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Microsoft and GW Micro Team Up to Offer Window-Eyes Free to Office Users

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, January 21, 2014 0 comments

GW Micro, the makers of the Window-Eyes screen reader, has teamed up with technology giant Microsoft to offer Windows-Eyes to Microsoft Office 2010 and newer users for free. Windows-Eyes can read elements on the screen aloud allowing the blind, low-vision, and print disabled to have full access to their Windows PC. Window-Eyes can also output on-screen content to a Braille display for users who prefer Braille. This new partnership will increase the affordability of Window-Eyes and allow more people to benefit from its features. Window-Eyes normally costs almost $900 while Microsoft Office costs far less. GW Micro and Microsoft believe this new partnership will allow millions of new users to access their computers using Window-Eyes. Rob Sinclair, Microsoft's Chief Accessibility Officer says the following about this new program,

"By partnering with GW Micro in this endeavor we are demonstrating Microsoft's onging commitment to provide all of our customers with the technology and tools to help each person be productive in both their work and personal lives."

This announcement is very significant in the world of assistive technology. This deal will allow millions of users to increase the usability of their computers for free if they already own Microsoft Office. Owners of Microsoft Office 2010 or higher can download Window-Eyes by visiting WindowEyesForOffice.com and following the instructions on screen.

ChromeVis: Free Tool for Chrome Users With Low Vision

Posted by Unknown Friday, December 30, 2011 0 comments

ChromeVis is a simple Chrome extension for users with low vision. ChromeVis is simple to use and has many customization options. To use ChromeVis highlight the text you want magnified and then click on the ChromeVis icon in the top right of your Chrome window. To customize the appearance of ChromeVis right click on its icon and select options. To download ChromeVis for free click here.

Ginger Contextual Spelling and Grammar

Posted by Unknown Saturday, November 5, 2011 0 comments

Ginger is a spelling and grammar checker that uses the context to correct errors that standard spell checking software cannot. Ginger works very quickly and accurately and is compatible with many text editing programs like Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer and Firefox. To activate Ginger simply press F2 while editing a document. Immediately Ginger will pop up and begin checking for errors. When an error is found Ginger will display the original sentence on the top and the corrected sentence on the bottom. Ginger allows users to listen to the original and corrected sentence to insure accuracy. Once you are satisfied with the changes Ginger has made you can click approve to accept the changes. One downside is that when your not connected to the internet, Ginger cannot correct your mistakes. Watch the video above to see Ginger in action. Below are examples of sentences Ginger can correct.

I lick to reed books. → I like to read books.
I lick to reed my bike → I like to ride my bike.
He's laughing on me! → He's laughing at me!
Aren't she go home? → Isn't she going home?
He didn't suggested it. → He didn't suggest it.

Ginger is a great tool for people with Dyslexia, English language learners and students of all ages. Ginger is not perfect, but very good, and does not always correct each sentence accurately. When using Ginger it is important to make sure the corrections are appropriate to reduce mistakes. To learn more about Ginger click here. To save 10% on Ginger products use the code ginger10. Click read more below to learn more about Ginger.

Voice Recording in Office 2010 & 2007

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, September 6, 2011 0 comments

A feature in OneNote 2010 and 2007 allows users to take audio or video content while taking notes. The feature allows a student to make an audio recording of a lecture while still taking notes. The audio or video notes are then available for playback from within the notebook. The audio and video notes are time coded and allow you to hear what the teacher was saying when you wrote a particular sentence. The functionality is similar to the function of Word for Mac 2011 and the Livescribe pen. OneNote is included in Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 and 2010. Watch the videos above to learn more.

Speech Recognition Extensions For Chrome

Posted by Unknown Friday, August 5, 2011 0 comments

The Chrome browser by Google is well liked by many users. To download Chrome click here. Now there are many extensions that allow you to speech your text into any webpage. This feature is enabled for Google search by default in Chrome. To read more about Google voice search click here. With an extension such as Voice Search you can add voice search to any text box on any page. To download the Voice Search extension click here. Voice input is very helpful for people who have trouble spelling or for people who have trouble using the keyboard. To watch a video about Google voice search click read more below.

