iDVD

Not everything got a makeover. iDVD is, essentially, the same as it was last year. No wonder they didn't bother mentioning it at MacWorld (or on the iLife Box!). No new themes, no new features. It's basically last year's version. Maybe they made some under-the-hood changes, but I can't find a single difference. It's a shame, really, because iDVD is one of the things that separate iLife from other video editors for consumers. Maybe there are great plans for it in the coming months, or maybe they're going to release something to replace it (maybe DVD Studio for Consumers?). I'm not holding my breath, though.

Maybe this is Apple's way of saying physical media is dead?

Conclusion

The old axiom still applies here; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. While I'm not too thrilled with the updates for GarageBand, iWeb, and iDVD, the truth is every part of the iLife Suite is still pretty solid. The new features are a worthy addition, and for a mere $79 you aren't going to get a better value for your money on any other platform or with any other software. I'd always like to see more than I do, but that shouldn't detract from a great product, and frankly, iLife '09 is a great product and a great value.

Have you gotten your copy yet? Share your first impressions in the forum!

Vincent Ferrari is an Apple fan, videoblogger, blogger, writer, and all-around geek from the Bronx. He works in the IT Department of a cellular phone company that shall not be named, and lives in a very comfortable apartment with his lovely wife, two lovely cats, three Macs, two iPhones, and God-knows-how-many iPods of varying age.

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