Features

• Surf, receive RSS news-feeds, personalize content, and view Web pages in 1 place
• Safari RSS consolidates most recent news and info from the Web
• iChat AV multi-way video and audio conferencing with a stunning 3D interface
• Open and close Dashboard instantly using function key to access Widget mini-applications
• Automate manual, repetitive, and batch tasks with point-and-click simplicity

Product Description

iLife '05 ... Read more

Features

• Easily perform, record, and create music with GarageBand
• Fun-to-use suite of tightly integrated creative tools
• Import, organize, edit, and share digital photos with iPhoto
• iMovie HD quickly turns home video into home cinema
• Create Hollywood-style DVDs with iDVD; iTunes digital jukebox

Reviews (13)

Need a Different Operating System
Amazon clearly says OS X.I have 10.2.8.I can't install ilife5.There should be a bold face warning that you need Panther or Tiger to install.

Working with iMovie HD
`Established' Shot and Location

In the Timeline, I set the order of my Clip Panes with the first being the important `Established' shot. Clips are pieces of movie footage that you rearrange into your movie for storytelling. Later, I add a movie title that answers the questions of  when and where the movie was filmed. You will find that location and date anchor the movie for your viewing audience.

Major Editing in Post Production

I change the Preference to Clip Panes shelf when I do the major editing of my movie. Next, I split my movie clips into several new clips and drag them to the Clip Panes shelf for later editing.

Most of my movie clips need slitting (Command `T') to remove poor movie footage such as shaky hand-held camcorder shooting. The Post Production editing is the most time- consuming. I find that a ratio of one minute of movie footage is equal to one hour of editing time. This includes selecting the proper music, editing the sound and enhancing the video.

Analog Signals into Digital Signals

An analog-to-digital converter, or ADC as it is more commonly called, is a device that converts analog signals into digital signals. Computers, which handle data in digital form, require analog-to-digital converters to turn signals from analog to digital before it can be read.

Could I convert my VCR cassette`s Analog Signals into Digital Signals?

According to the Canon ZR60 camcorder's manual, the answer was negative for traditional replacing of existing scenes for the AV insert. Taking my roundabout approach, I worked at importing film footage from my RIC master VCR tape from my Rhode Island College Video project from 1992 using iMovie HD. My Canon ZR60 camcorder manual hinted at the solution for importing the VCR's analog video and sound.

How did I connect the devices? I used my ST-250N Stereo Video cable supplied with my Canon ZR60 camcorder and connected it to the VCR's video and sound ports.

I experimented with iMovie HD to solve the problem. My Canon ZR60 captured the master VCR tape footage after I set the camera to AC-In mode. Next, I reverse the book instructions from David Pogue's "iMovie 4 & iDVD, the Missing Manual" to make it work.

I chose File to Share (Shift-Command-E) then I clicked on the "Videocamera" icon. The instructions said, `Record your movie to a tape in your videocamera. This operation may take several minutes to complete.' Next, I changed the wait time to a maximum of 59 seconds for camera to get ready. Finally, I changed the Add time to 59 seconds of black before and to end the movie.

By using this method, I could capture 59 seconds of my RIC public speaking instruction master VCR tape to my MiniDV digital video cassette in my Canon ZR60 camcorder. Importing the entire RIC master VCR tape was 10 minutes and I had to stop and start 10 times bringing in the VCR film footage.

The quality from analog to digital tape was quite good. A commercial Analog Signals into Digital Signals converter sells for $500 to $900 retail. Therefore, the effort was worth it for this project.

Final Notes

I find the iMovie HD program one of the best iMovies program series. iMovie HD worked well with some of my old iMovies 4 footage and enhanced my previous low-light film footage when transported and burned in iDVD 5 program.

Great upgrade, but...
All I wanted to do was create a DVD for my brother.IMovie is decent.It has a few minor quirks to it.The amount of time for title slides has a max of 4 seconds.All of my slides are 4 seconds.Anything else seems too short and amateurish.It had a problem importing MGEP 1 movies.I had to go through a convoluted process to get the movie into place.Even then, the first .5 seconds of the audio was missing...due to the conversion process.This is not Apple fault, except they should be able to import those movies.all other formats works fine.

I found iDVD to have major quirks.First, the audio was 1 second behind the video on the DVD.Then the audio kept advancing forward, make it ouf of sync, more and more as the movie played on.Then the movie would stop the audio at the first sound effect i placed in a text slide.This was extremely frustrating.I thought it was supposed to be easy!?

iDVD just takes a movie, renders it, and burns it to a DVD with some selection screens.How hard is that?I ended up remaking one of my iMovie projects three time before it finally came out.The other project, well, I had to extract the audio so that it would be on the DVD (except the first and last video).Lastly, the final chapter (movie marker) pointed to the start of the movie.

I like Garageband, it's easy but not a powerful tool like Logic.
ITunes, well, it's iTunes!It is definitive.
iPhoto is awesome.It still feels like it is just feature creeping, for better or worse.

Sometimes it doesn't just work.
iLife '05is supposed to support RAW image processing (see product description above) for photos in iPhoto.The surprise is that although my Canon camera is supported, it's RAW image format is not, rendering iPhoto useless for most of my photographs.This was unexpected as third party companies have image conversion software that manages to do this with little problem.I know there are many RAW image formats, but it's the job of good technology to simplify a complex environment.

I'm new to Apple products and very pleased overall since we purchased the imac G5.It seems like in most cases "it just works" describes their system well, but in this case, I guess we needed to read the "fine print".

I also noticed that it is still not possible to record anything on GarageBand with the iSight's (Apples webcam/microphone).Apparently there is some type of software/hardware incompatibility.Expected in Windows machines, (fortunately) unusual in Apple products.Not a major issue for most, but the incompatibility of Apple hardware and software is still an unwelcome surprise.

The iPhoto alone is worth the price
All of the improvements are great. I was editing a video for a presentation when my order arrived. There was a transition that I simply could not get the old iMovie to do. I installed the new iLife and told it to make the same transition in the film and it worked perfectly. I don't know why or how but I was sold five minutes after the box arrived.
I still think iPhoto is the best improvement however. I really like the scrollable photo index when looking at a picture in edit mode. I also like the ability to eject the camera from within iPhoto(I sometimes forgot to do this before.)And the one-touch red-eye correction is nice too.
Also I like the new themes for iDVD. The movie I was editing ended up getting one of the new themes instead of the old theme I had originally picked and I was very pleased with the end result. The presentation was a big success. ... Read more

Product Description

iWork '05 ... Read more

Features

• Integrated iLife media browser and photo masking
• Create, present, and publish work quickly and easily
• Cinema-quality slide presentations; streamlined, yet powerful word processing
• 40+ professionally designed templates with multiple page designs
• Freeform graphics canvas; easy-to-use text styles, charts, and tables

Reviews (16)

Don't Underestimate This Program.
A number of reviewers have commented upon how easy this program is and, I suppose, in one sense it is, especially if you stick to using the templates.However, as one who has had occasion to work with "Adobe Pagemaker," this program can do sophisticated page layout and, as such, there will be a learning curve for the inexperienced.

