel for resurrecting this great resource and place for discussions. Brian ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Posted by Nigel Goult on March 22, 2011 at 11:07pm * Send Message View Nigel Goult's blog Dear Network Member, We are pleased to announce that the MindMappers Network is now under new ownership and that plans are being made to rejuvenate and build on the good work already carried out by the network creator, CJ Cornell. As you will know the network suffered a spell of restricted access last year and had become a playground for spammers and marketers of dubious wares and we aim to tackle this head on and make immediate changes to help bring the network back to the valuable community resource it was intended to be and once was. Over the next few weeks you will see changes to the look, feel and functionality of the network as well as new sections specifically aimed at helping promote the field of visual information products, methods and technology to network members. We will be inviting guest posts for regular blog articles by key contributors from the world of visual information management as well as providing enhanced content areas for visitors to view and contact companies, individuals and vendors of products and services from around the world. Plus there will be some fun stuff along the way. We hope you will join us on this journey and look forward to your support and feedback in helping make MindMappers Ning a community of choice for users of visual information management products. If you would like to read some more about this new development you can read a more in depth post here. Thank you. Nigel Goult Managing Director Olympic Limited

PR Contact: Olin Reams Phone: (408) 441-1150 oreams@csodessa.com ConceptDraw PROJECT gains ability to exchange data with MS Project San Jose, California (PRWEB) 23, March 2011  - CS Odessa today announced that ConceptDraw PROJECT v6 now has the ability to import and export Microsoft Project XML files, with new PROJECT EXCHANGE. Because of this ability to exchange data between ConceptDraw PROJECT and MS Project; users have increased flexibility on how to exchange project information with all members of the project team. The exchange of project data across different project applications keeps everyone informed and allows for quality collaboration among team members, as well as 3rd parties that have involvement in your project. The ability to exchange project information is key to a project’s success. ConceptDraw PROJECT 6 has the ability to save to a MS Project XML file format so that ConceptDraw PROJECT files can be shared with users of MS Project (2003, 2007, and 2010) as well as any other project management tools that can accurately import MS Project xml file format.  This allows users of ConceptDraw PROJECT 6 and ConceptDraw Office 2 (contains ConceptDraw PROJECT 6) to generate project content that can be shared with all team members. Project participants also have the ability to import MS Project files into ConceptDraw PROJECT 6 and ConceptDraw Office 2. This gives users an excellent alternative on the way they manage projects, and assists in the interoperability of project information between team members who have Macintosh and PC computers. The ability to exchange data between ConceptDraw Office and MS Project is a big plus for project members because they can then use the other the other project tools that are part of ConceptDraw Office. As an example, ConceptDraw MINDMAP 7, part of ConceptDraw Office 2, can be used as a project front- end to brainstorm, build processes, identify contingencies and organize information for presentations to brief team members and stakeholders. The PROJECT EXCHANGE can be found in the CS Odessa ConceptDraw Solution Park. CS Odessa provides a range of professional project software tools that assist you during every stage of your project. ConceptDraw Office uses powerful ConceptDraw INGYRE2 technology to make all tasks as easy as pushing a few buttons. The top to bottom integration of ConceptDraw Office, which includes the innovative standalone ConceptDraw PROJECT 6 product, are valuable tools to help Project Managers work towards their organization’s success. In addition, CS Odessa also provides many project management solution add-ins that can be downloaded from ConceptDraw Solution Park. The combination of ConceptDraw Product and ConceptDraw Solution Park, from CS Odessa makes for an unbeatable value in project management software tools. For more information, visit www.conceptdraw.com. # # #

Amazon was quick to the punch and yesterday unveiled their new Amazon Cloud Service- letting you store up to 5 GB of documents, music, photographs and videos in the cloud. I had a chance to start my account which took me literally seconds to open using my existing Amazon sign in credentials. Once I was on the site it was a breeze to store my photographs and documents from within the browser. There is a lot competition in this arena and there has been talk and rumors that Apple will soon release their MobileMe service for free giving us cloud based services to synch our iOS devices. In the meantime, we can enjoy 5 GB of storage space courtesy of Amazon to do what we want with. Enjoy and let me know how you like the service.

