Application iThoughts Platforms iPhone, iPad Price iPhone US$7.99; iPad US$9.99
While a picture might be worth a thousand words, a carefully crafted mind map can speak volumes. Without the right software, however, the creation of such implements is probably an effort best restricted to the office whiteboard.
For the desktop, the options are endless, with Freemind and iMindMap the clear favourites. As for the mobile platform, you'll be hard pressed to find anything as effective and user-friendly as iThoughts.
As with most iOS mapping software, the application is particularly well suited to the touch interface, with the larger screen of the iPad offering a slightly enhanced experience over its smaller cousin. Irrespective of the device you're on, creating a mind map couldn't be easier.
The application opens with a blank canvas, featuring a small bubble in the centre of the page where you can punch in the name or central theme of your document. From there, you can formulate a variety of arrows, pointers, branches and additional bubbles, all of which are available in a host of colours, shapes and sizes.
You can export your masterpiece via e-mail in several formats, including PDF and PNG.