But, the User Manual is good and there are good books coming out, like one from Visual Start in July, that will help people learn.

It is wrong to think of this program as a word processor "in competition with" Word."MS Word" is a robust word processor; "Pages," as its name implies, is a page layout program.Having also worked with "MS Publisher," the real point of comparison and not "MS Word," "Pages" far exceeds "Publisher" in capabilities and yet for relatively simple layouts is as easy as "Publisher" to use.

I have not as yet put any real strain on the program, but at first blush, on my Powerbook G4 1.5, speed of operations is just fine.Yes, as a few reviewers have pointed out, some of the palettes could be more elegantly combined.One tends to get a clutter of open palettes.But, these are refinements that will be made in future editions, I am sure.

Bottom line: If you want to layout pages with a lot of the sophistication possible in the more expensive "Quark" and "PageMaker" programs; if you want to be able to export your documents to universal portable PDF file format and print out beautiful documents; if you want to pay, basically, only about $40 for these benefits ["Keynotes," the other half of iwork represents another $40], then buy "Pages."

And, if you are a novice with respect to not only page layout programs but also to very robust word programs like "Word," don't expect that everything will be simple.You will have to learn, but you will be rewarded relatively quickly.

I almost didn't buy it....
I thought, "I have MS Office for the Mac, why do I need iWork?" Was I wrong!

Okay fine I suppose I don't really NEED it. But it is a great program, and worth the price. The ability to export my work as a .pdf file is worth the price by itself. The Pages interface is much better, cleaner than Word. And the templates are suprisingly useful. I created a web page by costomizing a template and exporting it as HTML. I twas easy and quick and the result looked great. Most of the people I work with are PC users and because they were unfamiliar with pages the web Page looked fresh, not like a modified copy of someone elses work.

I use my Mac for research mostly and the ability to save documents as .pdf files is very valuable as they are searchable. With Tigers ability to search the text within a .pdf I can now save my work as a .pdf and later find everytime a particular work appears in the fines I've created. This has made cross-refrecing very easy and fast. I now use a program called Pyramid to create a "mind map" of my work and create links from the "map" to refrences in the .pdfs.

I don't use Keynote as much. I t more visially appealing than Powerpoint and pretty easy to use. The ability to use Quicktime movies in the presentation is helpful and the ability to export as a Powerpoint file is nice.

Great program if Microsoft can develop an imitation
Keynote and Pages, the two applications included in iWork, were flawless under the Panther operating system. The Keynote app has always suffered from its inability to share with PC users. Oh yeah, I know I can convert a Keynote file to Powerpoint, .swf, QuickTime, or PDF, but the problem is that, especially when converting to PowerPoint, Keynote loses all its buttery-rich goodness. It's a PowerPoint problem, I realize, but without a Keynote viewer, there's no way around it. Thus, Mac folks must rely on Microsoft for slide presentations if they don't want to lug around their Mac laptop.

Also, installing Tiger will mess up the purchased Keynote templates you have saved. Even reinstalling them won't help.

My humble advice is to wait a couple of years until Apple fixes the bugs in Tiger, then MAYBE think about using a Mac. Until then, I'm switching back from a Mac to a PC.

Big time winner!
iWork comes with two programs, Pages (a word processor) and Keynote (Apple's version of PowerPoint).Both of these programs are very simple to use and very effective.Without a doubt, there are better programs available, but their cost several hundred dollars more and for the average user don't provided more bank for the buck.

When I first turned on Pages I thought "How cheesey!"But as I got to using it I found my first impression was totally wrong.It's simple appearance is very deceptive.This is a word processing program that can do everything that is needed for ordinary personal documents and beyond.You have to be willing to explore the program to discover its gems, but once you learn were things are you will find it a very fast and easy to use.The real value of the program is its desk top publishing.The 40 some templates let you create profession grade newsletters, journals, resumes, invitations, marketing brochures, and many other kinds of documents.This is worth the price of the software alone.It seamlessly works with your iPhoto, iTunes and iMovies.This is one powerful piece of software.With it you can produce commercial grade color brochures or newsletters at an entry level price.

Keynote makes wonderful multimedia presentations, and like Pages is seamlessly integrated with iPhoto, iTunes and iMovies.If you are using graphics or want to import photos into your presentation, Keynote is significantly easier, quicker, and simpler to use that PowerPoint.You can't miss with this program.You can even save you presentation as a PowerPoint, Quicktime, or PDF file or post it on the internet for all to see with the easy of a single click.

I have used both Microsoft Word and PowerPoint and keep them on my hard drive but rarely use them.As my skill with Pages and Keynote has grown I have found them to be more than sufficient in producing quality documents from personal letters, teaching handouts, to professional grade overhead presentations.
For the cost, iWorks cannot be beat!And you will not be disappointed.

iWork `05 System Requirements
- Macintosh computer with a 500 mhz or faster Power PC G3, G4 or G5 (G4 for PowerBook); G4 or G5 recommended
- 128 MB of physical RAM (512MB recommended)
- 8 MB of video memory (32MB recommended)
- Mac OS X v10.3.6 or later
- QuickTime 6.5 or later

Pages is a disappointment
I had high hopes for Pages, Apple's new Word Processing Application, but these hopes were shattered once I tried to design a newsletter with it.

I find the interface unintuitive, unlike most Apple software, and the templates are not easily customizable. What's more, the application continues to mysteriously "erase" work that I have done, even after I have saved it.

Apple, I know you can do better than this... ... Read more

Features

• Award-winning virus protection from McAfee Virex with automatic eUpdate
• First-class email service - 15MB of storage and no ads
• 10 new templates for movies, photos, cross-platform file sharing, and more
• Over 200 new iCards and built-in access to .Mac Address Book
• Expert training from Apple for .Mac, Panther, and iLife '04

Product Description

iLife '05 Family Pack ... Read more

Features

• Easily perform, record, and create music with GarageBand
• Fun-to-use suite of tightly integrated creative tools
• Import, organize, edit, and share digital photos with iPhoto
• iMovie HD quickly turns home video into home cinema
• Create Hollywood-style DVDs with iDVD; iTunes digital jukebox

Reviews (1)

Great update
iPhoto 5 is a great update. It does lots more, and on a dual processor G5 really flies! It does have a bit of a funky response if you tweak the saturation of a photo in extreme highlights (window in a backlit situation) where the whole area of complete white goes a funky color. But just undo what you by reverting to the original and start over. iMove and iDVD are good updates too with the new 16:9 ratio and some really nice themes. Better performance, and more functionality. Garageband with recording up to 8 lines in at once is a major improvment, especially being albe to see notes appear as you write your music! It may not be Logic Express (also owned by Apple) but it really works well. Garageband alone is worth the upgrade.

