“Digital photos are fun and easy to acquire and share, but one thing most people don’t realize is that, to be as good looking as possible, virtually every digital photo needs to be corrected in some way. To do this, you need software. On the Macintosh, check out Apple iPhoto 5, which comes as part of iLife ’05 ($79.99, or free with any new Mac purchase). Apple’s iPhoto 5 is super-simple to use, features automatic and advanced editing tools, and—best of all—can be used to make stunning photo books,” Paul Thurrott writes for Connected Home Media.
“On the PC, things are a bit more complicated, as usual. One of the best photo-management tools, Google’s Picassa, is free, so it doesn’t make for much of a gift. But take a look at Microsoft’s under-appreciated Digital Image Suite 2006 ($59.99), which features a handy task-based interface that makes editing and managing photos easier than ever. If you’re looking for a more advanced tool, don’t overlook Adobe PhotoShop Elements 4.0 ($88.99), which offers virtually all the features of its high-end cousin—without the cost,” Thurrott writes.
“As with digital photos, there’s no such thing as a perfect home video. In fact, the video that comes out of your camcorder is likely in far worse shape than your photos and in need of serious editing. The problem? Video editing is slow and monotonous, and no one wants to sit in front of a PC for hours, watching video render in real time. Fear not: Plenty of decent video-editing solutions are available, and real humans can use them,” Thurrott writes.
“On the Mac, your choice is simple: Simply use Apple iMovie HD, which comes as part of iLife ’05 ($79.99, or free with any new Macintosh purchase). This product is still incredibly easy to use, works with HD and widescreen video, and features the most full-featured editing tools I’ve ever seen in an entry-level package. Also available in iLife ’05 is iDVD 5, which is still the best DVD movie-making application on any platform. Mac users have it good,” Thurrott writes. “On the PC, unsurprisingly, things aren’t quite so clear-cut. There are a number of movie-editing and DVD-making applications available for Windows, but most are pretty horrible. Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 ($88.99) is an exception, and although it’s pretty complex because it’s modeled after the high-end Premiere Pro solution, it works with virtually every movie format on Earth and features exceptional editing tools. My favorite PC-based DVD maker is still Sonic MyDVD Studio 6.1: It’s no iDVD, but it’s the most consumer-friendly DVD maker on the PC, and it features a simple, task-based UI, photo slideshow features, 16:9 widescreen support, and TiVo compatibility. For an even simpler solution for home movies, check out Ulead VideoStudio 9 ($49.99 after rebates), which might just be the quickest way to get your DV videos ported to DVD movies.”
Full article here.
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Related articles:
Attempting and failing to duplicate Apple Mac’s iLife ’05 functionality on Windows – August 05, 2005
Sick of your Windows PC? It’s time to move on with your iLife with Apple’s new ‘Mac mini’ – March 09, 2005
Apple Announces iLife ’05, features new versions of iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD & GarageBand – January 11, 2005
Sorry Windows users – to get iLife you’ll have to get a Mac – February 09, 2004
ZDNet: Apple’s iLife ’04 ‘perhaps the best $50 you could spend on software right now’ – February 06, 2004
AP: Apple’s iLife ’04 ‘could even persuade some longtime Windows users to relent and buy a Mac’ – February 05, 2004
Paul Thurrott reviews Apple iLife ’04; calls for ‘iLife for Windows’ – February 04, 2004
USA Today: Apple’s GarageBand and the rest of iLife ’04 are ‘top-flight’ – January 29, 2004
Baltimore Sun: iLife devoid of ‘hassles and conflicts common to the PC world’ – February 13, 2003
He’s setting himself up for when Vista comes out.
I predict: “Oh, M$ has caught up and in some cases, even surpassed it’s smaller rival. What an amazing job this company has done, even they are six years late.”
Bleh.
I’ve had to try many consumer-level video editing programs on the PC, in order to help my PC colleagues with PC-editing (I create instruction for a living).
So far, all the PC applications I’ve tried suck. To paraphrase Thurott, “not surprisingly…”
Thank goodness for iMovie. And let’s give Paulie a break, he’s coming round…
R,
Um, why would Vista have anything to do with the ease of use of software? Sounds to me like you’re just trying to bash Thurrott for no good reason.
Once again, it’s good to see that Paul is taking his tablets.
Any Mac user can tell you what he said, but it’s really good to see someone with some in the press write it.
Good press like this helps people decide to switch.
