Apple unveils iWork '05 productivity suite
Apple today unveiled iWork '05, productivity software designed to take advantage of both Mac OS X and iLife '05 to help users easily create, present and publish professional-looking documents and presentations.
iWork '05 introduces Pages, a new Apple-branded word processor with a sense of style, and also features Keynote 2, a major new version of Apple's presentation software that lets anyone create cinematic-looking presentations.
Both Pages and Keynote 2 take full advantage of the advanced typography and graphics engine of Mac OS X, are seamlessly integrated with iLife '05. They include a collection of themes and templates that make it easy to produce stunning results in minutes.
"With iWork '05, we're building the successor to AppleWorks by taking advantage of the latest innovations in Mac OS X and iLife '05," said Sina Tamaddon, Apple's senior vice president of Applications. "iWork '05 makes it incredibly easy for anyone to create really great-looking documents, newsletters and presentations quickly and easily."
Pages gives users the tools to create great looking letters, newsletters, reports, brochures and resumes with advanced typography, multiple columns, footnotes, tables of contents and styles. Featuring dynamic text wrapping and alignment guides, Pages lets users create free-form arrangements of text, graphics, photos, tables and charts. An integrated iLife media browser lets users drag and drop photos from the iPhoto library directly into documents, and with over 40 Apple-designed templates, Pages makes it easy to create professional documents in minutes.
Keynote 2 is a application that gives users everything they need to create compelling presentations, portfolios, interactive slideshows and storyboards. Keynote 2 delivers powerful slide animations to synchronize the movement of multiple objects and cinematic real-time animated text. The iLife media browser within Keynote makes it easy to insert photos, movies and music directly into presentations and with image masking, it's easy to frame the exact part of the photo users want to display. Keynote 2 comes with 20 themes making it easy to create stunning presentations in minutes. Keynote 2 also helps presenters stay on track with the ability to use a second monitor to display upcoming slides, notes and a timer.
iWork '05 imports AppleWorks and imports and exports Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files along with supporting a wide range of industry standard file formats including PDF, Adobe Photoshop, TIFF, JPG and QuickTime. Keynote 2 now includes the ability to export presentations to Macromedia Flash.
Pricing & Availability
iWork ?05 will be available in the US on Saturday, January 22 and worldwide on Saturday, January 29 for a suggested retail price of $79 (US). Minimum system requirements include Mac OS X version 10.3.6, a Macintosh computer with a 500 MHz or faster PowerPC G3, G4 or G5 processor (G4 for PowerBook), 128 MB of RAM (512MB recommended), 8MB of video RAM (32MB recommended), QuickTime 6.5 or later and iLife '04 or later recommended.
iWork '05 introduces Pages, a new Apple-branded word processor with a sense of style, and also features Keynote 2, a major new version of Apple's presentation software that lets anyone create cinematic-looking presentations.
Both Pages and Keynote 2 take full advantage of the advanced typography and graphics engine of Mac OS X, are seamlessly integrated with iLife '05. They include a collection of themes and templates that make it easy to produce stunning results in minutes.
"With iWork '05, we're building the successor to AppleWorks by taking advantage of the latest innovations in Mac OS X and iLife '05," said Sina Tamaddon, Apple's senior vice president of Applications. "iWork '05 makes it incredibly easy for anyone to create really great-looking documents, newsletters and presentations quickly and easily."
Pages gives users the tools to create great looking letters, newsletters, reports, brochures and resumes with advanced typography, multiple columns, footnotes, tables of contents and styles. Featuring dynamic text wrapping and alignment guides, Pages lets users create free-form arrangements of text, graphics, photos, tables and charts. An integrated iLife media browser lets users drag and drop photos from the iPhoto library directly into documents, and with over 40 Apple-designed templates, Pages makes it easy to create professional documents in minutes.
Keynote 2 is a application that gives users everything they need to create compelling presentations, portfolios, interactive slideshows and storyboards. Keynote 2 delivers powerful slide animations to synchronize the movement of multiple objects and cinematic real-time animated text. The iLife media browser within Keynote makes it easy to insert photos, movies and music directly into presentations and with image masking, it's easy to frame the exact part of the photo users want to display. Keynote 2 comes with 20 themes making it easy to create stunning presentations in minutes. Keynote 2 also helps presenters stay on track with the ability to use a second monitor to display upcoming slides, notes and a timer.
iWork '05 imports AppleWorks and imports and exports Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files along with supporting a wide range of industry standard file formats including PDF, Adobe Photoshop, TIFF, JPG and QuickTime. Keynote 2 now includes the ability to export presentations to Macromedia Flash.
Pricing & Availability
iWork ?05 will be available in the US on Saturday, January 22 and worldwide on Saturday, January 29 for a suggested retail price of $79 (US). Minimum system requirements include Mac OS X version 10.3.6, a Macintosh computer with a 500 MHz or faster PowerPC G3, G4 or G5 processor (G4 for PowerBook), 128 MB of RAM (512MB recommended), 8MB of video RAM (32MB recommended), QuickTime 6.5 or later and iLife '04 or later recommended.
Comments
-Ybot
Originally posted by hmurchison
I like it but there's no spreadsheet. Sloppy Apple.
I thought I saw a rumor of yet another iWork application called "Cells". Obviously not today...but perhaps in the works. Would be nice to have NOW though to dump AW once and for all. I still use AW for spreadsheet stuff on occasion.
