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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/282
38 MacDirectory DEPARTMENT IWORK ON IMACS accessible. The program also sports some Keynote-like digital effects for slide shows that can be exported to the iPhone and Touch with the glitzy transitions intact. Randy Ubillos, the program's chief architect, came out to demo the greatly improved iMovie '09. The legion of iMovie '08's detractors will be pleased to know that the ability to apply video effects (not just transitions) has returned and is joined by some impressive motion stabilization technology. You'll still have to be careful about the number of espressos you consume before you shoot, but the program now does a good job of smoothing out camera moves. The old Hollywood-style animated maps may have you searching your music collection for an Indiana Jones theme to go with your next travel video. GarageBand '09 now helps you learn music as well as make it, with tutelage from instructors including Sting and John Fogerty. The most impressive aspect of the iWork suite is online collaboration. It's still in beta but publicly available. With Keynote Remote, you can use your iPhone or iPod Touch for wireless control of your presentation. Numbers now supports over 250 functions and Pages adds support for MathType and EndNote, making iWork a greater temptation for those who don't care for the other office suite. Apple's new 17" MacBook Pro has specs worthy of a higher-end desktop for those with the wherewithal to plunk down $2,800 for the new laptop (plus $50 if you prefer a matte screen over shiny glass). New materials, an eight-hour, built-in battery that's good for a thousand charging cycles promise an eco-friendly life and afterlife. The 800-only approach to FireWire may be an annoyance to some. Schiller's modest attempt at Jobs's famous "one more thing" was the announcement of the end to iTunes digital rights management (DRM) protection and a switch to a three-tiered pricing scheme ($.69 to $1.29). He said that it should be a money-saver for most Music Store customers and we can only assume the higher end will help stifle ongoing rumblings from the recording industry. Even to Apple's earliest and grayest fans, the appearance of Tony Bennett to close the keynote was more of a curiosity than a spectacle. The videos of Garage Band '09's new music teachers actually drew an equally energetic response from the crowd. The Exhibit Hall of Wonders On the show floor, the Exposition was very much its old self. Apple's growing popularity has resulted in numerous new products and vendors . Apple subsidiary FileMaker chose the Expo to launch FileMaker Pro 10, a dramatic update to its line of database applications and servers (see our review later in this issue). A few weeks before the expo, Axiotron, producers of the unique line of the ModBook Mac tablets announced that Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak had signed on to its board of advisors. Wozniak had worked closely with Axiotron MACWORLD 2009 > A NEW BEGINNING?