And if you're an education professional, there is a great price break! ... Read more

Features

• Super-modern operating system combining the strength of UNIX with the elegance of Macintosh
• Over 150 new features and significant enhancements to its modern, UNIX-based foundation
• iChat AV for personal video conferencing in high-quality, full-screen video over the Internet
• Expose for instant access to any window; displays all open or current-application windows
• FileVault for keeping your valuable documents safe with powerful AES-128 bit encryption

Reviews (59)

Fixes some bugs, introduces new ones... plus some cool stuff
Panther now upgrades your iChat/AV software to a non-beta - selling the chat software separately for $30. I have to wonder if there is anyone on earth who will bother to buy the chat software separately when they can use AIM for free... and I have not seen significant changes in this chat software to make the upgrade anything worth writing home about. It still sometimes quits mysteriously w/o acknowledgement from the system. Ptooey.

Brought back from the dead are color labels... weeeee! Thank you, Apple! If you're relatively new to the Mac platform, you may not yet realize how wonderful it is to be able to color-label folders and documents to organize your work. This was a mainstay of the Mac platform since 1992, but they took it away in 10.0 and everyone screamed in horror. Thankfully, Apple listened and brought it back.

When you highlight an icon on your desktop, it now has a nice rounded square halo around the icon and a rounded rectangular halo around the name. There is now no question what file you're highlighting.

OS 10.x also introduced an annoying problem - control-clicking in a window with list or column view to create a new folder did just that, but just named it "untitled folder" and unselected... so you had to click on the folder you just made to rename it... but in icon view, it stayed selected so you could rename it as soon as it was created. Panther makes the OS more consistent so this ability is available in all views. This was a major pain... at least to me, and I'm grateful it has been eliminated.

The finder is different this time - a search box is built into each finder window and it is SUPER fast. Opening a new finder window now has two panes - on the right is the list of the items in that folder, on the left is a split pane - on top are your disks and on the bottom are commonly used folders (desktop, applications, home, movies, documents, pictures, favorites, etc.). This means less dragging across the landscape of your monitor and just an inch worth's of dragging.

A new widget menu in each finder window allows you to color label or do different things to a file without having to control click if you just have a one-button mouse. Some of this new finder look is similar in appearance to Windows Explorer... I give credit to Apple for finding the few (very few) features of Windows that are worthwhile and incorporating better versions of them.

Also now available is the ability to move a file from one volume to another instead of copying it, then deleting the original. Thank you, Apple!

The user-switching is tres cool... but only if you have a newer G4 or G5. I have a G4/400 AGP (non quartz graphics), so I don't get the cool Rubik's cube effect when I switch users. A major let-down, but about the only thing missing other than the cute shadow under my cursor arrow. Even without the ultra-cool animation, user switching is still incredibly awesome. If you're in the middle of rendering something in Photoshop, or doing batch processes and someone else needs to use your computer for a jiffy, you can swith users and your stuff still gets processed in the background without much degredation in performance for the other user or drop in performance/time for your background processes... and this is just with one processor, not dual processors! Quite amazing. If you are in the middle of jamming with iTunes, your music will mute while the new user logs in and works on their project, but your music continues where it left off the minute they logout and you log back in. Sweet!

Mail is now MUCH MUCH faster, Hallelujah! Apple has supposedly improved their junk mail filtering and added threading, but I am not so impressed with these "improvements."

The threading does not thread by sender AND subject - just sender or just subject.

This means I get spam and real mail threaded together, even though it's not related. For example, I've had a bunch of friends (and spammers) send me messages with the subject line of "Howdy" ... every message I ever received with this subject is threaded together, even though none of them are related. Who needs threading if this is all it does?

New out of the box, there is a bug that when you select more than one item on your desktop and try to drag them to the trash, the finder restarts. This has been fixed only in the past few days w/ a downloadable free updater.

Apple has been dutifully fixing the minor bugs with at least 5 updates popping up in Software Updater since I installed Panther last month.

One of the coolest features in my opinion is Expose - with just a click of a button, all windows (in all applications) will tile and fit in your window so you can see what is going on. Holding on to that key, you can then move your mouse to the window you want, and it will be brought to the front.

If you can't afford a high-end font management software program at the moment, you can use the new Font Book application for activating fonts and organizing them by groups.

Also new in Panther is built-in 128-bit encryption called FileVault... you can secure your home folder so well, even you won't be able to get in if you forget the password. The new encryption bypasses the ability to boot up off the CD to gain access to lost passwords. Once you lock it w/ FileVault, only your password will unlock it. Apple claims it will take 149 trillion years for someone to crack your 128-bit key... but once they come out with the G6, it will probably only take a few billion years. :-)

Not perfect, but still the best, easiest to use and beautiful to look at user interfaces on earth... and warts and all, it's worth the price for what you get. My only gripe is the 20 day upgrade policy... if you just bought a new Mac 21 days or more before Panther came out, you have to pay full price for the upgrade. C'mon, Apple! This should be at least 90 days... otherwise it's just insulting. Still, it's worth the money. You're only punishing yourself if you don't upgrade.

The next step forward.
Jaguar took OS X to the next level. Sure it was a familiar level, but it was a more stable operating environment, and provided several needed enhancements. Now, Panther takes a giant step forward in the evolution of the Mac platform.

An all new, easier to use finder. Upgrades to several of the popular iApps which Apple has been nurturing. Plus, iChatAV instant messaging software which will work seemlessly with the iSight camera. File Vault - 128-bit file encryption. Fast user switching, to make it easier for families who have individual user sets on a single machine. Font Book - to load and keep track of font families. Exposé, which will tile all of the windows you have open with the click of a hot key. And, it's all Unix based for faster and easier integration with Windows networks.

On top of all that, it'll work more efficiently on the G5 Macs, and make the G4's work even faster than before.

If I see one problem, it's that this major upgrade comes along too soon after Jaguar. There should be a scaled upgrade platform so that those of us who bought Jaguar last year could get a deal on Panther this year.

