iWork ’08 Keynote, Pages, and Numbers

iWork ’08 Keynote, Pages, and Number
Author: Richard Harrington Publisher Peachpit Press
418 pages . . . $39.99
ISBN-13 978-0-321-50185-1
Apple Training Series iWork ’08

Like the few other iWork books, this Apple Training Series book begins Keynote. Keynote was the basis used in creating iWork but I believe that most users will want to start with preparing documents in Pages. However, Richard Harrington begins with using an Outline in Keynote to create a basic presentation which I believe is a very good way to begin.

The lessons are clearly written include iWork documents that you can check your work against and that save you time and data entry in completing the projects. After you complete the very first lesson you should be able to create your own basic Keynote presentation.

Lesson 2, covers adding media to your keynote presentation. It includes a song on the DVD that you can open in GarageBand which you can modify, and a video which you can edit in iMovie.

Lesson 3 is on animating and viewing your presentation, and that is just the first three of 6 Keynote lessons.

I would be tempted to begin with lesson 7 on Word Processing, but I believe that would be a mistake. Beginning with the first lesson provides an introduction to many things you will be using in word processing. Lessons 8 and 9 cover Creating a Newsletter and Creating a Marketing Package.

Lessons 10 and 11 are about Numbers, Creating a Spreadsheet and Creating an Event Planner. Lesson 12 is about Integrating iWork ’08, Creating a Script, Storyboard, Budget and Presentation.

The DVD also contains a bonus lesson on Creating a Three-Panel Brochure. It also includes a bonus lesson For the Power User with examples of working with Aperture, LiveType, QuickTime, Compressor, Transparency in Motion, a layered Photoshop file, Final Cut Pro, and printing at a professional facility.

I work with iWork ’08 a lot and believe it is a magnificent tool. I believe anyone who has iWork ’08 or who is thinking about getting it will find iWork ’08 Keynote Pages and Numbers very helpful. If you are going to get, or already have, iWork ’09, you may want to wait for iWork ’09 Keynote, Pages and Numbers due out in late March.

For more information or to order a copy of iWork 08 with your user group discount go to

http://www.peachpit.com