Of course there are 2-3 3rd party spreadsheet applications worth looking into, including this one: http://www.materialarts.com/FlexiSheet/index.html which has been open-sourced.
Then again, maybe they do have a primitive spreadsheet as part of Pages?. FileMaker also imports Excel spreadsheets directly.
So the big question for me... does it do web pages? (I think it doesn't)
And as a side note, is there an upgrade for Appleworks on Windows?
So the big question for me... does it do web pages? (I think it doesn't)
Pages has the option to export as html. But is is not purposed for web pages.
It is not being included in the iMac mini software package which could support thinksecrets speculations about a forthcoming light "Notes" version of Pages. I find it strange that Apple chose to include Appleworks instead, but i guess its better than no wordprocessor. For now..
Originally posted by hmurchison
I like it but there's no spreadsheet. Sloppy Apple.
Amen to that.
They've had five years to work on this update. They kill the Spreadsheet and Database portions and charge the same amount? With no upgrade path for Keynote users? What are they smoking over there?
Originally posted by Token
Pages has the option to export as html. But is is not purposed for web pages.
It is not being included in the iMac mini software package which could support thinksecrets speculations about a forthcoming light "Notes" version of Pages. I find it strange that Apple chose to include Appleworks instead, but i guess its better than no wordprocessor. For now..
"Notes" (if it is real) really sounds like something quite different to me. Doesn't it?
There is a "Tables and Charts" function.
Hopefully they're not clueless, and have just hidden the functionality to avoid the cancellation of MS Office.
Originally posted by Frank777
Ok, maybe that was a bit harsh.
There is a "Tables and Charts" function.
Hopefully they're not clueless, and have just hidden the functionality to avoid the cancellation of MS Office.
You know, I don't think they are really worried about MS cancelling Office. A couple of reasons:
1. MS makes some good coin from office:mac
2. I don't think Pages will really eat into Office sales. Low-end users...this really is for AW users who really have a hard time justifying paying $$$ for Office for the little amount of word processing they do.
Which site was that? I *think* it was macosrumors, but not sure.
Whoever it was lashed pretty badly when the materials didn't surface, but I remember the whole lightbulb thing and green scheme that is now present with iLife and iWork.
Thanks.
Originally posted by Token
Pages has the option to export as html. But is is not purposed for web pages.
It is not being included in the iMac mini software package which could support thinksecrets speculations about a forthcoming light "Notes" version of Pages. I find it strange that Apple chose to include Appleworks instead, but i guess its better than no wordprocessor. For now..
THanks for the html info.
iMac mini comes with AppleWorks eh?. That is ODD. Why?
(edit) I guess I thought iWorks was a new renamed Appleworks... and preloading AW implies it is positioned differently in Apple's mind.
Does Apple want people to pay extra for iWork? (implying iWork is a more professional app than Appleworks, which Keynote is but how good is pages?)
Or does Apple want to give people an app with spreadsheet and graphics?
It does imply a light version... perhaps the light version will be preloaded with Mac OS 10.4? (like TextEdit, or Notepad/WordPad). Hmmm
Like some of the others, I really was hoping for an all out replacement of AppleWorks and I'm sure in time iWork will become just that. In the meantime, Apple needs to make sure to not step on too many of Microsoft's toes... Apple needs Office to remain available for OS X.
Until that time ... AppleWorks spreadsheet module works just fine for the price! ;-)
Microsoft intro'd Messenger 5.0 and both Apple and MS said they are very closely working together on the next Office. Apple knows they need Office or many people, businesses and colleges would not touch a Mac. Sad but true.
Other stuff looks good though.
Originally posted by hmurchison
I like it but there's no spreadsheet. Sloppy Apple.
Not sloppy, prudent. Taking it one step at a time.
$79 buys you Pages/Keynote 2
$79 buys you Cell/MacDB
So for $149 you can buy all 4 in the future and have a full suite.
Sorry but the desktop publishing layout potential of Pages should be self-evident, especially when Tiger is released.
building the successor to AppleWorks
Now if this was it, Keynote and Pages was iWork, wouldn't he have said "We have built the successor to AppleWorks" or "iWork, the successor to AppleWorks". Instead by saying "building" that implies that they are still working on things. AppleWorks also did spreadsheet, simple drawing, and database. Could a future version of iWork also include a spreadsheet app (and more)? Very interesting.
Pages reminds me of a Word and Indesign hybrid app. Not really as powerful as either one, but a solid combination of both for the novice user.
Originally posted by kupan787
Here is what caught my attention, what Steve Jobs said:
Now if this was it, Keynote and Pages was iWork, wouldn't he have said "We have built the successor to AppleWorks" or "iWork, the successor to AppleWorks". Instead by saying "building" that implies that they are still working on things. AppleWorks also did spreadsheet, simple drawing, and database. Could a future version of iWork also include a spreadsheet app (and more)? Very interesting.
Pages reminds me of a Word and Indesign hybrid app. Not really as powerful as either one, but a solid combination of both for the novice user.
Exactly on all points.
Apple really went after Adobe at this show it seems to me. The editing additions to iPhoto and the ease of page layout in Pages really turns up the heat and give us common folk some powerful yet affordable and low level apps.
It will be exciting to watch iWork expand and improve in the future.