For those of you who missed it (indeed, I did until just now), Apple has released updates to their core iLife/iWork apps. iWeb, iMovie and iPhoto have all been updated, along with iLife Support, as have Keynote, Pages and Numbers. The updates were posted to Apple’s website on March 26th, and should be showing up in your Software Update.

iLife update details:

• iWeb 3.0.1 - This update addresses issues when publishing to an FTP server and other minor issues.
• iMovie 8.0.1 - This update improves overall application stability as well as addressing minor issues related to usability.
• iPhoto 8.0.2 - This update improves overall stability and addresses minor issues in a number of areas, including Faces, Places, photo sharing, and slideshows.
• iLife Support - This update improves overall stability and addresses a number of other minor issues. It is recommended for all users of Aperture, iLife ’09, and iWork ’09.

iWork update details:

• Keynote 5.0.1 - This update improves reliability when deleting Keynote files, copying slides between presentations, or working with transitions and builds.
• Pages 4.0.1 - This update improves reliability when working with EndNote X2 or MathType 6, or deleting Pages files.
• Numbers 2.0.1 - This update improves reliability when deleting Numbers files, importing Microsoft XLSX files, customizing the toolbar, working with some functions, or working with charts.

Along with Software Updates, the downloads are available directly from Apple’s support site.

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Apple released updates to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers last night. The Keynote update “addresses compatibility issues with Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2008 as well as general compatibility issue,” while the Pages and Numbers update affect only “general compatibility.” Clearly, this means that Apple will be selling iPhone 3Gs for $99.

You can get the updates via the Software Update function, or using the links below.

Download Keynote Update.

Download Pages Update.

Download Numbers Update.

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A new piece of Trojan Horse malware has found its way onto pirated copies of Photoshop and iWork ‘09, according to security firm Intego.

Following the discovery of a trojan linked with copies of iWork ‘09, the security firm says it has now found a variant, attached to pirated versions of Photoshop CS4. OSX.Trojan.iServices.B also grants a remote user root access; the new trojan is associated with the crack application however, and is spawned under a different name whenever the crack is run.

The person using the pirated software activates the Trojan when he runs the other program to generate a false serial number. If he enters his admin password (standard procedure when installing most software), the Trojan installs other applications which start listening for an open TCP port, allowing another user to have remote access to the Mac.

Users are advised to have anti-virus software (which will also detect Trojan Horses), update that software regularly, and, oh yes, don’t download illegal software from the internet.

Via [MacNN]

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According to ComputerWorld’s sources, Apple is ready to update iMovie and move it to the cloud. Here’s what Seth Weintraub had to say:

I’ve heard from reliable sources that Apple will offer a significant update to iMovie at next week’s Macworld. It will largely focus on Internet video in the Cloud for the YouTube generation.

This juicy little rumor is just in time for Macworld Expo. This feature could be helpful for some movies, especially for those whose end destination is YouTube. Plus, you have the added benefit of not having to store those movie files on your computer. Files uploaded to Apple’s service would be viewable on an iPhone or iPod Touch.

Weintraub also believes that iWork is moving to the cloud to join others like Google Docs.

This is a fun rumor, but I’m not sure how useful it is. God knows I’ll be thankful if people use this before they dump their garbage on YouTube and expect me to watch it. But other than short online videos, I don’t see this being better than a desktop application. I’m always afraid of what happens when I’m not hooked to the internet. Then what? And that’s why I like my desktop applications.

Read [ComputerWorld] Via [9to5Mac]

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9to5Mac is theorizing that this Tuesday event could be about more than just the MacBook family. Though Apple’s invitation was unusually specific (“The spotlight turns to notebooks”), 9to5Mac contends that iLife and iWork 09, as well as Blu-ray, could be present at the event. Though I’m fairly positive Steve Jobs won’t discuss anything at length besides notebooks, here’s what could happen as an update on the side.

• iLife and iWork ‘09 - Though these software suites are normally released at Macworld, last year iSuites ‘07 were never born, and instead, the ‘08 version came out in August of 2007. It is possible that the iSuites are now a late-year release, though I think that if they have waited until October, iLife and iWork will wait for Macworld 2009 to get back on schedule.
• Blu-ray Macs - If the MacBook family gets Blu-ray, then the iMac and Mac Pro will have to as well. I think a more likely scenario is that the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Pro end up with the HD format drives, with perhaps an add-on option for the MacBooks.
• Mac OS X 10.5.6 - Big feature here would be Bluray support. What else could 10.5.6 bring? I’d like Time Machine to get smarter, but that’s my only huge issue. Oddly enough, Mac OS X includes icons for Blu-ray and HD-DVD, so I question why they exist if there is no software support for it.
• New iMacs - The only reason this rumor is going is because it is possible that, with a Blu-ray addition, the iMacs would need an entirely new motherboard. And if they’re going that far, who knows how much farther they’ll go? This is very low on the likeliness scale.
• New Cinema Displays/Docking Stations - One can dream, can’t he? Apple will, one day, redesign the Cinema Displays. The question is when, if even in this lifetime. There have been whispers that retailers have been asked to stop ordering, but there have been no confirmations. There have also been some loose-logic observations that because all the MacBook’s ports are on one side with the new cases (FYI- they were before, too) that there might be a docking station coming along. Though it might reduce wire-clutter just a bit, it seems really unnecessary and prone to problems, like overheating.

