David Pogue takes a contrarian position to the Macalope's view on iMovie:
Most people are used to a product cycle that goes like this: Release a new version every year or two, each more capable than the last. Ensure that it's backward-compatible with your existing documents.
IMovie '08, on the other hand, has been totally misnamed. It's not iMovie at all. In fact, it's nothing like its predecessor and contains none of the same code or design. It's designed for an utterly different task, and a lot of people are screaming bloody murder.
And at least one of them is named David Pogue.
The Macalope's not prepared to horn and hoof defend Apple's decision on recasting the actors in iMovie from the veterans who can play anything to younger, more approachable actors without the range. But what's important is putting the asses in the seats.
The loss of all those extra features means little to people who can't bear the thought of opening the application because of all the work. Having seen the trailers, the horned one finds the remake to be a little more inviting than the original, but as with all summer blockbusters, it may be a matter of personal taste.
The Macalope does have one suggestion how Apple could make the transition more palatable, however: drop the price of Final Cut Express a little or provide upgrade pricing to owners of iLife '06. He doesn't expect it to happen, though, as this "scandal" hasn't reached Sensaround proportions and, at the cost of either $0 or $79 depending how you got it, iLife is so absurdly cheap for what you get that Apple could cut out iMovie altogether and include a DVD of Little Nicky and it'd still be a value.
OK, maybe not Little Nicky, but you get the point.
Macworld's Jeff Carlson has a first look at the new iMovie.
It's unfortunate to see that some features of the previous version -- which, in all actuality, was not a previous version at all but a separate product that's been discontinued -- are gone, but they do at least allow you to download the old iMovie for free.
Still, the Macalope agrees with Jobs' assessment that it was simply too hard for amateurs to easily and quickly make movies to upload to the web -- to get that instant gratification -- with the former application known as iMovie. There's little excuse for remaking a product and stripping out features, except for if no one was using it because it was too complicated. And, indeed, this has been the horned one's experience with it. Not that he couldn't figure it out, but that the mere thought of going to the trouble required has meant that his MiniDV tapes go straight from the camera to a box in the office and never see the light of day again.
Perhaps there are some iMovie junkies who will really be upset by this, but sadly they're just not the target market for the app. Upgrade to Final Cut Pro, Apple will say. Grandma needs to slap together that film of her kitty playing the piano.
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