I came across this handy tool from Lino which lets you create an interactive bulletin board for others to post. In this activity I am asking you to think about creative ways you could use PaperShow for Teachers in the classroom. If you have some ideas please feel free to create a sticky note with your ideas.

It was really exciting to learn about the launch of Webspiration Pro from Inspiration, which is geared for business professionals and college students. Launched as software as a service all you need is a browser an a account to get started to access this feature rich tool for visual thinking. Webspiration Pro is sold as a subscription and if you act now you can get some really great deals on the pricing. Webspiration is ideal for brainstorming and collaborating with colleagues when working on shared projects. Using Webspiration it is easy to invite, comment,  chat with collaborators as you are working on your ideas. You will find Webspiration to be easy and intuitive to use with the right mix of features. I have always enjoyed using Inspiration on the desktop and now with the release of Webspiration it affords the capability to share my ideas and collaborate across time zones. When I'm ready, I can publish my maps to my blog or web site with the provided URL and embed code. So if you have the chance take the time to look at the release of Webspiration Pro. There is a free 30 day Trial - so get started and let me know what you think? And by the way, Inspiration is working on an iPad App for Webspiration which should be pretty cool! More to come.

Over the years I have delved into the digital pen and paper arena to find a rich set of powerful and easy to use solutions to address both personal and business needs. Whether-I am using Livescribe Echo pen to record my notes or Xpaper to prepare my signed documents or PaperShow for Teachers to do my lectures and presentations - I always find that each digital pen affords me the opportunity to enhance what I am doing and make my work flow that much more efficient. In this light, I recently began to explore some new digital pen solutions from a company called PenData Solutions from California. PenData Solutions offers a rich set of solutions that is built upon Anoto functionality that takes the digital pen and paper solution to the next level. Side by Side View: Handwriting on Left and Processed Form on the Right Click on Image to Zoom In If you work in an environment that demands that you collect information on traditional forms and then you have to re-key the data then you are a perfect candidate for using a digital pen solution. Working closely with Pen Data Solutions, AssistiveTek, LLC can build a custom solution that meets your business or organizations needs. Imagine all of the time saved when you can fill out the paper form with a digital pen and then when you get back to the office have the information flow seamlessly into your computer ready to be processed. Using state of the art handwriting recognition software your forms can be checked and validated and outputted as a Microsoft Word or PDF document. Better yet we can design the form so that each data point can be mapped to your internal database for further analysis. Think of the times savings that will occur when you institute this type of solution. One of the factors which has always drawn me to this technology is ease of use. As a consultant, I spend most of my time training others on how to use hardware and software. To tell you the truth, if you know how to use a pen and paper you are set to go. The pen operates like an ordinary pen except for the fact that it can make sense of where it is on the page with its built-in camera which is oriented by the microdot pattern on the paper. As a mobile user- you can simply complete the form and when you are back in the office dock your pen to complete the process. The process is easy and seamless and just works. Think of the hours saved on data entry and think about the reliability of the data coming into the system as compared to when users are manually re-keying in information they are pulling off of forms. If you are working in environments that still dictate the collection of data on paper forms- then you really owe it to yourself to take a look at the latest digital pen and paper solution that is being offered by AssistiveTek, LLC. If you are interested in a free demo to see if this is the right solution for you then click here to register and I will get back to you on a time and date that we can meet over the web. Come and learn about the advantages of using digital pen and paper solutions in your business or organization and how it can help solve your needs.

