“Every year, Apple issues a new iLife upgrade, and every year, I stare in wonder at my Mac’s monitor, noting the improvements and wondering why Microsoft and the PC industry can’t create something as impressive as iLife for the Windows realm. Three years after the initial iLife release, iLife ’06 is now available, and it’s better than ever. Quite simply, there’s nothing on the Windows side of the fence that approaches the quality of iLife ’06,” Paul Thurrott writes for Connected Home Media. “If you’re unfamiliar with iLife, it’s basically a complete and integrated suite of digital media tools that’s available only for Mac OS X. In most cases, these applications are best-of-breed, meaning that there are no alternatives that come even close to combining the power, ease of use, and integration that the iLife applications provide.”
“What you can’t get from this short overview is how well these applications integrate. If you want to make a movie from your photo collection, your iPhoto-based photos appear in iMovie. Likewise, you can do something similar from iDVD. Each of these applications can reach into the other applications’ databases and extract content, as needed, in a similar and integrated fashion,” Thurrott writes. “Best of all, iLife ’06 is cheap. It comes free with any new Mac, but if you have a previous version, the full retail version is just $79, while a Family Pack, which lets you install the suite on as many as five Macs, is a bargain at $99. Why Microsoft can’t duplicate this functionality—along with the low-ball pricing—is beyond me.”
Full article here.
Advertisements:
• iLife ’06.Includes iPhoto, iMovie HD, DVD, and GarageBand, plus iWeb, an innovative application that lets you share photos, movies, podcasts, and blogs on the Internet using .Mac. Just $79. Free shipping.
• MacBook Pro. The first Mac notebook built upon Intel Core Duo with iLife ’06, Front Row and built-in iSight. Starting at $1999. Free shipping.
• iMac. Twice as amazing — Intel Core Duo, iLife ’06, Front Row media experience, Apple Remote, built-in iSight. Starting at $1299. Free shipping.
• iMac and MacBook Pro owners: Apple USB Modem. Easily connect to the Internet using dial-up service. Only $49.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
Related articles:
Thurrott: ‘I highly recommend Apple’s new Intel-based iMac’ – January 31, 2006
Personal Computer World: Apple iLife ’06 ‘a must have for any Mac user’ – January 31, 2006
Review: Apple’s iWeb software perfect for publishing photos, movies, podcasting, simple blogging – January 28, 2006
First look at Apple’s new iWeb application – January 17, 2006
Apple announces iLife ’06 with new versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and new iWeb – January 10, 2006
Paul Thurrott reviews Apple iLife ’04; calls for ‘iLife for Windows’ – February 04, 2004
Why can’t M$ replicate iLife?
Because it is way too difficult for them. You need smarts for that!
Answer…because Windows is “good enough”.
The vast majority of Windows users don’t care about quality. There are always going to be people that will trade a cheapo price for something thats just good enough.
I love it too. We need more of this reporting, thank you Mr. Thurrott.
You know, Thurott has been bashed mercilessly in the past for incomprehensible “Apple is doing it all wrong, and the next version of Windows will blow OS X out of the water” type article.
Kudos to the guy for seeing the light.
SO Thurrot is now officially on our side
Now lets get to work on Endearle. We’ve still got a long way to go though.
Welcome home Paul!
but whatever it takes… he’s catching on!
being a newbie Paul obviously hasn’t read the support forum for iLife ’06. iMovie ’06 has SERIOUS issues….
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1115
from an earlier post that was ignored…
What gets me is that MDN publishes this article without even referencing the obvious issues that many loyal apple users are having with iLife 06.
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1115
Does MDN really want apple users to install microsoftesque quality software on their macs?
iLife has serious issues. It must not have been beta tested completely, that’s obvious by the number of people that are struggling with bug issues. The problems are far beyond what should be expected in a upgrade, and certainly not expected from a company with the history of quality like Apple.
Come on MDN, you take Apple to take on their lack of advertising, keep your integrity and take them to task on iLife 06.