Using a Digital Camera As a Scanner in Kurzweil

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, July 26, 2011 0 comments

Kurzweil 3000 is a great tool for reading text from the web or printed material. With Kurzweil you can scan a document and it will recognize the text (OCR) and read it back to you. If you do not have a scanner near by and need to read a printed document you can use a digital camera to import the picture to Kurzweil. Watch the video above for step by step instructions. When you open the JPEG file in Kurzweil it will recognize the text within the document and read it back to you. Also you can use Kurzweil's great annotation options to alter your document. When using this method the picture of the document must be clear with the document in the center of the picture. When using this method the OCR quality is below average but is still better than nothing.

How to Use Parental Controls

Posted by Unknown Friday, July 8, 2011 0 comments

The Internet is an interesting place were you can read, watch or listen to almost anything. The Internet can also be a big distraction.When writing a paper or reading a book surfing the Internet can be a distraction. Learn how to make your computer distraction free for your self or your children by using parental controls. With parental controls you can set restrictions for the internet, games, what times you can use the computer and much more. Parental controls are built into most operating systems and are easy to use. Click the read more button bellow to find out if your operation system has parental controls and how to use them.

Windows

Mac

iOS

Kurzweil 3000 Tips and Tricks (Worksheets)

Posted by Unknown Friday, June 17, 2011 0 comments

Watch this quick video about tips and trick for Kurzweil 3000. This video focuses on tools for completing worksheets in Kurzweil. Keep your eyes open for more tips and tricks regarding Kurzweil and other assistive technology.

Kurzweil 3000 Overview

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, June 15, 2011 0 comments

Watch this 52 minute video to learn all about Kurzweil 3000, or read the summary below:

Kurzweil 3000 is writing and reading software that has many great features. Kurzweil is available for both Mac and PC, but the PC version has more features then the Mac version. Kurzweil has optical character recognition. (OCR) What this means is that a document that is scanned can be read back to you. As the words are read aloud, they are highlighted.You can turn off the sound if you just need help with tracking and not decoding. There is an option to speed up or slow down the voice, and the pace of highlighting according to your preference. Kurzweil comes with a few computerized voices, but more can be added.

Once the document is scanned it can also be annotated with text boxes, highlights and circles. This allows you to do anything you could do with hard copy print material. Kurzweil is great for completing worksheets, tests and quizzes. If a document contains many blank spaces Kurzweil has a feature to add a text box on each blank. This feature can be found under tools and then fill in the blanks.

Kurzweil is also great for writing. It has spell check, word prediction and web layouts. One of the best parts of writing with Kurzweil is that the text is read back to you, which is a great editing tool. Kurzweil has a built in dictionary for quick reference. Another handy feature is "read the web" this feature allows a web page to be read aloud with out copying and pasting the text in to Kurzweil. With read the web a toolbar appears with a read button a the bottom of your browser. To read the web simply select the desired text and press the read button. Kurzweil is a great tool for reading and writing. To learn more about Kurzweil, click here visit the Kurzweil webpage. For a video about Kurzweil's virtual print click here. Stay tuned for more Kurzweil tips, tricks and videos.

Window Speech Recognition, a Great Tool For Struggling Writers

Posted by Unknown Thursday, June 9, 2011 0 comments

Windows 7 and Windows Vista come with free speech recognition software. The software is able to input text into any text field. The software is also able to open programs, browse the web and format documents all with your voice. Windows speech recognition is also a great tool for people with disabilities that are unable to use the key board or mouse. To find the software simply search for "speech recognition" in the start menu. I found the speech recognition to be very accurate after a couple of training sessions.

Windows speech recognition is very easy to use because it only has one button. The button starts and stops the speech recognition. If your using a computer with Windows 7 or Vista check out this great feature.

