iLife06
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Apple Pushing iLife '06 on Customers?
Imagine my dismay after getting a fat little pop-up ad for iLife '06 when launching iPhoto today. I really hate it when companies push non-free software updates on their customers. Yes, I know I can just shut up and click the "don't tell me again" button, but it still irks me.When I uncheck "Check for Software Updates" in my System Preferences -> Software Update, I naively hope that Apple doesn't bother me with software updates. While I'm on this topic, I feel like iTunes bugs me for updates too often as well, even though they are free. Perhaps I need to work in a different operating system today to counter my grouchiness.
No upgrade for iLife
A question posted over at MacSlash brought up a great point about iLife that's worth revisiting with this new release: it doesn't have an upgrade price/option, and never has. The question at MacSlash comes from a reader who purchase iLife '05 on Dec. 26th 2005, barely three weeks before his Steveness dropped the iLife '06 bomb.What do you readers think of this? iLife, in my opinion, is already a steal at $79 (especially since it blows away Windows suites that retail for hundreds of dollars), and it's obvious that Apple is basically letting go of iLife at a loss with new Macs to entice new customers and switchers. Still, I can understand the sting this user must feel, now that his $79 purchase just became last year's software, so to speak. So what say you, readers? Should Apple offer an iLife upgrade?
iPhoto 6: First Impressions
So I just finished installing my copy of iLife 06, and since I'm the most interested in the new iPhoto and iWeb apps, I thought I'd post a few initial thoughts at least on the new iPhoto, which is technically now at version 6. I've been playing with and poking at it for roughly 20 minutes, so this will obviously be just a raw rundown of what I've noticed is new and different so far: Starting, using and quitting the app is noticeably faster. I'm running it on a PowerBook G4 1.67 GHz with 1.5 GB RAM, but I've still noticed a general increase in speed and responsiveness. Finally, finally, finally - the iPhoto Library folder (in ~/Pictures/) organizes your images the way an application like this should. Basically, under a new "Originals" folder are folders dated by year, and in those are folders named by album, with images arranged accordingly. Thanks Apple! iPhoto 6 now joins Mail and iTunes with unified toolbar goodness. Full-screen viewing/editing is responsive and absolutely gorgeous, though I have one minor complaint: there's no way to get out the current album of images you're viewing unless you duck out of full-screen. Not a big deal, but a minor nuisance. There's a new Advanced preference pane with the option: "Copy files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library." If this functions like the similar option in iTunes, I assume this means iPhoto doesn't necessarily need to move, copy and/or duplicate images you have sitting somewhere else on your Mac. The toolbar at the bottom of iPhoto's interface is now customizable, allowing you to toggle which buttons you actually have available down there. I haven't played with any of the photocasting or iWeb features yet, but we hope to have some demos, links and video examples ready for a vidcast by this weekend or early next week, so stay tuned!
Survey: is .Mac worth it yet?
With last month's 1 TB bandwidth update to .Mac and all the powerful new one-click photocasting, podcasting and vidcasting features of iLife 06 with iWeb, I thought it would be a good time to check in with you TUAW readers again to find out if .Mac is looking any more appetizing in this post-Macworld 06-keynote world.Personally, I can't wait for my copy of iLife 06 to arrive, and I'm happier than ever to own a .Mac membership. But enough about me, what about you, TUAW readers: are you a .Mac member with a copy of iLife 06 already on the way? Do the new features tempt you all the more to sign up, or are you still not sold? Let's hear it!
TUAW predictions roundup for Macworld 06 keynote
Alright everyone, we're on the home stretch for tomorrow's keynote, and we thought it would be fun to round up predictions (hopes?) from some of the TUAW bloggers of what will be introduced. Some of these predictions might be honing in on rumors, others could simply be baseless hope for a particular product. The main point of this post is to spark some conversation about what we could see tomorrow to help pass the time and keep the shakes from setting in. So without further ado, here are TUAW's predictions for the Macworld 06 keynote: C.K. - black Intel iBooks running on flash memory Damien Barrett - a Mac mini media center with iLife '06, programmable remote Dave Caolo - iLife '06 including FrontRow David Chartier - a nearly-finished preview of 10.5 Leopard, with a release scheduled before Vista (like that's hard to do) Laurie A. Duncan - iWork 06 gets a major update, finally offering a viable alternative to Office for OS X Scott McNulty - Sell your songs on iTunes, publish your blog on .Mac, get your vlog streaming from Apple's servers Victor Agreda Jr - AirPort Express update that includes video streaming So there you have our hopes and predictions for what we'll see on stage tomorrow. I think we all agreed that we won't see any new iPods, as some of these potential new products (like a Mac mini media center) could really carry the line they have out now. Time will only tell, so until then, feel free to discuss.
