The most recent update to my favorite mind mapping software, NovaMind, includes two notables that are just too cool to pass up mentioning.

One is that you can now use a pen and tablet to create Mind Maps which is a great option for those who spend a lot of time at the keyboard (watch those repetitive motions!) You can also draw your own images to use on the branches or as attached graphics. I thought being able to import images and photos was cool–this opens up a whole new world.

The second new functionality that just tickled my toes is a Spotlight importer built in to the NovaMind program. This means you can now search for your NovaMind files in Spotlight. I’m a newbie at using Spotlight and I find it a brilliant addition to the Mac’s search function. (If you are even more of a newbie than me, Spotlight comes with Tiger, Mac’s OSX 10.4. Spotlight searches files, emails, photos, and now Mind Maps for keywords that you enter.)