Rebit’s Holiday Specials Bring “Ridiculously Simple” Discounts on PC Backup

Posted by Unknown Thursday, December 16, 2010 0 comments

Rebit has to be one of the easiest ways to back up your PC. I have had the opportunity to use Rebit on my laptop and it works as advertised. Rebit not only backs up your files but it also backups your applications and system. This is a great gift for the holidays! Brian

Rebit’s Holiday Specials Bring “Ridiculously Simple” Discounts on PC Backup

All Software, 1TB Drive on Sale through New Year’s Eve

LONGMONT, CO – December 16, 2010 – Rebit Inc., the company dedicated to making backup and recovery for PC users “ridiculously simple,” today announced that it is offering holiday specials through December 31, 2010 on orders placed through www.Rebit.com.

Site-wide Software Special: 20% off all software – The ideal backup solution for your office and home. Just connect your drive and you’re ready to go – it’s that simple.
Drive Special: Rebit’s 1TB desktop drive is on special for $99 - Preinstalled with Rebit software, all you have to do is plug it in to automatically and continuously protect your computer from crashes, viruses or accidental file deletion.

“Our online holiday specials are a great way for users to save on complete and automatic backup and recovery for themselves and their friends, so all of those holiday memories can be safely stored and treasured for years to come,” commented Charlene Murphy, executive vice president, sales and marketing, Rebit.

About Rebit’s “Ridiculously Simple” Software

Rebit is the only backup and complete system recovery solution that starts working the minute it is installed, keeping PCs continuously protected from crashes, viruses or accidental file deletions. Rebit backup and recovery is available for both Direct Attached Storage (DAS) and Network Attached Storage (NAS), and can be purchased at www.Rebit.com. U.S. computer retailers and resellers can purchase through Rebit authorized distributors D&H (www.dandh.com), and SED (www.sedonline.com).

About Rebit Inc.

Rebit Inc. is a software company committed to delivering fully-automatic and complete PC backup and recovery, removing the burden of managing backup from users. Rebit was named a 2009 and 2010 CRN Emerging Vendor by Computer Reseller News, and Rebit products have earned the Editor’s Choice Awards from Computer Times and Dragon Steel Mods. Contact Rebit at www.Rebit.com. Rebit recommends “following the frog” via Twitter (@Rebit_Inc), Facebook (www.Facebook.com/Rebit) and the Frog Blog (www.Rebit.com).

Adobe Announces eLearning Suite 2 & Captivate 5

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 4, 2010 0 comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe eLearning Suite 2, a significant upgrade to its tightly integrated, end-to-end solution for easily creating, reviewing and maintaining eLearning content. The suite, now natively compatible with Mac OS in addition to Windows, enables eLearning professionals, educators and trainers to turn creative ideas into dynamic eLearning materials that engage learners with multimedia and interactivity. eLearning Suite 2 - anchored by the new Adobe Captivate 5 - includes Adobe Flash Professional CS5, Adobe Dreamweaver CS5, Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended, Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro, Adobe Presenter 7 and Adobe Soundbooth CS5.

"Today's educational and professional learning departments are under enormous pressure to deliver impactful content quickly and efficiently," said Naresh Gupta, senior vice president, Print and Publishing at Adobe. "eLearning Suite 2 is a major leap forward in eLearning content creation. It addresses the challenge with its tightly integrated toolset that allows content creators to develop powerful media-rich eLearning experiences without the time and expense of programming."

Adobe eLearning Suite 2 enhances productivity with smarter aggregation capabilities included in Adobe Captivate 5, eLearning extensions for Dreamweaver and Flash, and new application round tripping workflows between authoring and asset creation tools. For example, a course designer can now insert Adobe Photoshop CS5 (PSD) files as smart objects into an Adobe Captivate project and update the images with one click should the original files change without having to resave and reinsert images. Similar workflows exist between the other eLearning Suite components including Adobe Captivate, Soundbooth and Flash.

