iWork

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iWork
iWork '08 Box
Developed by Apple Inc.
Latest release iWork '09 / January 6, 2009
OS Mac OS X
Type Office suite
License Proprietary
Website apple.com/iwork

iWork is a suite of applications created by Apple Inc., containing Pages, a word processing and desktop publishing application; Keynote, a presentation package; and Numbers, a spreadsheet application.[1]

Although iWork is billed by Apple as "a successor to AppleWorks",[2] it does not replicate the functionality of AppleWorks's database and drawing tools. Likewise, it does not compete directly with the Mac version of Microsoft Office,[citation needed] but instead offers tools with a different focus (presentation, rather than analysis) at a lower price. It is designed to integrate with existing applications from Apple's iLife Suite. Although iLife comes free on every Mac, iWork is sold separately. A free 30-day trial of iWork was provided with every new Mac until February of 2008—as of March 2008,[citation needed] the iWork trial is available only as a download and with copies of iLife.

Contents

Components

Pages

Main article: Pages

Pages is a word processing and page layout application with an emphasis on visual appeal. It comes with a set of Apple-designed templates for documents including:

Pages incorporates a media browser for inserting pictures, music, and video from iPhoto, iTunes, and iMovie. Pages allows the user to save or export in formats including:

Keynote

Keynote is a slideshow application with an emphasis on presentation. It is similar in many ways to Microsoft's PowerPoint, but contains several features native to the iWork suite. Keynote makes use of iLife integration by including a media browser for inserting pictures, music, and video from iPhoto, iTunes, and iMovie. Keynote also features the ability to include animation in slideshow presentations. Keynote is quite versatile in its ability to recognize and save to many formats, including:

Numbers

Main article: Numbers (software)
Numbers spreadsheet application

Numbers is a spreadsheet application that was added in iWork '08. It incorporates unique features such as intelligent tables, a flexible canvas and interactive printing.

It is the first spreadsheet application developed by Apple since AppleWorks.

iWork.com

Main article: iWork.com

iWork.com is an beta service which enables iWork users to upload their documents to iWork.com servers so that it can be shared with others who can download or give feedback to the document. iWork.com is currently free as a beta but will be a subscription based service as iWork.com is completed.

History

iWork '05

iWork '05 was launched on January 11, 2005 (2005-01-11) and featured the new version 2 of Keynote and the first release of Pages. Before it was released, what would essentially become iWork was rumored to be an add-on, upgrade, or new release of AppleWorks.[2]

iWork '06

On January 10, 2006, Apple introduced iWork '06 at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, which upgraded Pages to version 2 and Keynote to version 3.[3] New features common to both applications included 3D charts, tables with formula support, reviewer comments, and shaped image masking. The addition of tables with formula support may have been added to quiet rumors of an Apple spreadsheet application. Since iWork's focus is on presentation, Apple incorporated a way to put most common spreadsheet features into a table while providing only limited additional functionality. iWork '06 drops support for PowerPC Macs with G3 processors.

iWork '08

iWork '08 was announced on August 7, 2007 at a special event at Apple's Cupertino campus. New versions of Pages and Keynote were introduced, as was a new spreadsheet application, Numbers. Despite this, hard disk space requirements were reduced from 1.85 GB in iWork '06 to 690 MB in iWork '08. iWork '08 marked the end of AppleWorks, which was discontinued a week later.[4] iWork 08 drops support for Mac OS X v10.3 'Panther'.

iWork '09

iWork '09 was announced and released on January 6, 2009. The new version of Keynote included new themes as well as the ability to control slide shows with an iPod Touch or iPhone. There was also a new version of Pages and Numbers. Hard disk space requirements were reduced from 690 MB in iWork '08 to 140 MB in iWork '09. An online version, iWork.com was also released, as beta, similar to Google Docs. Apple announced there will eventually be a charge for this service.

See also

References

  1. ^ Apple Introduces iWork ’08
  2. ^ a b Apple press release Apple Unveils iWork '05
  3. ^ Apple press release Apple Announces iWork '06
  4. ^ Evans, Jonny (2007-08-15). "Apple cans AppleWorks", Macworld UK. Retrieved on 15 August 2007. 

External links