The Best OS I have ever experienced!!!
Super Awesome OS !!! AAAAAAAAAAA+++++++

Solid update!
Solid update, has a lot of nice little changes. However I don't like that you have to pay for it when you've already bought the other.

Smooth as Butter
Although I was familiar with 10.2 from using other computers, I still had Classic on mine and have been so in heaven since upgrading to Panther. It's like a calm wave has washed over my whole experience of my G4. I've been a Mac user for over 15 years and wished for many little improvements over time. With Panther, all of these have been accomplished, and more. Essentially, this OS has taken the (few) superior things Windows had (such as the dock and a more accessible finder), kept the good Mac things, and added an overall fluidity, pleasing aesthetic, and ease-of-use.

There are certain improvements besides those mentioned that make the upgrade to Panther a no-brainer. The most noticeable and helpful of these for me is the improved partitioning between programs, i.e. when you're experiencing a problem with one application, it does not effect the others. So, I can keep working in Word and Mail, for instance, even when my browser crashes (as they are apt to do). Speaking of browser crashes, I experience far fewer with Apple's Safari (that comes with Panther) than I previously did with Explorer. Besides less bugs, it's more streamlined and basically nicer to use than the others.

The other native programs are equally user-friendly and actually quite useful. iCal is the coolest; it lets you subscribe to various calendars from anyone who publishes them (like friends' agendas, company schedules, the many available on icalshare.com, etc.) iPhoto, Address Book, and iTunes are also each very good at what they do.

All in all, Panther has significantly enhanced my productivity and enjoyment of my computer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Referred to by its code name, Jaguar, Mac OS X 10.2 contains more than 150 newfeatures and provides significant enhancements to its modern, Unix-based foundation.From AOL-compatible instant messaging to advanced junk mail filtering and arevolutionary Web search tool, Jaguar is as innovative as the computers that run it.

With iChat, the AOL-compatible instant messenger, you can chat with your AOL andMac.com buddies through a fun, easy-to-use interface. Sherlock 3, the new Web searchtool, delivers stock quotes, maps, restaurants, and more without a browser. QuickTime 6supports MPEG-4, the new worldwide standard for playing and viewing pro-quality audioand video over the Internet. This new version also includes Rendezvous, a revolutionarynetworking technology that lets you link computers and devices instantly without anyconfiguration.

Another cool new feature is Inkwell, which lets you write on a graphics tablet, andJaguar turns your handwriting into typed text at the cursor in any application. Andwith new compatibility built into Mac OS X 10.2, sharing files, using Windows documents,and connecting to a Windows network have never been easier. And it easily runs MicrosoftOffice. For business users, Jaguar comes with Active Directory interoperability, and witha PPTP-based VPN (virtual private network) client that allows Mac users to connect remotelyto Windows corporate networks.

Jaguar's complete suite of professional-quality developer tools now features GCC 3.1, whichradically improves C++ build times and standards compliance. The updated Interface Buildermakes it easier to group, lock, and drag Aqua controls between windows for rapid user-interfacecreation. And, perhaps best of all, these professional tools are still included with everycopy of Jaguar, empowering Java, C, and AppleScript Studio developers to do their best workon the Macintosh platform. ... Read more

Reviews (114)

Expensive but worth every penny
Buy this upgrade!!

While not a true switcher (as I run a high end Win XP Pro PC(2.4 ghz dual Intel cpu 2 gig ram [money] Pro-graphics card and the fantastic Sony GWM-FW900 24" wide screen monitor) for [money] a seat 3d CAD/CAM software)

But to replace my ageing Dell 800 p-3 mostly used for games and fun with Linux) as a main home computer

I bought a top of the line iMac 800 G-4 super drive in March to see what all the fuss was about ref OS-X. as I am an old Unix geek thought it would make a nice BAD Unix toy if this Apple thing did not work out and it was so fine to look at as an industrial design engineer.

So if any one was entitled to be miffed with Apple at the full price on this 'point' upgrade it was I.

Well this is NO 'point' upgrade! this is like going from Wi 98sp2 to XP pro SP1 only much more so not only Was X 10.1.5 rock solid on the iMac G-4 this 10.2 is faster and better in every way in very subtle ways

If I could get my work software ported to OS-X I would have a dual G4-1.25 Ghz driving my Sony MFW-900 in a moment

I am a total convert to the fantastic beauty of this OS and I Have ordered Ashlar Velum Cobalt to see if it can replace my work PC software on a Mac

[costly] but worth every penny
Buy this upgrade!!

While not a true switcher (as I run a high end Win XP Pro PC(2.4 ghz dual Intel cpu 2 gig ram...Pro-graphics card and the fantastic Sony GWM-FW900 24" wide screen monitor) for...a seat 3d CAD/CAM software)

But to replace my ageing Dell 800 p-3 mostly used for games and fun with Linux) as a main home computer

I bought a top of the line iMac 800 G-4 super drive in March to see what all the fuss was about ref OS-X. as I am an old Unix geek thought it would make a nice BAD Unix toy if this Apple thing did not work out and it was so fine to look at as an industrial design engineer.

So if any one was entitled to be miffed with Apple at the full price on this 'point' upgrade it was I.

Well this is NO 'point' upgrade! this is like going from Wi 98sp2 to XP pro SP1 only much more so not only Was X 10.1.5 rock solid on the iMac G-4 this 10.2 is faster and better in every way in very subtle ways

If I could get my work software ported to OS-X I would have a dual G4-1.25 Ghz driving my Sony MFW-900 in a moment

I am a total convert to the fantastic beauty of this OS and I Have ordered Ashlar Velum Cobalt to see if it can replace my work PC software on a Mac

Substantial improvement
This is a very stable, incredibly smooth OS. It launches at lightning speed, is very intuitive and the learning curve is very short. If there is a downside, compatible professional graphic software is in short supply. It is a huge improvement over Windows and previous Mac OS.