"Timely, effective training on the use of our products is critical for us and our customers to meet compliance requirements," said Mary McGivern, Instructional Designer, Omnicell, a leading provider of comprehensive, technologically advanced automation that enables healthcare facilities to acquire, manage, dispense, and deliver medications and supplies more effectively. "The new user interface in Adobe Captivate 5 lets me work more efficiently and is now similar to other Adobe products. This will speed up my workflow and help me meet timelines more effectively."

Introducing Captivate 5

Adobe Captivate is the industry-leading, rapid authoring solution for developing demonstrations, application simulations and branching scenarios - without requiring programming expertise while not compromising quality. Version 5, which introduces the software to Mac OS, offers exciting new features that allow users to do more complex tasks faster such as enhanced importing and round tripping for Microsoft PowerPoint.

The new user interface - similar to the Dreamweaver CS5, Flash CS5 and Photoshop CS5 interfaces - lets users create and revise content faster and more easily than ever before by supporting multiple document editing and personalized workspaces. The Properties Inspector tool also boosts time-savings, as course authors can edit object properties in fewer steps. Additionally, eLearning professionals can leverage an expanded asset library and use customizable widgets to quickly create tables and design graphical buttons. Other major enhancements include support for rich animation effects, the ability to import videos in popular formats (AVI, MOV, FLV, MPEG) and synchronize video across multiple slides.

For more effective collaboration, Adobe Captivate 5 customers can upload, exchange and review content, as well as track and report learner scores by signing up for Adobe's online productivity software, Acrobat.com (available separately). Also, a new widget lets students and educators interact via Twitter, facilitating online Q&As and group discussion.

To ease the process of maintaining content, Adobe Captivate 5 introduces Object Style editing, which facilitates changes project-wide with just a few clicks, allowing content creators to easily define and modify the look and feel of buttons, text, images and other elements. eLearning designers can also create Master Slides with preset themes and styles for text, shapes and graphics. This accelerates authoring as contributors can focus on content rather than formatting details, and ensures that the look and feel of an organization's presentations are preserved. Once eLearning content is published, training and learning professionals can track and report key performance metrics via Acrobat.com or their own Web server.

Pricing and Availability

Adobe eLearning Suite 2 and Adobe Captivate 5 are expected to be available via Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store in June. Customers can pre-order Adobe eLearning Suite 2 and Captivate 5 today. Estimated street price for the suite is US$1799; upgrade pricing starts at US$599. Estimated street price for Adobe Captivate 5 is US$799; upgrade pricing starts at US$299. Educational pricing is available for both products.

Both products are compatible with Mac OS X v10.5.7 or v10.6, Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (Service Pack 3 recommended), Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 or Windows 7 (certified for 32-bit Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7). The Mac OS version of eLearning Suite 2 does not contain Adobe Presenter.

Helpful Links

eLearning Suite 2 and Captivate 5 Customer Quote Sheet
eLearning Workflows in eLearning Suite 2
eLearning Suite 2 home page
What's new in eLearning Suite 2 (On-demand seminar)
Top new features in Captivate 5
Captivate 5 home page
What's new in Captivate 5 (On-demand seminar)

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

(c) 2010 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, eLearning Suite 2, Captivate, Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Acrobat and Soundbooth 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.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6275652&lang=en

Press/ Analyst Contacts
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Stefan Offermann, 408-536-4023
sofferma@adobe.com
or
A&R Edelman
Gina Pucci, 650-762-2897
gpucci@ar-edelman.com

Clickfree Transformer Cable Backup Solution

Posted by Unknown Sunday, October 4, 2009 0 comments

If you have worked with computers for any length of time you know just how important the data that lives on our computers are to us. From our music, to photographs to financial data we all rely on those files being there when we boot up our computers. So the question is, "When was the last time you backed up your computer?" You see it is not a question if your hard disk will fail but a question as to when will it fail. While we go our merry way thinking that our computers will work as they should, there will come a time when you boot up and you get the dreaded error message that your computer will not start up. If a technician can't get the system up an running you will be faced with the option of having to reformat your hard drive and lose all of you files. Wouldn't it be nice if you had prepared for this event and had a backup that you could access to restore all of your data files.? I know the answer to this question, and have been working with a number of products from Clickfree to see how well they work. Clickfree has a number of products that let you easily backup your data files without the need to install any software. Clickfree tries to make the process of backing up your hard drive as fuss free as possible and in this regards- they have accomplished their goal.

