June 16 - 8:35pm EDT   Jumsoft has expanded its clipart image package with the new Pages Clipart 4.0. The package consists of various clipart content that can be used for making documents more visually appealing. Pages Clipart 4.0 adds 100 new images to the package, bringing the total to 300. The update boasts both image themes and high-quality renderings. [full story]

May 29 - 9:15am EDT   Apple has posted a minor update for iWork '09, the company's in-house productivity suite. The v9.0.2 patch is said to implement only two changes: improved reliability when saving a document, and similar stability when playing a presentation more than once during a Keynote session. The update is a 42.75MB download from Apple's website. [full story]

May 21 - 8:55pm EDT   In brief: A new iTunes visualizer, TRAKART has been released as a public alpha. The visualizer builds slideshows based on a song's lyrics, analyzing each track to extract keywords which it then uses to search Flickr. Images are then arranged into a slideshow which plays along with the song. Three guides have been released by Peachpit which teach users how to make better use of iLife '09, iWork '09 and GarageBand '09. The guides cover the basics of using each application, along with tips to create more professional products. Meanwhile, Ascender has released a new font style that is based on one of Goudy's original typefaces. The Friar Pro font is based on the original ... [full story]

April 17 - 9:40am EDT   The first known botnet to exploit Mac OS X has been activated, security researchers claim. The network is believed to have been put in place by iServices, a Trojan infection accompanying some pirated versions of iWork '09 and Photoshop CS4. Although downloaded at least 20,000 times by the end of January, the Trojan's payload has remained dormant for some time, in the same manner as many Windows botnets. [full story]

March 26 - 5:15pm EDT   Apple has released maintenance updates for iPhoto, iWeb and iMovie, along with general support updates for the iLife and iWork '09 software suites. The iPhoto 8.0.2 update improves overall stability, while addressing minor issues in Faces, Places, photo sharing, slideshows and other parts of the software. The download weighs in at 87.86MB. The iWeb 3.0.1 update is 14.23MB in size and fixes issues related to publishing to an FTP server and other minor bugs. iMovie 8.0.1 is a stability and usability fix, and is contained in a 24.53MB file. [full story]

March 3 - 10:55pm EST   Jumsoft has released an update to its collection of iWork templates, Pages Templates Pro, which now offers four new themes. The tools can be used to create colorful designs for small business documents, brochures, invoices, memos and business cards. The new themes include Temptation, Steady Idea, Cocktail, and Persuasion. The existing template packs include Frequency Modulation, Daintily Alive, Modern Furniture, Citrus Sunshine, Idée Fix, Midnight Sky, Autumn Leaves, and Black Velvet. [full story]

March 3 - 10:55pm EST   Apple on Tuesday released two new application updates, iLife Support 9.0.1 and iPhoto 8.0.1. iLife Support 9.0.1 is designed to improve overall stability while addressing a number of minor bugs. The new version is recommended for all users of Aperture, iLife '09, and iWork '09. The iPhoto 8.0.1 update also provides improvements to overall stability, with specific enhancements in areas such as Internet connectivity, keyword import, and slideshow export. [full story]

February 19 - 2:55pm EST   Apple has acknowledged file compatibility issues with the new iWork '09 software suite that was debuted at the Macworld Expo early in January. Users running iWork '08 will not be able to open files saved in the iWork '09 formats. The issue also applies to Numbers '08, Keynote '08 and Pages '08 documents that are opened and saved using iWork '09. [full story]

February 2 - 5:00pm EST   Apple has released updates for the iWork suite of programs including Keynote, Pages and Numbers. The Keynote 4.0.4 download addresses compatibility issues with Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 and PowerPoint 2008, while fixing other general compatibility issues. The Pages 3.0.3 and Numbers 1.0.3 updates should also remedy general compatibility problems. [full story]

January 22 - 10:35am EST   A new Trojan attack has been linked with illegal copies of iWork '09, says Intego. The security firm notes that in some copies of iWork found on BitTorrent sites -- and other pirating venues -- a Trojan dubbed OSX.Trojan.iServices.A is attached, masquerading in the form of a package file called iWorkServices. When the iWork installer is launched, iWorkServices is launched as well; while this may be halted by a request for an administrator password, Intego warns that Mac OS X 10.5.1 and earlier will install the Trojan without further prompting. [full story]

January 19 - 9:45am EST   The iWork suite may be good, but it's not the most popular office suite for the Mac; many Mac users are forced to use Microsoft Office to maintain file compatibility with Windows counterparts. To improve iWork's file sharing capabilities, Apple is now beta-testing an online sharing site dubbed iWork.com. [full story]

January 12 - 11:00am EST   Keynote is the oldest and most mature program of the iWork suite, which has regularly bested Microsoft PowerPoint in features and ease of use from its inception. With the latest version, Apple has continued innovating to keep Keynote '09 the star of the entire iWork suite. [full story]

January 9 - 5:20pm EST   As the last new application for iWork, Numbers introduced superior features, but lacked calculating firepower when put head-to-head with Microsoft's Excel. Numbers '09 attempts to remedy this problem, while building on the unique paradigm of a canvas where you place objects like tables, charts and shapes to create a visually-pleasing spreadsheet. [full story]

January 9 - 9:40am EST   Pages has always been a decent word processor, but it’s never been powerful enough to replace Microsoft Word. Apple has, fortunately, boosted Pages '09 with more features in order to make it a better word processor, and an easier desktop publishing program. It may still not match Word feature-for-feature, but that could be a good thing, as what it does offer may be what you really need. [full story]

January 7 - 3:55pm EST   A First Look at iWork '09: Apple's senior marketing VP Phil Schiller announced iWork '09, with new templates across the board, support for sharing documents across the Internet via the new iWork.com, and numerous new features for Pages, Numbers and Keynote, which make up the suite. Schiller also announced a combo package of iWork and iLife. Keynote has added support for managing presentations from an iPhone or iPod touch. [full story]