I finally had a chance to download the RFBD app to my iPad last week and download some audiobooks to give the app a test run. There are two steps to the process: first you must download the DAISY Audio file from the RFB&D website to the RFBD Download Manager, and then once the audiobook is downloaded you need to open iTunes on your computer and add the audiobook zip file into the RFB&D app within your iTunes library. Now synch your iPad and voila your book comes across the device and your are ready to listen to it. The audiobooks are all human narration and it is possible with the RFB&D App to have the reader slow down or speed up as well you can also bookmark the page for future reference. Because the audiobook is a DAISY file the book allows you the freedom to navigate by levels and pages numbers if you wish. The quality of the audio is excellent when listening to the audio  book on my iPad. This is a big step forward for RFB&D to have the app running on iOS devices and I hope that in the future we will be able to download books without the need to use the Download Manager- like we do when downloading from the Apple iBooks store or from the Kindle Bookstore. The RFB&D app is a great step forward for the organization but more so, for all the students that rely on audiobooks and want the convenience to be able to play them on their favorite iOS device. The RFB&D App costs $19.99 and can be downloaded from the Apple Apps Store.

I recently started using WebspirationPRO, which is a software as service application from Inspiration which allows me to brainstorm and think visually in the cloud. As  along time Inspiration user, I feel right at home using WebspirationPRO since many of the conventions used are those that can be found on the desktop version. To this day, RapidFire remains one of my favorite tools when I am brainstorming- it is easy to use and very efficient when you want to get your ideas down. WebspirationPRO supports RapidFire and within minutes my ideas were literally shooting out around my central idea. While WebspirationPRO has a nice library of pictures and clip art it does allow you to bring in your own graphics which was easy and straightforward to do. When it is time to share my visual map I was able to use the Sharing feature and publish it to the web with a unique URL. Once you publish your visual map you can also capture the embedding code that is handy to paste into blogs and wikis making it easy to share. You can see visual organizer above. Once you start using WebspirationPRO you will swear that it feels just like a desktop application until you realize that you can now access your files from any computer connected to the internet that has a browser, and that is what makes this application really stand out. Having access to my files from any computer is the new law of the land for me. The more I work with the computers - the more I want my files available 24/7 to me from anywhere I am connected. In this sense applications like WebspirationPRO become even more important to me- now if it only worked on the iPad. But yes, I know it is on the road map! PS: Coming Soon - information about a 1 day iPad Summer Institute to be held in New Jersey

I asked my friend Bruce to share with you some updated information about his innovative solution called Tazzle IT which I have written about in some previous blog posts. Tazzle IT is an innovative solution for printing, sharing and now controlling your presentations on a standard Blackberry phone.Brian --- Controlling PowerPoints® and other presentations from your BlackBerry is not a new idea. However,  with other solutions you compress versions and load them into your handheld. Tazzle lets you control full fidelity presentations with, embedded movies, soundtracks, any transitions, and all fonts. Tazzle IT turns your BlackBerry into a remote control for presentations like PowerPoint, PDF, or cloud-based Google Docs that run on PC’s. Set up Tazzle’s receiver software on anyone's PC in a couple of minutes, and the next time you want to connect, the setup time is literally 10 seconds. The 3 main control buttons are easy to use.               The presentation interface on your BlackBerry is simple and to the point. Click the right arrow to advance, click the left arrow to reverse. Avid presenters will appreciate the ability to toggle screen-to-black by either clicking the screen blanking button or hitting the phone’s space bar. These new features have been added to the already amazing view, print and send features of the Tazzle IT, just as the retail price drops to $59.95! Readers may recall that the Tazzle IT lets you print wirelessly to any PC's printer. Just plug it into the USB port, make sure the software is engaged and you’re off. Send email content right to the PC to open in Word format. "Tazzle" your attachments, like PDF's, spreadsheets, and photos and view them on the computer screen. And leave nothing behind on receiving PC's unless you choose to. The Tazzle IT key provides a secure hardware firewall between your phone and the PC, and gives you instant authentication when inserted in any PC running the Tazzle software. Groups can now purchase a box of 50 Tazzles and receive a handy discount. Check it out at www.tazzleit.com PS- Tazzle has extended their online PROMO, so take another 40% off while it lasts!!