Amazon reviews: Now featuring False Information!
Mac OS X does not disable built-in floppy drives. Mac OS X runs better on computers that are built for it. Running it on a Beige G3 is like running Windows on a 486; you can do it, but it doesn't mean you should. Crashes occour from poorly-designed APPLICATIONS, not OS X. I have had OS X for over a year, and I have had only 2 'kernel panics' (full system lockups). hbj200 is wrong about the 1%. it's more like 8% and growing rapidly, and everyone uses Windows because they believe Bill's propaganda. There is more documentation about digital cameras that networking in OS 10.2 because of Rendezvous (Stable, Efficient Networking for Dummies)

I

This is awesome
The best Mac OS yet. I'm amazed each day at the capabilities of this operating system. I haven't had to restart in nearly 5 months! This IS the smoothest, best looking, best running operating system I have EVER used! ... Read more

Features

• Includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand music application
• Use iLife to have more fun with digital media
• Easily create professional-quality slideshows, music, movies, and DVDs
• Seamless integration--iLife applications work together better than ever before
• Single installer that updates all existing iLife applications

Reviews (11)

Another Apple hit... well worth the price.
The iLife suite has been completely revised for the new iLife '04 release. In this review, I'll list some of the improved features.

iDVD received a nice update with some new themes and other small features. I wasn't incredibly impressed by this particular update, but that's because I rarely use the application. Not a major interface overhaul, but some nice updates.

iMovie has been significantly sped up along with an improved interface and new transitions, effects, and more. You'll quickly notice all the new features in this update if you use iMovie frequently.

iTunes has been updated, but you can simply download the update... you don't need to buy the suite to get the newest version of iTunes.

iPhoto previously suffered from extreme performance issues before this revision... if you had a large amount of images in the database there would be a large slowdown, but this revision fixes that issue. It allows you to rate photos 1-5 stars, which is handy but not a necessary feature. Another nice new feature is the ability to create "smart albums" like "smart playlists" on iTunes... you can make albums that only contain, say, five-star pictures containing the phrases "Katie" and "1st Birthday" with little effort.

And, finally, the application that almost everyone is buying this for... GarageBand. GarageBand is Apple's new music editing program. It's a music mixing application that allows you to record songs on your Mac.

GarageBand has a nice variety of realistic-sounding musical instruments which can be played using a MIDI keyboard or guitar plugged into your Macintosh. You can then add effects, use amplifiers, and so much more.

If you don't know how to play any instruments, GarageBand also includes a wide variety of amazing-sounding loops for use in your songs. Not only are they nice for people who can't play any instruments, but they're nice if you're in a band and you want to hear how a song sounds but your drummer isn't there to play a drum track.

GarageBand lacks a few features that would make it a professional music creation title... the ability to change the tempo throughout the song instead of using just one for the whole song would be nice; but one could even run a small professional band on this program if they had to.

I can count the number of times I've completely crashed my Mac on one hand, but it did crash (not a kernel panic, just a crash) during the install. After a restart, all worked well again.

Another thing to note with this software title is that while it does work on *most* Macs, GarageBand and iDVD require a G4 or better, at *least* 256MB of RAM, and a DVD player to use the install DVD. Actually, you can install GarageBand on a 600MHz (or higher) Mac with a DVD drive, but you can't use software instruments then.

All in all, a nice package, and worth the price.

I would have preferred an upgrade option, but...
The latest update to "your digital lifestyle" is a great one. iMovie includes more options for editing and adding titles. iDVD adds more great themes, easier interfacing with iMovie, and ups the final production minutes from 90 to 120. iTunes is a free download anyway (cause Apple makes money through the iTunes Music Store. iPhoto, to be honest, I don't play with a whole lot because I already use PhotoShop, ImageReady and Fireworks.

Then, there is GarageBand. It may not be the most necessary piece of software ever, but it certainly is the coolest. I managed to create a short song in less than an hour. Me! I can't make music with anything resembling an instrument. Apparently though, I can produce music. The ease with which the program works is astounding. Adding new loops is as easy as click and drag.

The minor complaint here, at full screen GarageBand eats memory. My iBook starts to scream in pain when I open the program. On a G5 or my G4 iMac it works great though. You can ease the memory requirements by using less screen space for the program, but it only eases the issues, doesn't resolve it.

Also, considering that Apple just made us buy the program to begin with last year, an upgrade option for those of us who did would be nice. At least they kept it at a fairly reasonable price though.

Make your personal computer be a personal compter!
Computers are wonderful tools that have greatly changed just how we do just about everything. Apple iLife software continues this tradition. I have used both Mac and PC computers. I have also used software written for both. There is nothing easier or more intuitive than Apple iLife. It is not the most powerful software. For $400-$600 you can by professional grade software that will blow the socks of iLife. However, for the average "Joe" there is nothing better. It doesn't take a lot of computer savvy. iLife does most of the work for you - and quickly. Other software we have used for loading pictures is slow, hard to manage and less desirable in many ways. I used this software at my sister-in-laws wedding. In no time at all I had a wonderful slide show set to music for everyone to watch. Doing all this work on a PowerBook G4 15" laptop allowed me to later show my father-in-law what he missed due to some health issues.

With iLife, you can edit your pictures. You can order copies with just a click of a button. With just another click, you can e-mail them to anyone in your e-mail address book. Another click you can post them on a web-sight for your friends to see. For example, we recently moved to a new state. I posted a slide show of our new home for all our old friends to see. We had over 60 different friends view the web sight. Can you image the cost of making prints for all those people? In addition, you can set your pictures, web sights to your favorite music in iTunes.

Speaking of iTunes, I love music - always have. If you like to listen to music, make your own recordings of your favorite tunes you will love iTunes. Plus, iTunes makes it easier and more affordable to buy music. I don't understand why the music industry continues to over-price their CD's but they do. And who can afford to buy an entire CD for just two or three songs. Now, with iTunes you can buy only the songs you want from a particular CD. Once down loaded, you can arrange them in any order you want, burn them on your own CD or hook your Mac to your home stereo and listen through you speakers. In addition, whatever music you have in iTunes is easily used in iPhoto, iDVD or the other applications iLife opens for you. You will not be disappointed with iLife unless you desire to spend tons of money for three or four different software programs that will not work together as seamlessly as iLife.

...what you've all been waiting for...
Face it. Most of those interested really want Garageband above all. That being the main program I use from iLife, I'll review it.

Garageband is the Final Cut Pro of Music. It's excellent for musically talented and musically challenged.

No need to worry about beats or anythin', because Garageband makes any and all set loops go together with ease.

Disregard the review by a fellow who claims it is a program for kids and idiots who want to show everyone else their noise. It IS a very sophisticated music editor while remaining simplistic and fun to use. I spent hours mixing and matching endlessly. The possibilities are infinite.

The "drag and drop" style of operating masks movie-editor Final Cut Pro, also available here at Amazon. It's an easy to learn, easy to use tool that most people will love.

I recommend, that, if you planned on buying iLife '04 solely for Garageband, then by all means, do so. I really think that if you love music and you love making it, regardless of playing an instrument, that you will adore this product.

