During last week’s iPad 2 media event, Apple announced an update to the iOS version of its iMovie video editing application and introduced a new version of its GarageBand audio application for the iPad. Like the iPad 2, GarageBand and the updated iMovie were given a March 11th release date, but like iOS 4.3 the applications have made themselves available a little early. Both apps extend the multimedia capabilities of the iPad, with on-device video and audio viewing, editing, and sharing — the iPhone will not have access to GarageBand 1.0. Both applications are priced at $4.99 and available immediately in the App Store. 

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We just got some pretty wild information from one of our Apple sources and while it’s hard to believe at first, it does make sense. We have exclusively been told that the reason Apple just added multitouch gestures for the iPad in the latest iOS 4.3 beta is because the iPad will be losing the home button. Yes, we are told that Apple, at some point in time, will remove the home button from the iPad’s design. Instead of button taps, you will use new multitouch gestures to navigate to the home screen and also to launch the app switcher.

That’s not all, however. In addition to the home button disappearing from the iPad, we’re told that this change will make its way over to the iPhone as well. Our source said Apple employees are already testing iPads and iPhones with no home buttons on the Apple campus, and it’s possible we will see this new change materialize with the next-generation iPad and iPhone devices set to launch this year.

Additionally, we’re told Apple’s popular photo-taking application, Photo Booth, will be appearing on the next iPad. It’s also very possible that we’ll see iLife apps for iOS unveiled around the iPad 2 release as well.

It has been said that Steve Jobs didn’t want any physical buttons on the original iPhone at first, and it looks like he may soon get his wish.

Roughly every two-years, like clockwork, Apple updates its digital media management and creation suite, iLife… and today the trend continues. At the company’s “Back to the Mac” event, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, with help from several executives and product managers, detailed and demoed the latest iterations of, iMovie, iPhoto, and Garageband included in the new iLife ’11 software bundle. Hit the jump to see what’s new.

iPhoto ’11

• New full screen mode with Core Graphics enhancements
  • Full screen places, albums, location views
• Facebook enhancements; with comments
  • Sharing panel lets to know who you’ve sent photo to and what friends on social networks (Flickr, Facebook) are commenting
• Emailing photos from within the iPhoto application itself
  • New email templates
• New slideshow themes are included
• Improved book creation
  • New themes and book layout
• Addition of letterpress cards
  • High-quality pressed cards

iMovie ’11

• Better audio editing
  • Sophisticated editing made simple
  • Live, wave-form audio editing right from the timeline
• One-step effects
• People finder
• News and sports themes
• The ability to construct movie trailers
  • Pre-bundled movie trails will allow users to custom-build a movie trailer intro, trailer, and credits.
  • Easy, wizard-like interface for simple operation

Garageband

• Flex time
  • Allows users to stretch-out or shorten recorded tracks
  • Example given was a musician who forget to hold a long chord as the end of a track; flex time can stretch out that tracks last chord.
• Groove Matching
  • Allows users to set a master track and have Garageband align off-beat tracks to the master
  • “Automatic spell checker for bad rhythm.”
• More effects
• New ways to learn instruments
  • Animated instruments, practice lessons, more songs

As always, iLife is free with every new Mac and $49 for those who would like to purchase the software separately starting today.

Although it hasn’t hit the company’s U.S. homepage just yet, it looks like Apple will live-stream their “Back to the Mac” event being held later today. If you’ve got a thing for black mock turtle-neck shirts and Apple equipment, you might want to clear your schedule for 10:00 AM PT — you also might want to call your credit card company and check your spending limit. Per usual, we’ll keep you updated on anything new and notable that materializes at the event.

Live Video Streaming

Apple® will broadcast its October 20 event online using Apple’s industry-leading HTTP Live Streaming, which is based on open standards. Viewing requires either a Mac® running Safari® on Mac OS® X version 10.6 Snow Leopard®, an iPhone® or iPod touch® running iOS 3.0 or higher, or an iPad™. The live broadcast will begin at 10:00 a.m. PDT on October 20, 2010 at www.apple.com/uk.

Mac users will be happy to learn that Apple is making iLife ’09 available, after what seemed forever since it was announced, beginning tomorrow. We’ve already covered the new features found in the updated bundle so we won’t go through it again but suffice it to say this is a pretty significant upgrade for each of the three applications in the pack. To recap pricing, iLife ’09 will be free with new computers purchased tomorrow or later. An upgrade for current Mac owners will run $79 for a single computer or $99 for a “Family Pack” good on five computers. Users who purchased a new Mac on or after January 6, 2009 should note that an “iLife Up-To-Date upgrade” can be had for a $10 shipping and handling fee. There will also be a Mac Box Set available, which includes iLife ’09, iWork ’09 and Leopard 10.5.6 for $169. Lastly, GarageBand ’09 Artist Lessons will be available for $5 a pop.

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Phil Schiller might not be wearing a black turtle neck but he’s still got some goods to dish this morning at the Macorld keynote. To kick things off, Schiller introduced a new version of iLife – iLife ’09. He showed off a newly updated version of iPhoto, featuring new “Faces” technology that will organize your photos of people, by name, using facial recognition! Select a photo and name a person once, then Faces will identify that person each time you add a new photo of him or her. Then there’s “Places”, which sorts photos according to where they were taken according to geotags. The UI features a map (street or satellite views) with pins representing the location of each photo in an album. Don’t worry if your camera doesn’t support geotagging of course, as you’ll be able to add locations manually within the UI.

iPhoto ’09 also has built in support for album syncing with both Facebook and Flickr. In fact, if people tag photos you upload in Facebook, that data will be synced back to your Mac so the info can be viewed locally! Very smooth Apple, very smooth. Other new features include themes, which allow you to add visual themes to slide shows that include backgrounds and even custom transitions. Slide shows can also be added to iTunes and synced to your iPhone or iPod. Another interesting addition is Travel Books, which allow you to create a cool-looking scrap book out of a series of photos.

Next up is iMovie ’09 which definitely offers some cool new features. Image stabilization for one – because not everyone has Hollywood-worthy filming skills. There is also a new precision editor interface, a bunch of cool video effects and a user friendly drag and drop update that allows you to simply drop a clip on a specific point and have the video inserted instantly. Apple also added video themes with some very nifty 3D effects that will be very fun to play with. The new ’09 version of iMovie is definitely more advanced than the ’08 version but it also seems well-designed to the point where even novice users will be able to take full advantage of its functionality.

Now we come to GarageBand ’09 – with a noteworthy new feature called “Learn to Play”. Think of it as a private music instructor that provides personal lessons, at your pace, in an effort to teach you how to play your instrument of choice. Did they include the bassoon in there? There is also an “Artist Lessons” feature which showcases various artists, such as John Fogerty and Sting, who help teach you how to play their songs.

The complete package will still ship for free on new Macs starting in late January and an upgrade can be purchased by existing customers for $79, or $99 for an upgrade good on five computers. Nice start Apple, we definitely didn’t see that one coming. Let’s see what Cupertino has lined up next…

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