Headspace Reviews

by Levo Dextro

This is sort of a cute app, but VERY half-baked. Certainly not worth $3.99.

* The graphics are terrible. The lines shimmer and flicker on both the iphone and the ipad 2. It would give me a headache to look at Headspace for more than about 3 minutes

* The user interface is clunky. The Big Idea is 3 dimensions and all of the gestures are devoted to somewhat pointlessly moving nodes in 3 dimensions. However, the basic task of getting information into slots is very 1990s -- you do everything through a menu. There are no gestures for entering or changing nodes or rearranging them because all the screen gestures are taken up by moving the nodes around in three dimensions. So don't imagine that you can grab a node and move it. You click it, click menu, click copy, click done, click the other node, click paste, select child option, click done, That gets really clunky after a node or two.

* And what do your three dimensions get you? You can flip a set of nodes completely around so that you are looking at their backs. BUT, you can't edit the back. So flipping the nodes around is completely pointless.

All in all this is a One Big Idea app which is poorly done in the basics (entering text, moving nodes) and which doesn't exploit the Big Idea for all its worth.

by Give Life Back 2 Music

Beautiful interface that is intuitive enough, though perhaps weak or unintuitive in a few areas, such as dragging and dropping tasks from one container to another. Also it seems to lack style templates that automatically applies styles at different levels, so even though you can apply beautiful styles to each task or container, you have to manually apply reformatting to each time you create one (there is a copy feature but that seems unintuitive).

I was going to give Headspace 4 stars, but just as I was getting the hang of the application and getting some data put in, the application crashed and (apparently) lost 30 minutes of work. There is a Save As feature but no Save button. Given that, I am giving up on this application, but if you choose to keep using, please make periodic exports of your work. Among competitors, Idea Sketch is workable but feature limited, mostly too weak for my needs. iThoughts has great user ratings but is more expensive than this app. But an application that loses work isn't worth cost effective at any price.

by Dave In DC

I like what Headspace is trying to do...to allow one to make outlines of sorts in "space." The colors and ideas are great. However, I actually find it unpleasant to try to use. The use of the accelerometer in this situation seems to make it more difficfult to use rather than help. The lists move erractically around the screen, and this movement is a problem. It also takes a lot of fingers to get things done, and if I lie down in bed to look at things the orientation gets all screwy.

I think the feel that works better for me is the excellent scheme used by the mahjong game Moonlight. It is elegant, simple, and stable on the screen. I find myself fighting this program to be able to see my content. It's too much work and not very user-friendly in that sense. I did restart the iPhone to make sure it was not a memory problem and it wasn't.

Headspace has great potential...if nothing else I'd like the option to turn off the use of the accelerometer. Even better would be a scheme that doesn't require three fingers for simple moves and doesn't use the accelerometer. On yes, when Headspace does shift around on the screen from side to side, it is in the opposite direction than I expected. It doesn't line up easily.

by Jammkat

Testing on a new iPad and after a restart, the text color picker fails completely to change the text color when editing an item. Also, hitting the funny looking "X" on the right side of the text color picker area results in an instant and repeatable crash to homescreen. Also, Headspace seems to just like to crash a lot on its own, even while i was trying to use their Help-Contact Us interface to email this bug report.

Please fix and all will be sunshine and rainbows! The ability to change the text color is what has prevented me from using Headspace for a couple years now as I found the white text fairly unreadable. Beyond that, I really like the look and feel of the interface. It's easy to drag things around, reorder them and zoom in and out, something other apps seem to make clumsy but this one makes slick and responsive.

ETA: confirmed the same bugs on an iPad 1, but everything functions as expected on an iPhone 4.

by Nightmoon26

I really like Headspace. It's great for both mind mapping and managing checklists. I especially like the stacking effect when collapsing branches, since it gives a quick visual indication of how much information is hidden.

My only real complaint is that the landscape orientation moves the controls to the left side of the screen. This is a little awkward for me a a right-handed person, since I have to move my hand repeatedly to the far side of the screen. One bit of possible improvement would be the addition of a "checkbox" switch to the item creation dialog. It might also be worth having an "Advanced..." button to customize appearance when creating the item instead of having to do the additional step of editing the item after creating it.

