Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
At first glimpse , it ’s easy to send packing Keynote 3 as a minor upgrade — even the icon has n’t changed . But lollygag beneath the control surface are many new features Keynote users have been clamoring for . Although the program still is n’t gross , those sweetening make Keynote an even more compelling alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint 2004 (; August 2004 ) .
Easier graphics
One of the feature article most requested by Keynote fans was a better set of build - in graphics tool . While you ’ll still need a consecrate programme such as Adobe Illustrator for complex exemplification , iWork ’s beef - up graphics tools should be enough for most user . The new free - form Shape pecker with Bézier - bender bread and butter is specially welcome . Keynote also now supports resizing of group objects , a feature that has been near the top of my wish inclination since the initial release . Like Pages 2 , Keynote now lets you do canonic image redaction via a translucent , iPhoto - like pallet with restraint for change cleverness , contrast , and other parameters . Since your adjustments affect the direction Keynote displays the image , not the underlying image itself , you may undo your alteration at any time with a single click .
Image screening , first introduce in Keynote 2 (; April 2005 ) , is also greatly improved . In Keynote 3 , you’re able to apply geometric shapes to reveal any part of an implicit in mental image — ready to hand when you want to edit Aunt Edna out of a family picture , for instance . The raw reflection effect places an reverse , semitransparent transcript below any selected image to make it take care as though it were shore up up on a glossy surface . ( The gist does n’t work for QuickTime flick , however . )
Keynote ’s theme library include a few more option than before , and several musical theme are now available in higher result , up to 1,920 by 1,080 pixel . The Slide Inspector has several canny 3 - 500 - passage choice , including one that simulates a revolving door .
Make Your Own MaskIn Keynote 3 , you’re able to habituate any geometric shape as an figure mask .
Bullets, builds, and charts
Another feature high on many wish lists was support for more than one bulleted schoolbook box per sloping trough . That wish has been granted . Keynote 3 lets you add bullets to any text box . And because Keynote 3 lets you individually title each paragraph in a bulleted textbook boxful , you may now do things like display two text bullets , inclose a picture , and then go on with the rest bullet point . Doing the same thing in Keynote 2 ask splitting the builds across several slide . Keynote 3 also supports frame in masters , so you no longer have to edit form sliding board by slide .
In addition to 2 - D charts and graphs , iWork ’ 06 sportswoman 3 - 500 charts with synergistic controls that countenance you tweak the lighting and alter the looker ’s position ; the spread out chart repertory includes scatter plots . Keynote ’s table now serve like rudimentary spreadsheets : in addition to simply displaying static text edition and numbers , you’re able to perform dewy-eyed calculations such as plus and multiplication on a range of table cells , and you’re able to state Keynote to sort table rows base on the contents of any column .
Smarter workflow
Keynote 3 finally includes a operational lantern slide sorter that lets you select any subset of slides and drag them anywhere in the current intro or into another open presentation . The individual slide are larger than the Navigator ’s tiny thumbnails , but they ’re still too small for many eyes — Apple ought to add a sliding magnification restraint like the one in iPhoto .
Presenter Display , which shows the current and upcoming slides on the bestower ’s screen , now has a bill of fare - Browning automatic rifle index that show when Keynote is quick to expose the next slide . Another raw selection lets you use Exposé and Dashboard during a chute show , so you could well switch from your demonstration to an covering or a doodad . Keynote 3 also gives you greater control over QuickTime motion-picture show while they ’re play in slides .
Keynote ’s Modern commentary feature of speech lets you add text edition notes to slides — ready to hand if you collaborate on presentations . ( Comments stay hidden when you turn tail the slide show . ) If you have to share your presentation with hoi polloi who do n’t have Keynote , you could now export your presentation to iDVD or as HTML , and new PDF - export ascendency let in the option to save every stage of a build on a separate page .
Missing in action
Despite its many improvement , Keynote 3 suffer from a few omissions . For example , it does n’t let you interact with QuickTime VR movies during a presentation , and you ca n’t embed hyperlink to app or documents . Unlike PowerPoint 2004 , Keynote does n’t allow you register narration for swoop show unless you apply another program , and its support for audio files that span multiple slides is modified . Keynote ’s uncluttered interface is more accessible than PowerPoint ’s , but control for fix attributes for text and graphics are spread across several Inspector tab key . Although you’re able to cut and paste stylus between object , Keynote would gain from a palette with named styles .
Keynote 3 can read older presentations , and an option in its Save dialogue box have you save in iWork ’ 05 format . But there ’s a bug that alters the formatting of text in old imported presentation , which you must then manually clean up — Apple is cognisant of the trouble and promises a fixture .
Macworld’s buying advice
The latest translation of Keynote builds on its predecessor ’s considerable strengths while make a sizable ding in a shrink tilt of missing features . If you ’re fresh to Keynote , or if you ’re still using Keynote 1.1 , iWork ’ 06 is well deserving its terms . Keynote 2 drug user may grumble about Apple ’s lack of upgrade pricing , but Keynote 3 lets you do things that would have been difficult or impossible to do before , or that would have demand another program . For many conferrer , that ’s enough to free the price .
[ Franklin N. Tessler is a university prof and radiologist who know in Birmingham , Alabama , and oft write and call down about presentations . ]
