>> Seth: Every new Mac will find the iLife Suite included and the major improvements are definitely upgrading to if you're an iLife obsessive.
Hi, I'm Seth Rosenblatt [assumed spelling] for CNETdownload.com and in this first look we're checking out iLife, Apple's photo, movie,
web design and music editing super sweet suite. If you're new to Macs it's going to sound like there's a lot going on here and there
is so we're going to focus on just the most noteworthy changes. In iMovie the most welcomed changes seem to be the return of more
advanced editing features that were axed in last year's version; there's a ton of new titles, transitions and affects notably
video stabilization, green screens, audio only and cut away. Title tweaks can be made in the new preview pallet, drag and drop has been
improved to offer an editing menu and dynamic themes returns with 32 optional packages of transitions, titles and end credits that
can be applied as a group or individually. The new precision editor will help you make cleaner cuts but iMovie still lacks a
traditional time-line and still can't import an imPeg, since when did think different be frustrating. Next up is iPhoto which introduces
3 big changes faces, places and social networking. The first two features you're going to be hearing a lot about. Faces goes through
your photos to identify the faces in each picture and then shows you a cork board so that you can identify the people once you've tagged
a few iPhoto will scan the rest of your library and auto identify your friends and family and even your enemies. Places takes faces
organizing and searching concepts and applies them to locations the search is based on GO tag photos which means you better have a
GPS enabled camera or an iPhone but for now it's a cool novelty. Also new in iPhoto '09 is the ability to directly post images to
social networking sites Facebook and Flicker are currently the only ones supported but they're the ones you want to see support for.
In GarageBand new features include basic lessons to teach you the fundamentals; this is great for people like me who have no musical
acumen, not yet at any rate. Piano and guitar instruction are included and come with notation, video instruction and an animated
instrument for finger placement. If you're looking for a step beyond the basics you can splurge a bit and pay for artist's lessons
these are the basic lesson expanded to include pre-recorded video from musicians like Nora Jones and groups like Fallout Boy as well
as simplified versions of hit tunes so beginners don't have to wait until their skills are up to snuff; there are also some cool
guitar amp and stump box affects and the ability to create a virtual band so you have some accompaniment. Apple's website for dummies
iWeb is meant for users that want a simple what you see is what you get website builder; there are tons of widgets that you can now
drag and drop and there's a built-in FTP client, finally. Although I haven't built a site myself using iWeb a number of users say that
while iWeb '09 claims to play nice with non-mobile me sites that there's a lot left to be desired clearly iWeb is the weak link in this
otherwise fantastic four suite. Depending on how much you use Facebook and iPhoto '08 iLife '09 might be worth upgrading to just for
those improvements alone, otherwise, well, you can always get the suite when you upgrade your Mac. With a first look at iLife '09 I'm
Seth Rosenblatt for Download.com.
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