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MindNode 2.0 for Mac

Mindnode has been a favorite at MacStories for a while, and I’m happy to see a brand new version for Mac available today. MindNode 2.0 for Mac is an entirely new app, with an introductory price of $19.99 US ($29.99 after the intro sale).

The new version includes a variety of features that expand MindNode’s usefulness beyond simple mind mapping to make it a powerful tool for collaboration, polishing ideas, and writing (among the many things mind maps are great for). All this while maintaining the attributes that set it apart from the beginning: simplicity and elegance.

The new features include notes, something I’d always felt was an oversight in MindNode. I like to keep my topic titles as short as possible, and being able to expand on an idea or add extended thoughts via attached notes is vital. MindNode 2.0 does a nice job of indicating which nodes have notes with an unobtrusive icon while concealing the extra cruft. Notes can be included in the various export formats (PDF, Freemind, OPML, Image, Markdown, or text).

When I’m writing, mind maps are the first tool I employ to brainstorm, develop, and begin structuring a piece. The outline view in MindNode (new to the Mac version) means I can see a linear view of my content as I work in the less restrictive format of a mind map. Being able to include notes in the Markdown export means that I can even begin developing paragraphs right in the mind map.

That leads me to mention my favorite new feature: the ability to preview the rendered Markdown from a mind map while I work using Marked 2 (my own Markdown preview and writing tool). Click File -> Advanced -> Open in Marked and a full preview of the Markdown export, including notes, will update every time the mind map saves. (iThoughtsX has Marked integration, as well.)

MindNode had also been missing the ability to add icons and markers to nodes, but not anymore. The “Stickers” feature lets you choose from a custom set of tinted icons to set ideas apart. You can also add labels to connections to help make things more scannable.

MindJet MindManager users will be happy to hear that MindNode can now import your existing maps. I switched away from MindManager a while ago, but used it for years, accumulating a significant pile of brainstorms in mmap format. Being able to access Mindjet’s proprietary format in my tools of choice is important to my sanity.

The MindNode update also boasts improvements in smart layout, theme customization, and visual refinements.

Also new to the Mac version, the MyMindNode web service allows you to publish your maps on the web and link or embed them in a blog or web page. Maps can be re-published at the same URL as they’re updated.

If you’re looking to up your brainstorming game, you can find MindNode 2.0 on the Mac App Store.

Pinterest Introduces Buyable Pins→

Mike Isaac, writing for The New York Times:

Pinterest, the online social bookmarking site, has long claimed to be a way to help people discover new things in the real world. Soon you will be able to buy those things, too.

The San Francisco-based company announced Tuesday that it will now let users purchase things from inside of pinned items, in what is its first foray into bringing e-commerce to the platform. The new product, named “Buyable Pins,” allows sellers large and small to essentially stick a “buy” button on items that they post to the site.

Buyable Pins will launch in the United States initially, and the service will support on Apple Pay on iOS.

Considering how Pinterest reinvented the wish list on mobile, it only makes sense for them to jump into the e-commerce business in a mobile-first fashion. Pinterest says that items will be “handpicked” and that they won’t make money off transaction fees, relying on promoted pins (ads) to let advertisers promote their products on the service.

They also made a great promo video for the new feature, which you can watch below.

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Microsoft Acquires Wunderlist→

In a blog post, popular task management service Wunderlist has announced they’ve been acquired by Microsoft. Wunderlist, like Sunrise, will remain an “independent” app for now, but it’ll likely be more closely tied to Microsoft services in the future.

Here’s Wunderlist CEO Christian Reber on the company’s blog:

Over the next few months as Wunderlist becomes a part of the Microsoft family, we’ll introduce a host of new features, continue growing the ecosystem of partner integrations and progress in delivering Wunderlist to billions of people. We are excited and can’t wait to share with you what we have been working on–watch this space!

The Microsoft blog has also motivated the acquisition and shared details about pricing going forward:

The addition of Wunderlist to the Microsoft product portfolio fits squarely with our ambition to reinvent productivity for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. Building on momentum for Microsoft Office, OneNote and Skype for Business, as well as the recent Sunrise and Acompli acquisitions, it further demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to delivering market leading mobile apps across the platforms and devices our customers use – for mail, calendaring, messaging, notes and now tasks.

And:

Customers can expect the app to remain free in all of its existing markets. There will be no price changes for Wunderlist Pro or Wunderlist for Business customers and the service will continue to support a wide range of third-party apps and integrated services.