I had a chance this week to take a look at Clickfree's Transformer Cable, which turns any external USB drive into a Clickfree backup solution. The Clickfree Transformer Cable is a small USB cable with the attached Transformer pod on it that you simply plug into your computers USB port. Once the Transformer is plugged into your computer you can plug in your external USB drive and within seconds the Clickfree Backup software runs finding, organizing and backing up all of your files. It is really that easy- with no software to install. With the price of external USB drives coming way down in price there is no excuse not to have your data backed up. Clickfree Transformer Cable works with Windows Vista®, Windows® XP and Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

I have to say that the Clickfree's Transformer Cable worked as advertised. I was able to back up my Dell XPS 1210 using the Clickfree's Transformer Cable in a couple of minutes and all I needed to do was plug in my external USB drive into the Clickfree's Transformer Cable. Now I have the peace of mind that my files are safe should my hard drive crash. The Clickfree's Transformer Cable backs up all of your data files and includes a Restore function should you need to restore your files. You can also search for files using the Clickfree Backup Software and access individual files should you need them. Clickfree saves your data files in the native application's file format so that it is easy to access should you need to copy or move them to another computer. The Clickfree Solution backs up over 400 difference types of files from your hard drive so that you can be rest assured that they will be there when you need them. Clickfree Transformer also ships with a small application which you can install to your computer which will remind you to backup your files- you can also set it up the Clickfree Transformer for Unattended Backups as well. You should note that the Clickfree's Transformer Cable Backup Solution does not backup your software applications or your operating system. If this is important to you, you may want to look at another solution (I hope to share this solution with you in another post shortly). But for the peace of mind of having all your data files backed up, the Clickfree's Transformer Cable solution worked as advertised. If you need a simple no fuss method to back up your computer files then this is the way to go- trust me you will be happy you did!

Ginger Spell -New Writing Software

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, November 4, 2008 0 comments

While doing some searches for new writing software a couple of months ago, I came across a rather interesting web site from Ginger Software. The company was tauting a new software application called Ginger Spell that works within Microsoft Word to provide students with writing disabilities support in the area of spelling and grammar. At the present time Ginger Spell beta does not include grammar support but will be added when the applications ships. Ginger Spell is unique in that it assist students in producing error free text right within Microsoft Word using very sophisticated algorithms. Ginger Spell installs within Microsoft Word 2003 and Word 2007 and provides a window that allows students to view the suggested corrections. As much as I am a big fan of word prediction there are a number of students with writing disabilities that do not do well with the tool- here is where Ginger Spell comes in. Students can write within Microsoft Word as they always do and once they are done can utilize the power of Ginger Spell to process their writing. Ginger Spell has the uncanny ability to make the right correction and produce an error free finished product- which is ideal for students with writing disabilities. I have had a chance to beta test Ginger Spell and am very impressed with the underlying technology. To use Ginger Spell you will need to be running Windows and have access to Microsoft Word 2003 or 2007 along with a connection to the internet.

I like the post processing features and I believe that many students will find this a more natural way for them to check their work. At the present time, Ginger Spell does not support text to speech but this something that the developer will be adding when it is officially released. I found the user interface very intuitive and rather straightforward. Making changes to the text was very easy and Ginger Spell in 90% of the cases made the right suggestion without me having to make any changes. Give it a try by downloading the beta now of Ginger Spell.