What do you think/know/wish that Tuesday will bring? Sound off below in the comments.

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iPresentee is at it again with more Keynote additions. This time, they have rolled out their new theme package, Motion Themes 2.0. For only $25, you can get these five new themes which iPresentee has named Money, Rain, Exercise Book, Story and Curtain.  However, you can also buy them individually for $10 a piece. The product description reads, “Each Keynote Motion Theme comes with 14 or more master slide layouts and 1024x768 pixels in size moving background graphics. Keynote Motion Themes contains everything you will need to create unforgettable presentation.”

Keynote Motion Themes 2.0 is the second group of templates iPresentee is offering for Keynote as they are already selling Keynote Motion Themes 1.0. Both of these packages require iWork ‘08 to be installed, and they can all be purchased at once for a price of $50. iPresentee offers a slew of Keynote and iWeb templates, themes, and objects, so be sure to check them out if you you want to help make your next presentation more appealing.

Product Page [Keynote Motion Themes 2.0]

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iPresentee, a developer of add-ons for Apple’s iWork and iLife applications, has released free Keynote Objects, a package of images for Apple Keynote, iWeb and Pages. The package continas 100 easy to use Keynote Objects for decoration in iWeb websites, Keynote or PowerPoint presentations and Pages or Word documents.

All Keynote Objects contain background transparency, and can therefore be used on any colored background. Each image can be changed in size, rotated, increased or decreased in opacity, fitted with shadows or even overlapped with one another to create extra effects. 

Keynote Objects requires any Macintosh computer running Mac OS X with any version of Keynote, iWeb or Pages. They are also compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint and Word.

The kicker, of course, is that Keynote Objects is being offered free of charge. Samples and more information about Keynote Objects are available immediately at the iPresentee website

Product [Keynote Objects]

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The Keynote may be the main attraction at WWDC, but there is always much more to come even after Steve leaves the stage. In today’s WWDC happenings, the Apple team detailed the server version of Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard. The following comes from a MacNN report.

“As with [Consumer Version of Mac OS 10.6], Server will focus on making all aspects of the OS mutlicore-ready through Grand Central, with the option of tapping into GPU power via OpenCL. Because Server will operate on a 64-bit kernel, it should in theory support up to 16TB of RAM.”

iCal, Mail and Address Book will all be receiving upgrades, increasing their speed and stability. Other highlights include the addition of Podcast Producer 2, along with native programs and templates for creating blogs, wikis, mailing lists, and RSS Feeds.

Via [MacNN]

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For those with fledgling Apple lovers at home, put this in your iCal. The schedule for this summer’s Apple Camp has been announced by Apple. If you have a child between ages 8 and 12, be sure to snag one of the free (but limited) spaces for lessons on the creative aspects of a Mac, such as how to create a good Keynote presentation, how to capture, manage, and edit shots in iPhoto, how to make custom music in GarageBand, and videography tips with iMovie. 

Registration is open now, so be sure to claim a spot ASAP.  Sessions last three hours and include a shirt, field guide, DVDs and CDs of your child’s masterpieces, along with other goodies picked up during giveaways along the way. Register at Apple.

Via [TUAW]

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iWork and MS Office are both great apps depending on your needs and wants.  MS Office is great for people who need to have compatibility with Windows users and iWork is a great addition to the rest of the Mac apps.  So the question is, which one should you get?  Each has its upsides and downsides, but how do you know which one will be right for you? Well, right off the bat there is a few things you can look at to help you make your decision.

1) Price. iWork comes in at a nice $79.00 whereas MS Office is anywhere between $149.95 and $499.95.  They both offer the same apps (text editor, presentation maker, and spreadsheet creator), but iWork is a lot cheaper.  However, they both offer free trials to see which one you like, but I imagine the price is enough to turn some away from MS Office.

2) Viruses. Cult of Mac has written a post stating that of 6 viruses in the wild for Mac OS X, 5 of them are exploited through MS Office.  As far as I’m concerned, this is enough of a reason to not go with the Microsoft product.  I don’t want my machine being more susceptible to attacks from simply editing a text file.

