Cool apps, hot stuff


A book about cool apps is really hard to write. Not because the apps are hard to understandthey're easy to learn and fun to use. Here's the problem: These apps are such incredibly hot stuff that you can't stop playing with them. And they have the power to transform you. For example, when writing the GarageBand chapter, I realized for the first time that I'm a brilliant musical composerI couldn't stop creating music. When Robin asked "How's that chapter going?" I couldn't even hear her because the headphones were blasting away, and besides, I was concentrating on which drum effect sounded best under the Southern Rock piano. Then, while writing the iMovie chapter, I discovered that I'm a genius video editor. I couldn't stop importing video clips and editing them, experimenting with different sound tracks and effects. It got worse as I worked on the iTunes chapter. I had an epiphanyI'm a music connoisseurof all kinds of music, which just happened to be at my fingertips! The iChat chapter sent me over the edgenot just because it's fun to chat with buddiesbut now I can actually have audio chats with up to ten buddies, and video chat with three or four buddies all at once! Geez! It's very hard to leave a chat with an old high school buddy in Germany just because you've got a book deadline.

Even with these obstacles, the day finally arrived when it was time to quit playing around and write this introduction. I'll make it brief, because I've got some movies that need editing and they'll be needing original sound tracks.

This book is divided into three main sections:

Section One, iLife apps covers the suite of five fabulous applications that will change your digital life. If you don't have a digital life, these apps will most likely persuade you to get one. Before iLife, we rarely used our digital camera or our video camera; we seldom bought music, and our existing music collection consisted of dust-covered, scratched CDs scattered around the house. Now we shoot photos, edit movies, create DVDs, buy songs and albums without leaving the house, and compose original music tracks for our movies and DVDs.

Section Two, .Mac apps tells all about the great software, features, and services provided with a .Mac membership (pronounced "dot Mac"). If you don't have a .Mac membership, you're missing out on some of the great fun and advantages of being a Mac user.

Section Three, Mac OS X apps explains in detail the main productivity apps that are included as part of Mac OS XiCal, Mail, Address Book, Safari, iChat, and Bonjour.

We don't just write about these apps. We use them every day. And every night. Even when we don't have to. It's too much fun being a Mac user.


John



    Robin Williams Cool Mac Apps. A guide to iLife '05,  .Mac, and more.
    Robin Williams Cool Mac Apps. A guide to iLife '05, .Mac, and more.
    ISBN: 321335902
    EAN: N/A
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 277

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