A couple of things Apple should fix

A couple of things Apple should fix

Overall, I like my Apple products. However, there are at least two things I'd love to see Apple fix immediately: a) the miserable way of sharing Pages files between an iPad and a Mac, and b) iMovie.

The British term "rubbish" (and some even less complimentary terms) comes to mind when I try to sync documents between iWork on the iPad and Mac. In fact, it's the main reason that I think the iPad is ill suited to anything beyond rudimentary content creation (though it's great for content consumption).

In fact, you can't really sync Pages documents at all. You must manually import and export them from the iPad. Not only is this cumbersome and very "un-Apple-like," but it creates versioning problems.

To export a document from the iPad, you must first open Pages on the iPad, go to the “My Documents” area, choose the document you want to transfer to your Mac and export it in the format of your choosing. Then connect the tablet device to your Mac with the sync cable.

When iTunes opens on your Mac, click on the iPad under the Devices column and click the Apps tab. Scroll down until you find File Sharing and click on Pages. Choose the doc you want to import and click the Save to button, then choose the folder to which you want to save it.

If this sounds like a kludge, well, that's what using it feels like. And if you try to import/export documents with the same name, be prepared for major confusion. C'mon, Apple, with the talent at your disposal, I know there has to be a way to implement simple doc syncing between the iPad and the Mac. Better yet, simple WIRELESS syncing.

Then there's iMovie. Despite what Apple (or at least Steve Jobs) apparently thinks, to some of us the new version of iMovie is harder to use and -- darn it! -- just less fun than iMovie HD. The intuitive slide approach of that version of the video creation software has been replaced by what someone (I think it was "MacDirectory") described as an interface that "resembles a table filled with disordered strips of film." Also, return the ability to allow third parties to release themes, special effects and transitions for the video editing app.

Yes, iMovie '09 is an improvement over the horrid iMovie '08 thanks to the addition of video stabilization, new transitions and effects, etc. But it's still a far cry from the magnificent iMovie HD. Let's make iMovie 2010 (or 2011, depending when a new version arrives) more like the HD version.

-- Dennis Sellers

 
AAPL
$282.52
Apple Inc.
-1.23
MSFT
$24.38
Microsoft Corpora
-0.11
GOOG
$525.62
Google Inc.
-0.17
MacTech Search:
Community Search:

Introducing the App Hall of Fame!
App discoverability continues to be a real issue. With the fast churn of apps in the App Store, an app has only a few weeks of promotional life in it before it‚Äôs largely forgotten. There are a few things developers can do to fix that, but those... | Read more »
Gobliiins Are Coming
In the midst of the huge Q4 launch schedule, the cult classic, Gobliiins, as well as the rest of the trilogy, are being ported to the iPhone in all of their original glory. The Goblins trilogy was a quirky Atari/Amiga game series from the early 90‚Äôs... | Read more »
myPhoneDesktop – Chrome to iPhone Extens...
Anyone who has used myPhoneDesktop knows that it is a fantastic tool for streamlining your onscreen workflow. Instead of having to type line after line into your phone directly, you can use myPhoneDesktop to type from your computer directly into... | Read more »
Classes Review
Developer: Dustlab Price: $0.99 Version Reviewed: 2.4.7 iPhone Integration Rating: 3 out of 5 stars User Interface Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 3.33 out of 5 stars | Read more »
AutoVerbal Talking Soundboard Pro helps...
Being able to speak and communicate with others is something that many of us take for granted. It‚Äôs not so easy for many folks though, in particular for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, as well as those who have suffered various brain... | Read more »
Pocketbooth Review
Developer: Project Box Price: $0.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 iPhone Integration Rating: 4 out of 5 stars User Interface Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 4.17 out of 5 stars | Read more »
Get Your Roast Right With ‘Time To Roast...
Roasting meat, in the cooking world, is about as simple as it gets. The greatest roast recipe I‚Äôve ever found is from Michael Ruhlman‚Äôs website, with the recipe titled, ‚ÄúThe World‚Äôs Most Difficult Roasted Chicken Recipe.‚Äù | Read more »

All contents are Copyright 1984-2010 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.
Greetings, and welcome to the new MacTech web site! Our home page is designed to be your Industry Dashboard -- so you can have a snapshot of all that's relevant in the industry in one easy location. Many readers tell us that because the information is updated so frequently, they are now checking the site multiple times a day. Here's a quick run down of the features on the new web site, which can be subtle. We truly hope you register so that we can keep you up to date about new features as they are implemented. And, please use the BETA button in the top right to provide us any feedback, suggestions or bugs. We love to hear from you.