What’s new in iWork ’09? Do you need it?
It’s been about 18 months since Apple last updated its office productivity suite. Should you be reaching for your credit card now or should wait this round out?
Call me a push over, but Phil Schiller’s Macworld keynote address had me primed and ready to buy iWork ’09 right away. I was sold on the features, slick new templates and effects, and the idea of using my iPod touch as a presentation remote (Keynote Remote, 99¢, iTunes) was just icing on an already irresistible three layer cake.
Further, iWork ’09′s relatively modest hardware and OS requirements (500MHz G4 or better, OS X 10.4.11, OS 10.5.6 or higher) mean my family’s aging, yet still capable 1.42GHz G4 Mac mini has more than enough juice.
“Numbers has always been great for spreadsheets, and its latest features help remedy some of its weaknesses as a calculation and analysis tool”—MacNN
“It’s fun to put [Keynote] presentations together when the tools are this pleasant, and the integration with iPhoto and iTunes via the Media Browser is wonderfully convenient”—TUAW
“Pages seems more than adequate for many users, especially those who don’t want to learn more complex programs, such as Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac”—Washington Post
See also
—Video Tutorials
—Apple training & workshops
—http://www.apple.com/iwork/iwork-dot-com/
—Download the 30-day trial
Although I do create create, edit and view spreadsheets a couple times a month, it’s not one of my top activities and I don’t begin to challenge Numbers’ features. Thereupon, ’09′s 250 functions—that’s 150 more than the ’08 version—are just so much trivia for me. However, this application’s pure ease-of-use and emphasis on generating beautiful graphics from data have opened new horizons for me—maximum impact with minimal study.
Moving along, Pages is an able document creation and layout application—now even more so. The addition of EndNote functionality—not Apple’s half-baked reinvention of the wheel, but the real deal—is a killer feature that’s sure win Pages a lot of converts.
Further, although I haven’t tried or even had need for MathType, it’s cool that Apple has gone to the well to add this functionality—something of a must-have for integrating and display scientific data—speaks volumes about the importance of function over “making the whole burrito.” Of course, the addition of new templates for both word processing and layout are just gravy.
Although Pages and Numbers have both improved greatly, iWork’s marquis application is still Keynote—it’s been the power behind many a Macworld and WWDC keynote, and easily bests anything out of Redmond. That said, the changes in Keynote ’09 more resemble a solid point upgrade (Magic Move is nevertheless sweet) rather than the whole number refresh this release is being sold as.
Worth $79?
Well, first off, don’t pay full retail—get at least $5 off Apple’s MSRP. Second, if you are buying a new Mac anyway, you can get iWork ’09 for $49.
Also, whenever Apple updates its hardware or software, there are great deals to be had on last-gen product. That is, iWork ’08 is extremely capable and includes 95+ percent of the functionality in iWork ’09 and you can buy it for $63 Amazon right now and better deals will pop up as resellers move to clear old inventory.
Bottom line(s)? If you don’t need the bells and whistles in iWork ’09 and are budget conscious, then the last-gen iWork ’08 is a much better value and will satisfy 99 percent of “ordinary” users, which includes the vast majority of people using Microsoft Office for Mac ($149 and up), too.
However, if you live and breath high volume layout and presentation work, iWork ’09 is a must have upgrade that’s worth the asking price simply based on the included templates, functions and transitions…
What’s your take?
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January 12th, 2009
Although it was note made clear in the Macworld keynote, all three iWork ’09 apps work with MathType, not just Pages.
Paul Topping
Design Science, Inc.
Makers of MathType, MathFlow, MathPlayer, etc.
January 12th, 2009
Thanks for that, Paul—we appreciate you dropping by!