MDN word is “late”, as in it’s not to late to find your cojones!
When Vista is released the worm will turn.
I love you Paul Thurrott!!
do you mean… “take apple to task”?
yup, thanks
“What gets me is that MDN publishes this article without even referencing the obvious issues that many loyal apple users are having with iLife 06. “
You miss the point friend. Try to do what you can with iLife on Windblows and see how far you get. Is there room for improvement? Well, yes. There is always a need for more. More of this and more of that. That’s what makes the wheels go ’round.
Rock on SJ!
MacMania
I get the point of the article, my point is that MDN posts positive articles about iLife 06 and doesn’t give the whole truth. I’m a loyal mac user since 1985, and this release of iLife is the worst software upgrade I’ve EVER gotten from Apple.
Before any of you start suggesting that I’ve been somehow at fault. I’ve repaired permissions, have 1.5 gig of ram, using the software on a dual G4 with 10.4.4, gotten rid of all quicktime 3d party plug ins, upgraded quicktime (of course) and even moved the iMovie 06 files to same drive as my application (As suggested in the user forum).
check out the forum, the suite as a whole is pretty good, but iMovie in particular is really crash prone.
Why Microsoft can’t duplicate this functionality—along with the low-ball pricing—is beyond me
—
Hello? Are you new? Thurrott?
I suspect he had a gun to his head when he wrote that.. or he was pissing himself laughing..
Big Al: “When Vista is released the worm will turn.”
Yaah, and f-ck itself to death.
Wow.
MDN now sourcing Thurott, without telling everyone to take what he says with a huge grain of salt given that he’s the ultimate hit-whore? The masses thinking this is good?
This site isn’t just officially shit, it’s the new definition of it.
Cpt. Obvious, can’t a man change? Can you allow a man room to grow? To admit his past mistakes and go forward with an enlightened spirit and broadened mind?
“Kudos to the guy for seeing the light.”
No, “kudos” to all you guys for being able to forgive and forget so easily. Wish my memory were that short sometimes.
He more than likely paid for that beautiful new iMac with $$ made from slinging FUD about Apple & products.
Guess I’ll wait and see.
YA’ HEAR THAT ‘LIZABETH? I’M COMIN’ TO JOIN YA’ HONEY!
(Fred Sanford mimicking a heart attack upon hearing shocking news)
“iMovie 06 is not ready for prime time” & “where are MDN’s cojones!?”,
I don’t know what you read on those discussion pages but reading through the first page, I saw mostly minor issues and User issues. One person did have a problem with iMovie not starting but was able to fix it by reinstalling the program with no lose of data. I agree that some updates are needed and will come, but to downgrade MDN for sharing a positive article with us is crap.
I’m stunned…
Oh, because Microsoft doesn’t care about quality, or making great software. All they care about is making as much money as possible with as little effort as possible.
IOW, they haven’t figured out my secret after all these years. The best way to make a bunch of money is make stuff people want and are willing to pay more than the minimum required. The rest of the folks out there couldn’t be beaten into buying something any more expensive if you beat them with a Mony Burns stick.
Bozos
One thing about the Apple Discussion Boards is that there are millions of users hitting those boards. Lots of times you see the same issue pop up in hundreds of questions, or you see people making a big deal out of a small issue. Just looking at the boards, you’d think that it was alpha software. However, in the big picture I think you have a relative few having a problem each.
I think thurrot is one of the best writers out there for both windows and mac and teally guides us along properly without TOO much bias.
where are MDN’s cojones!? wrote:
> my point is that MDN doesn’t give the whole truth
While MDN may write a “take” on an article, they don’t write any of these articles themselves, and a “take” re iMovie 6 would not have made sense…
If you are aware of an article by MacAddict, MacHome, Macworld, etc., about the problems w/ iMovie 6, then by all means let MDN know…
MDN _does_ take Apple to task in some of their “takes,” primarily on how Apple chooses to (or not to) advertise itself and its products…
But please don’t confuse MDN as writing any of these articles — they just post excerpts from other people’s articles and link to them…
dab2
you obviously didn’t read that link very seriously….
there are hundreds of people who are having crashing problems with iMovie 06. Yes, I said hundreds! Read the whole forum list on iMovie… you’ll see. And as far as “downgrading” MDN for not telling the whole truth and that being crap…. you’re so misinformed or just plain stupid I don’t know where to start.