So when the day comes for you to decide between these two apps, which one is it going to be?  Have you already made up your mind?

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This is part two of a series. Read Part One here.

What I Hate About Windows

1) The Taskbar - Windows users will crow on and on about the taskbar’s superiority, but it is crap. It has no one purpose, rather it is a poorly implemented strip that serves as the main control point for the computer. The place where this becomes the biggest issue is if you hide it. You may just want more screen space, or to just hide the start menu, but you have no choice. Everything goes. Your list of programs, your minimized windows, system notifications, everything, is gone. Which brings me to my next gripe. Why would all my windows be displayed in huge buttons? I can understand it if my minimized windows were, but the maximized windows are already there. No need to have them in the taskbar. The argument is that its easy switching between windows, but I don’t find it easy to try to decipher between three Internet explorer windows, or three any windows. In the taskbar they all look the same and that doesn’t speed up the workflow at all.

2) Just Do It!! - Windows needs coaxing to do everything. Setting up a home network is hell in Windows. Even connecting to an unencrypted wireless connection requires the user to tell it to half the time. Mac OS X detects everything and makes it easy. Windows couldn’t be more different.

3) Install and Uninstall - The best thing, and perhaps most confusing about OS X to a Windows convert is the fact that installing and application is usually just drag and drop. On Windows, it’s a whole affair. Installers usually get the job done, but they leave little trails all over the system. Once you’ve installed software, rest assured it will never be fully gone. Uninstalling an application on Windows looks easy. Simply open the Add/Remove Program window, and click “Change/Remove” (a button cryptic enough in and of itself- why would you label a button two different things?) Half of the time the software can’t fully be removed. Th other half of the time, it appears to work, but if you know where to look, you will still find remnants, and sometimes rather large remnants, of the program.

4) Bloat - Windows in and of itself is a bloated piece of software, but what I’m talking about here is with peripherals that you might purchase. 95% of the time, when you purchase a printer, scanner, even speakers, keyboards, and mice, it comes with its own software that you have to install. Though this happens on occasions with Mac OS X, most of the time you can plus it in and go. The operating system takes care of it for you.

5) Viruses - Nuff said. It’s not entirely Windows’ fault that there are so many viruses written for it, but it’s a big side effect of Windows.

What I Love About The Mac

1) iLife - Every new Mac comes with some version of iLife. It blows Windows Movie Maker out of the water. iMovie is a phenomenal video editor, and if you’re an iMovie pro, you can actually get some advanced stuff going. I found that I had to trick Windows Movie Maker into doing most of the stuff I needed.

2) Out of the Box - Continuing in the same thread, I love that right out of the box, you can start doing stuff on a Mac. You’ve got a camera, mic, cha software, browser, video editor, photo organizer, music organizer, mail program, a basic word processor, and so much more. On Windows? Calculator, Clock, Internet Explorer, and a plain text editor.

3) Menu Bar and Dock - I love the dock, for the same reasons I hate the taskbar. It serves one purpose (for the most part:) to hold your applications. If you hide it, you still have access to the vitals like clock, menu items, and menus. Which brings me to the menu bar, which is superior to window -embedded menus in every way.  It’s all about Fitts’ Law, which has to do with the fact that the menu bar on OS X is infinitely many pixels tall. Basically, if you throw your mouse to the top of the screen, you can’t miss it. By contrast, a menu in Windows could be anywhere on your screen, and it’s likely there are multiples on the same menu in different windows. Kinda confusing.

4) Self Contained Applications - Most applications for Mac OS X come in one little bundle. It is entirely self contained, can be moved around without worry of losing program files, and it doesn’t leave a trail when it’s uninstalled. Perhaps uninstall isn’t the right word. All you do is drag to the trash, after all.

5) Productivity - It’s tools like QuickLook, Exposé, and Spaces that make Mac OS X. With QuickLook, I can easily and quickly see a file without opening it’s application. With Exposé, it is so easy to see all my windows (and it beats the snot out of the taskbar in Windows.) Spaces is nothing new, but it is seamlessly integrated into OS X, and thats really what makes OS X a better experience: the integration.

What gripes do you have with Windows? What do you love about OS X? How about the other way around? Sound off below! The best answers will go into a final part in these series of your submitted likes and dislikes.