There are a few interoperability issues. The first such issue is the lack of a means to import your workspace from the "Lite" version.

The other is that some formatting, specifically the checkbox function, doesn't survive being edited in FreeMind and being reimported. The checkboxes show up as icons in FreeMind, but are lost when importing back into this app. I'm not sure if it's just an issue with the latest FreeMind version upgrading the file when saving changes, but it's a bit inconvenient. It only happens when the file gets edited in FreeMind, so it's not a problem if you're only collaborating with other this app users.

by CdrDave

I bought Headspace based on a video by the developer. Pretty cool idea. Right now, the current version has a bug that causes Headspace to crash on creating a new group. You can contact the developer through Headspace , and I’ve reported the bug. Looking forward to an update. I like the idea, but I wish you could use the z-axis for something other than collapsing children. Perhaps place Groups at different "layers" in the z-axis, with perhaps the z-axis representing "time." Alternatively, multiple groups as "org charts" with links between individuals in different organizations appearing across the z-axis, while links (other than hierarchical wiring) between individuals within an organization appearing in the x-y plane. There aren’t a lot of apps that explore concept mapping or networks in a 3d environment. At least, not that I’ve found with a little bit of effort. This is fun to play around with, and does prompt some interesting thinking.

by My_Reviews

I find it easier to layout certain ideas in this app then using a standard mind map.

by Left0verture

There are several mindmap type apps for the iPhone/iTouch - some free and some far from it. They all do the job. I find this app to be extremely appropriate for an Apple platform. After all, Apple has always been a little more about form than function, right? Maybe they know something the rest of the industry hasn't yet figured out - form IS function. In the same way, Headpsace does the whole 3D thing - is it necessary for mindmapping? No. Is it fun, creative and inspirational? You bet. Plus, the developer listens and is actively working to make it better. And it's still a totally functional minmapping app. For TWO BUCKS. Come on, try it - don't be a wuss. Where else can you buy inspiration for $2 these days?

by Continuumx

I am starting to like this tool a lot. It needs to borrow as much from other mindmapping apps as possible to make it more fully featured:

-Group header should be bold text or larger than children
-Arrows ends need to be more graphically appealing
-OPML export is a requirement to have these mind maps usuable in a number of desktop applications
-Automatic random color or ROYGBV rainbow selection for new groups
-Bullets added to children if desired
-Group or Header graphic symbol to the left of text if desired
-For entering new groups or children less option clicking to get it added to the this app. Let the options for color change, links, notes, and etc be optional. Just keep it simple and quick in terms of populating the mindmap in this app

Once the photo import works Headspace moves to 4 stars. Implement the other options and you have a 5 star app.

by RonAnnArbor

I have lots of apps on my phone from games to productivity -- but I have to say that this one is about s good as it gets. First -- turn off the accelerometer. I have no idea why you would ever have to tilt this back and forth.

This has replaced my notes/to-do's/shopping list apps and resides on my home screen all the time. It's great for random notes, ideas that pop into your head, and project management. The features on this little program are so rich that it rivals some computer based mind mapping programs.

I love Headspace. I know mind mapping is not everyone's way of managing data - but this is far and away Headspace that gets the most use on my iPhone.

by UnmindSmith

Headspace tends to be customized to the way my mind works, plus it's the coolest looking mind-mapping app out there! I would highly recommend it to anyone, as i've noticed my productivity time improve three-fold. Well worth the money! Many cool features: export as .pdf, import mm and .hs to this app wirelessly,Bonjour Sync. Change group color and background color along with the alpha values, auto-organize... may I go on. I'm glad I decided to spend the 3.99!

by 5iver

Exceptionally stimulating and enjoyable experience. Makes relational to-do listing a joy. Really shows what this ol' iPhone can be made to do. Keep it up.

