Customer Reviews

How to Do Everything with iLife '04 (How to Do Everything)

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Good tips on all the parts of iLife'04, including intro to Garage Band, which I had just taken a look at. E.g., a tip tells which formats iPhoto can use, including BMP and PDF files, as well as my old PICT files. Good cautions and helpful points for both iPhoto and iMovie 4. Even some non-iLife software is mentioned (such as for audio recording). I'm glad to have this book next to my Mac.

The Guy Hart-Davis iLife book was my next logical choice to further my Apple computer education. Also, I wanted the most out of my recently purchase iPod.

iDVD allows you to create DVDs containing movies, slideshows or data with themes. IDVD works only with Apple Superdrive computers, and you can archive your work.

iMovie allows you to edit your home movies. You can import, assemble, cut and edit your movies. In addition, you can apply titles and effects with your own sounds or import the iTunes.

iPhoto allows you import digital photos from your digital camera, scanner and photo files. Edit and organize your pictures into albums and add sound for your own QuickTime movie.

iTunes allows you to make compressed digital copies of your CDs and other audios on your hard drive. You can load compressed files onto your iPod or MP3 player.

GarageBand is your application for composing, recording, and mixing your own music.

Guy Hart-DavisÕ iLife book, the chapters and pages I found interesting:

Part I Understanding the Point of iLife

Part II Enjoy Stunning Audio with iTunes and iPod

Part III Edit and Manage Your Digital Pictures with iPhoto

Part IV Create Your Own Movies with iMovie

Part V Burn Your Own DVDs with iDVD

Part VI Compose, Record, and Mix Original Music with GarageBand

Page Turners

Page 6, Get Acquainted

Page 49 iTunes Screen. This shows all the detailed controls of iTunes.

Pages 52-53 AIFF and WAV sound formats explained

Page 59 Rip and Encode Music

Page 61 Join Songs using Advanced settings in iTunes

Page 66 Rating Your Songs

* Page 92Ê Caution. Do not put AIFF uncompressed audio files on your iPod. You can ruin your iPod by making your iPod battery wear out much more quickly since the iPod's hard drive has to work harder with AIFF uncompressed files.

* Page 101 Eject Discs from stuck Powerbooks, iBooks, G4 Cubes that do not have manual eject holes.

* Page 145 Information on iPodÕs Battery Life

Page 147 Sound Check

Page 157 Burning CDs or DVDs.

Page 164 ScreenSaver

* Page 166 AIFF Files for Highest Quality Sound

* Page 416 Salvation for those Mac computer users that do not have a Superdrive in their computer. Guy Hart-Davis showed me how to transfer my DVD project to a Mac with Superdrive.

* Important pages for further reading.

BookÕs Pro Reaction

Back cover inside has the essential keyboard shortcuts for iLife applications. The book has a very good description of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand programs with an indepth usage of the Apple iPods and mini iPods. The iLife book has many illustrations and photos throughout the book.

BookÕs Con Reaction

'What Does This Book Cover?' pages should have been retitled: 'Contents at a Glance' and put in the front of the book. All the illustrations in the iLife book are in black and white and could have had color illustrations for the iPhoto and iMovie sections. iLifeworks only with Mac OS 10.2.6 or greater.

Final Remarks

Guy Hart-Davis provided me with important information on how to best use my iPod. I learned that putting AIFF sounds into my iPod could ruin my iPod's hard drive. Also, I learned how to use iTunes sound compression for MP3, AAC and WAV formats.

i bought this book along w/ 2 other "how (not) to video editing books specializing in FCXpress-i'm sorry i did-if the dog hadn't p'd on them i'd send them back-why?- I used to be a pogue fan till the repetion started-jim heid's guide is why i got into the mac & imovie in the 1st place-simple to learn & to the point with immediate results( highly reccomended). I found Guy's book lacking in some of the most important sound upgrades-strange since his claim to fame was in audio (i-pod) i also don;t like to be told to go look for imfo somewhere else-at least J. heid gives you a link to goto-as for the FCXpress-after reading 101 tricks- i can already do them w/ 3rd party plugins & still have the ease of imovie. No put downs intended-just dissapointed-when will a video guy 1st / computer challenged-how to book be written ?