Acer Aspire Netbook Now Available

Posted by Unknown Sunday, August 10, 2008 0 comments

While I attended NECC 2008 the theme was smallness and portability. In this tradition Acer just recently released the Acer Aspire Netbook computer a 2.2 lb. ultra-portable net computer with the following specifications-see below. Looking at the newspaper circulars Circuit City has it on sale for $379 dollars. I'm holding off purchasing one for the work that I do until I see what Dell has up their sleeves. I would still prefer to have a netbook running Windows XP. These can certainly be ideal tools for some of the students that I work with who need a computer for note taking and organization. Click here for a review.

1.6GHz Atom N270 Processor
8GB solid state hard drive, 512MB DDR2 SDRAM (expandable)
802.11b/g, Ethernet, three USB 2.0, VGA, and 3.5mm audio out
1.3 megapixel camera, SDHC and multi-format media readers
Linpus Linux Lite operating system

Check out this early video review of the Acer Aspire from JkontheRun

FolderShare-Remote Access to Files

Posted by Unknown Sunday, November 4, 2007 0 comments

I'm sure if you are like me that you are using several computers in your home and office, and there are many times when you would like to access your files remotely. Well there are lots of commercial software products that will give you that option like GoToMyPC, but this is the year if Web 2.0 so why not look for something on the web that help accomplish this task for us.

For the past several months I have been using a program from Microsoft which runs on Windows and Macintosh called FolderShare that lets me access my files remotely wherever I am. You can go to FolderShare and download the client and install it on all of your computers that you would like to access. Once the program is installed and you have named your computers you can log into FolderShare and see your computers and your files as if you were sitting in front

of your computer. If you see a file you want to download just click on it and the download begins. I have been using FolderShare with my Mac's and Window's computers without a hitch. It is also possible to access your Windows computer from your Macintosh and vice a versa. It is fast and works well even though it is considered beta software. You can also set up folders to synch on your computers which is a nice feature. I would have to say that considering the price of admission this is one useful software product. Give it try!

NovaMind 4 Pro for Windows is now in Beta testing

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, August 22, 2007 0 comments

I just received this communication from Gideon King about the upcoming release of NovaMind 4 Pro for Windows. Taking a look at the screenshots you can see that a lot of work has gone into the interface and making the program even easier to use. Take a look at this link to see some of the screenshots. You can see that NovaMind 4 Pro takes advantage of the Ribbon User Interface which puts all of the features just a simple click away.

We are pleased to announce that NovaMind 4 Pro for Windows is now in Beta testing. We are working through the remaining issues as quickly as we can. There have been some unforeseen technical issues along the way, but these have almost all been resolved (just one significant issue remaining), and the remainder of the work is bug fixes and putting the finishing touches to some parts of the functionality. The actual path from here to release depends to a large extent on the number of issues we encounter as we go through the testing and tidy up process, so we are hoping for a smooth path from here.
I have taken this opportunity to create screenshots of all the different tabs in the new ribbon bar, and write brief descriptions of the functionality. As you will see, it has changed dramatically since NovaMind 3, and our usability studies show that it is far easier to learn, navigate, and use. I have updated the pre-release information page to show the new features. Here is a link to the information page with the screenshots on it:

NovaMind 4 Pro for Windows

Posted by Unknown Friday, August 3, 2007 0 comments

Gideon King had emailed me information in his NovaMind Newsletter to share with me all the exciting new features that will be in the release of NovaMind 4 Pro for Windows. You can see from the list below that the new feature set is considerable. Gideon is also looking for users who are interested in doing beta testing for NovaMind 4 Pro. It is a great opportunity to work with the application before it is released and get a chance to provide the company with valuable feedback.