Garageband should be called "i-casiotones"
This is a review of the garageband application in ilife. It is a big disappointment. Modern music is suffering from a surplus of hooks, loops, and grooves and a dearth of melodies. Here comes Apple with a software program that allows any tone deaf and musical illiterate to pile samples and loops one on top of another and put a beat to the mess. Change chords? Nope. Melody? Nope. Modulate? Nope. Hey! This is music that requires no instrumental playing ability. Think of it as an audio collage tool. The result is mind numbing. Now anyone can be Philip Glass and have endlessly repetitive cells of notes. There is an onscreen keyboard (laughingly called "grand piano") that will let you hunt and peck whole notes (if you can see the keyboard - the keys are so small you will need great fine motor control to hit the right key).
Remember those annoying keyboards that allow you to add endless rhythmn and background arpeggios to whatever you are playing? Here is one for your computer.

DO NOT buy this thinking you are getting a sophisticated mixer and tracker. You aren't. This is for kids only or idiots who want to inflict their noise on everyone around them. Next to this, cleaning spam our of your inbox seems like a worthy use of one's time. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The best OS out there. Period.
I used to hate Macs especially because of their OS. It was old, unstable and Mac users had to wait ages for updates which they had to pay to get.

Well, MacOS X, is by far the most complete and beautifully engineered OS out there (at least on a commercial basis). It is based on NeXT (using the Mach ker.nel) and BSD -- a feature which offers a lot to someone coming from a UNIX platform -- and clearly the best GUI out there.

Some may argue that it is not as polished as it could, but, hey, what is? Windows or Linux? Besides, Apple is releasing free *until now* revisions for download every couple of months and it has improved a lot since 10.0. (the current version at the time of writing is 10.1.2). Release 10.2 is rumoured to have great new features old Mac users requested as well as more language packs and a speedier Quartz. (the graphics engine)

I recommend this to anyone open-minded enough to leave windows behind him/her.

Apple OS X
I've been using OSX for over a year and have gone through all the upgrades. I currently have it installed on an upgraded and accelerated iMac g3 running at 466 mhz, as well as a 500mhz iBook.

I find the system stable, workable, and user friendly, although quite a bit different in feel from OS9. You have a stricter file hierarchy, that rewards putting the right folder in the right place, and retrieving your folders and applications in the same manner.

I also find the system a bit slow. I have seen it at work on new Imacs and I don't find the right speed-to-system ratio until you get up to the 800 mhz, 100 mhz bus level (that means the newer G4 equipped Macs.) It is usable on G3 machines, but I have used a lot of options to turn off various graphic bells and whisltes that slow system X down.

That said, hardware will become faster and cheaper (it's Moore's law), and the underlying flexibility and stability of System X make it a good bet for the long haul. It's especially impressive when hooking up third party peripherals like digital cameras. iPhoto and iTunes live up to the hype. Overall, I will keep using it and look forward to future Macs.

Leave your OS 9 at the door
After using the Public beta and Mac OS X 10.0 (the first public release), with this release I made the "permanent" switch. It's not perfect, but it gets 5 stars because Apple has done more than anyone could hope for considering this is only the 2nd retail release of this OS. The wonders of Mac OS X have only just begun...

Eye-candy aside, this release is most importantly stable, much more feature complete (DVD Player and Disc Burner support), and it utilizes dual processors beautifully. I haven't locked up the machine once. Sure, you'll have to boot into Mac OS 9 once in a while and it won't be blazing fast on older systems.

Office v.X is due shortly, and popular apps from Adobe, Macromedia, and others have already gotten the X treatment or development is underway.

Third party hardware is still largely unsupported, but many inkjet printers connected via USB are supported in some capacity right ouf of the box. Drivers are trickling out from Epson, HP, and others. The good news is most OS 9 drivers work just fine in Classic and with Classic apps.

Developers and technogeeks will enjoy the Unix underpinnings, bundled copy of Apache, Terminal access, SMB support, and robust networking capabilities...

If you're still unsure, just do your homework. Mac news sites are chock full o' Mac OS X reader reports, troubleshooting tips, and capatability reports.

Watch out for USB driver problems and kernel panics
Six months into using OS -X started having Kernel panics (Apple's blue secreen of death). Not running non-Apple programs, multi-tasking, or running peculiar non-standard hardware (Logitech tracball, HP printer/scanner). 5 trips to the repair shop - new hard drive, new RAM, new system board, upgrade to 10.2.8; 4 phone calls to Apple "Support." Kernel panics returned. Lots of web searches - found lots of boards where people have the same experience, and found the only permanent solution was downgrading to OS9 or upgrading to OS 10.3. "Support" denies it's poor USB software.

I love OS X, but be wary of the server version
my advice is to make sure you need it before you buy it, but if you know you need it, then buy it. How will you know? If you need it, you would already know that you do. If you don't know that you need server version, then you probably don't need it. Most day to day tasks are done by the normal version of the os in ways that are much simpler than the server tools. Now you do get a variety of nice things with the unlimited client, such as server managment systems, monitoring systems, etc., but if you are just doing a basic install without a complex networking or users/groups system, then you probably should try to do what you need to do with a 10.1 or 10.2 and see if you actually have to own the server. I would say the ideal application of a server install is for a medium to large lab install using netboot, where the actual cost of doing it via server will lower the TCO significantly. ... Read more

Product Description

Final Cut Express HD gives you the tools and flexibility to create stunning, professional-quality DV and HDV projects. Whether you want to make sophisticated home movies complete with transitions and effects or pro-level videos for your business, it provides the compositing, titling and effects capabilities you need to express your creativity. As a full-featured package, it offers an unparalleled combination of power and affordability. ... Read more

Features

• Precision tools and techniques for flexible editing; versatile interface
• Filmmaking software with powerful DV editing tools
• High-definition video (HDV) capability for both new and experienced editors
• Full-featured, professional-quality animated titling program, LiveType
• Create custom musical accompaniment for video projects with Soundtrack

Reviews (1)

unbelievable video production program
If you've only worked with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, you may be intimidated at first, but the end results speak for themselves.It is true that Final Cut Express HD isn't necessarily intuitive and the options are innumerable, but you will emerge from the other side of the learning curve amazed at how polished your works have become.

You can update old iMovie projects easily; just import them into Express HD and add high quality titles and credits and an attractive soundtrack.If you want to take it further, you can experiment with an astounding variety of professional quality transitions, filters, and effects to deliver the full visual and auditory impact you desire.

