iWork ‘08 Highlights

iWork ‘08 introduces many new features, which Steve said “Completes the productivity suite”. Apple has published a set of webpages that tour each new feature in Pages, Keynote, and Numbers.

The features in this productivity suite really do make it a fierce competitor with Microsoft Office. The new innovative features, user interface, and Apple-designed templates raise the application suite to a whole new level of productivity, compatibility, and functionality.

Key points from the website include:

Pages

• Two independent application modes, one for word-processing and another for page layout
• Easier text format manipulation
• 80 new Apple-designed templates
• New graphic tools, including “instant alpha” (removing backgrounds from photos)

Keynote

• New transitions and effects
• Voice-over recording
• Automatic “smart builds”
• 35 new Apple-designed templates

Numbers

• Complete compatibility with Microsoft Excel
• A number of Apple-designed templates and chart textures
• Advanced manipulation of tables, canvases, layouts, charts, maps, grids, etc.
• “Interactive Print View”. Scale and arrange layouts before printing.