Now if only Apple would advertise….
The real Paul has been abducted by aliens……this is not the real Paul.
I’m not typically so negative, but have you read his stuff before? Whether the operating system has anything to do with anything, this man is trying to make a living. He drums up hits to his site by saying practically anything. At this time, he has nothing to say about Windows because it generally sucks and there’s little happening. He is waiting for something to say, but what is he supposed to do, ignore what’s in front of him? Notice his site’s name– he hasn’t exactly changed it to Applesupersite, has he?
Just you wait and see. What seems like a “typical” response to you now may look very different next year.
Please, AAPL, please stop dropping.
I . . . beg . . . you . . . [gasp] . . . can’t . . . breathe . . . [choke] . . .
He still has virtually zero credibility. He’s all about generating website hits so he can make a buck. So don’t fall for it people…
what a perfect article showing why Macs are the shazizzle. I have a windows friend who thinks himself an amateur movie maker, but he’s this weird staunch anti-Apple guy. We worked on a project over the summer and it was very painful for him to see the software I was using to edit. He liked iMovie sooooooo much, but poor him, he’ll never bring himself to buy an Apple. People are weird.
A. Investor–
Apple stock needs to drop, even just to settle the stomachs of skittish investment houses. It will rise again. I wish I could buy more… seriously.
Just two seconds ago, Rush Limbaugh named the iPod his gift of the week. Whether or not you like his politics, his audience likes what he has to say. It’s not like Apple isn’t already on a roll anyway.
Worry if Thurrott starts talking stocks…
QUARK just announced that they have acquired ALAP — A Lowly Apprentice (makers of Shadowcaster, et al).
Wow. Busy day.
Ashpyxiated Investor,
Just take a DEEP breath, you’ll feel much better.
It will recover this dip in a short time. When have the anaylist ever been right about APPL. Look at this as a buying opportunity… Apple is on the verge of a huge growth increase. The only problem I see is whether their supply chain can keep up, but that’s a much better position to be in than having no demand.
“And let’s give Paulie a break, he’s coming round…”
Ummm no, he’s not. For all you folks who believe that Thurrott has all of a sudden got nothing but complimentary things to say about Macs, think again. Did you catch the name of the site on which this article appeared? Like all media whores, Thurrott tailors his message to suit his audience, and writes relatively objective pieces for Connected Home Media. Not so with his Wininfo site. That’s where he reserves his bile for all things Apple. If he was consistent with his Apple-bashing I’d have a lot more respect for him. I gave up on him after he praised the iPod to high heaven on Connected Home Media, then tore it to bloody fragments on Wininfo in the same week. Nothing he says should be taken seriously because he doesn’t have a position on anything, except how many hits he can get on his sites.
Paul Thurrott is desperately trying to come out of the closet as a Mac-lover. Now, people, let’s all be supportive and show him the way.
Go toward the light! Don’t look into the Blue Screen of Death!
R,
All I can say is, “Who really cares what he has to say anyway?” He’s only getting hits because he’s linked to from MDN and you are the ones doing it. I bet the only reason MDN quotes him is to get hits as well.
Typical,
Thurott has given many good reason for bashing…R is looking ahead at his next writting
John,
And what exactly has that supposedly deserved bashing accomplished besides making yourselves look immature? I repeat, who really cares what he has to say?
Everything is better on a Mac – even sex.
For the investors – I just got home from the Apple store at Crossgates Mall in Albany, NY… with a new 17″ iMac for my wife, of course…
The Apple store was the busiest store of any that I passed in the mall. Granted, we only walked through maybe a quarter of the place today, but as usual, the store was jumping and people were buying. There are three registers at the front… us with the iMac, a guy buying a new iBook, and a woman buying a couple of iPod Nanos. There were lines at all three registers.
Apple is HOT. If the stock wants to pull back a bit for a breather, fine. There is no bad news here.
That isn’t true. FRIGGIN STUPID WMA DRM PROTECTED MEDIA blocks me out of some the stuff I want to see!
Thurrott still uses the “task-based interface” line. He’s been saying this for quite some time now, but to my knowledge has never offered a valid explanation of what it is and why it’s better than everything else. Sounds like a bunch of marketing-speak to me.
MDN why do you continue to post the ramblings of this pin head?
Thurrott probably got a mac mini as a joke but now has a closet fetish for using it. Poor guy still has to save face and write for Wininfo.
Typical, me no clicky. Sorry.