Laptop Mag Verdict

Mindjet MindManger's sleek interface makes it a user-friendly and fun digital brainstorming app.

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MindManager has the most compelling interface of all the brainstorming programs we tested. With a Microsoft Office 2007 look and feel, this program comes with all the tools you want for editing and making your brainstorms presentable and organized. Adding text or images off the main idea, as well as creating subtopics and call-outs is extremely easy, and these can be positioned anywhere on the screen. MindManager's Charts and Spreadsheets, a feature that can display map data in a chart or spreadsheet, is a unique option. The Pro version offers add-ons for exporting/importing to and from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This service has a slight learning curve, but there are several video demos to help get you started.