Apple launches Mac video tutorials website

[AppleInsider]

A new subsection of Apple's website dubbed "Find out how" offers dozens of new video tutorials aimed at swaying consumers towards its Mac computing platform and then helping them achieve the most from their Mac experience once they bite the bullet.

The sub-site, which appears to have launched sometime earlier this month, is broken down into six sections -- Mac OS X, Photos, Movies, Web, Music, and Documents -- each containing a number of video tutorials ranging from 1:00 to 4:00 minutes long.

The Mac OS X section, for example, includes three 2:30 minute videos directed at potential Windows PC switchers entitled "Anatomy of a Mac," "Move to a Mac," and "Windows on a Mac." Meanwhile, the Photo and Web sections offer instructional videos on the ease of creating content such as web galleries and personal blog sites.

It appears that Apple plans to build an extensive library of Mac video tutorials over time, and even offers an option for viewers to subscribe to the tutorial feeds as Podcasts. From there, the videos are downloaded directly to iTunes where they can then be synced to an iPhone, iPod or Apple TV.

Additionally, the new sub-site offers several dozen text- and image-based tutorials covering topics such as customizing the mighty mouse, emailing web links instantly, sharing an iCal schedule, and creating a buddy icon with photo booth.



The new tutorials site joins a similar array of informative Mac videos previously available on Apple.com, such as the iLife '08 guide video tour and the Mac OS X Leopard guided video tour.

[.mac]

that's really awesome help for the beginners

[Ireland]

They need more videos on Mac OS X thought. 3 videos is pathetic.

[rtdunham]

i went to the link provided in the article and found only static help screens (other than the three videos in the Mac OSX section). And yet i know other introductory video tips exist. Example: I watched one this morning on how you can automatically capture information in an email and plug it into address book using "data detectors". But when i click on that subject at the site linked to in the article, i get only a static image-and-text explanation.

is the link faulty? am i overlooking something at the linked site? where are the video tutorials?

[Flounder]

Originally Posted by Ireland

They need more videos on Mac OS X thought. 3 videos is pathetic.

It just launched. Perhaps more are on the way.

I'd certainly categorize 3 as better than 0.

[Achiever]

Did anyone else find it interesting that the videos, at least the three or four I looked at, had the iWork apps running on Tiger and not Leopard?

[Dave K.]

Originally Posted by Flounder

It just launched. Perhaps more are on the way.

I'd certainly categorize 3 as better than 0.

Why launch with just three videos. Its stupid to do so.

[Clive At Five]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

A new subsection of Apple's website dubbed "Find out how" offers dozens of new video tutorials aimed at swaying consumers towards its Mac computing platform and then helping them achieve the most from their Mac experience once they bite the bullet.

Okay, video-tutorials are great and all, but why not entice switchers with competitive hardware at competitive prices? And Apple is neglecting the single largest computer-using demographic: people who think they need towers.

If Apple is really interested in wroing themselves out to bring in more switchers (and I'm convinced they are), they need to whore themselves to other market segments... not just idiot consumers, pros, and business-people with severe back-problems.

-Clive

[John.B]

Online how-to videos are great and everything, but they need to make these available as podcasts ASAP. Imagine if they had a how-to video for adding memory to an iMac, that you had to watch (...wait for it...) on the iMac.

Originally Posted by rtdunham

is the link faulty? am i overlooking something at the linked site? where are the video tutorials?

It looks like the section on the left is "All Mac OS X video tutorials" and the one on the right is "All Mac OS X text tutorials".

[suhail]

Originally Posted by Clive At Five

Okay, video-tutorials are great and all, but why not entice switchers with competitive hardware at competitive prices? And Apple is neglecting the single largest computer-using demographic: people who think they need towers.

If Apple is really interested in wroing themselves out to bring in more switchers (and I'm convinced they are), they need to whore themselves to other market segments... not just idiot consumers, pros, and business-people with severe back-problems.

-Clive

Agreed!

[suhail]

Originally Posted by Dave K.

Why launch with just three videos. Its stupid to do so.

Yes it is... And I don't know why it took so long with such lacking effort. I subscribe to a podcast by Adobe that teaches how to use Adobe products, and they have new classes every week, sometimes 3x per week. Ironically I can get these podcasts on my Apple TV but there are no available Apple-Training podcasts.

I'd like to see training podcasts for FCP, Shake, Motion, LiveType, Soundtrack Pro, etc.

[swebb99_uk]

Well there are more than 3 how to's because thats just the mac ones there are others for photo's and so on. There are tabs above the video pane on the page !

I downloaded them onto itunes with the idea of watching on my ipod at work however the podcasts just don't get transferred to my ipod even if i convert them all for the ipod. Any idea's ?

[Feynman]

Originally Posted by suhail

I'd like to see training podcasts for FCP, Shake, Motion, LiveType, Soundtrack Pro, etc.

Expect these to a *paid* subscription. Now videos that show the benefits from switching from iMovie to Final Cut Pro, those would be free just to whet your appetite

[suhail]

Originally Posted by Feynman

Expect these to a *paid* subscription. Now videos that show the benefits from switching from iMovie to Final Cut Pro, those would be free just to whet your appetite

Adobe is providing them for free, and why shouldn't they? It's a great idea, you can look at the software in detail before buying it or considering it for your business. And you can always be informed on how to use new features and how to do things different(ly).
The Adobe podcasts are a lifesaver, I watch all the episodes.

[Flounder]

Originally Posted by Dave K.

Why launch with just three videos. Its stupid to do so.

Why? I fail to see why this is stupid.

They have a host of text tutorials, supplemented by a few videos. I imagine it will grow over time.

Do you think it would be better to withhold these videos from the public until they had what? 8? 10? 12?

I think it's a great start.

[VisualZone]

What? No one's been here?

http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/

[JeffDM]

It seems like there are so many good third party video tutorials available that I think the effort is better spent indexing the better ones available.

[mdotcheung]

I have the same problem. I've posted a feedback message to them hoping that they'll have some solution for this. I'd like to see these on the go, to get some inspiration on trying new stuff that I haven't got around to yet.

[TBaggins]

Really, really good idea. Kudos to Apple!


.

[hiproductions]

This is great for me. Every time I convert someone in my family to Mac, I suddenly become the Mac tutor, IT, and Mac Tech guy as well. It will be good to point them to this feature and remove the load from my shoulders.

It would also be cool if they started putting Pro Apps tutorials up as well. I've used Macprovideo tutorials and Creative Cow tutorials which are cool and I've been warned by MANY to avoid Mac House video tutorials as they are low low quality and pretty shady with the credit card details etc. But additional Mac tutorials by Mac professionals would rule the nations!

Andrew Hamilton
Hamilton International Productions
TV Production Las Vegas
http://www.hiproductions.com