Customer Reviews

Robin Williams Cool Mac Apps: Twelve apps for enhanced creativity and productivity (3rd Edition)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Cool Mac Apps" Third Edition by Robin Williams is an excellent information provider for anyone using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Covered in this book are the mac applications iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, Mail and more, twelve in all.
There is an explanation of the application and instructions on how to do each of the functions within the application. The book is quite detailed. For example iPhoto itself is 97 pages.
This is an excellent book for reference after going through it at least once. I have prior editions and refer to them whenever I have a question on a covered application. Of course with each new Edition many features are repeated from the prior but the latest Edition incorporates all the new features of those applications.

This book is now part of my reference library and it is highly recommended. I would give it a 5 star rating.

Reviewed by Marty Grauer, Fresno Macintosh Users Group.

"Cool Mac Apps".
Author Robin Williams with John Tollett.
ISBN-0-321-50896-3
US $ 24.99
Peachpit Press, www.peachpit.com

Simply: This book is very useful for Mac Leopard and iLife users with two years of experience or less, but even advanced Mac Leopard and iLife users will pick up some useful information from this book.

Along with Robin William's book "Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard" book (which overlaps some of the contents of this Cool Mac Apps book), the two books are enough to get a newer Mac user going very nicely. The two books are written in a friendly and practical style (as opposed to a technical style with too many details) to focus on what you really need to know to do tasks well.

One of the strengths of the books is how the Mac Apps (in the iLife application package, and in Mac Leopard itself) can work together. Some of this info is rather surprising. Personally, I was able to use the iDvd application successfully for the first time, using this Cool Mac Apps book, to make a very nice DVD of my favorite family picture slideshows and short movies, and have shared this with distant family members with many positive comments.

I can honestly recommend this book to all of us who have started to use Apple Mac versions and applications in the last few years, and all those who would like to make those most of their Macs.

This author is just excellent. I cannot say enough about her. She takes the technical out of technology and speaks to us like a friend. She is the Pulitizer-worthy author of computer books. What can I say to convince you. She is very cool as well as being totally informed about the software and hardware she writes about

Robin Williams (the writer and graphic designer, not the actor) has rightly earned her crown as Queen of the Mac. Her writings on Macintosh software is simply outstanding. While "Cool Mac Apps" isn't her best work, it's still a great book and compliments other books on how to use Leopard. In fact, this book should be seen as a companion to her other books on Leopard, most notably her "Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: Peachpit Learning Series." "Cool Mac Apps" expects a basic understanding of how to use the Mac and the Leopard operating system. <!--more-->

The book assumes you have iLife '08 and Leopard installed, and while focusing on iLife, it still covers such Leopard applications as iCal, Mail, Address Book, Safari, iChat and Time Machine. I would have suggested calling this an iLife book, but with the addition of some of the more practical applications that don't fit into the iLife series, that wouldn't make much sense either.

Overall the book is a competent overview of iLife and other Leopard applications. The book was lacking in some of Robin Williams' trademark design. In fact, this book read like most other books on computers. The writing was a bit dense and lacking in full color photos and white space that increases readability. Dare I saw the book was a bit boring? The writing in individual chapters consisted mostly of features, menu commands and preferences and was lacking in practical applications or exercises.

After reading this book, don't expect to become an expert in any of these subjects, but if you feel you want to "dabble" a bit more and don't want to buy a whole book on iPhoto or iDVD, this may be a good book for you. This might be a good "in-between" book to help a reader determine if they want to explore iLife further. I would recommend this book to a Mac beginner who understands the basics of their new Mac, but wonders what all those programs that came with the computer can do.

Pros: Broad coverage of programs that come with new Macs
Cons: Lacks readability and practical application

I got this from Amazon with 46 pages missing. The print looks like it was run off an old black and white 1960's era Zerox machine and stapled in a binder. I told Amazon about the missing pages and they sent a new one quickly. Apparently no one read my note and Amazon sent another copy that had exactly the same missing pages. I returned that one too and asked for a refund. Wasted time!
I liked Robin William's books, but quality control is lacking at both the publishers and Amazon.

As a new Mac owner I needed something to help me navigate through the jungle of options, widgets events and albums which differ from folders for filing pictures, menus and much, much more.
I have had my new computer for 1 month and now I feel comfortable thanks to the information garnered from this book.

This is a very concise but well explained book. It is easy to read and follow.The illustrations are clear and accurate. An excellent book for anyone, especially those of us who are not well versed in computer usage.