XMind has just announced the release of the XMind 7 public beta. For a limited time, you'll be able to download the beta version of the software and possibly help the company make things better. The beta version includes all Pro features, allowing you to test out the program in its entirety. The full-featured beta version will be available until November 30, 2015.
I've had the good fortune of being part of the private beta, so I've already had a few weeks to test out some of the new features and see what's changed. Overall, I'm happy with what the developers have come up with.
I'll do a full review of XMind 7 shortly, but I wanted to let you know about the public beta in case you're interested in trying it out for yourself.
Continued refinements
The overall look of XMind has changed. There's a new flat look to it. This is good to see. One of the best parts of XMind is how good it looks using it's default settings. Many companies and websites are transitioning to flat icons, so this update makes the program look fresh.
A big win for me is the Gantt chart.
I've had email conversations with several of you over the past year about improvements that could be made to the Gantt charts. It's good to see how the developers have made some tweaks. Something as simple as printing the Gantt chart or saving it as an image used to be difficult, but now has been improved.
I also like the addition of extra fonts and styling options, so you can customize what your maps look like.
There are some new features (like timeline view and comments) that I'm excited about. Stay tuned for reviews of some of the new features.
Test out the Pro features
If you don't have XMind Pro and are curious about how the features would work for you, then this is your chance. During the beta period, all features are unlocked. This is your opportunity to go about using XMind for everything you've thought of.
The Pro features will stop working on this Beta version after November 30, 2015.
What is a Beta version?
Here's a brief rundown of what beta testing is in case you're unfamiliar with the term.
When software goes into beta, it means that it's usually in the final stages of testing before it's released as new software. This means that it's mostly ready to go, but you could still run into issues or bugs as you use the program. It's a way to get a lot of people using the software to try to identify and resolve any issues before releasing a final version.
If there's a comment you'd like to make to the developers or you've potentially found a bug, you can contact the people over at XMind via email – [email protected]
Keep in mind that beta versions usually work great, but if you need something for mission critical tasks, just wait until the next stable version is released.
Here's the link again for the XMind 7 Public Beta. This link will take you to their site where you can download the new version.
XMind 7 final version is just around the corner
If you're not into testing and playing around, I recommend waiting a few more weeks.
In the past XMind has released their new versions around November. If everything keeps on pace as per the last few years, you won't have to wait long unitl you have the official XMind 7 release.
New/updated in XMind 7 public beta
Here's a list of all the new features and updates you can look forward to in XMind 7:
1. Share to Biggerplate.com
2. Inspector View
3. Add another Matrix (structure) which uses topics as columns.
4. Show/Edit task info (Start/End Date, Assignee, Priority and Progress) directly in Gantt Chart.
5. Export Gantt Chart to Image/PDF.
6. Print Gantt Chart.
7. Add “hide collapse/expand icon” option while printing/exporting to image/PDF/SVG.
8. Export the entire workbook to Excel.
9. Show all notes in Notes View.
10. Copy/Paste style.
11. New Window Menu.
12. Only calculate work days for tasks.
13. Add a size hint while making a map shot.
14. New topic shapes: Circle, Parallelogram, Cloud.
15. New boundary shapes: Polygon and Rounded Polygon.
16. Wallpaper Patterns.
17. New designed color palette.
18. New color set for Multi Branch Colors.
19. Add Task Assignee option in Advanced Filter View.
20. Delete the same markers of the map.
21. Clear all the markers of a topic.
22. Add “Save As” option to Image/Attachment/Audio Notes.
23. URL/Email auto detection.
24. Support Microsoft Project 2010 file format for exporting.
25. Real previews in Theme View.
26. Many other minor improvements.