If you already have a previous release of Final Cut Express, the inclusion of LiveType and Soundtrack alone justify this upgrade.For a bonus, GarageBand musicians will love the hundreds of Apple loops included in the Soundtrack package. ... Read more

Features

• Extension of sounds and creative options for making music
• Complete set of beats, bass lines, synth hooks, and keyboard riffs
• Over 2000 prerecorded loops covering different styles and tempos
• Classic drum machines; beat kits from 20+ distinct genres
• Turntable effects; assortment of playable synth instruments

Features

• Virtual studio for computer-based music production
• Over 1,000 Apple Loops; import GarageBand projects
• High-quality software instruments and plug-ins
• Professional multichannel recording; MIDI editing
• Track mixer; iTunes integration; notation editor

Features

• This complete set of digital technologies combines word processing, page layout, painting, spreadsheet, database, and presentation tools into one easy application
• Draw from an ever-expanding library of templates to make any home or personal project look professional
• Simple toolbars and customizable options allow users to incorporate text, spreadsheets, digital photos, images, sounds, and movies in a single document
• Preemptive multitasking allows users to work on AppleWorks projects while still ripping songs from iTunes
• New translation tools for Word and Excel files - save your work as a Windows file to share with colleagues

Reviews (3)

I hate Microsoft, but it's a Microsoft world
First of all, let me say I love Apple and dislike Microsoft. I would always choose to support Apple over Microsoft. If you are one of those people that never has to share documents with a Windows friend, then AppleWorks will be fine. I don't think it's as good as Office (or Word or Excel, if you aren't buying the whole Office suite,) but for the price, I'd buy AW instead.

Anyway, my frustration level with AW has reached the breaking point, and now I'm going to have to go out and do what I never wanted to do- buy Microsoft Office. AW is supposedly compatible with Excel and Word documents, but AW has often converted incoming Excel and Word documents to junk, if it is even able to open the Microsoft documents at all. Also, if you want to save an AW spreadsheet as an excel document, don't expect it to transfer your work nicely. Simple data cells it can handle, but charts- no way. As a business school student, it's essential that I am able to send and receive Word and Excel documents without issues. AppleWorks does not do the job.

It breaks my heart to recommend a Microsoft product over an Apple product, but until Apple makes a truly compatible alternative to Office, I have no choice but to recommend that my fellow Mac users buy Office instead of AppleWorks.

Nice system but...
I like apple works, and it gets me by for my needs at home but for business I need Windows XP. I like the simple interface, and the straight forward approach. I don't like the spell check, and I have had some troubles saving files in a format where they could be opened easily on a pc. Outside of that I'm a huge Apple Fan and I hope they make the necessary changes to get this thing going right. :)

There are better choices available
AppleWorks isn't really a bad product - it's been around for quite a few years, previously as ClarisWorks - but it desperately needs an update. For example, version 6.2.7 still doesn't take full advantage of features found in Mac OSX. Furthermore, it has some rather strange interface quirks and lacks some important features (spellcheck as you type, for example). My recommendation: spend an extra $50 and buy Microsoft Office v.X for student and teacher, which is a much better software package. Another option is to buy a drawing/layout software prgoram such as The Print Shop for Mac OSX, by MacKiev, which offers excellent design and print capabilities for all sorts of projects (labels, greeting cards, calendars, etc). Hopefully Apple will update AppleWorks someday soon. ... Read more

Features

• Complete music studio for musicians, engineers, and producers
• Advanced audio processing and world-class MIDI sequencing
• New instruments and effects; state-of-the-art loop composition tools
• More processing power using networked Macs
• Compose, record, edit, and mix music in any studio environment

Features

• Extension of sounds and creative options for making music
• Impressive array of drum kits, percussion, basses, and guitars
• Over 2000 loops for rock, blues, jazz, and country songs
• New software drum kits and fully playable acoustic and electric basses
• 10+ playable guitars and other stringed instruments like dobro and banjo

Features

• Super-modern operating system combining the strength of UNIX with the elegance of Macintosh
• Over 150 new features and significant enhancements to its modern, UNIX-based foundation
• iChat AV for personal video conferencing in high-quality, full-screen video over the Internet
• Expose for instant access to any window; displays all open or current-application windows
• FileVault for keeping your valuable documents safe with powerful AES-128 bit encryption

Reviews (8)

One of the best & most secure OS's
This is one of the best & most secure OS's one can buy. Works great! I don't think I can add anything else that the other reviewers have already said.

10.3 now top notch but lousy license
When 10.3 was initially released it had an unduly restrictive Family Pack license and did not handle multiple computers on the same internet connection properly.
The latest update 10.3.2 solves the software problems.
However, the the 10.3 Family Pack and the iLife Family Pack license have exactly the same language -

"as long as those computers are located in the same household and used by persons who occupy that same household".

For those who respect intellectual property and read their licenses carefully, this means that the 10.3 Family Pack cannot be installed on a Powerbook which then is taken outside the same household nor on another Mac located at another of your personal residences. Apple has confirmed that this is the correct interpretation of their license language.

All Apple had to do with both Family Pack licenses is change
"located in the same household and used by" to
"located in the same household OR used by".

Unfortunately the lawyers cannot seem to agree with that simple change so don't waste your money on the Family Pack unless you can comply with the license or choose to ignore it.

10.3 now top notch
When 10.3 was initially released it had an unduly restrictive Family Pack license and did not handle multiple computers on the same internet connection properly.
The latest update 10.3.2 solves the software problems and Apple is rewriting the Family Pack license to allow installation on multiple computers including ones taken out of the primary residence.
With these fixes 10.3 and the Family Pack are a great deal - particularly for people who respect intellectual property rights.

Great Deal
For a single computer, 129 dollars is a completely reasonable price for Panther, but when you have multiple computers at home like I do, it adds up to a bit more than I care to spend.

However I am also 100% opposed to pirating software.

Thank goodness that Apple has provided this very affordable package licensing option. Now I can legally install Panther on all 4 of our Macs for less than what it would cost to buy the single user license for just 2 computers.

Why doesn't Microsoft offer something like this for Windows?

License clarification
Peter F. Carpenter writes: "This means that I cannot install the Panther software on the Macs located in my other two personal residences nor can a take by Powerbook with the Panther software installed on it out of my house."

No, that's not what the license means. The license says "computers are located in the same household", and defines 'household' as " person or persons sharing the same housing unit such as a home".

Household does not mean "house". It refers to a group of cohabitating people, not the physical structure in which they live. I expect "household" would also apply to second homes owned by a family, but would not apply to homes owned by extended family. So your uncle Joe in the next state wouldn't be eligible to participate in the family pack, but your Mac in your vacation home in the next state would.

There is no problem removing a powerbook from your house, unless you are also removing yourself from the household (ie, the family unit). If your wife kicks you to the curb and asks for a divorce, you may need a new license. If you're just going down to Starbucks, or on a business trip, or to work, I expect you're okay. ... Read more

Features

• Essential software suite for film and video production
• Real-time production tools; common user interface elements
• Professional graphics, video, audio, and DVD authoring applications
• Provides seamless, intuitive, and integrated workflow
• Includes Final Cut Pro HD, DVD Studio Pro 3, and Motion

Amazon.com

Keynote, Apple’s answer to Microsoft’s PowerPoint presentation software, has the limited feature set of a first offering but makes a good-looking show out of the gate.