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The mEgg Hunt, “brings seasonal fun” where Mac users will surf a Mac developer’s site and try to find an egg. Once they find an egg they’ll receive a code towards 20% off the purchase of the software. The Easter mEgg Hunt just revealed the list of participants, so once you see them, get hunting! (Then reading Apple news)

Apokalypse Software Corp. - Mori - Your notes, organized / Clockwork - On time, in style
Azure Talon Software - Exces - file encryption made easy
Black Cat Systems - Productivity Software for the Macintosh
Boinx Software Ltd. - Makers of iStopMotion FotoMagico and Mousepose
Chimp Software - Turn your Mac into a $2000 alarm clock with iRooster
Critical Matter, Inc. - Color Picker Pro: professional CSS and HTML color picker
www.x-tables.eu - Developer of Tables
DayTime Software - Makers of Differencia, The Data Comparison Tool
Dejal Systems - Simon, Time Out, Caboodle, Narrator, BlogAssist & Macfilink
Fluidmac - Creativity tools for Mac OS X
GroupSmarts, LLC. - MemoryMiner: Award-winning Digital Storytellin
Houdah Software - Makers of HoudahGeo & HoudahSpot
Indev Software - Revolutionary Enhancements for OS X Mail.app
Karelia Software - Sandvox - Easy, Elegant Website Creation
Lemke Software GmbH. - GraphicConverter & CADintosh
MildMannered Industries - Software for Superheroes
nova media MDS GmbH. - Worldwide mobile Internet access
Outer Level - LicenseKeeper - Keep your serial numbers safe outerlevel.com
Volitans Software - Makers of SMART Utility
Yellow Mug Software - Maker of
YourView - FileChute, EasyBatchPhoto, and more

Wow, that is quite a bit of software, and some good discounts Mac users can benefit from.

Via [macPRcaster]

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Microsoft recently released the first update to its new Office 2008 suite - although this is a very minor update and doesn’t affect any Microsoft Office programs at all. The update simply installs a new version of AutoUpdate, 2.1.1. The update is only 2MB in size, so don’t expect any major changes to the updater application - it’s most likely minor bug fixes.

Expect to see another update to Microsoft Office 2008 not long away, as there are plenty of things that need fixing, and Microsoft is aware of this. None of the applications in the suite have managed to work with Leopard’s Spaces feature properly yet and they are a lot slower than Apple’s iWork alternative.

Via [TUAW]

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iWork ‘08 has seen some steady releases of updates since its release last year, here’s the first for 2008. Keynote 4.0.2 “primarily addresses performance issues while playing or exporting presentations.” Pages 3.0.2 “addresses compatibility with Mac OS X.” And last but not least, Numbers 1.0.2 also “addresses compatibility with Mac OS X.” So there are no new features to be seen in these updates, just some performance enhancements for Intel and Leopard, along with the usual bug fixes found in software updates.

The updates are 32.4MB 29.3MB and 27.4MB for Keynote, Pages and Numbers and are available to download through Software Update. Alternatively, you can download them or see the info on Apple’s website: Keynote 4.0.2 , Pages 3.0.2, Numbers 1.0.2.

Via [TUAW]

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There’s a new thread over at Apple’s Discussion Forums pertaining to bugs still present in the latest version of Keynote. Apparently, it will cause a Mac to suddenly reboot should a user press the “play” button or use the keyboard shortcut to start the presentation.

Despite being a fairly mature product that’s been in use at such great events like MacWorld and WWDC, it’s surprising to find such significant bugs lurking around. The problem seems to be isolated to MacBooks and iBooks right now; lets hope for a fix asap.

Read [Apple Discussion Forums]

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Not everyone wants to shell out $79 for iWork right away, and Apple understands that. That’s why iWork ‘08 is available as a free, downloadable 30 day trial, in case you want to try before you buy. The trial includes all the apps and features found in the retail version of iWork ‘08, and can be activated once your purchase the apps (you don’t have to re-download). The trial can be found on Apple’s iWork page, and is available now.

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A number of new patent applications were released today describing usage in Apple’s iLife and iWork suites. The patent applications are as follows: “Movie Authoring”, “Text flow in and around irregular containers”, “Predictive styling”, “Automatic sub-template selection based on content”, “User interface for Web page creation/editing”, and “Publishing and subscribing to digital image feeds”. The filings aren’t particularly interesting, as the features aren’t revolutionary, nor do they imply any special Leopard-only features. MacNN has the full deets on each of the patent applications. 

Read [MacNN]

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MacRumors is reporting that a new job posting filed by Apple on June 13th 2007 has confirmed that the Cupertino-based company is indeed looking for engineers who are familiar with “OpenGL and other 3D technologies” to work on the “next generation of iWork”.

This makes sense because iWork07 has been delayed for quite sometime; it was expected to be announced in January at MacWorld this year. There were also expectations that it would debut together with Leopard, however no mention was made at last week’s WWDC Keynote.

Rumors also indicate that the next version of iWork will ship with a spreadsheet application, similar to Microsoft’s Excel. A 3D interface has never been built inside an office suite, so it will be fascinating to watch and see if Apple can pull this off.

Via [MacRumors]

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