Go read the whole forum, then come back and speak with intelligence. Once you’ve actually read the forum, and read it farther than the first page… you’ll discover that it’s a far bigger problem than “user issues”.
When a program crashes repeatedly on a 10.4.4 system, on varied models of the mac platform, with abundant ram available for use, while all your asking the program to do is what it was DESIGNED to do, there is a problem.
iMovie 06 is much less stable that 05, and if you took the time to actually read past the first page of the discussion forum you would see that.
boyweho – what have you been smoking and can I get some?
“While MDN may write a “take” on an article, they don’t write any of these articles themselves, and a “take” re iMovie 6 would not have made sense..”
– why not? they write takes on every anti-apple/anti-mac article out there… why not report on the number of loyal mac users who are having trouble with iMovie 06? Is it wrong to tell the king he has no clothes?
“MDN _does_ take Apple to task in some of their “takes,” primarily on how Apple chooses to (or not to) advertise itself and its products…”
– that’s the only area I’m aware of that MDN does in fact hold apple accountable. Thank you for making my point exactly.
“But please don’t confuse MDN as writing any of these articles — they just post excerpts from other people’s articles and link to them…”
-again…. what are you smoking… and have you been on MDN long? They write rants and raves on a number of issues, go back and read the archives… they have commentary and satire, sarcasm and compliments. They offer a wide variety of opinion on all things apple. Your idea that they only comment on what others say is just silly.
The argument still stands… why does MDN refer to an article when there is AMPLE evidence that the iMovie portion of the iLife 06 stuite has serious bugs, and is crash prone. The’ve reccomended we work with or stay away from other pieces of software. Why not report on the iMovie 06 negatives along with the positives.
where are the cojones?
ok.. now that I’ve got that off my chest. Let me say it a little less passionately.
iLife 06 is an improvement over 05 in the area of what it offers. But if the software that replaces earlier software is actually LESS usable because of glitches and bugs, then it doesn’t matter what it’s enhancements are does it?
My iLife 06 ratings
iWeb is great, a little slow, but a very good product for a 1.0 release – 5 stars
iPhoto is pretty good also, but has crashed when importing files into iMovie, so this is probably an iMovie problem – again 5 stars
iTunes.. love it – 5 stars
Garageband 3 – 3 stars.. love the enhancements, but check the user forum, it’s wobbly and crash prone.
iDvd is great – 5 stars
iMovie – beta test quality. Should have never been released. Worst software update I’ve gotten in the 21 years I’ve owned macs. And that includes system 7 upgrades and 9.0.
MDN… come on, are you going to report on what’s really going on with this software suite, or just be an apple fan site?
boyweho….
“If you are aware of an article by MacAddict, MacHome, Macworld, etc., about the problems w/ iMovie 6, then by all means let MDN know…”
here ya go. if the user forums aren’t enough for you.. check out tera patricks review from her site at mac360 and the users that posted on her forum.
New iMovie: More Fun, Features, Integration, Bugs.
Published on Tuesday, January 17, 2006
By Tera Patricks
http://www.mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/more_video_more_audio_more_features_more_bugs/
MDN word is “often”, as in I am often wrong but this time I’m not
Don’t criticise iLife 06.
All the apps are excellent upgrades. Only one of them is seriously buggy: iMovie 06.
iPhoto, iTunes, iWeb, GarageBand = goodness!
Why would anyone want Microsoft to duplicate iLife or anything else. Why can’t they just accept it as not being from Microsoft and not being available on Windows. People are annoyed because they know they chose the wrong platform and they want to have Macintosh functionality, ease of use and security on what they bought. But it’s never going to happen. Just switch to the Mac and be happy.