Computers are great at creating and storing information, but without a way to organize and sort that information - to build data relationships - itis not really of much value. NoteMind from Synium Software aims to bridge that information gap and help you discover the relationships hiding inside the data on your Mac.
Think of NoteMind as a database for all of your stuff. It keeps track of text, graphics, PDF documents, to-do lists, and Web sites. Once you start filling your database with information, NoteMind can start working to find relationships between the data elements you provide.
 NoteMind |
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There are several different ways to add data: drag-and-drop, highlighting text and then pressing the F1 key, and manually from within NoteMind. All work well, so you can pick the method that works best for you.
You can view the relationships as mindmaps and similar item lists. NoteMindis mindmapping feature that creates a graphical representation of the links between your data. You can color-code each item, add your own tags and links, and move items as you like. If you add or remove items from your mindmap group, the map updates automatically. You can also print the maps, and export them as graphics for use in other applications.
 NoteMindis mindmaps. |
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I found the mindmaps to be a nice way to see what items are linked together in some way, but ultimately they didnit prove to be as useful as I expected. Thatis not to say the mindmap feature isnit useful, I just wasnit able to get maps that helped me in a meaningful way. I was hoping for a "Holy crap! I had no idea those things were related in that way!" kind of moment, but instead what I got showed me that I already knew exactly how the information in my data-set was related. Maybe Iim more organized than I thought.
 You can export mindmaps as PDF and PNG files. |
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The really useful feature for me appeared after I discovered the Search Similar Items buttons. These little gems find similar documents or Web sites, and also find similar items on your Mac via Spotlight. With a single mouse click, I had lists with related items ranked by similarity. It was like finding a magic button that makes Spotlight work the way Iive always wanted it to.
 Search Similar Items finds and ranks related data. |
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That Spotlight search feature can also find other items that relate to your database items, including email messages, contacts and iCal items. This is a great feature for keeping track of everything in a project. It is worth the price of admission all by itself.
You can create as multiple NoteMind databases as individual documents, and have more than one open at the same time. To avoid Desktop clutter, you can dock each NoteMind window to the edge of your display.
The Bottom Line
NoteMind is a useful tool for managing your projects since it can store and track so may different kinds of information. It doesnit take much to learn, so you can start using it right away without impacting your already busy schedule, and the mindmap feature makes it easy to let everyone else involved in your project see why you are so busy.
It is a get down to business data workhorse, and not an in your face-flashy-look at the cool features I have just for the sake of having them-application. Not that thereis anything wrong with that. As a matter of fact, itis nice to see an application that helps you do your job without getting in the way.