Below are some of the new features of NovaMind 4 - the hyperlinks will open images showing you the items:

Create new documents from templates
A template chooser, showing you the templates available and with the ability to select themes and see instantly how it will change your selected Mind Map template, and then creation of your Mind Map using that template and theme.
New ribbon bar with commands grouped into Home, Insert, Design, View and Format options, meaning that there is much less switching between tabs - most operations can be accomplished from the home tab.
New text handling system so that the text commands can be used on branches even when you are not editing the text, and even handle multiple branch selections from the same interface.
Instant preview of line weight, line style, fonts, and corner settings so you can see what it is going to look like before you apply it.
Layout settings panel showing you a preview of how your Mind Map will look when you apply the selected branch spacing to the Mind Map
Selection of themes, with instant preview of the theme applied when you mouse over a theme.
Selection of map styles , again with instant preview when you mouse over the style.
A special formatting floating panel which allows you to set the graphical attributes of the branch or graphic all from one place.
Background settings floating panel with all the background settings in one place.
Graphic style selector with instant preview of the style as applied to selected branches.
New tabs for multiple Mind Maps, with preview of the Mind Maps as you move your mouse over the tabs, menu based selection of Mind Maps for documents with many Mind Maps, and the ability to scroll through the tabs, drag them into a different order, and drag them onto other documents to copy the Mind Map to the other document.
Document View where you can work with the map settings of multiple documents at the same time.
A new sidebar. The sidebar has multiple tabs, the first holding the graphic library with adornments and graphics available to be selected and dragged on to your Mind Map. The second tab is for branch notes, where you can type your notes - you can also drag graphics from the graphics library on to the notes tab to add them to your notes. The third tab is the outline view which allows you to work with your Mind Map outline directly.

An Inside Look at MindManager 7 Mac

Posted by Unknown Monday, July 30, 2007 0 comments

I had the opportunity to be a guest speaker for this webinar, An Inside Look at MindManager 7 Mac, and to share how I am using Mindjet MindManager in the classes that I teach at the graduate level in assistive technology. If you are not familiar with MindManager you can preview the recorded webinar and find out about all of its new features on the Macintosh which I really enjoy. You will be able to view some of the mind maps that I have created and find out how I use it when I teach. You can also download the mind maps that were used on the webinar and if you don't own Mindjet MindManager you can download a trial version form the Mindjet website. You should also know that there is a version of MindManager for Windows as well and there file compatibility. Enjoy the webinar!

FastTrack Schedule 9.2

Posted by Unknown Friday, July 20, 2007 0 comments

As I use MindManager Pro 7 from Mindjet Inc., more and more, in the work that I do, I have found it to be an excellent tool to help me organize and keep information that I use in one spot. The power in the tool from

my perspective is that it allows me to quickly see my ideas and to organize them the way I see fit. Having the freedom to move my ideas around frees me up to allow my ideas to flow without the need to know exactly where the idea fits in. After looking at one of my mind maps I can always go back and change things without being concerned about the structure. As I use use MindManager Pro 7, I am always looking for new ways to extend this powerful tool for the projects that I am working on. Having said that, I have begun to use MindManager Pro 7 with project management software to help me get a different perspective on the tasks and timelines.

Mindjet Inc., has done a wonderful job of creating a product that is extensible so that other companies can develop applications that take advantage of the ideas that have been captured in MindManager Pro 7. I recently had the opportunity to preview from AEC Software , FastTrack Schedule 9.2 which is a comprehensive standalone project management software application that is cross-platform and runs on the Windows and Macintosh platform. Having just begun to use FastTrack Schedule 9.2 myself, I found it an ideal tool for someone who is just getting their feet wet in project management. The program is very visual and intuitive and provides users a quick way to jump start their project by using on of the many templates and example files that are available.