Like to see the ability to hide checked items. And to have stacked items be less bright - it's hard to read the parent they're stacked behind. A 'stack/unstack all groups' would be cool. Associating an image to detail notes would be nice.

by Goerg1

This is an excellent application for people like us that think on 3D and love the unlimited mindmap space to scheme things on, it was difficult to learn for about 5 minutes, but then everything made sense. the floating lists of ideas look great when screen captured, we even had a few of them printed on t'shirts and logos, excellent program please add the ability to transfer or e'mail the mindmaps and keep amazing us.
thanks

by Cincijester

Sure is a jim dandy of a applimication.
Sure is great ta be able to c ALL my thinkins, or jist look at my main thoughts. I usit to map out all my hunt'in stradagidees. Ya no..shootin bucks an chasin coons. Took two swallows uvah cuppa joe ta figur out that 3D engyroment, and howda change all dem purdy kalers.
But who wee I got'it, and u will to!

Hey mr creater guy..
If u could make it a possibity ta send my stratamagees to mah cuz(he's gotta pooter he reeds his electrominic mail on)I'd be happier than a possum in garbage can.
Also My unckle bob's bin tri'n to send me his ideas from his 2D mappin programmy ( he needs ta git widduh times and do tha 3D upgrade like his neffu ) any hoo I jus think it would be gerreat if I could inport his his OLD ideas n2 mi NEW 3D appy. And virsa visa so I could send him mine ( ideas that is )

Gotta go skwerils r chatterin ... and I'm fix'n ta get my lunch this time.

Again best app north of the Ohio river

by BrownAle

I've been looking for a truly usable "mind map" system for months now, and I believe this has won. All the necessary options (without the usual pointless clipart libraries -- what's with that?). Also, though I'm a sucker for good 3d UIs, this one truly does stand out.

Let's see. Minor complaints. I would like to be able to draw links without going into the Edit screen. Oh. And for some odd reason, the copy/paste is a bit flaky. Tiny things though. Buy it.

by Uplifted_gourmandizer

This is an awesome app but there is a glitch since OS 4 which sometimes causes the keyboard to pop up without a title dialog box when you attempt to create group children.

The glitch isn't a huge deal- just restart Headspace and pick up where you left off. But it gets to be pretty annoying and wouldn't be worth the price of admission if I hadn't bought the full version a couple of updates ago.

Use the free one until they fix it.

by Borisattva

I came across Headspace while looking for a mind mapping app. Why Headspace isn't way more popular is beyond me! It's a showcase of not only an innovative and fun mind mapping app but an example for app developers. I've spent too much time staring at loading screens laggy apps that had not even half of the functionality that Headspace has. It's a 4MB app with huge customizability both in app and under settings. Sure it takes some getting used to, but there's an easy manual with visuals in Headspace itself.
I really hope there is still developer support for Headspace.
A truly stellar app!

by Future Dude

Best app in the store, the new update makes it even better!!! Worth every penny of the purchase price and then some. Achieves what no other mindmapping app i've seen yet has been able to; extreme functionality, and flexibility and an interface that actually drives creative thinking and visualization.

(***new update has fixed this problem!) Others have complained about the accelerometer making navigation difficult, it can, but you can also turn this effect of in the settings.

It would be cool if updates allowed for placement of groups on seperate planes, like at right angles etc.

by 5BPM

At first glance, I'm not sure what amazes me more -- Headspace itself or the fact that there are not already a vast ocean of glowing reviews.

I am current long-time user of TheBrain, an advanced mindmapping tool, which I believe is the best in in world. I used TheBrain to plan and strategize a successful business, so I know it works. this app is the first app in the IOS world which I've seen take an innovative approach which has the potential to inspire new ways of connecting the dots in whatever field of endeavor you're in such as business, the arts, or even sports. The idea of building hierarchies with what are conventionally called nodes is a Head Space concept that I'll playing with a lot with. Best of luck to the developer.

by GreenChickenLabs

like wow, Man!
this app is a pretty incredible mindmapping app showing off what innovation can be made from the multitouch UI. Blows other apps out of the water. Good for that GtD head emptying. I like the quick item additions with unique 3D view; links are supported, but hard to see if your space is cluttered. Small learning curve to not have groups lost in this app if you accidently zoom out too much. I found myself auto reorganizing items frequently. I concur with the prime wish for a way to transfer items from one group to another (plz!) and a way to export via email, server, or local dir then desktop app (like diskaid). 5 star rating for the sheer unique grooviness and to support indie devs