Users accustomed to PowerPoint’s robust array of clip art, pre-populated themes, and pre-set transitions will be disappointed with Keynote’s small offering of pre-fabricated elements. However, they won’t be able to find fault with the visual quality of the elements that Keynote does include; any of the tasteful Keynote themes, detachable chart elements, or cinematic slide transitions would easily stand out against their PowerPoint counterparts.

Keynote’s interface is fairly similar to PowerPoint, although there are some differences. As with PowerPoint you can setup and see the progress of your slide show in a vertical panel on the left. Most of the formatting controls are in a control box called the "inspector"--whether building a chart, making a graphic twirl, or mandating the transition between two slides, you are mostly using the inspectors’ controls rather than dropdown menus or key commands to get things done. In addition to being able to animate imported graphics, audio and movie files can be played within a slide, though these multimedia effects will not run across multiple slides.

What will have to wait for the next version are comprehensive chart creation and exporting capabilities. Currently Keynote provides nine beautiful chart styles to choose from, but getting data into these pre-populated formats can be tedious. Users may find it easier to construct their more complicated charts outside the program, and import them as pre-made images into the slideshow.And, though you can export Keynote presentations to QuickTime and to PowerPoint, there is no Keynote-to-HTML conversion as yet. --Elizabeth Aoki

... Read more

Features

• Design razor-sharp text, beautiful charts & tables, and professional-quality layouts, all with just a few clicks
• Create high-quality visual effects like transitions between slides, element effects and more
• Intuitive slide navigator and simple thumbnail viewer for more precise controls and better slide organization
• Professional themes and images combined with must-haves like anti-aliased text, dynamic alignment guides and snap-rulers
• Experiment with different typefaces to create the perfect text for your presentation

Reviews (9)

New Turn Your Slide Presentations with Keynote
For most Mac users, slide presentations means Microsoft's Powerpoint. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, in 2003 decided there is the ÔMac WayÕ for presentations. In Steve Jobs words, ÒKeynote makes your presentation really count. Ó

Under the Keynote Hood

You can choose transition, style, direction and speed when you use KeynoteÕs Inspector. Creating object builds adds visual interest to your slide presentation. You can animate the elements on a single slide or in a group of slides.

One click and you alter the opacity of a graphic using the Slide Inspector. Click twice and you can set the playback parameters for a QuickTime movie. The Build window in the Inspector allows you to preview, add, and manipulate transitions within and between slides.

AppleÕs Keynote allows you to include sound for your presentation. AppleÕs KeynoteÕs sound formats you can use are MOV, Flash, MP3 and AIFF. Also, you can add files from iTunesÕ music library to your Keynote slide presentation. In addition, you can add a Quicktime movie to your slides.

Pro Reaction

Keynote has crisp, fresh graphics. KeynoteÕs ÔDrag and DropÕ and exporting to AppleÕs Quicklime both work well. You can import Microsoft PowerPoint or AppleWorksÕ presentations and create a custom theme base on those slides.

You can store your images in KeynoteÕs Image Library. KeynoteÕs Cube and Mosaic Large transitions are outstanding for updating your MicrosoftÕs PowerPoint. You receive a KeynoteÕs User Guide manual. No missing manual here.

Con Reaction

Keynote lacks prebuilt presentations. Also, Keynote has very little clip art to work with in presentations. Also, you have limited presentation themes to choose from in Keynote.

Keynote Cube and Mosaic Large and small transitions do not render well when exporting in MicrosoftÕs PowerPoint or AcrobatÕs PDF formats. Missing from KeynoteÕs User Guide is an index.

Final Notes

You can count on KeynoteÕs sharp appearance, ease of use, and great price. Keynote makeÔs it easy to create professional-looking presentations compatible with MicrosoftÕs PowerPoint. In addition, Keynote gives your presentations attractive slide-transition effects. I use AppleÕs KeynoteÕs software as a companion software for revising my MicrosoftÕs PowerPoint presentations.

Charts and clean presentations...
I work with plenty of powerpoint charts in my work with windows users...but when I need a great statistics chart, I turn to Keynote. I have plenty of control over the output and the results are stunning.

The export to powerpoint works terrific. However, if you build a presentation in Keynote, you may just consider exporting it into Quicktime so that the viewer can simply run through the presentation in pristine quality and enjoy all of the terrific transitions.

I hope to see more office apps like this from Apple in the future.

It knows what you need.
For years, PowerPoint has been the bain of my existence. My boss is obsessed with it. Every week it's another presentation in PowerPoint. Finally, an alternative. As usual, Apple takes the "point" out of a Microsoft product. It seems fair, all things considered.

The user interface for this program is fast and easy to learn. It even gives you several options of themes to use for those deadline crunches that we all run into from time to time. It includes the famous drag-and-drop functionality that we've come to expect.

Most importantly, you can save it out to PowerPoint for those less enlighted souls who still think that a Windows machine will help them keep up with the times.

Bill Palmer's Keynote Review
Despite its youth and inexperience, Keynote represents everything that's right about computing in the Mac universe, and easily explains why I use a Mac.

My full thoughts on Keynote are too long to post here, but if you would like to read all about it, just follow this link (cut and paste it into your browser if it's not clickable):

Bill Palmer's Keynote Review
[website]

Easy, Sharp, Intuitive, Apple
After being a slave to both Mc and PC versions of PPT, Keynote came along and threw off the bonds. As I own my own business and can use what I want, Keynote will replace PPT without hesitation.
Graphic acuity, more choices and freedoms to manipulate charts and graphs with ease.
No problem leaving MS PPT at the curb with the rest of the mutts.. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Soundtrack is GB's big brother
If working with Digital Audio and Video is your thing, then Soundtrack is a must buy. Unlike GarageBand (Which works with digital audio clips just like SoundTrack), this is geared toward the professional. It comes with a track just for video which allows you to sync up your audio with what's happening on the screen easily. It also comes with 4000 loops as compared to GBs 1000. You can get GBs accompanying software, Jam Pack, but that still offers much fewer loops than Soundtrack alone. Built in effects to each track also far surpases GBs effects. Pan your volume left and right with just a few clicks to name one. I enjoy GB and have written tunes based on it (Check macidol.com artist name Guy Serle) and it's fun. But when you're ready to do more, get Soundtrack. ... Read more