Since I am a MindManager Pro 7 user, I was really interested to see how FastTrack Schedule 9.2 could be integrated into my workflow. As MindManager Pro 7 becomes entrenched in the business and educational marketplace other publishers are looking for ways to marry the programs together. In this respect, AEC Software has really done an excellent job of being able to take data from MindManager Pro 7, and bring it into FastTrack Schedule 9.2 to do the project management. While MIndManager Pro 7 is an excellent tool for brainstorming and communicating ideas it does not have all of the tools to do project management and this is where a program like FastTrack Schedule 9.2 comes in. MindManager Pro 7 is an ideal tool for doing your brainstorming, putting your task lists together and assigning resources, however when you want to look at your project over time then you need a true project management software application. One of the really nice things about using these two applications together is that the work that you initially had done on the project can be exported from MindManager Pro 7 and brought effortlessly into FastTrack Schedule 9.2. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 can import any MindManager document and bring in all of the data that was stored within the MindManager map. If you used the Task Information pane to assign a Start Date, Due Date, Duration, Resource, and Percent Completion to a task all of this data comes over when you import your MindManager mind map into FastTrack Schedule 9.2. When I was working with my MindManager Pro 7 project file I also had included relationships among different tasks and I was glad to find out that these relationships were also carried over into FastTrack Schedule 9.2. For individuals who are just getting started with project management having the on ramp of a program like MindManager Pro 7 really can kick start your projects which can be polished off with FastTrack Schedule 9.2. Click here to view video.

One of the real strengths of FastTrack Schedule 9.2 is it ease of use and the interface. I particularly enjoyed the Gantt Chart view which allows you to see a list of your tasks and the duration in days, weeks, or hours that tasks will take. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 allows you to directly access the data and so if a you need to

change a task duration you simply take your mouse place it on task bar and drag the task bars right border to the right to extend the task duration. You can also decide to draw task bars using the Draw bars tool, thus eliminating the need to enter Start and Duration information into a dialog box. However, FastTrack Schedule 9.2 allows you to enter task information as you see fit, so if you more comfortable using a dialog box to enter the information you can do so. The Gantt View is gives you a great overview of the project and makes for a great way to present and communicate the information. The Gantt View also allows you to look at the project to see if there are any obstacles and whether things need to be adjusted in order for the project to be delivered on time. The Gantt View also can show you milestones as well as a way to track the percent completed of each task along with the assigned resource. The Gantt View also allows you to quickly look at how your activity bars are linked and their dependencies. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 quickly lets you see the impact of making a change on one activity and watching how that ripples through your project. Linking activities is accomplished very quickly with the Draw Link tool. You simply click on the Draw Link tool and then click on the activities. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 supports four different dependency types: Finish to Start, Start to Start, Finish to Finish, and Start to Finish. You will find the FastTrack Schedule 9.2, Gantt view a great tool for communicating your projects, and if you would like you can add graphics, text and legends to the Gantt View to spruce up the document.

While having a timetable for your project is the first step in the project management cycle you will also need to get a handle on how resources are being allocated. Using the Resources view gives you a great overview of how your resources are being used and if you will need to make adjustments in the scheduling in order to accomplish your desired outcomes. The Resources View can quickly tell you if you have over allocated a resource which in that case you will need to make some decisions about hiring more people or delaying the project. All of this

information is at your finger tips and a great guide as you move through the project. For those users who are new to project management FastTrack Schedule 9.2 also has a Calendar view which displays the information in a monthly calendar view which makes sharing the project information easier for those who are not accustomed to reading a Gantt chart.

When all is said and done, FastTrack Schedule 9.2 is a very easy on ramp for individuals who are just beginning to use project management software but one that can grow with them as they develop their expertise. The program is very fluid and one that allows you to jump into. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 uses standard Windows and Macintosh conventions which enables you to be up and running very quickly. When it is time to share your project there are lots of ways to do so. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 now supports the data exchange format known as iCalendar (.ics) enabling you to view project data in a calendar form. If you are using a Macintosh and have a .Mac account you can publish your Calendar view with a click of the mouse and view it on the web or if you like you can export your views in a picture format (ie. jpeg, pdf, png,) for use with PowerPoint or Keynote. You can even export the data from Fastrack Schedule 9.2 back into MindManager if you would like.

From my standpoint, FastTrack Schedule 9.2 really extends the usefulness of MindManager Pro 7 and allows me to delve into project management at level that I am comfortable with. FastTrack Schedule 9.2 is a very approachable cross platform project management software that shines in its ease of use, its presentation capabilities, and it is price point. If you are using MindManager Pro 7 and want to take the stab into project management software then take a look at FastTrack Schedule 9.2-it has a lot going for it.