As I tweeted yesterday, I believe Microsoft has been doing some interesting acquisitions lately and Wunderlist meets the requirements for a cross-platform app that can integrate with other apps and services. Like Sunrise, Wunderlist has an API that allows other services and developers to plug into its platform to access a user’s tasks and projects – like Slack and Scanbot. Wunderlist wanted to build an ecosystem of apps for your todo list, and it’s easy to see how Microsoft could benefit from it.

More importantly, Wunderlist already integrates with Sunrise, allowing you to see tasks alongside calendar events natively.

I’m curious to see for how long Microsoft will keep these two apps as standalone services that don’t have the Microsoft brand or only work with Microsoft services. Sunrise, for instance, also supports Todoist, one of Wunderlist’s biggest competitors. Will Microsoft keep this third-party friendly approach as it keeps controlling more apps?

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Apple Starts Decorating Moscone West for WWDC 2015

Apple has started decorating Moscone West in San Francisco for WWDC, kicking off this year on Monday, June 8.

Every year, Apple decorates the convention center in San Francisco with different sets of banners: the ones matching the event’s tagline and graphics already available on the WWDC website, and others showing the official (and previously unseen) logos of new versions of iOS and OS X. Apple is expected to introduce iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 this year, bringing improvements to last year’s Yosemite redesign and, according to 9to5Mac, a variety of new features for Maps, multitasking, and HomeKit on iOS.

Apple has begun decorating Moscone West with its logo earlier today, and, like every year, we’re documenting the process with photos from San Francisco. With preparations now well underway, Apple will continue to decorate Moscone West with new banners in the next few days, possibly showing the official logos for iOS 9 and OS X 10.11.

We will update this post with more photos throughout the week; new updates will be listed in reverse chronological order below.

You can follow @MacStoriesNet on Twitter or our WWDC 2015 news hub for updates.

Our thanks to the Workflow team for providing us with photos from Moscone West in San Francisco.

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The First HomeKit Enabled Devices Begin Shipping

A year after HomeKit was announced at WWDC 2014, the first HomeKit enabled products are today beginning to go on sale from five initial device manufacturers. HomeKit enabled devices, which can range from lights, thermostats and door locks, can be controlled through Siri, and the HomeKit framework enables developers to more easily create apps for home automation.

Insteon and Lutron have devices shipping from today, whilst ecobee, Elgato and iHome will have devices shipping by the end of July. For some details about their initial HomeKit products, jump the break.

Sources: MacRumors, The Verge, Re/code

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Apple Events Channel Now Available on Apple TV to Stream WWDC 2015 Keynote

Apple has today made their ‘Apple Events’ channel accessible again from any Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation), ahead of next week’s WWDC 2015 keynote. The Apple Events channel confirms that the keynote will be live-streamed on Monday, June 8 at 10am, San Fancisco time.

For developers who want to follow along with the other WWDC sessions, Apple previously announced that ‘select’ WWDC 2015 sessions will be live streamed on the WWDC website and in the WWDC app. For those technical sessions that are not live streamed, Apple has said that they will be made available to stream and download at the end of each day.

In the meantime, the channel also allows users to stream past Apple events (including WWDC 2014), just in case you’ve got some free time over the next week. For those without an Apple TV, in the past Apple (for other live streamed events) also hosted a live stream on their website, but that will probably go live closer to next Monday.

You can also follow MacStories’ WWDC 2015 Special Event hub for updates, or subscribe through RSS to our dedicated WWDC 2015 Special Event feed.

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Opener for iOS 8 Opens Web Links in Apps

In spite of several companies’ efforts to match web links to native apps, opening links from apps on iOS usually takes you to a web view even if you have the website’s associated iOS app already installed. This is why following links to songs on Spotify or podcast episodes on Overcast doesn’t automatically take you to their native apps: iOS lacks a native deep linking technology. While Apple could introduce such framework in the future, currently there’s no system-wide solution that can be adopted across every website and app out of the box. Many have tried to solve deep-linking on mobile, but to achieve real support for this experience, Apple will need to step in eventually.

In the meantime, Timothy Johnsen has created a workaround called Opener that uses an action extension to let you easily open a web link in its native app. Released with an initial set of compatible links/apps such as Twitter, Overcast, SoundCloud, Spotify, Kickstarter, and more, Opener allows you to avoid tapping buttons in web views to launch associated apps; Opener can automate the process by resolving links and launching them inside apps with an extension.

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